Blackburn Foundation

ALEXANDRIA, VA EIN: 52-6036199 Website

The Blackburn Foundation is a private foundation established in 1969 and located in Alexandria, Virginia. It operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to philanthropic grantmaking across multiple sectors and geographic regions.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$643K

-23.6% YoY

Annual Giving

$464K

+39.4% YoY

Grant Count

+57.1% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$42K

-11.3% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Blackburn Foundation reported a distributable amount of $181K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation supports nonprofit organizations with a focus on:

Arts and culture
Education
Health
Human services
Catholic churches

The foundation provides project support and general operating grants to eligible organizations.

Grantmaking

The foundation is open to new applicants, with approximately 12% of new applicants receiving funding.

Grant Range

$197

Average Grant

$197

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation supports organizations across multiple states and cities, including:

States: Indiana, Maryland, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia
Cities: Alexandria, Annapolis, Carmel, Charlottesville, Chestertown, Covington, Durham, Waco

The foundation has particular emphasis on the Alexandria, Virginia area.

Grant Distribution by State

Virginia $1.4M (90%)

Texas $87K (6%)

Maryland $43K (3%)

District of Columbia $5K (0%)

New York $5K (0%)

South Carolina $3K (0%)

Massachusetts $2K (0%)

Indiana $1K (0%)

+1 more states

States

District of Columbia Indiana Massachusetts Maryland North Carolina New York South Carolina Texas Virginia

Cities

AlexandriaAnnapolisBostonCarmelCharlottesvilleChestertownCovingtonDurhamGrennvilleNew YorkWacoWashington

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Most Recent Fiscal Year (FYE 10/2024):

Total Assets: $643,376
Total Revenues: $353,283
Total Expenses: $551,665
Total Giving: $464,250
Investment Income and Dividends: $34,654
Net Gain from Sale of Non-Inventory Assets: $318,629

Staffing: The foundation operates with zero employees.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$643,376	$841,758	$588,860
Revenue	$353,283	$631,944	$202,943
Expenses	$551,665	$379,046	$220,062
Qualifying Distributions	$464,250	$333,000	$160,500
Net Investment Income	$268,369	$588,198	$145,661
Distributable Amount	$180,944	$174,871	$188,542

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

49 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include St Stephen's & St Agnes Upper School ($203,000), Basilica of Saint Mary ($200,000), Home School Now ($21,250).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
BASILICA OF SAINT MARY ALEXANDRIA, VA	GENERAL CONTRIBUTION	$200,000
ST STEPHEN'S & ST AGNES UPPER SCHOOL ALEXANDRIA, VA	GENERAL CONTRIBUTION	$203,000
HOME SCHOOL NOW WACO, TX	GENERAL CONTRIBUTION	$21,250
CAMPAGNA CENTER ALEXANDRIA, VA	GENERAL CONTRIBUTION	$20,000
NATURE SACRED ANNAPOLIS, MD	GENERAL CONTRIBUTION	$10,000
BROADCASTERS FOUNDATION OF AMERICA NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL CONTRIBUTION	$5,000
MSPCA ANGELL BOSTON, MA	GENERAL CONTRIBUTION	$1,000
THE ST PAUL'S FOUNDATION ALEXANDRIA, VA	GENERAL CONTRIBUTION	$1,000
ALEXANDRIA ACES ALEXANDRIA, VA	GENERAL CONTRIBUTION	$1,000
TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH ALEXANDRIA, VA	GENERAL CONTRIBUTION	$1,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

James W. Blackburn – President, Secretary, and Treasurer (part-time, unpaid)
Richard F. Blackburn – Vice President and Trustee (part-time, unpaid)

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
JAMES W BLACKBURN	PRESIDENT, SECRETARY, TREA	0.5	—
RICHARD F BLACKBURN	VICE PRESIDENT, TRUSTEE	0.5	—

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Blackburn Foundation fund?

The foundation supports nonprofit organizations with a focus on: • Arts and culture • Education • Health • Human services • Catholic churches The foundation provides project support and general operating grants to eligible organizations.

How do I apply for a grant from Blackburn Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • Made 10 grants in the most recent fiscal year • Average grant size: $197 • Recent grants include: • The Campagna Center: $20,000 (General Contribution) • Nature Sacred: $10,000 (General Contribution) • Broadcasters Foundation of America: $5,000 (General Contribution) **Application Status:** The foundation is open to new applicants, with approximately 12% of new applicants receiving funding.

Where does Blackburn Foundation make grants?

The foundation supports organizations across multiple states and cities, including: • **States:** Indiana, Maryland, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia • **Cities:** Alexandria, Annapolis, Carmel, Charlottesville, Chestertown, Covington, Durham, Waco The foundation has particular emphasis on the Alexandria, Virginia area.

What size grants does Blackburn Foundation award?

In 2024, Blackburn Foundation awarded 11 grants totaling $464K — an average of about $42K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Blackburn Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Blackburn Foundation reported a distributable amount of $181K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.