Foundations & Grantmakers in Virginia
4,204 grantmakers in Virginia reported grants on their latest 990s. The 1,589 that made at least 5 grants gave $2.7B. The largest by giving are Donors Trust Inc, US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants Inc and The Nature Conservancy. The list below ranks grantmakers with at least 5 grants by annual giving, and each funder links to a profile with its grant history and financials.
Looking for open funding opportunities instead? Browse Virginia grants
Foundation giving in Virginia at a glance
Active grantmakers
4,204
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$2.7B
from the 1,589 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$19K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$78K
per grantmaker
Top 10 foundations in Virginia by annual giving
| # | Funder | City | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Donors Trust Inc | Alexandria | $282.1M | 919 |
| 2 | US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants Inc | Arlington | $195.9M | 142 |
| 3 | The Nature Conservancy | Arlington | $67.8M | 671 |
| 4 | Red Gates Foundation | Richmond | $67.3M | 33 |
| 5 | Charles Koch Foundation | Arlington | $64.1M | 93 |
| 6 | The Community Foundation Inc | Richmond | $61.8M | 917 |
| 7 | Public Interest Registry | Reston | $61.2M | 10 |
| 8 | Virginia Early Childhood Foundation | Henrico | $57.9M | 9 |
| 9 | Commonwealth Foundation for Cancer Research | Richmond | $55.9M | 8 |
| 10 | William & Mary Foundation | Williamsburg | $52.7M | 28 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked; 5 organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants (usually one transfer to an affiliated charity) are left out.
Most common focus areas
- Education 260 · 25%
- Human Services 115 · 11%
- Health 94 · 9%
- Community Improvement & Capacity Building 70 · 7%
- Arts, Culture & Humanities 67 · 6%
- Environment & Animals 60 · 6%
Share of grantmakers with a program NTEE code (45% carry any NTEE code); general grantmaking foundations (NTEE T) are not counted.
Community foundations in Virginia
- The Community Foundation Inc $61.8M · 917 grants
- Hampton Roads Community Foundation $31.1M · 329 grants
- Charlottesville Area Community Foundation $27.9M · 437 grants
- The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg & Rockingham County $9.4M · 204 grants
- The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia Inc $7.1M · 218 grants
- Community Foundation Serving Western Virginia $4.2M · 174 grants
- Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties $4.2M · 112 grants
- Arlington Community Foundation $3.0M · 114 grants
Showing the largest 8 of 22 with at least 10 grants.
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2025).
Most open to new grantees in Virginia
Foundations based in Virginia whose latest grant list had the largest share of organizations they had not funded in any earlier year on file.
| # | Funder | First-time grantees | Grantees | Avg first grant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ellucian Foundation | 82% (31) | 38 in 2025 | $15K |
| 2 | Weissberg Foundation | 78% (82) | 105 in 2024 | $76K |
| 3 | Moore's Charitable Foundation | 73% (38) | 52 in 2024 | $7K |
| 4 | American Bird Conservancy | 70% (45) | 64 in 2024 | $33K |
| 5 | Skewes Family Foundation | 67% (24) | 36 in 2025 | $10K |
| 6 | Hilton Global Foundation | 66% (21) | 32 in 2024 | $146K |
| 7 | Marion Park Lewis Foundation | 65% (34) | 52 in 2025 | $4K |
| 8 | Scott Cares Foundation | 65% (35) | 54 in 2025 | $1K |
| 9 | Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation | 65% (40) | 62 in 2025 | $57K |
| 10 | The Rapha Foundation | 63% (29) | 46 in 2025 | $39K |
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990 and 990-PF grant lists. Only foundations with at least 20 grants in each of the last three years (and 20 distinct grantees in the latest), a filing from the last 2 years, and first grants averaging at least $1K are ranked; grants to individuals are left out, and recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed grantee can look new. How we calculate this.
Showing 1,589 grantmakers in Virginia with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
Donors Trust Inc
Alexandria, VA
Assets
$1.4B
Grants
919
Total Given
$282.1M
US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants Inc
Arlington, VA
Assets
$136.5M
Grants
142
Total Given
$195.9M
The Nature Conservancy
Arlington, VA
Assets
$10.1B
Grants
671
Total Given
$67.8M
Red Gates Foundation
Richmond, VA
Assets
$1.5B
Grants
33
Total Given
$67.3M
Charles Koch Foundation
Arlington, VA
Assets
$758.9M
Grants
93
Total Given
$64.1M
The Community Foundation Inc
Richmond, VA
Assets
$852.4M
Grants
917
Total Given
$61.8M
Public Interest Registry
Reston, VA
Assets
$71.4M
Grants
10
Total Given
$61.2M
Virginia Early Childhood Foundation
Henrico, VA
Assets
$17.5M
Grants
9
Total Given
$57.9M
Commonwealth Foundation for Cancer Research
Richmond, VA
Assets
$50.9M
Grants
8
Total Given
$55.9M
William & Mary Foundation
Williamsburg, VA
Assets
$1.5B
Grants
28
Total Given
$52.7M
National Council on Aging Inc
Arlington, VA
Assets
$19.9M
Grants
190
Total Given
$46.5M
The Endeavour Legacy Foundation
Richmond, VA
Assets
$731.7M
Grants
14
Total Given
$38.8M
Capital One Foundation Inc
McLean, VA
Assets
$327.8M
Grants
102
Total Given
$36.0M
Conservation International Foundation
Arlington, VA
Assets
$703.6M
Grants
67
Total Given
$31.7M
Hampton Roads Community Foundation
Norfolk, VA
Assets
$524.1M
Grants
329
Total Given
$31.1M
Charlottesville Area Community Foundation
Charlottesville, VA
Assets
$292.3M
Grants
437
Total Given
$27.9M
American Diabetes Association
Arlington, VA
Assets
$253.9M
Grants
241
Total Given
$26.5M
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
Lansdowne, VA
Assets
$940.1M
Grants
1,419
Total Given
$25.1M
Barbara Brunckhorst Foundation
Richmond, VA
Assets
$425.7M
Grants
18
Total Given
$23.2M
Islamic Relief USA
Alexandria, VA
Assets
$232.4M
Grants
436
Total Given
$22.1M
Claws Foundation
Reston, VA
Assets
$6.2M
Grants
22
Total Given
$18.5M
Conquer Cancer Foundation of the American Society of Clinical Oncology
Alexandria, VA
Assets
$120.7M
Grants
39
Total Given
$17.4M
Winkler Botanical Preserve
Alexandria, VA
Assets
—
Grants
8
Total Given
$16.8M
The Society of St Andrew Inc
Big Island, VA
Assets
$8.3M
Grants
232
Total Given
$16.5M
Here's the math on clicking through this list.
You, clicking into all 24 funders
~2.8 hrs
at ~7 min per funder profile
Your agents, the same 24
~1 min
every profile evaluated and scored, with reasoning
Questions about foundations in Virginia
What are the largest foundations in Virginia?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are Donors Trust Inc ($282.1M across 919 grants), US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants Inc ($195.9M) and The Nature Conservancy ($67.8M). Together the top 10 account for 35% of the $2.7B given by the 1,589 grantmakers in Virginia that made at least 5 grants. Organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants, usually a single transfer to an affiliated charity, are left out of the ranking.
How big is a typical foundation grant in Virginia?
The typical grant is about $19K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $78K in total in their latest filing year, so many are small foundations that give to a few organizations they already know. The largest funders make many more grants, but also get the most requests.
Are there community foundations in Virginia?
Yes. We found 22 community foundations in Virginia with grant activity. The largest by giving are The Community Foundation Inc, Hampton Roads Community Foundation and Charlottesville Area Community Foundation. Community foundations pool gifts from many local donors and usually run open grant rounds for nonprofits in their area, which makes them a good first stop for local funding.
How do I find Virginia foundations that accept unsolicited proposals?
Most private foundations don't run an open application. Their 990-PF says whether they only give to preselected charities, and their past grants show who they actually fund. Start with the funders above whose grant counts and typical grant size fit your budget, then check each profile's grant history for organizations like yours before you reach out. Read the grant prospecting guide.
Related guides
- Grant prospecting: how to find funders that fit
How to shortlist foundations in Virginia from their 990s and giving history.
- AI grant writing: draft proposals in your voice
Turn a shortlist into LOIs and proposals drafted from your own materials.