Historic Alexandria Foundation logo

Historic Alexandria Foundation

Public charity · Grantmaker Alexandria, VA EIN: 54-6052540 Website
Arts and cultureHistorical activitiesHistoric preservation

Through advocacy, grants, awards, and recognition programs we encourage public participation and appreciation of our cultural heritage. Since its founding in 1954, haf has raised millions of dollars for surveys of historic architecture, protection of endangered buildings, restoration of museum properties, and conservation of important historical artifacts. We invite all to join us in safeguarding - and celebrating - alexandria's rich cultural and architectural history.

Key facts about Historic Alexandria Foundation

In short: Historic Alexandria Foundation gave $28K across 4 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in Virginia. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

EIN
54-6052540
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$27,500
Grants made (2025)
4
Average grant
$6,875
Median grant
$6,250
Total assets
$2,781,925
Primary geography
Virginia (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Next open deadline
May 1, 2027 (Historic Alexandria Preservation Fund Grant)

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing

Total Assets

$2.8M

+9.7% YoY

Annual Giving

$28K

-26.2% YoY

Grant Count

4

-20.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$7K

-7.8% YoY

How Historic Alexandria Foundation gives

  • Giving fell 20% from 2022 to 2025. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.

About Historic Alexandria Foundation

Based on IRS filings

Historic Alexandria Foundation is a public charity focused on Arts and culture, based in Alexandria, VA. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $2.8M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 4 grants totaling $28K. Net investment income was $128K.

Focus Areas

Arts and cultureHistorical activitiesHistoric preservation

Open Grants

2 open opportunities from Historic Alexandria Foundation

Your AI grants department

Ready to take the next step with Historic Alexandria Foundation?

Fully replaces Grant database subscriptions Instrumentl · Foundation Directory · GrantStation & similar

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 4 itemized grants.

States

Cities

AlexandriaRichmond

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$50K$100K$150K5 grants2019 3 grants2020 3 grants2021 4 grants2022 7 grants2023 5 grants2024 4 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $20K (2021) to $130K (2023). In 2025 it made 4 grants totaling $28K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 4 recipients in 2025

Tall Ship Providence: $10KTall Ship Providence$10KCity of Alexandria: $8KCity of Alexandria$8KScholarship Fund of Alexandria: $5KScholarship Fund of Alexandria$5KLee-Fendall House: $5KLee-Fendall House$5K

The largest 2025 recipient was Tall Ship Providence ($10K). Together the top 4 received $28K.

Grant Size Distribution

23 grants across all recorded years

22<$50K$50–100K1$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 22 grants of 23 (96%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Tall Ship Providence Alexandria, VAOperating Support.$10,000
City of Alexandria Alexandria, VAHistoric Preservation Efforts.$7,500
Scholarship Fund of Alexandria Alexandria, VAOperating Support.$5,000
Lee-Fendall House Alexandria, VAOperating Support$5,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue
Expenses
Net Investment Income
$0$200K$400K$600K2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$2,781,925$2,535,748$2,309,485
Revenue$336,611$203,796$169,227
Expenses$214,365$199,372$240,611
Net Investment Income$127,596$68,218$99,769

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 16, 2026)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 5, 2020)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 10, 2020)
  4. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS December 18, 2021)
  5. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS January 31, 2023)
  6. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 3, 2024)
  7. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 16, 2026)

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Historic Alexandria Foundation is led by Mary Sparks Sterling, Executive Director on every filing since 2024; 1 of 14 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Mary Sparks Sterling

    Executive Director

    On filings since 2024

    30 hrs/week

    $39K (2024) → $49K (2025)

  • Robert Weinhagen

    President

    Treasurer → Vice President, 2024

    Vice President → President, 2025

    On filings since 2023

    25 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Gail C. Rothrock

    Trustee

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • John Thorpe Richards

    Trustee

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Leland S. Ness

    Trustee

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Leslie Smith Ariail

    Trustee

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ruth B. Apelt

    Trustee

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Sherry Hulfish Browne

    Trustee

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Christina Butora

    Trustee

    New on the 2025 filing

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • John S. Moran

    Trustee

    New on the 2025 filing

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Latane Montague

    Trustee

    New on the 2025 filing

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Sandra Ann Carson MD

    Trustee

    New on the 2025 filing

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Mary Heiden

    Treasurer

    Trustee → Treasurer, 2024

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Patrick Burchette

    Vice President

    Trustee → Vice President, 2025

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (12)
  • Former: John H Sprinkle Jr. (2019–2024) — Trustee
  • Former: Maureen C. Cooney (2019–2024) — Trustee
  • Former: Morgan D Delaney (2019–2024) — President
  • Former: Brian Branton (2023–2024) — Secretary
  • Former: R. Latane Montague (2024) — Trustee
  • Former: John H Guy IV (2019–2023) — Trustee
  • Former: Mason Montague Bavin (2019–2023) — Trustee
  • Former: Bob Weinhagen (2019–2022) — Trustee
  • Former: Charles D Ablard (2019–2022) — Trustee
  • Former: Elaine Johnston (2019–2020) — Trustee
  • Former: John Edward Dumsick (2019) — Trustee
  • Former: Mary Kay Ryan (2019) — Corresponding Secretary

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

Mary Sparks Sterling — Executive Director: $49KMary Sparks SterlingExecutive Director$49K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $49K, to Mary Sparks Sterling (Executive Director).

Frequently asked questions about Historic Alexandria Foundation

How much does Historic Alexandria Foundation give each year?

Historic Alexandria Foundation gave $28K across 4 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $37K across 5 grants.

What is Historic Alexandria Foundation's typical grant size?

Historic Alexandria Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $6,250, and its average grant was $6,875, across 4 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.

Where does Historic Alexandria Foundation give grants?

Historic Alexandria Foundation gives mostly in Virginia: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Alexandria, VA (4 grants).

Does Historic Alexandria Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 75% of Historic Alexandria Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (3 of 4) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.

How large is Historic Alexandria Foundation?

Historic Alexandria Foundation reported $2.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $337K.

What is Historic Alexandria Foundation?

Historic Alexandria Foundation is a public charity focused on Arts and culture, based in Alexandria, VA. It holds $2.8M in total assets as of 2025.

What is Historic Alexandria Foundation's EIN?

Historic Alexandria Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-6052540. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.

Your AI grants department

Here's the math on researching Historic Alexandria Foundation by hand.

Explore Open Grants

Browse active grant opportunities in Historic Alexandria Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database

Similar Funders

Funders that support many of the same organizations

Scully Family Charitable Foundation

Gulf Stream, FL

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$815K

Grants

9

Total Given

$67K

Dr Scholl Foundation

Northbrook, IL

The Dr. Scholl Foundation supports nonprofit work in education, social services, healthcare, civic and cultural activities, and the environment, primarily in the United States; it considers international organizations when a board member knows the applicant directly. Grants typically average $5,000–$25,000, with 2024 awards ranging from $2,000 to $500,000. It accepts unsolicited requests through an online Letter of Inquiry process.

Assets

$211.9M

Grants

410

Total Given

$8.9M

Magnolia Plantation Foundation

Charleston, SC

The Magnolia Plantation Foundation supports organizations working in historic preservation, conservation, wildlife care, education, and cultural programming, with most of its 2024 giving going to South Carolina. Its 2024 grants ranged from $500 to $9,000, with a median of $1,000. It gives only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Arts, Culture & Humanities

Assets

$3.1M

Grants

23

Total Given

$43K

Susan Lynde Duval Phipps Foundation Inc

McLean, VA

The foundation supports preselected charities in conservation, humanitarian relief, gardens and horticulture, animal welfare, food access, and education, with much of its 2024 giving going to Virginia, DC, New York, and Maryland. Its 36 grants ranged from $1,000 to $35,000, with a median of $5,000. It does not accept unsolicited funding requests.

Assets

$13.6M

Grants

36

Total Given

$346K

Appreciation of Earth and Animal

Middleburg, VA

The foundation supports wildlife rehabilitation, conservation, education, higher education, and human-service organizations, with grants across the U.S., especially in Florida, Virginia, and South Carolina. Its 2025 grants ranged from $1,000 to $40,000, with a median of $10,000. It accepts written requests with current literature and financial information; no deadline is stated.

Assets

$4.3M

Grants

25

Total Given

$255K

Delman Mortenson Charitable Foundation

Alexandria, VA

The foundation funds a varied range of charitable organizations, with 2025 grants spread across several states and Washington, D.C.; the largest shares went to South Dakota and Virginia. Its 21 grants ranged from $973 to $234,259, with a median of $20,001. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Assets

$13.0M

Grants

21

Total Given

$755K

G Carl Ball Family Foundation

West Chicago, IL

The G Carl Ball Family Foundation supports organizations working in education, early learning, culture and history, conservation, and health and well-being, with most funding going to Illinois and some grants elsewhere. Its 2024 grants ranged from $1,000 to $2 million, with a median of $15,000. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Assets

$31.9M

Grants

44

Total Given

$4.1M

Dean L & Rosemarie Buntrock Foundation

Oakbrook Terrace, IL

The foundation supports a broad range of charitable, educational, religious, arts, and public-policy organizations, with 2024 grants ranging from $50 to $250,000 and a median of $1,250. Most grant dollars went to Illinois, with additional support in California, South Dakota, Virginia, and Iowa. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Assets

$4.6M

Grants

95

Total Given

$1.3M

Brigham Hill Foundation

North Grafton, MA

The Brigham Hill Foundation supports a varied range of Massachusetts organizations, including arts, conservation, health care, education, history, and community services. Its 2025 grants ranged from $60 to $15,000, with a median of $1,250. It accepts formal proposals with the requested amount, planned use of funds, and financial statements; no deadline is listed.

Assets

$286K

Grants

30

Total Given

$87K

Laurel Charitable Trust

Philadelphia, PA

Assets

$25K

Grants

33

Total Given

$62K

The Joan Schechtman Charitable Fdtn Inc

Palm Beach, FL

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$742K

Grants

25

Total Given

$4K

Speyer Family Foundation

Pittsburgh, PA

The Speyer Family Foundation supports a range of charitable work, including conservation, education, community philanthropy, nonprofit news, and the arts, with grants across multiple states and the largest share going to Wyoming in 2024. Its 2024 grants ranged from $50 to $41,500, with a median of $2,000. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Assets

$7.1M

Grants

137

Total Given

$595K

More Funders in Virginia

Historic Alexandria Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?

Want AI to do this for you?