James a Meador Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker Salem, VA EIN: 54-0795438

The James A Meador Foundation is a private foundation located in Salem, Virginia. It is among the active grantmaking foundations in the Salem area.

Key facts about James a Meador Foundation

EIN: 54-0795438
Latest 990 filing: Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024): $422,500
Grants made (2024): 19
Average grant: $22,237
Median grant: $5,000
New grantees (estimate): 26% first-time grantees (5 of 19, 2024)
Total assets: $9,045,005
Primary geography: Virginia (99% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

Who James a Meador Foundation funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for James a Meador Foundation's 19 itemized 2024 grants were Virginia (99%). The most frequent recipient cities were Roanoke, VA (6 grants), Salem, VA (3 grants), Moneta, VA (3 grants) and Lynchburg, VA (2 grants). 53% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (9 grants).

Is James a Meador Foundation open to new grantees?

26%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 5 of 19 grantees (26%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $18K; repeat grants $24K. How we count

Medians: $10K first-time, $4K repeat.

58% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
Giving fell 29% from 2021 to 2024. Method
In 2024 it paid out 81% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Next steps with James a Meador Foundation

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Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$9.0M

+0.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$423K

-26.9% YoY

Grant Count

-9.5% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$22K

-19.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, James a Meador Foundation reported a distributable amount of $541K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Grantmaking

The foundation has demonstrated consistent grantmaking activity. According to available data, the foundation's total giving is $421,250.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation funds organizations in Virginia, with documented grants to nonprofits in the Blacksburg area.

Grant Distribution by State

Virginia $420K (99%)

Kansas $3K (1%)

Share of all 19 itemized 2024 grant dollars.

States

Kansas Louisiana Ohio Rhode Island South Carolina Tennessee Virginia

Cities

RoanokeSalemMonetaBlacksburgLynchburgCharlottesvilleHuddlestonRadfordFerrumHarrisonburgRocky MountBaton RougeBedfordColumbiaDanvilleDaytonEmoryJohnson CityLexingtonManhattan

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

The James A Meador Foundation is among the top grantmaking foundations in Salem, Virginia, with total giving of $421,250. It ranks third among Salem-area foundations by total giving, following Roanoke College and the Powell Charitable Foundation.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$9,045,005	$9,018,586	$9,654,885
Revenue	$654,298	$124,675	$74,607
Expenses	$627,879	$760,974	$734,170
Qualifying Distributions	$438,515	$589,791	$591,074
Net Investment Income	$464,934	$54,112	$80,155
Distributable Amount	$541,036	$486,421	$507,210

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

March 1, 2026 IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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

111 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Saunders Fire Department ($90,000), Faith Christian Schools ($50,000), Good Samaritan Hospice ($50,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
SAUNDERS FIRE DEPARTMENT Huddleston, VA	GENERAL OPERATIONS	$90,000
FAITH CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS Roanoke, VA	GENERAL OPERATIONS	$50,000
GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPICE Roanoke, VA	DONATION FOR GENERAL SUPPORT	$50,000
HOPE TREE FAMILY SERVICES Salem, VA	GENERAL OPERATIONS	$50,000
SALEM AREA ECUMENICAL MINISTRIES Salem, VA	DONATION FOR GENERAL SUPPORT	$40,000
BETHLEHEM UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Moneta, VA	GENERAL OPERATIONS	$40,000
SRHS BAND BOOSTERS Moneta, VA	DONATION FOR GENERAL SUPPORT	$35,000
STRAIGHT STREET Roanoke, VA	DONATION FOR GENERAL SUPPORT	$30,000
REDWOOD UMC WARMING SHELTER Moneta, VA	DONATION FOR GENERAL SUPPORT	$10,000
VIRGINIA WESTERN COMMUNITY COLLEGE Roanoke, VA	SCHOLARSHIP	$5,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
Cathie M Thomas	President/Treasurer	5	$53,243
Susan Tinsley	Vice President/Secretary	5	$53,243

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply for a grant from James a Meador Foundation?

The foundation has demonstrated consistent grantmaking activity. According to available data, the foundation's total giving is $421,250. Recent grants include: • **Hope To Walk** (Blacksburg, VA): $30,000 for General Support (2023) The foundation supports organizations working in areas including health and human services, with documented support for nonprofits providing direct charitable services.

Where does James a Meador Foundation make grants?

The foundation funds organizations in Virginia, with documented grants to nonprofits in the Blacksburg area.

What size grants does James a Meador Foundation award?

In 2024, James a Meador Foundation awarded 19 grants totaling $423K — an average of about $22K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is James a Meador Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, James a Meador Foundation reported a distributable amount of $541K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.