Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation
The Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation is a private foundation based in Warrenton, Virginia. Its 2024 filing states that it makes grants to organizations qualifying under Section 501(c)(3) that operate in Fauquier and/or Loudoun counties, Virginia.
Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation at a glance
In short: Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation gave $413K across 18 grants in 2024 (avg $23K), mostly in Virginia. 28% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $413,000
- +1866.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 18
- +28.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $22,944
- +1429.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $16,000
- Total assets
- $4,416,964
- -11.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 28% first-time grantees (5 of 18, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Virginia (92% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing says to submit a letter stating the specific need and expected benefit of the contribution. It lists no deadline and restricts grants to organizations qualifying under Section 501(c)(3) that operate in Fauquier and/or Loudoun counties, Virginia.
- Contact
Application contact: Maximilian A Tufts Jr
Mailing address: PO Box 1139, Warrenton, VA 20188-1139
Phone: (540) 347-0353
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Fauquier SPCA ($50K). Together the top 10 received $333K.
Grant Size Distribution
69 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 68 grants of 69 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The filing states that grants are restricted to qualifying organizations operating in Fauquier and/or Loudoun counties, Virginia. In 2024, 92% of grant dollars went to recipients in Virginia and 8% to recipients in Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation open to new grantees?
28%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 18 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $17K; repeat grants $25K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 72% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 1658% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 179% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $17K (2022) to $413K (2024). In 2024 it made 18 grants totaling $413K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Fauquier SPCA Warrenton, VA | Unrestricted Grant / Charitable | $50,000 |
| St John's Catholic School Warrenton, VA | Unrestricted Grant / Charitable | $44,000 |
| The Northern Piedmont Community Foundation Warrenton, VA | Unrestricted Grant / Charitable | $44,000 |
| Friends of Weston Warrenton, VA | Unrestricted Grant / Charitable | $42,000 |
| Reserva the Youth Land Trust Washington, DC | Unrestricted Grant / Charitable | $34,000 |
| Warrenton Volunteer Fire Dept Warrenton, VA | Unrestricted Grant / Charitable | $32,000 |
| Foothills Housing Corporation Warrenton, VA | Unrestricted Grant / Charitable | $30,000 |
| Fauquier Family Shelter Services Inc Warrenton, VA | Unrestricted Grant / Charitable | $25,000 |
| Catlett Volunteer Fire and Rescue Catlett, VA | Unrestricted Grant / Charitable | $18,000 |
| The Hill School Middleburg, VA | Unrestricted Grant / Charitable | $14,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $4,416,964 | $-62,881 | $485,845 | $413,000 | 18 | $414,823 | $152,927 | $231,801 |
| 2023 | $4,965,690 | $56,851 | $240,115 | $21,000 | 14 | $23,348 | $31,139 | $259,862 |
| 2022 | $5,148,954 | $4,935,553 | $162,952 | $16,500 | 12 | $18,878 | $17,804 | $21,485 |
| 2021 | $376,353 | $65,727 | $31,117 | $23,498 | 13 | $23,806 | $63,895 | $25,474 |
| 2020 | $341,743 | $-11,343 | $32,275 | $23,500 | 12 | — | $981 | $22,821 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation reported a distributable amount of $232K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations whose stated missions address animal refuge and adoption, affordable housing, services for families experiencing homelessness, education, food assistance, climate change and environmental issues, and ecological research and habitat conservation.
For example, Fauquier SPCA says it provides temporary refuge for stray, homeless, and abandoned animals and works to place them in appropriate homes. Foothills Housing Corporation describes its mission as providing safe, decent, and affordable housing. Fauquier Family Shelter Services says it provides short-term shelter, transitional housing, and related services and guidance to homeless and potentially homeless families. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation made 18 grants totaling $413,000. Grants ranged from $8,000 to $50,000, with a median grant of $16,000. Among the largest grants were $50,000 to Fauquier SPCA, $44,000 each to St John’s Catholic School and the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation, $42,000 to Friends of Weston, and $34,000 to Reserva the Youth Land Trust.
Other listed 2024 grants included $32,000 to Warrenton Volunteer Fire Dept, $30,000 to Foothills Housing Corporation, $25,000 to Fauquier Family Shelter Services, $18,000 to Catlett Volunteer Fire and Rescue, $14,000 to The Hill School, $12,000 to Fauquier FISH, and $10,000 to St James Episcopal Church.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2024 filing are Maximilian A Tufts Jr, president and treasurer; John Philip Harris Pennington, vice-president and assistant secretary; and directors Jonathan L Tufts, Phoebe R Tufts, Elizabeth Anderson, A Kimbrough Ford, Henry P Tufts, and Michael R Anderson.
Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation is led by Maximilian A. Tufts Jr., President & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; none of the 8 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Maximilian A. Tufts Jr.
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
A. Kimbrough Ford
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Anderson
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Henry P. Tufts
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Jonathan L. Tufts
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Phoebe R. Tufts
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Michael R. Anderson
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
John Philip Harris Pennington
Vice President & Asst-Secr
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Elizabeth W. Gookin (2020–2021) — Vice President & Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation
How much does Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation give each year?
Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation gave $413K across 18 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $21K across 14 grants.
What is Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation's typical grant size?
Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $16,000, and its average grant was $22,944, across 18 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation that year got $17K on average.
Where does Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation give grants?
Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation gives mostly in Virginia: 92% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was District of Columbia (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Warrenton, VA (14 grants).
Does Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (18 of 18) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation's largest grantees?
Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Fauquier SPCA ($50,000), St John's Catholic School ($44,000) and The Northern Piedmont Community Foundation ($44,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation?
Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation reported $4.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $415K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $232K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation?
The filing says to submit a letter stating the specific need and expected benefit of the contribution. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation's EIN?
Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-1685754. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/margaret-spilman-bowden-foundation-morg_0b14844f8a8f4d3081d90ee3e5746a8e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_541685754_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/margaret-spilman-bowden-foundation-morg_0b14844f8a8f4d3081d90ee3e5746a8e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-21. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Margaret Spilman Bowden Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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