Mary Sue Collins Foundation
The Mary Sue Collins Foundation is a private foundation based in Roanoke, Virginia. Its stated purposes include supporting education, preventing cruelty to animals and educating the public about animal care, providing necessities to people in need, supporting Roman Catholic women’s religious orders, and supporting the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia.
Mary Sue Collins Foundation at a glance
In short: Mary Sue Collins Foundation gave $348K across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $18K), mostly in Virginia. 5% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $348,465
- +10.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $18,340
- +10.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,531
- Total assets
- $7,514,291
- +6.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 5% first-time grantees (1 of 19, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Virginia (94% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Mary Sue Collins Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations and accepts unsolicited requests. Applications should be submitted in letter format and include a description of the program for which funds are requested, the organization’s IRS determination letter, its current board list, and its most recent Form 990 and audit, if available. Requests must fall within the foundation’s stated exempt purposes.
- Contact
Application contact: Olin R Melchionna Jr Mary Sue Colli
Mailing address: 310 1St Street Sw 1100, Roanoke, VA 24011
Phone: (540) 525-0319
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Mary Sue Collins Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Roanoke College ($94K). Together the top 10 received $299K.
Grant Size Distribution
100 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 95 grants of 100 (95%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Roanoke, Virginia. Its filing specifies support for educational organizations located in Roanoke and within a 30-mile radius of the city that provide education to people under 26. In 2025, 94% of grant dollars went to recipients in Virginia; the remaining share was listed as 2% each for Utah, Maryland, Massachusetts, and New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Mary Sue Collins Foundation open to new grantees?
5%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 19 grantees (5%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $19K. How we count
Medians: $6K first-time, $6K repeat.
- 95% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 24% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 99% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $232K (2019) to $348K (2025). In 2025 it made 19 grants totaling $348K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Roanoke College Salem, VA | Scholarships for Teachers | $94,031 |
| Virginia Tech Foundation Blacksburg, VA | Donation for Va/MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine | $49,560 |
| Rescue Mission of Roanoke Inc Roanoke, VA | General Support | $44,250 |
| Roanoke Va SPCA Roanoke, VA | General Support | $44,250 |
| Child Fund International Richmond, VA | General Support | $25,001 |
| Local Office on Aging Roanoke, VA | General Support | $19,470 |
| Adult Care Center Salem VA, VA | General Support | $5,531 |
| Assisi Animal Clinics Roanoke Roanoke, VA | General Support | $5,531 |
| Best Friends Animal Society Kanab, UT | General Support | $5,531 |
| Daughters of Charity Emmitsburg MD Emmitsburg, MD | General Support | $5,531 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $7,514,291 | $948,105 | $485,003 | $348,465 | 19 | $468,947 | $942,749 | $474,506 |
| 2024 | $7,051,735 | $761,963 | $438,974 | $315,788 | 19 | $423,183 | $755,391 | $428,539 |
| 2023 | $6,724,638 | $428,189 | $349,119 | $248,000 | 21 | $341,539 | $421,529 | $363,886 |
| 2022 | $6,645,750 | $187,227 | $394,837 | $280,000 | 21 | $379,731 | $181,325 | $355,269 |
| 2021 | $6,853,360 | $600,707 | $387,369 | $275,625 | 20 | $379,459 | $595,997 | $412,391 |
| 2020 | $6,637,024 | $775,811 | $334,567 | $240,000 | 21 | — | $227,415 | $335,117 |
| 2019 | $6,195,780 | $374,857 | $324,266 | $232,000 | 22 | — | $306,492 | $291,058 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Mary Sue Collins Foundation reported a distributable amount of $475K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s 2025 filing limits its exempt purposes to six areas: support for educational organizations within Roanoke and a 30-mile radius that educate children and young adults under 26; prevention of cruelty to animals and education about animal care; provision of food, medicine, medical supplies, and other necessities to children, abused and underprivileged individuals, and older adults; education for college and university students interested in teaching; support for Roman Catholic women’s religious orders; and support for the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford.
Its grants include support for colleges, animal welfare organizations, services for older adults, and organizations addressing food needs. Roanoke College, which received $94,031 in 2025, says it prepares students for responsible lives of learning, service, and leadership. The Local Office on Aging, which received $19,470, describes itself as serving older people through community-based services that help them remain independent. Best Friends Animal Society, which received $5,531, says it works to save dogs and cats in shelters and make the country no-kill. The National D-Day Memorial Foundation, which received $5,531, says its mission is to preserve the lessons and legacy of D-Day.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation awarded 19 grants totaling $348,465. Grants ranged from $5,531 to $94,031, with a median of $5,531.
Largest listed grants included $94,031 to Roanoke College for scholarships for teachers; $49,560 to Virginia Tech Foundation for a donation for the VA/MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine; $44,250 each to Rescue Mission of Roanoke and Roanoke VA SPCA for general support; and $25,001 to Child Fund International for general support. Other listed awards included $19,470 to Local Office on Aging and $5,531 each to Adult Care Center, Assisi Animal Clinics Roanoke, Best Friends Animal Society, Daughters of Charity Emmitsburg, Feeding America Southwest VA, and FERAL.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Olin R. Melchionna Jr. Co Spilman and Elizabeth M. Melchionna Co Spilman as trustees.
Mary Sue Collins Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; all 2 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Elizabeth M. Melchionna Co Spilman
Trustee
On filings since 2019
2.5 hrs/week
$15K (2019) → $27K (2025)
Olin R. Melchionna Jr Co Spilman
Trustee
On filings since 2019
7.5 hrs/week
$45K (2019) → $80K (2025)
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
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $80K, to Olin R Melchionna Jr Co Spilman (Trustee). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Mary Sue Collins Foundation
How much does Mary Sue Collins Foundation give each year?
Mary Sue Collins Foundation gave $348K across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $316K across 19 grants.
What is Mary Sue Collins Foundation's typical grant size?
Mary Sue Collins Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,531, and its average grant was $18,340, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Mary Sue Collins Foundation that year got $6K on average.
Where does Mary Sue Collins Foundation give grants?
Mary Sue Collins Foundation gives mostly in Virginia: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Roanoke, VA (8 grants) and Salem VA, VA (2 grants).
Does Mary Sue Collins Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 84% of Mary Sue Collins Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (16 of 19) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Mary Sue Collins Foundation's largest grantees?
Mary Sue Collins Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Roanoke College ($94,031), Virginia Tech Foundation ($49,560) and Rescue Mission of Roanoke Inc ($44,250), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 54% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Mary Sue Collins Foundation?
Mary Sue Collins Foundation reported $7.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $469K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $475K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Mary Sue Collins Foundation fund?
The foundation’s 2025 filing limits its exempt purposes to six areas: support for educational organizations within Roanoke and a 30-mile radius that educate children and young adults under 26; prevention of cruelty to animals and education about animal care; provision of food, medicine, medical supplies, and other necessities to children, abused and underprivileged individuals, and older adults; education for college and university students interested in teaching; support for Roman Catholic women’s religious orders; and support for the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Mary Sue Collins Foundation?
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations and accepts unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Mary Sue Collins Foundation's EIN?
Mary Sue Collins Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-6821945. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Mary Sue Collins Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 10, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Mary Sue Collins Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/mary-sue-collins-foundation-morg_9b7d66a7bf5e4d029f7a6a372edc54b5
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_826821945_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Mary Sue Collins Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/mary-sue-collins-foundation-morg_9b7d66a7bf5e4d029f7a6a372edc54b5},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Mary Sue Collins 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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