The Petters Family Foundation is a private family foundation based in Newport News, Virginia. Established in 2012, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to philanthropic giving with a particular emphasis on education and community engagement.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$2.7M
+3.6% YoY
Grant Count
29
+31.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$94K
-21.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation is renowned for exceptional generosity in education. Their investments support high-quality educational programs, scholarships, new buildings, and educational opportunities for students across all socioeconomic levels. The foundation also demonstrates commitment to community engagement and environmental education initiatives.
Grantmaking
The foundation maintains significant grantmaking capacity. According to the most recent available financial data, the foundation distributed $2,642,565 in total giving. The foundation has made major gifts, including a $1 million lead gift to support science achievement and education initiatives.
Ready to take the next step with Petters Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Virginia, with particular activity in the Newport News area.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of the most recent 2023 IRS Form 990 filing:
- Total Assets: $26,982,099
- Total Giving: $2,642,565
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
99 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include College of William & Mary Foundation ($1,005,000), Us Naval Academy Foundation ($250,000), Virginia Living Museum ($250,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AN ACHIEVABLE DREAM NEWPORT NEWS, VA | GENERAL FUND SUPPORT | $205,000 |
| BAYPORT FOUNDATION NEWPORT NEWS, VA | GENERAL FUND SUPPORT | $2,500 |
| BEARINGS BIKE SHOP ATLANTA, GA | CAPITAL AND OPERATIONAL SUPPORT | $150,000 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE VIRGINIA PENINSULA NEWPORT NEWS, VA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY FOUNDATION WILLIAMSBURG, VA | SPONSORSHIP OF CAMP LAUNCH PROGRAM AND GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,005,000 |
| DEGOOD FOUNDATION NEWPORT NEWS, VA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| EDMARC HOSPICE FOR CHILDREN PORTSMOUTH, VA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $2,500 |
| FAISON CENTER RICHMOND, VA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,500 |
| FIRSTSPARK NEWPORT NEWS, VA | EDUCATION | $20,000 |
| HAMPTON EDUCATION FOUNDATION HAMPTON, VA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,160 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by Michael and Nancy Petters, who serve as principals of the family foundation. Their family includes daughters Sarah and Caroline. Michael and Nancy Petters have maintained a 30-year history of philanthropic support in their community, beginning as member family supporters in the early 1990s and evolving into major donors and foundation leaders.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| C MICHAEL PETTERS | SECRETARY/TREASURER | 4 | — |
| NANCY B PETTERS | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| SARAH FLETCHER | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| CAROLINE G SAUER | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In November 2024, the Petters Family Foundation made a transformational $1 million gift to the Virginia Living Museum's "Next Gen: Protect what's Precious" Growth Campaign. The gift supports the museum's new state-of-the-art Veterinary Hospital within the Wild Care Center, which bears the Petters Family Foundation name. The foundation received the museum's prestigious Golden Paw Impact Award in recognition of this extraordinary support and their longstanding commitment to advancing the museum's mission to connect people to nature.
Petters Family Foundation $1Million Gift | Virginia Living MuseumThis gift represents the culmination of the Petters family's sustained engagement with the Virginia Living Museum, including previous major campaign support in 2004 for the Early Childhood Education Room and lead support for the 50th Anniversary Future Ready Campaign in 2015.
Petters Family Foundation $1Million Gift | Virginia Living MuseumSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Petters Family Foundation fund?
The foundation is renowned for exceptional generosity in education. Their investments support high-quality educational programs, scholarships, new buildings, and educational opportunities for students across all socioeconomic levels. The foundation also demonstrates commitment to community engagement and environmental education initiatives.
How do I apply for a grant from Petters Family Foundation?
The foundation maintains significant grantmaking capacity. According to the most recent available financial data, the foundation distributed $2,642,565 in total giving. The foundation has made major gifts, including a $1 million lead gift to support science achievement and education initiatives.
Where does Petters Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Virginia, with particular activity in the Newport News area.
What size grants does Petters Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Petters Family Foundation awarded 29 grants totaling $2.7M — an average of about $94K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Petters Family Foundation's EIN?
Petters Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-2323642. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Petters Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
Wolf Family Charitable Trust
OAKTON, VA
Assets
$385K
Grants
5
Total Given
$189K
Stone Ridge Foundation
ALTAVISTA, VA
Assets
$6.4M
Grants
2
Total Given
$15K
Lawrence and Ira Straus Charitable Tr
ARLINGTON, VA
Assets
$236K
Grants
12
Total Given
$8K
Iraqi Children Foundation Inc
FAIRFAX, VA
Assets
$101K
Grants
2
Total Given
$610K
Heartfelt Humans
ASHBURN, VA
Assets
—
Grants
0
Total Given
—
Krumbein Charities Inc
RICHMOND, VA
Assets
$440K
Grants
14
Total Given
$34K
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with Petters Family Foundation on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities
Go from researching Petters Family Foundation to a real strategy.