Powell Charitable Foundation
The Powell Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Salem, Virginia. Its 2024 filing reports 58 grants totaling $550,000, with recipients including religious organizations, schools, and organizations serving community needs.
Powell Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: Powell Charitable Foundation gave $550K across 58 grants in 2024 (avg $9K), mostly in Virginia. 26% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $550,000
- +11.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 58
- +9.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $9,483
- +1.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $6,000
- Total assets
- $11,475,225
- +6.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 26% first-time grantees (15 of 58, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Virginia (88% 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 Powell Charitable Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 961, Salem, VA 24153
Phone: (540) 330-4215
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Powell Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Redeemer Presbyterian ($75K). Together the top 10 received $274K.
Grant Size Distribution
252 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 243 grants of 252 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 88% of grant dollars went to recipients in Virginia, 6% to Maryland, 2% to North Carolina, and 1% each to Texas and Idaho.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 58 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Powell Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
26%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 15 of 58 grantees (26%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $10K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $7K repeat.
- 72% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−7%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 100% 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 $456K (2022) to $594K (2021). In 2024 it made 58 grants totaling $550K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Redeemer Presbyterian Lynchburg, VA | Religious | $75,000 |
| Faith Christian Church Christiansburg, VA | Religious | $40,000 |
| Star Community Hagerstown, MD | Adult Care | $35,000 |
| Valley Bible Church Roanoke, VA | Religious | $27,500 |
| E&H College Meadowview, VA | Education | $25,000 |
| Star City Soccer Foundation Roanoke, VA | Education | $17,500 |
| Rally for the Valley Salem, VA | Humanitarian | $15,000 |
| St Pauls Episcopal Salem, VA | Religious | $14,500 |
| Andrew Lewis Middle School Salem, VA | Educational | $12,000 |
| GW Carver Elementary School Salem, VA | Education | $12,000 |
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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 | $11,475,225 | $1,567,866 | $884,116 | $550,000 | 58 | $611,688 | $74,197 | $610,850 |
| 2023 | $10,791,475 | $1,674,019 | $833,405 | $495,000 | 53 | $560,513 | $46,276 | $549,491 |
| 2022 | $9,950,861 | $1,223,242 | $808,364 | $456,000 | 43 | $523,600 | — | $550,174 |
| 2021 | $9,535,983 | $1,609,740 | $974,528 | $594,075 | 55 | $663,755 | — | $554,127 |
| 2020 | $10,910,998 | $1,090,411 | $825,545 | $479,630 | 43 | — | $75,641 | $504,167 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Powell Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $611K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for religious, educational, humanitarian, and adult-care purposes.
The grantees describe a range of activities. STAR Community says it partners with people it supports to build community connections with respect and dignity. Restoration Housing says it works on historic-preservation projects intended to address the needs of limited-income families and strengthen communities. Roanoke Cultural Endowment says it supports arts and cultural organizations in Roanoke through grantmaking. Masterpiece Alliance says it creates community among adolescents and adults with disabilities. These are descriptions of the grantees’ work, not stated missions of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 58 grants totaling $550,000. Grants ranged from $750 to $75,000, with a median of $6,000.
The largest grants included $75,000 to Redeemer Presbyterian in Lynchburg, Virginia, for religious purposes; $40,000 to Faith Christian Church in Christiansburg, Virginia, for religious purposes; $35,000 to STAR Community in Hagerstown, Maryland, for adult care; $27,500 to Valley Bible Church in Roanoke, Virginia, for religious purposes; and $25,000 to E&H College in Meadowview, Virginia, for education. Other recipients included Star City Soccer Foundation ($17,500), Rally for the Valley ($15,000), and St. Pauls Episcopal ($14,500). Three Salem schools—Andrew Lewis Middle School, GW Carver Elementary School, and East Salem Elementary School—each received $12,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Paul A. Powell Jr. as trustee.
Powell Charitable Foundation is led by Paul A. Powell Jr., Trustee on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Paul A. Powell Jr.
Trustee
On filings since 2020
$138K (2020) → $138K (2024)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Waid B. Powell (2020–2023) — Trustee
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $138K, to Paul a Powell Jr (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Powell Charitable Foundation
How much does Powell Charitable Foundation give each year?
Powell Charitable Foundation gave $550K across 58 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $495K across 53 grants.
What is Powell Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Powell Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $6,000, and its average grant was $9,483, across 58 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Powell Charitable Foundation that year got $7K on average.
Where does Powell Charitable Foundation give grants?
Powell Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Virginia: 88% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Maryland (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Roanoke, VA (22 grants), Salem, VA (14 grants) and Lynchburg, VA (2 grants).
Does Powell Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 58 grants with a stated purpose on Powell Charitable Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Religious" (16 grants), "Educational" (6 grants) and "Education" (5 grants).
Who are Powell Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
Powell Charitable Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Redeemer Presbyterian ($75,000), Faith Christian Church ($40,000) and Star Community ($35,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 27% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Powell Charitable Foundation?
Powell Charitable Foundation reported $11.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $612K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $611K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Powell Charitable Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for religious, educational, humanitarian, and adult-care purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Powell Charitable Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Powell Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Powell Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 65-1175747. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Powell Charitable Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Powell Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/powell-charitable-foundation-morg_3c3f8b6b877c4aabaf06cf96fc8253ca
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_651175747_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Powell Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/powell-charitable-foundation-morg_3c3f8b6b877c4aabaf06cf96fc8253ca},
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 Powell Charitable 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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