Preston & Catharine White Foundation
The Preston and Catharine White Foundation is a private foundation based in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Established in 2008, it is a 501(c)(3) organization with no employees that makes grants to nonprofits across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$7.5M
+0.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$401K
+36.9% YoY
Grant Count
35
+16.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$11K
+17.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Preston & Catharine White Foundation reported a distributable amount of $482K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's grantmaking priorities include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Arts and Arts Access & Participation
Grantmaking
The foundation also made a $10 million gift to establish the Preston and Catharine White Endowed Diversity Scholarship at Virginia Tech, announced in October 2023.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Virginia, the District of Columbia, and South Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $7,535,272
- Total Giving: $401,000
- Total Revenues: $456,439
- Total Expenses: $471,777
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,535,272 | $7,491,768 | $7,615,113 |
| Revenue | $456,439 | $222,976 | $3,168,413 |
| Expenses | $471,777 | $332,634 | $308,866 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $403,138 | $293,275 | $280,363 |
| Net Investment Income | $387,797 | $194,749 | $132,944 |
| Distributable Amount | $481,819 | $419,223 | $278,129 |
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
144 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Chesapeake Bay Foundation ($100,000), Chkd ($75,000), Evms Foundation ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACCESS COLLEGE FOUNDATION NORFOLK, VA | TO SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX EXEMPT STATUS | $5,000 |
| AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUST WASHINGTON, DC | TO SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX EXEMPT STATUS | $5,000 |
| AMERICAN COUNCIL OF TRUSTEES & ALUMNI WASHINGTON, DC | TO SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX EXEMPT STATUS | $1,000 |
| BARRIER ISLAND CENTER MACHIPONGO, VA | TO SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX EXEMPT STATUS | $1,000 |
| CHESAPEAKE BAY FOUNDATION NORFOLK, VA | TO SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX EXEMPT STATUS | $100,000 |
| CHILDREN OF FALLEN PATRIOTS RESTON, VA | TO SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX EXEMPT STATUS | $5,000 |
| CHKD NORFOLK, VA | TO SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX EXEMPT STATUS | $75,000 |
| CHRYSLER MUSEUM OF ART NORFOLK, VA | TO SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX EXEMPT STATUS | $5,000 |
| E3 ELEVATE EARLY EDUCATION NORFOLK, VA | TO SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX EXEMPT STATUS | $5,000 |
| EVMS FOUNDATION NORFOLK, VA | TO SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX EXEMPT STATUS | $50,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Preston White is the founder and primary supporter of the foundation. Preston White founded Century Concrete, a concrete contracting business that grew to employ over 500 people. He and his wife, Catharine White, established the foundation and have directed its philanthropic activities.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CATHARINE M WHITE | TREASURER & SECRETARY | — | — |
| PRESTON M WHITE | PRESIDENT | — | — |
| CATHARINE GLOVER CARTWRIGHT | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| JENIFER RUSH HEILIG | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| MASON P CARRINGTON | DIRECTOR | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In October 2023, Preston and Catharine White announced a $10 million gift to Virginia Tech to establish the Preston and Catharine White Endowed Diversity Scholarship. According to the announcement, the gift was inspired by Preston White's experience building Century Concrete with dedicated employees from diverse backgrounds who lacked formal educational credentials. The scholarship was created to help numerous students each year and reflects the Whites' commitment to supporting educational opportunity and diversity.
How the Richard Preston Centre for Excellence is Shaping Sustainable ChangeSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Preston & Catharine White Foundation fund?
The foundation's grantmaking priorities include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Arts and Arts Access & Participation
How do I apply for a grant from Preston & Catharine White Foundation?
**Grant Amounts:** Typical awards range from $1,000 to $100,000. **Recent Grant Activity:** In 2024, the foundation made 23 grants totaling $401,000. Notable recent grants include: • Westminster Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay Foundation: $100,000 • Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters (CHKD): $75,000 • EVMS Academic Physicians and Surgeons Health Services Foundation: $50,000 The foundation also made a $10 million gift to establish the Preston and Catharine White Endowed Diversity Scholarsh…
Where does Preston & Catharine White Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Virginia, the District of Columbia, and South Carolina.
What size grants does Preston & Catharine White Foundation award?
In 2024, Preston & Catharine White Foundation awarded 35 grants totaling $401K — an average of about $11K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Preston & Catharine White Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Preston & Catharine White Foundation reported a distributable amount of $482K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Preston & Catharine White Foundation's EIN?
Preston & Catharine White Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-2862771. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Preston & Catharine White Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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