Robertson Family Foundation Inc
Robertson Family Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Roanoke, Virginia, that supports organizations and community needs through philanthropic grants. Founded in 2001 as the Louise R. Lester Foundation, it adopted the Robertson Family Foundation name in January 2026.
Robertson Family Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Robertson Family Foundation Inc gave $879K across 44 grants in 2025 (avg $20K), mostly in Virginia. 26% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $879,378
- +38.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 44
- +12.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $19,986
- +22.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $12,500
- Total assets
- $12,651,452
- -5.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 26% first-time grantees (11 of 43, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Virginia (81% 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 Robertson Family Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
Review the application and guidelines, then submit an application by email. The foundation’s 2025 filing identifies its executive director as the contact for grant-process information and directs applicants to the foundation’s website for materials and requirements.
- Review Cycle
- The 2026 spring cycle opens February 12, with applications due March 17 at 9:00 a.m. The fall cycle opens August 6, with applications due September 8 at 9:00 a.m. Decisions are usually made within six weeks after a cycle closes.
- Deadline
- The 2026 spring cycle opens February 12, with applications due March 17 at 9:00 a.m.
- Contact
Application contact: Bj Robertson Executive Director
Mailing address: 3130 Chaparral Drive Ste 108, Roanoke, VA 24018
Phone: (540) 595-7876
Website: https://therobertsonfamilyfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Robertson Family Foundation Inc
Who Robertson Family Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Eastlake Community Church ($200K). Together the top 10 received $503K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($25,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
237 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 225 grants of 237 (95%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says its current geographic interests include select areas of Virginia and North Carolina, including the greater Roanoke Valley and an individual recipient Lake areas in Virginia, and the special-needs community of Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. Other areas are at the board’s discretion. In 2025, 81% of grant dollars went to recipients in Virginia, 15% to North Carolina, and 5% to West Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 44 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Robertson Family Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
26%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 43 grantees (26%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $22K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $13K repeat.
- 58% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 23% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 140% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $498K (2019) to $879K (2025). In 2025 it made 44 grants totaling $879K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Eastlake Community Church Moneta, VA | Bleachers for Football Field | $200,000 |
| Frankie Lemmon Foundation Raleigh, NC | 1-3 Grade Expansion | $63,000 |
| Renewanation Roanoke, VA | Chuch/Family and Christian Education Programs | $50,000 |
| SPCA of Martinsville Henry CO Martinsville, VA | NEW VAN | $39,169 |
| Carilion Foundation Roanoke, VA | Mental Health Services Children | $30,000 |
| Restoration Housing Roanoke, VA | Elderly Affordable Housing | $30,000 |
| Hope NC Chapel Hill, NC | Community Access Fund and Pavilion Construction | $25,000 |
| Mill Mountain Zoo Roanoke, VA | Veterinary Clinic Equipment Project | $25,000 |
| 1 individual scholarship Recipients not named | — | $25,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity Franklin CO Rocky Mount, VA | Critical Home Repairs | $21,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Robertson Family Foundation Inc?
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 | $12,651,452 | $562,055 | $1,204,964 | $879,378 | 44 | $1,057,319 | $426,153 | $754,947 |
| 2024 | $13,318,525 | $890,859 | $946,084 | $634,040 | 39 | $805,859 | $756,549 | $753,533 |
| 2023 | $13,374,043 | $512,837 | $938,919 | $633,301 | 43 | $799,000 | $375,377 | $718,346 |
| 2022 | $13,795,978 | $479,468 | $1,035,967 | $712,352 | 57 | $874,805 | $344,164 | $750,233 |
| 2021 | $14,352,477 | $1,898,872 | $949,338 | $643,325 | 54 | $795,444 | $1,756,415 | $856,015 |
| 2020 | $13,402,943 | $635,043 | $798,496 | $509,608 | 50 | — | $483,349 | $754,179 |
| 2019 | $13,566,396 | $137,172 | $781,666 | $497,840 | 51 | — | $188,638 | $729,935 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Robertson Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $755K 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 mission is to effect positive change in the communities and lives of the people served through its philanthropic support. It aims to connect resources and provide leadership in areas of need that are not adequately served by local charitable organizations.
Its website says grant awards are for tax-exempt 501(c)(3) public charities under section 509(a)(1). Its 2025 grants illustrate support for a range of activities. For example, the Frankie Lemmon Foundation says it supports the Frankie Lemmon School and Developmental Center and Lemmon Tree Academy; Renewanation says it equips families, churches, and schools to give children a biblical worldview; and Restoration Housing says it develops projects focused on historic preservation and the needs of limited-income families. Other 2025 awards included support for children’s mental health services, elderly affordable housing, animal-welfare services, home repairs, scholarships, and equine-assisted services.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation awarded 44 grants totaling $879,378. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $200,000, with a median of $12,500. Notable awards included $200,000 to Eastlake Community Church for bleachers for a football field; $63,000 to the Frankie Lemmon Foundation for a grades 1–3 expansion; $50,000 to Renewanation for church, family, and Christian education programs; and $39,169 to the SPCA of Martinsville Henry County for a new van. Other awards included $30,000 to Carilion Foundation for children’s mental health services and $30,000 to Restoration Housing for elderly affordable housing.
The foundation offers spring and fall application cycles and limits organizations to one grant per calendar year. Applications are submitted by email using the application and guidelines provided on the foundation’s website. The foundation’s directors make final award decisions, and its guidelines say the foundation may request detailed information about a grantee’s use of funds or financial well-being.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Elaine R. Zopp as president, Barry Robertson as vice president, B. J. Robertson as executive director, Suzanne R. Jones and Laura B. Robertson as directors, and Lindsey A. Coley as secretary.
Robertson Family Foundation Inc is led by B. J. Robertson, Executive Director on every filing since 2019; 1 of 6 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
B. J. Robertson
Executive Director
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$84K (2019) → $106K (2025)
Elaine R. Zopp
President
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laura B. Robertson
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Suzanne R. Jones
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Barry Robertson
Vice President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lindsey A. Coley
Secretary
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: J. Lee Osborne (2019–2021) — Secretary
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 $106K, to B J Robertson (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Robertson Family Foundation Inc
How much does Robertson Family Foundation Inc give each year?
Robertson Family Foundation Inc gave $879K across 44 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $634K across 39 grants.
What is Robertson Family Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Robertson Family Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $12,500, and its average grant was $19,986, across 44 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Robertson Family Foundation Inc that year got $13K on average.
Where does Robertson Family Foundation Inc give grants?
Robertson Family Foundation Inc gives mostly in Virginia: 81% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was North Carolina (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were Roanoke, VA (18 grants), Salem, VA (4 grants), Moneta, VA (3 grants) and Martinsville, VA (3 grants).
Does Robertson Family Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 16% of Robertson Family Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (7 of 44) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Robertson Family Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Robertson Family Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Eastlake Community Church ($200,000), Frankie Lemmon Foundation ($63,000) and Renewanation ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($25,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Robertson Family Foundation Inc?
Robertson Family Foundation Inc reported $12.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $755K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Robertson Family Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s mission is to effect positive change in the communities and lives of the people served through its philanthropic support. It aims to connect resources and provide leadership in areas of need that are not adequately served by local charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Robertson Family Foundation Inc?
Review the application and guidelines, then submit an application by email. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Robertson Family Foundation Inc's EIN?
Robertson Family Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-2036566. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
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 May 28, 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
Live grants for the work Robertson Family Foundation Inc funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Robertson Family Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Robertson Family Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/robertson-family-foundation-inc-morg_9d9699c07a7d4ba0a3c2e0e64737d532
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_542036566_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Robertson Family Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/robertson-family-foundation-inc-morg_9d9699c07a7d4ba0a3c2e0e64737d532},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Robertson Family Foundation Inc'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.
Robertson Family Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?