Robins Foundation
Robins Foundation is a private foundation based in Richmond, Virginia. It supports early childhood care and education and a dynamic Richmond community, and also supports nonprofit capacity building.
Robins Foundation at a glance
In short: Robins Foundation gave $6.1M across 110 grants in 2024 (avg $55K), mostly in Virginia. 29% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $6,093,965
- +9.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 110
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $55,400
- +9.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $30,000
- Total assets
- $172,011,098
- +4.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (32 of 109, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Virginia (96% 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 Robins Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s 2024 filing states that grant applications must be submitted online. Its current application instructions direct applicants to use its grants portal.
- Contact
Application contact: Christopher Chin President Ceo
Mailing address: 10 South 3Rd Street, Richmond, VA 23219
Phone: (804) 523-1141
Email: grants@robinsfoundation.org
Website: https://robinsfdn.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Robins Foundation
Robins Foundation Early Childhood Education Grants
Robins Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
SEED Grants
Robins Foundation
Amount
Up to US $25,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
SPARK Grants
Robins Foundation
Amount
Up to US $25,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Robins Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Childsavers ($378K). Together the top 10 received $2.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
540 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 317 grants of 540 (59%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s vision centers on the Richmond region. In 2024, 96% of grant dollars went to recipients in Virginia. For the 2026 ECCE SPARK cycle, eligible projects must serve community members in Richmond City, Chesterfield, Henrico, and/or Petersburg.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 110 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Robins Foundation open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 32 of 109 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $40K; repeat grants $63K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $43K repeat.
- 62% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+7%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 103% 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 $5.6M (2023) to $8.2M (2020). In 2024 it made 110 grants totaling $6.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Childsavers Richmond, VA | To support the charitable mission of the recipient organization | $378,175 |
| Henrico Education Foundation Inc Richmond, VA | To support the charitable mission of the recipient organization | $297,250 |
| Virginia Early Childhood Foundation Richmond, VA | To support the charitable mission of the recipient organization | $216,959 |
| Young Womens Christian Association of Richmond Richmond, VA | To support the charitable mission of the recipient organization | $180,000 |
| Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Inc Richmond, VA | To support the charitable mission of the recipient organization | $160,000 |
| Maymont Foundation Richmond, VA | To support the charitable mission of the recipient organization | $160,000 |
| Metropolitan Richmond Sports Backers Inc Richmond, VA | To support the charitable mission of the recipient organization | $150,000 |
| Storycorps Inc Richmond, VA | To support the charitable mission of the recipient organization | $150,000 |
| James River Association Richmond, VA | To support the charitable mission of the recipient organization | $140,000 |
| Sacred Heart Center Richmond, VA | To support the charitable mission of the recipient organization | $140,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Robins Foundation?
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 | $172,011,098 | $23,675,077 | $10,116,257 | $6,093,965 | 110 | $8,401,401 | $16,431,047 | $8,131,423 |
| 2023 | $165,243,528 | $8,775,608 | $9,018,196 | $5,564,665 | 110 | $6,687,741 | $13,363,126 | $7,574,651 |
| 2022 | $153,923,381 | $-390,409 | $8,544,329 | $5,643,231 | 108 | $7,640,540 | $1,005,368 | $8,131,015 |
| 2021 | $182,936,779 | $19,761,890 | $9,936,184 | $5,704,157 | 106 | $7,452,195 | $11,390,110 | $8,211,936 |
| 2020 | $164,513,980 | $19,307,654 | $10,904,963 | $8,193,897 | 106 | — | $16,643,958 | $8,441,598 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Robins Foundation reported a distributable amount of $8.1M for 2024 — 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 elevate early childhood care and education and promote a dynamic Richmond community for all to enjoy by listening to and partnering with the community.
Its early childhood work focuses on children from prenatal stages through age five, with funding areas including high-quality programs serving children ages 0–5, family engagement, workforce supports, and policy and advocacy. The foundation also describes support for a dynamic community and for nonprofits’ capacity, infrastructure, sustainability, governance, and leadership.
Among its 2024 grantees, Henrico Education Foundation describes its mission as strengthening public education through innovative programs and initiatives to improve student achievement. Virginia Early Childhood Foundation describes itself as the nonpartisan steward of Virginia’s promise for early childhood success. Maymont Foundation says it creates experiences that delight, educate, and inspire. Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden says it connects people to plants by inspiring communities to explore and conserve nature.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 110 grants totaling $6,093,965. Grant amounts ranged from $830 to $378,175, with a median of $30,000.
The largest reported 2024 grants included $378,175 to ChildSavers; $297,250 to Henrico Education Foundation; $216,959 to Virginia Early Childhood Foundation; $180,000 to Young Women’s Christian Association of Richmond; $160,000 each to Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden and Maymont Foundation; $150,000 each to Metropolitan Richmond Sports Backers and StoryCorps; and $140,000 each to James River Association and Sacred Heart Center. The listed grant purposes were to support the recipients’ charitable missions.
The foundation describes two early childhood grant paths. SEED Grants offer up to $25,000 for small nonprofit providers serving children from prenatal stages through age five. The 2026 ECCE SPARK cycle announced grants starting at $25,000 and prioritized exceptional learning environments, positive adult-child interactions, sustainable workforce development, and advocacy. Its listed eligibility includes 501(c)(3) nonprofits serving community members in Richmond City, Chesterfield, Henrico, and/or Petersburg, with projects primarily supporting children and families from prenatal stages through age five. The 2026 cycle required a pre-application conversation during January 26–February 6, with full applications due March 6, 2026. Applications are submitted online; the foundation directs applicants to its website for deadlines and award restrictions.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Christopher Chin as President & CEO. Directors are Alex Tariot, Frank Robinson (Director / Chair), Gregory C. Robins (Director / Secretary), Juliet Shield-Taylor, Reginald N. Jones, and Robin R. Shield (Director / Vice Chair). Ann Carol Marchant, Betty Robins Porter, and Dr. Robert E. Marchant are listed as directors emeritus.
Robins Foundation is led by Christopher Chin, President & CEO on every filing since 2022; 1 of 13 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Christopher Chin
President & CEO
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$254K (2022) → $323K (2024)
Frank Robinson
Director & Chair
Director → Director & Vice Chair, 2022
Director & Vice Chair → Director & Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
0.9 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gregory C. Robins
Director & Secretary
Director → Director & Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.9 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Juliet Shield-Taylor
Director
Director & Chair → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
0.9 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Reginald N. Jones
Director
Director & Vice Chair → Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.9 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robin R. Shield
Director & Vice Chair
Director & Secretary → Director, 2022
Director → Director & Vice Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
0.9 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sheryl Robins
Director & Past-Chair
Director → Director & Past-Chair, 2021
On filings since 2020
0.9 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alex Tariot
Director
On filings since 2022
0.9 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Roger Scheffel
Director & Treasurer
On filings since 2022
0.9 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Charlotte Robins
Director
New on the 2024 filing
0.9 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ann Carol Marchant
Director Emeritus
Director → Director Emeritus, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.9 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Betty Robins Porter
Director Emeritus
Director Emeritus & Non-Voting → Director Emeritus, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Robert E. Marchant
Director Emeritus
Director → Director Emeritus, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.9 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Kelly Chopus (2020–2022) — President & CEO -
- Former: E. Claiborne Robins Jr. (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Edward L. Ayers (2020–2021) — Director & Treasurer
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 $323K, to Christopher Chin (President & CEO).
Frequently asked questions about Robins Foundation
How much does Robins Foundation give each year?
Robins Foundation gave $6.1M across 110 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $5.6M across 110 grants.
What is Robins Foundation's typical grant size?
Robins Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $30,000, and its average grant was $55,400, across 110 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Robins Foundation that year got $40K on average.
Where does Robins Foundation give grants?
Robins Foundation gives mostly in Virginia: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Richmond, VA (97 grants), Aspen, CO (2 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does Robins Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 110 grants with a stated purpose on Robins Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Robins Foundation's largest grantees?
Robins Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Childsavers ($378,175), Henrico Education Foundation Inc ($297,250) and Virginia Early Childhood Foundation ($216,959), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 15% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Robins Foundation?
Robins Foundation reported $172.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $8.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $8.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Robins Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to elevate early childhood care and education and promote a dynamic Richmond community for all to enjoy by listening to and partnering with the community. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Robins Foundation?
The foundation’s 2024 filing states that grant applications must be submitted online. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Robins Foundation's EIN?
Robins Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-0784484. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Robins Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Robins Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/robins-foundation-morg_14ac82bdb33d4c218901cf5fa04498fc
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_540784484_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Robins Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/robins-foundation-morg_14ac82bdb33d4c218901cf5fa04498fc},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Robins 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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