Spirit for Life Foundation
Spirit for Life Foundation is a private foundation based in Winchester, Virginia. Its 2025 filing reports $124,500 in grants to 20 recipients, including organizations working in animal welfare, support for veterans, and other charitable areas.
Spirit for Life Foundation at a glance
In short: Spirit for Life Foundation gave $125K across 20 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), top state Virginia. 45% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $124,500
- +66.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 20
- +33.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,225
- +24.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,500
- Total assets
- $2,618,282
- +7.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 45% first-time grantees (9 of 20, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Virginia (47% 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 Spirit for Life Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Its filing says to contact the foundation through its bank; no special format is required, and applicants must demonstrate need within the parameters of the foundation’s purpose. The filing lists no award restrictions.
- Review Cycle
- None listed.
- Deadline
- None listed.
- Contact
Application contact: Spirit For Life Foundation Co Bank
Mailing address: 202 N Loudoun Street, Winchester, VA 22601
Phone: (540) 347-6730
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Spirit for Life Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Clean the World Foundation ($10K). Together the top 10 received $79K.
Grant Size Distribution
81 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 81 grants of 81 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Winchester, Virginia. In 2025, 47% of grant dollars went to recipients in Virginia, 13% to New York, 10% to the District of Columbia, 8% to Florida, and 5% to Wisconsin. Its grants also included recipients in other states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Spirit for Life Foundation open to new grantees?
45%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 9 of 20 grantees (45%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $6K repeat.
- 40% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 32% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 79% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $75K (2024) to $125K (2025). In 2025 it made 20 grants totaling $125K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Clean the World Foundation Washington, DC | General Support of Charitable Program | $10,000 |
| K9S for Warriors Ponte Vedra, FL | General Support of Charitable Organization | $10,000 |
| Rockbridge High School Lexington, VA | General Support of Charitable Program | $10,000 |
| Fauquier SPCA Midland, VA | General Support of Charitable Program | $10,000 |
| Paws for Seniors Bealeton, VA | General Support of Charitable Program | $7,700 |
| Hero's Bridge Warrenton, VA | General Support of Charitable Programs | $6,200 |
| National PKU Alliance Tomahawk, WI | General Support of Charitable Program | $6,200 |
| Saving Prince William Littles Haymarket, VA | General Support of Charitable Program | $6,200 |
| Tunnel to Towers Foundation Staten Island, NY | General Support of Charitable Program | $6,200 |
| Willing Warriors Haymarket, VA | General Support of Charitable Program | $6,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Spirit for Life Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The foundation reported 20 grants in 2025, 15 in 2024, and 12 in 2023.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,618,282 | $390,445 | $208,389 | $124,500 | 20 | $124,500 | — | $157,564 |
| 2024 | $2,436,226 | $1,453,168 | $144,727 | $75,000 | 15 | $75,000 | $284,216 | $131,990 |
| 2023 | $1,127,785 | $66,508 | $127,261 | $83,000 | 12 | $86,674 | $26,216 | $79,486 |
| 2022 | $1,188,538 | $28,258 | $104,850 | $94,500 | 18 | $95,904 | $19,764 | $90,024 |
| 2021 | $1,265,130 | $55,035 | $90,646 | $76,000 | 16 | — | $45,365 | $84,290 |
| 2020 | $1,300,741 | $96,768 | $87,199 | $75,500 | 14 | — | $87,831 | $76,711 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Spirit for Life Foundation reported a distributable amount of $158K 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 filing says applicants must demonstrate need within the parameters of its purpose but does not state a specific mission. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations with varied missions. For example, K9s for Warriors says it provides trained service dogs to veterans experiencing PTSD, traumatic brain injury, or military sexual trauma; Fauquier SPCA says it provides refuge for homeless and abandoned animals and seeks to place them in appropriate homes. Hero’s Bridge describes its work as connecting older veterans with community care and companionship, while the Center for a Free Cuba describes its mission as promoting human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in Cuba.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded 20 grants totaling $124,500. Grants ranged from $3,000 to $10,000, with a median of $5,500. Recipients included Clean the World Foundation ($10,000), K9s for Warriors ($10,000), Rockbridge High School ($10,000), and Fauquier SPCA ($10,000). Other grants included Paws for Seniors ($7,700), Hero’s Bridge ($6,200), and Hero Dogs Inc ($5,000).
The foundation’s 2024 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It states that no special format is required and that applicants must demonstrate need within the parameters of the foundation’s purpose. The filing lists no restrictions on awards and no deadlines.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists James E Dorion as director and president; Sandra J Dorion as director, vice president, and treasurer; Ashley M Kwitkin as director; and Rachel R Dorion as director.
Spirit for Life Foundation is led by James E. Dorion, Director & President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
James E. Dorion
Director & President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ashley M. Kwitkin
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rachel R. Dorion
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sandra J. Dorion
Director, Vice President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Spirit for Life Foundation
How much does Spirit for Life Foundation give each year?
Spirit for Life Foundation gave $125K across 20 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $75K across 15 grants.
What is Spirit for Life Foundation's typical grant size?
Spirit for Life Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,500, and its average grant was $6,225, across 20 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Spirit for Life Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does Spirit for Life Foundation give grants?
Spirit for Life Foundation's top state is Virginia, with 47% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (13%) and District of Columbia (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (2 grants) and Haymarket, VA (2 grants).
Does Spirit for Life Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 95% of Spirit for Life Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (19 of 20) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Spirit for Life Foundation's largest grantees?
Spirit for Life Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Clean the World Foundation ($10,000), K9S for Warriors ($10,000) and Rockbridge High School ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Spirit for Life Foundation?
Spirit for Life Foundation reported $2.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $125K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $158K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Spirit for Life Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filing says applicants must demonstrate need within the parameters of its purpose but does not state a specific mission. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Spirit for Life Foundation?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Spirit for Life Foundation's EIN?
Spirit for Life Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-8034787. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Spirit for Life Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Spirit for Life Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Spirit for Life Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Spirit for Life Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/spirit-for-life-foundation-morg_c5c2127e9b5d4da2addaf1295cb210b3
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_208034787_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Spirit for Life Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/spirit-for-life-foundation-morg_c5c2127e9b5d4da2addaf1295cb210b3},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. 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 Spirit for Life 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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