How do I apply for a grant from The Beirne Carter Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • Made 45 grants in 2023 • Total giving of $1,485,500 (2024 filing) • Typical award range: $2,500–$550,000 **Recent Grants (2023):** • Carilion Clinic: $550,000 (General Purposes) • Episcopal High School: $255,000 (General Purposes) • North Cross School: $110,000 (Capital Campaign) **Application Process:** As of January 2025, all grants are board-directed. Preliminary proposals should not be submitted unless requested by the Foundation. Telephone contact with board members o…

The Beirne Carter Foundation

RICHMOND, VA EIN: 54-1397827 Website

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

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The Beirne Carter Foundation is a private foundation established in 1986 by Beirne Blair Carter, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Carter Machinery Company, Inc. of Salem, Virginia. Based in Richmond, Virginia, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with a focus on strategic philanthropic giving across multiple sectors.

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Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$29.4M

+18.9% YoY

Annual Giving

$1.5M

-7.2% YoY

Grant Count

+2.7% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$39K

-9.6% YoY

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's founder emphasized support for health, education, local history, nature, ecology, and youth. The foundation was designed to respond flexibly to changing community needs rather than remain restricted to a single focus area.

Primary funding interests include:

Education
Human services
Health
Episcopal churches and schools
Philanthropy and voluntarism

Grantmaking

As of January 2025, all grants are board-directed. Preliminary proposals should not be submitted unless requested by the Foundation. Telephone contact with board members or the Foundation Administrator is discouraged except in cases where a proposal has been requested.

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in Virginia, Colorado, and New York.

Grant Distribution by State

Virginia $6.8M (96%)

Colorado $91K (1%)

Georgia $70K (1%)

Florida $50K (1%)

Wyoming $31K (0%)

New York $28K (0%)

Massachusetts $20K (0%)

Connecticut $5K (0%)

States

Colorado Connecticut Florida Georgia Massachusetts New York Virginia Wyoming

Cities

AlexandriaArlingtonAtlantaAvonBedfordCambridgeCharles CityCharlottesvilleEdwardsGlen AllenGoochlandGypsumHenricoHot SpringsJacksonLexingtonLynchburgMillboroNantucketNew London

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of December 2023:

Total assets: $24,774,163
Total revenues: $1,743,268
Total expenses: $2,147,123
Investment income and dividends: $667,113
Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $1,020,434
Staff: 1 employee

As of 2024 filing:

Total assets: $29,444,870
Total giving: $1,485,500

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$29,444,870	$24,774,163	$25,168,935
Revenue	$6,633,475	$1,743,268	$2,051,041
Expenses	$1,977,108	$2,147,123	$1,898,972
Qualifying Distributions	$1,582,166	$1,686,479	$1,414,892
Net Investment Income	$6,276,828	$1,339,862	$1,669,887
Distributable Amount	$1,534,537	$1,560,819	$1,526,542

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

199 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

No grants recorded for .

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Trustees:

Rossie Carter Hutcheson
Talfourd H Kemper, Esq.
Kenneth C Laughon

Founder: Beirne Blair Carter (1924–1989) was a native of Richmond, Virginia, and a World War II veteran who received the Purple Heart for wounds sustained in Aachen, Germany. He graduated from St. Christopher's School and earned a Bachelor of Science in Commerce degree from the McIntire School at the University of Virginia in 1948.