The Beirne Carter Foundation
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.
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
38
+2.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$39K
-9.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Beirne Carter Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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
Cities
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
| 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
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Children's Museum of Richmond ($250,000), Nature Conservancy of Virginia ($250,000), Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden ($150,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ANNA JULIA COOPER EPISCOPAL SCHOOL RICHMOND, VA | GENERAL PURPOSES | $10,000 |
| ARMSTRONG LEADERSHIP PROGRAM RICHMOND, VA | LEADERSHIP PROGRAM | $10,000 |
| BEIRNE CARTER CENTER FOR IMMUNOLOGY RESEARCH CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | PURCHASE NEW TECHNOLOGY, SUPPORT FACULTY, ASSIST WITH LOSS OF FUNDING | $50,000 |
| BETTY FORD ALPINE GARDENS VAIL, CO | GENERAL PURPOSES | $3,000 |
| BLUE RIDGE LAND CONSERVANCY ROANOKE, VA | MEMORIAL GIFT | $5,000 |
| BLUE RIDGE PBS ROANOKE, VA | GENERAL PURPOSES | $5,000 |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF METRO RICHMOND RICHMOND, VA | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN | $10,000 |
| CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF RICHMOND RICHMOND, VA | GENERAL PURPOSES | $250,000 |
| COWPASTURE RIVER PRESERVATION ASSOC MILLBORO, VA | GENERAL PURPOSES | $5,000 |
| EPISCOPAL HIGH SCHOOL ALEXANDRIA, VA | GENERAL PURPOSES | $5,000 |
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROSSIE CARTER HUTCHESON | PRESIDENT | 5 | $12,000 |
| TALFOURD H KEMPER ESQ | SECRETARY/TREASURER | 1 | $8,000 |
| KENNETH C LAUGHON | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | $8,000 |
Contact Information
- Address: PO Box 17950, Richmond, VA 23226-7950
- Phone: 804-521-0272
- Website: bcarterfdn.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Beirne Carter Foundation fund?
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
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…
Where does The Beirne Carter Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Virginia, Colorado, and New York.
What size grants does The Beirne Carter Foundation award?
In 2024, The Beirne Carter Foundation awarded 38 grants totaling $1.5M — an average of about $39K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Beirne Carter Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Beirne Carter Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Beirne Carter Foundation's EIN?
The Beirne Carter Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-1397827. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Beirne Carter 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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