The Betty and Wes Foster
The Betty and Wes Foster is a private foundation based in Chantilly, Virginia. Its 2025 filing reports 38 grants totaling $614,500, with listed grants supporting charitable organizations in areas including food access, environmental protection, health research, and community services.
Key facts about The Betty and Wes Foster
In short: The Betty and Wes Foster gave $615K across 38 grants in 2025 (avg $16K), top state District of Columbia. 11% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 54-1902260
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $614,500
- Grants made (2025)
- 38
- Average grant
- $16,171
- Median grant
- $5,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 11% first-time grantees (4 of 38, 2025)
- Total assets
- $4,769,267
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (49% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$4.8M
+3.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$615K
+2.2% YoY
Grant Count
38
-9.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$16K
+12.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Betty and Wes Foster reported a distributable amount of $278K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Betty and Wes Foster open to new grantees?
11%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 38 grantees (11%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $34K; repeat grants $14K. How we count
Medians: $38K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 84% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+8%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 224% 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. The 2025 grants listed in the filing are designated for general purposes. Examples of supported organizations include the Capital Area Food Bank, whose mission is to expand equitable access to food and opportunity through community partnerships, and Sustainable Harvest International, which says it works toward a just and sustainable world through farmer training. Save the Sound describes its mission as protecting and improving the Long Island Sound region’s land, air, and water.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 38 grants totaling $614,500. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $150,000, with a median of $5,000. Its largest reported grants included $150,000 to The Arc in Washington, DC; $75,000 to Americares in Stamford, Connecticut; $60,000 each to 1 UpHandles Inc in Silver Spring, Maryland, and Blackwater Bicycle Association in Davis, West Virginia; and $50,000 to Bishop Walker School in Washington, DC. Each was listed for general purposes.
Other 2025 grants included $30,000 to the Capital Area Food Bank and $30,000 to Sustainable Harvest International; $20,000 to Save the Sound; and $15,000 to Cancer Vaccine Coalition. The latter describes its work as promoting health and scientific research by funding research into vaccines to treat breast and other cancers.
How to Apply
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Ready to take the next step with The Betty and Wes Foster?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars were reported across multiple states. The largest shares went to recipients in DC (49%), Connecticut (16%), Maryland (14%), West Virginia (10%), and Virginia (4%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 38 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $507K (2019) to $831K (2021). In 2025 it made 38 grants totaling $615K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Arc ($150K). Together the top 10 received $515K.
Grant Size Distribution
225 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 202 grants of 225 (90%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Arc Washington, DC | General Purpose | $150,000 |
| Americares Stamford, CT | General Purpose | $75,000 |
| 1 Uphandles Inc Silver Spring, MD | General Purpose | $60,000 |
| Blackwater Bicycle Association Davis, WV | General Purpose | $60,000 |
| Bishop Walker School Washington, DC | General Purpose | $50,000 |
| Capital Area Food Bank Washington, DC | General Purpose | $30,000 |
| Sustainable Harvest International Washington, DC | General Purpose | $30,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders Hagerstown, MD | General Purpose | $25,000 |
| Save the Sound New Haven, CT | General Purpose | $20,000 |
| Cancer Vaccine Coalition Middlebury, VT | General Purpose | $15,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $4,769,267 | $880,653 | $661,203 | $614,500 |
| 2024 | $4,608,018 | $886,630 | $635,535 | $601,500 |
| 2023 | $4,340,247 | $731,793 | $550,748 | $518,500 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $4,769,267 | $4,608,018 | $4,340,247 |
| Revenue | $880,653 | $886,630 | $731,793 |
| Expenses | $661,203 | $635,535 | $550,748 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $623,524 | $609,556 | $527,239 |
| Net Investment Income | $351,103 | $360,109 | $208,055 |
| Distributable Amount | $277,866 | $253,044 | $217,253 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 20, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 7, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Betty Flanders Foster as president and director; Philip Rodney Lawrence Jr as vice president, treasurer, and director; Amanda Foster Spahr and Paul Wesley Foster III as vice presidents and directors; and Julia Heather Hanks as vice president, secretary, and director.
The Betty and Wes Foster is led by Betty Flanders Foster, President & Director on every filing since 2019; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Betty Flanders Foster
President & Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Amanda Foster Spahr
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Julia Heather Hanks
Vice President, Secretary & Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Paul Wesley Foster III
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Philip Rodney Lawrence Jr.
Vice President, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
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.
Contact
Mailing address: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151
Phone: (703) 653-8506
Frequently asked questions about The Betty and Wes Foster
How much does The Betty and Wes Foster give each year?
The Betty and Wes Foster gave $615K across 38 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $602K across 42 grants.
What is The Betty and Wes Foster's typical grant size?
The Betty and Wes Foster's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $16,171, across 38 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Betty and Wes Foster that year got $34K on average.
Where does The Betty and Wes Foster give grants?
The Betty and Wes Foster's top state is District of Columbia, with 49% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Connecticut (16%) and Maryland (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (12 grants), Arlington, VA (3 grants), Silver Spring, MD (2 grants) and Boston, MA (2 grants).
Does The Betty and Wes Foster give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Betty and Wes Foster's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (38 of 38) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Betty and Wes Foster's largest grantees?
The Betty and Wes Foster's largest 2025 grantees include The Arc ($150,000), Americares ($75,000) and 1 Uphandles Inc ($60,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Betty and Wes Foster?
The Betty and Wes Foster reported $4.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $624K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $278K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Betty and Wes Foster fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. The 2025 grants listed in the filing are designated for general purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Betty and Wes Foster?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Betty and Wes Foster's EIN?
The Betty and Wes Foster's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-1902260. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Betty and Wes Foster accept unsolicited proposals?
No, 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 October 2026.
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