The Dn Batten Foundation

NORFOLK, VA EIN: 54-1864288 Website

The DN Batten Foundation is a private foundation established in 1997 in Virginia and based in Norfolk, VA. The foundation was created for the family of Dorothy Batten and operates as a family foundation focused on creating opportunities for people to live healthy, fruitful lives through environmental stewardship and conservation.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$26.7M

-5.4% YoY

Annual Giving

$4.7M

-20.4% YoY

Grant Count

+27.3% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$168K

-37.4% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Dn Batten Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

Mission: The Foundation creates opportunities for people to live healthy, fruitful lives, especially through the promotion of healthier environmental conditions. The foundation recognizes that for humans to thrive, natural habitats and species must be nurtured.

Core Values:

Innovation: Supporting programs that provide original, creative solutions and market-based strategies guided by scientific research
Leadership: Supporting visionaries passionate about their mission who are willing to take risks and be pioneers
Collaboration: Supporting organizations that work with governments, communities, businesses, and other nonprofits to achieve greater impact
Grassroots Involvement: Supporting organizations deeply connected to and representative of the communities they serve
Empowerment: Providing people and species with resources to promote well-being and sustainability

Primary Funding Focus Areas:

Water & Species Conservation (Tropical Andes)
Water & Species Conservation (Chesapeake Bay Watershed)
Water & Species Conservation (Large Mammal Species)
Youth Development
Charlottesville, VA Local Priorities
Innovation in Healthcare

Grantmaking

The foundation made 20 grants in 2023. Recent notable grants include:

Grant Range

** Typical awards range from $4,750 to $3,100,199.

Invitation Only

** The foundation does not accept or respond to unsolicited grant proposals, inquiries, or letters of intent. Grant applications are by invitation only. Interested parties may direct questions to info@dnbattenfoundation.org.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation funds primarily in:

Virginia
District of Columbia
New York
Specific regional focus on the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and Tropical Andes for conservation work
Charlottesville, VA for local priorities

Grant Distribution by State

Virginia $17.7M (61%)

District of Columbia $6.4M (22%)

New York $4.0M (14%)

Maryland $230K (1%)

Oregon $200K (1%)

Washington $120K (0%)

Rhode Island $75K (0%)

States

District of Columbia Maryland New York Oregon Rhode Island Virginia Washington

Cities

AlexandriaAnnapolisArlingtonBronxCharlottesvilleFaberNew YorkNorfolkOrangeRidgefieldRoanokeVirginia BeachWashingtonWesterlyWood VillageWoodstock

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of 2023:

Total Assets: $28,180,753
Total Revenues: $5,867,192
Total Expenses: $6,975,062
Total Grants Made: Approximately $4.7 million

As of 2024 (most recent filing):

Total Assets: $26,654,286
Total Giving: $4,707,590

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$26,654,286	$28,180,753	$33,472,160
Revenue	$9,982,131	$5,867,192	$7,009,491
Expenses	$5,482,251	$6,975,062	$11,959,937
Qualifying Distributions	$4,707,590	$5,910,560	$10,765,199
Net Investment Income	$5,276,310	$2,294,109	$2,448,730
Distributable Amount	$1,793,347	$1,764,977	$1,983,256

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

112 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Wildlife Conservation Society ($1,000,000), Boys and Girls Club of Central Virg ($450,000), Network2work Usa ($400,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
AMERICAN CLIMATE PARTNERS ORANGE, VA	TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT	$25,000
AFRICAN WILDLIFE FOUNDATION WASHINGTON, DC	TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT	$362,840
APPALACHIAN VOICES CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA	TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT	$200,000
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF CENTRAL VIRG CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA	TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT	$450,000
CAF AMERICA ALEXANDRIA, VA	TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT	$90,000
COMMUNITY CLIMATE COLLABORATIVE CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA	TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT	$75,000
COMMUNITY INVESTMENT COLLABORATIVE CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA	TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT	$75,000
DARDEN SCHOOL FOUNDATION CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA	TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT	$25,000
BIG LIFE FOUNDATION USA RIDGEFIELD, WA	TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT	$120,000
HOLLINS UNIVERSITY ROANOKE, VA	TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT	$10,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Dorothy Batten: Director and President

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
DOROTHY N BATTEN	PRESIDENT	—	—
FRANK BATTEN JR	OFFICER/DIRECTOR	—	—

Contact Information

Address: 101 W Main St Ste 700, Norfolk, VA 23510-1624

Phone: 757-625-7670

Email: info@dnbattenfoundation.org

EIN: 54-1864288

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Dn Batten Foundation fund?

**Mission:** The Foundation creates opportunities for people to live healthy, fruitful lives, especially through the promotion of healthier environmental conditions. The foundation recognizes that for humans to thrive, natural habitats and species must be nurtured. **Core Values:** • **Innovation:** Supporting programs that provide original, creative solutions and market-based strategies guided by scientific research • **Leadership:** Supporting visionaries passionate about their mission who ar…

How do I apply for a grant from The Dn Batten Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** The foundation made 20 grants in 2023. Recent notable grants include: • Rare Inc.: $2,000,000 • Wildlife Conservation Society: $1,000,000 • The Affordable Housing Opportunity Fund: $500,000 **Grant Range:** Typical awards range from $4,750 to $3,100,199. **Application Process:** The foundation does not accept or respond to unsolicited grant proposals, inquiries, or letters of intent. Grant applications are by invitation only. Interested parties may direct questions to info@d…

Where does The Dn Batten Foundation make grants?

The foundation funds primarily in: • Virginia • District of Columbia • New York • Specific regional focus on the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and Tropical Andes for conservation work • Charlottesville, VA for local priorities

What size grants does The Dn Batten Foundation award?

In 2024, The Dn Batten Foundation awarded 28 grants totaling $4.7M — an average of about $168K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Dn Batten Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Dn Batten Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.