The Elmo Foundation
The Elmo Foundation is a private foundation based in Charlottesville, Virginia. Its 2025 grants supported organizations working in areas including housing, education, environment, health, mental health, grassroots organizing, and public media.
The Elmo Foundation at a glance
In short: The Elmo Foundation gave $664K across 51 grants in 2025 (avg $13K), top state Virginia. 25% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $663,500
- +7.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 51
- +10.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $13,010
- -2.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $13,552,284
- +7.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (13 of 51, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Virginia (38% 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 The Elmo Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 711-A Graves St, Charlottesville, VA 22902
Phone: (434) 242-8524
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Elmo Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Charlottesville Habitat for Humanit ($50K). Together the top 10 received $283K.
Grant Size Distribution
245 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 240 grants of 245 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, Virginia recipients received 38% of grant dollars, followed by California at 9%, Maryland at 7%, and Georgia and Washington, D.C., at 5% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 51 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Elmo Foundation open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 13 of 51 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $14K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 69% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+18%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 108% 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $561K (2022) to $750K (2021). In 2025 it made 51 grants totaling $664K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville Habitat for Humanit Charlottesville, VA | Housing | $50,000 |
| Charlottesville High School Charlottesville, VA | Education | $45,000 |
| Chespeake Climate Action Network Takoma Park, MD | Environment | $40,000 |
| Virginia Organizing Charlottesville, VA | Grassroots Organizing | $25,000 |
| Charlottesville Free Clinic Charlottesville, VA | HEALTH | $25,000 |
| Ecoaddendum Atlanta, GA | Environment | $22,000 |
| Clean Wisconsin Madison, WI | Environment | $20,000 |
| Strongminds Inc Maplewood, NJ | Mental Health | $20,000 |
| Evergreen Collaborative Seattle, WA | Environment | $20,000 |
| Community Climate Collaborative Charlottesville, VA | Environment | $16,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Elmo Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $13,552,284 | $1,483,990 | $664,200 | $663,500 | 51 | $663,500 | $1,483,990 | $615,219 |
| 2024 | $12,657,739 | $743,678 | $617,175 | $616,500 | 46 | $616,500 | $743,678 | $603,997 |
| 2023 | $12,139,462 | $648,262 | $627,650 | $627,000 | 45 | $627,000 | $648,262 | $565,537 |
| 2022 | $11,626,074 | $876,187 | $561,650 | $561,000 | 44 | $561,000 | $876,187 | $592,772 |
| 2021 | $13,687,366 | $778,255 | $750,150 | $749,500 | 59 | $749,500 | $778,255 | $643,603 |
| 2020 | $12,945,126 | $1,479,734 | $675,246 | $674,721 | 48 | — | $1,479,734 | $583,013 |
| 2019 | $12,681,942 | $472,547 | $609,325 | $608,800 | 42 | — | $472,547 | $586,396 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Elmo Foundation reported a distributable amount of $615K 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
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations in several areas, including environmental work, education, housing, health, mental health, grassroots organizing, and public media.
The grantees describe their own work in varied terms. Virginia Organizing says it brings people together to create a more just Virginia and encourages participation by people who have traditionally had little or no voice. The Charlottesville Free Clinic says it provides free medical, mental health, vision, and dental services to low-income, uninsured, and underinsured people. StrongMinds says it works to expand mental healthcare for people with depression globally, while Clean Wisconsin says it works to protect Wisconsin’s clean air, water, and natural heritage. Community Climate Collaborative describes its work as catalyzing community-level climate action, and Rainforest Action Network says it works to protect communities, forests, climate, and biodiversity.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 51 grants totaling $663,500. Awards ranged from $5,000 to $50,000, with a median grant of $10,000. Among its largest grants were $50,000 to Charlottesville Habitat for Humanity for housing, $45,000 to Charlottesville High School for education, and $40,000 to Chesapeake Climate Action Network for environment. Other notable awards included $25,000 each to Virginia Organizing and the Charlottesville Free Clinic, $22,000 to Ecoaddendum, and $20,000 each to Clean Wisconsin, StrongMinds, and Evergreen Collaborative.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists William Weaver as President.
The Elmo Foundation is led by William Weaver, President on every filing since 2019 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
William Weaver
President
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Elmo Foundation
How much does The Elmo Foundation give each year?
The Elmo Foundation gave $664K across 51 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $617K across 46 grants.
What is The Elmo Foundation's typical grant size?
The Elmo Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $13,010, across 51 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Elmo Foundation that year got $11K on average.
Where does The Elmo Foundation give grants?
The Elmo Foundation's top state is Virginia, with 38% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (9%) and Maryland (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Charlottesville, VA (11 grants), San Francisco, CA (3 grants), Washington, DC (3 grants) and Boston, MA (2 grants).
Does The Elmo Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 51 grants with a stated purpose on The Elmo Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Environment" (22 grants), "Environmental" (5 grants) and "Justice" (3 grants).
Who are The Elmo Foundation's largest grantees?
The Elmo Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Charlottesville Habitat for Humanit ($50,000), Charlottesville High School ($45,000) and Chespeake Climate Action Network ($40,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 20% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Elmo Foundation?
The Elmo Foundation reported $13.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $664K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $615K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Elmo Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations in several areas, including environmental work, education, housing, health, mental health, grassroots organizing, and public media. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Elmo Foundation?
The foundation 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 Elmo Foundation's EIN?
The Elmo Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-0795189. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Elmo Foundation 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 8, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 29, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 27, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 7, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Elmo Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Paul Bechtner Foundation
Winnetka, IL
The Paul Bechtner Foundation funds a broad range of charitable work, including children’s services, sustainable agriculture, education, health and medical research, the arts, and mental health. In 2025, grants ranged from $1,000 to $220,400, with a median of $10,000; funding was concentrated in California and Illinois, with grants also going to other states and Washington, D.C. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$16.9M
Grants
73
Total Given
$1.5M
The Oak Hill Fund
Charlottesville, VA
The Oak Hill Fund supports food security, reproductive health and rights, Chesapeake Bay water quality, climate and renewable energy, Mesoamerican Reef conservation, and restoration of diminished tree species; its water-quality grants focus on the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Its 2025 grants ranged from $100 to $200,000, with a median of $30,000. It accepts online requests for programs open to submissions, but Food Security and Mesoamerican Reef grants are invitation-only and do not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$90.2M
Grants
133
Total Given
$5.8M
Rockefeller Family Fund Inc
New York, NY
Rockefeller Family Fund supports advocacy and strategic initiatives focused on climate and the environment, democracy, and economic justice for women. Its 2024 grants ranged from $7,000 to $9.7 million, with a median of $75,000, and went to organizations in multiple states; it does not accept unsolicited requests, though organizations may email staff a brief description of aligned work.
Assets
$216.8M
Grants
203
Total Given
$36.7M
Patagoniaorg
Ventura, CA
PATAGONIAORG funds environmental organizations and projects addressing root causes of environmental problems, including place-based protection, environmental campaigns, and broader inclusion in the movement. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,000 to $5,174,555, with a median of $15,000, and funding was concentrated in Virginia and California, with grants also reported in Oregon and Colorado. It does not accept unsolicited requests and gives only to preselected organizations.
Assets
—
Grants
425
Total Given
$13.2M
United States Energy Foundation
San Francisco, CA
United States Energy Foundation funds education, outreach, and analysis advancing clean and equitable energy and climate solutions, including renewable energy, efficiency, clean transportation, buildings, and industry, in the United States. Its 2024 grants ranged from $10,000 to $21 million, with a median of $135,000. It does not accept unsolicited requests or proposals; grant-seekers must be invited.
Assets
$215.7M
Grants
597
Total Given
$166.3M
Charlottesville Area Community Foundation
Charlottesville, VA
The Charlottesville Area Community Foundation funds nonprofits and community organizations working on needs such as housing, food access, health, youth development, arts, environmental stewardship, and equity in Charlottesville and surrounding counties. Its 2024 grants had a median amount of $20,100; the foundation describes application-based grant programs, but does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$292.3M
Grants
437
Total Given
$27.9M
More similar funders
More Funders in Virginia
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Elmo Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-elmo-foundation-morg_c9347054e03e46cfab56b72508e7366a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_260795189_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Elmo Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-elmo-foundation-morg_c9347054e03e46cfab56b72508e7366a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 The Elmo 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.
The Elmo Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?