The Forster Family Foundation
The Forster Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Hume, Virginia. In 2025, it gave $2,435,000 through 29 grants to charitable organizations, including educational institutions, a national park partner, a museum, and organizations providing housing and recovery services.
The Forster Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Forster Family Foundation gave $2.4M across 29 grants in 2025 (avg $84K), top state District of Columbia. 17% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,435,000
- +20.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 29
- +81.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $83,966
- -33.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $15,287,868
- -8.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (5 of 29, 2025)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (27% 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 Forster Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 250, Hume, VA 22639
Phone: (571) 382-0020
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Forster Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Austin College ($500K). Together the top 10 received $1.8M.
Grant Size Distribution
113 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 37 grants of 113 (33%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in DC (27%), Texas (21%), Massachusetts (14%), Virginia (11%), and Illinois (8%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Forster Family Foundation open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 29 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $91K; repeat grants $83K. How we count
Medians: $125K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 38% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+18%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 230% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.0M (2024) to $3.0M (2020). In 2025 it made 29 grants totaling $2.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Austin College Sherman, TX | Charitable | $500,000 |
| Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA | Charitable | $200,000 |
| Catholic Extension Chicago, IL | Charitable | $200,000 |
| Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School Washington, DC | Charitable | $150,000 |
| Nuturing Minds Newtonville, MA | Charitable | $150,000 |
| Strathmore Hall Foundation North Bethesda, MD | Charitable | $150,000 |
| Grand Teton National Park Foundation Jackson, WY | Charitable | $125,000 |
| Washington Jesuit Academy Washington, DC | Charitable | $125,000 |
| American Precision Museum Windsor, VT | Charitable | $100,000 |
| Evergreen Christian School Leesburg, VA | Charitable | $100,000 |
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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 | $15,287,868 | $1,004,976 | $2,551,170 | $2,435,000 | 29 | $2,435,000 | $892,981 | $1,057,435 |
| 2024 | $16,633,632 | $880,168 | $2,122,907 | $2,015,000 | 16 | $2,015,000 | $764,873 | $1,064,152 |
| 2023 | $17,983,481 | $667,491 | $2,589,985 | $2,487,000 | 21 | $2,487,000 | $559,644 | $1,067,307 |
| 2022 | $19,871,131 | $488,900 | $2,207,863 | $2,064,216 | 25 | $2,064,216 | $402,875 | $1,153,181 |
| 2021 | $21,583,753 | $1,814,637 | $2,713,674 | $2,566,000 | 22 | $2,566,000 | $1,693,012 | $1,331,596 |
| 2020 | $22,476,653 | $9,835,379 | $3,102,351 | $2,992,000 | 29 | — | $1,741,818 | $1,020,106 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Forster Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include organizations whose own missions span different activities. Austin College describes its mission as educating students in the liberal arts and sciences; the Grand Teton National Park Foundation says it partners with the park to steward, protect, and enhance it. The American Precision Museum describes its work as sharing the story of American manufacturing, innovation, and design.
Other grantees describe work in areas including housing and recovery services: Samaritan Inns serves people who are homeless or at risk and dealing with substance addiction. Evergreen Christian School says it provides students with a rigorous academic and biblical education. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 29 grants totaling $2,435,000. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $500,000, with a median grant of $50,000. Its largest listed grants included Austin College ($500,000), Boston College ($200,000), Catholic Extension ($200,000), Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School ($150,000), Nurturing Minds ($150,000), and Strathmore Hall Foundation ($150,000). Other large awards included $125,000 each to the Grand Teton National Park Foundation and Washington Jesuit Academy.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Peter C. Forster as president/treasurer and Elizabeth D. Forster as vice president/secretary.
The Forster Family Foundation is led by Peter C. Forster, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Peter C. Forster
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth D. Forster
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Forster Family Foundation
How much does The Forster Family Foundation give each year?
The Forster Family Foundation gave $2.4M across 29 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.0M across 16 grants.
What is The Forster Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Forster Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $50,000, and its average grant was $83,966, across 29 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Forster Family Foundation that year got $91K on average.
Where does The Forster Family Foundation give grants?
The Forster Family Foundation's top state is District of Columbia, with 27% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Texas (21%) and Massachusetts (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (13 grants) and Jackson, WY (2 grants).
Does The Forster Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 29 grants with a stated purpose on The Forster Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (29 grants).
Who are The Forster Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Forster Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Austin College ($500,000), Boston College ($200,000) and Catholic Extension ($200,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Forster Family Foundation?
The Forster Family Foundation reported $15.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Forster Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include organizations whose own missions span different activities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Forster Family Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Forster Family Foundation's EIN?
The Forster Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1512250. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Forster Family 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 10, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Forster Family Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Browse active grant opportunities in The Forster Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Forster Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-forster-family-foundation-morg_6fc626483ada48aeae87583b3b3cee85
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_201512250_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Forster Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-forster-family-foundation-morg_6fc626483ada48aeae87583b3b3cee85},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 Forster Family 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.
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