The Imperial Charitable Trust
The Imperial Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Lynchburg, Virginia. Its 2025 filing reports 36 grants totaling $2,430,580, with the largest award going to a Lynchburg fund identified as THE ICT DAFGIVING360 FUND.
The Imperial Charitable Trust at a glance
In short: The Imperial Charitable Trust gave $2.4M across 36 grants in 2025 (avg $68K), mostly in Virginia. 6% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,430,580
- +1957.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 36
- -2.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $67,516
- +2014.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,625
- New grantees (estimate)
- 6% first-time grantees (2 of 36, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Virginia (97% 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 Imperial Charitable Trust
- How to Apply
-
The 2023 filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It lists a letter as the application material, C L Christian III as the contact, and a preference for Virginia and West Virginia organizations. No deadline is listed.
- Contact
Application contact: C L Christian Iii
Mailing address: PO Box 638, Lynchburg, VA 24505
Phone: (434) 845-5918
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Imperial Charitable Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The ICT DAFGIVING360 Fund ($2.3M). Together the top 10 received $2.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
184 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 182 grants of 184 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The trust is based in Lynchburg, Virginia. Its 2025 grant dollars went primarily to Virginia recipients (97%); West Virginia recipients received 2%. The filing also reports shares for South Carolina, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina, each rounded to 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 36 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Imperial Charitable Trust open to new grantees?
6%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 36 grantees (6%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $1.2M; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $1.2M first-time, $2K repeat.
- 94% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 2010% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above 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 $96K (2021) to $2.4M (2025). In 2025 it made 36 grants totaling $2.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The ICT DAFGIVING360 Fund Lynchburg, VA | Educational | $2,267,880 |
| University of Charleston Patrick C Graney III Memorial Fund Charleston, WV | Educational | $50,000 |
| Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges Richmond, VA | Educational | $18,500 |
| Academy Center of the Arts Lynchburg, VA | Educational | $10,000 |
| Coker University Hartsville, SC | Educational | $10,000 |
| Decorative Arts Trust Media, PA | Educational | $10,000 |
| United Way of Central Virginia Lynchburg, VA | Educational | $10,000 |
| Virginia Episcopal School Lynchburg, VA | Educational | $10,000 |
| NC Botanical Garden Foundation Inc Chapel Hill, NC | Educational | $5,000 |
| The Corporation for Jefferson's Poplar Forest Forest, VA | Educational | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Imperial Charitable Trust?
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 | — | $337,359 | $2,453,159 | $2,430,580 | 36 | $2,431,212 | $321,186 | $123,695 |
| 2024 | $2,115,800 | $244,621 | $133,671 | $118,150 | 37 | $118,807 | $229,757 | $120,858 |
| 2023 | $2,004,850 | $105,399 | $144,264 | $122,950 | 39 | $123,668 | $91,081 | $119,321 |
| 2022 | $2,043,716 | $240,737 | $134,435 | $115,200 | 38 | $115,545 | $225,054 | $125,106 |
| 2021 | $1,937,414 | $244,209 | $110,653 | $96,250 | 34 | — | $230,692 | $113,184 |
| 2020 | $1,803,859 | $51,723 | $118,344 | $104,500 | 32 | — | $63,343 | $96,740 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Imperial Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $124K 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 filing identifies educational purposes for its largest grants. Among the recipients, the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges says it secures support to help college-bound students access and graduate from Virginia independent higher education institutions. Coker University describes itself as a student-centered university with a liberal arts core. The Academy Center of the Arts says it works to cultivate community through cultural infrastructure and arts programs, while United Way of Central Virginia describes its work as improving access to healthcare, advancing education, promoting financial stability, and addressing basic needs.
Other supported organizations describe work in areas including historic preservation, libraries, independent colleges, and the arts. For example, the Corporation for Thomas Jefferson’s says it preserves Poplar Forest and tells the stories of the free and enslaved people who lived and worked there; Friends of the Lynchburg Public Library says it supports and promotes the library; and Virginia Center for the Creative Arts says it provides time and space for writers, visual artists, and composers.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the trust made 36 grants totaling $2,430,580. Grant amounts ranged from $400 to $2,267,880, with a median of $1,625. The largest award was $2,267,880 to THE ICT DAFGIVING360 FUND in Lynchburg, for an educational purpose. Other notable awards included $50,000 to the University of Charleston Patrick C Graney III Memorial Fund, $18,500 to the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges, and $10,000 each to the Academy Center of the Arts, Coker University, Decorative Arts Trust, United Way of Central Virginia, and Virginia Episcopal School.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists C L Christian III as trustee.
The Imperial Charitable Trust is led by C. L. Christian III, Trustee on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
C. L. Christian III
Trustee
On filings since 2020
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 Imperial Charitable Trust
How much does The Imperial Charitable Trust give each year?
The Imperial Charitable Trust gave $2.4M across 36 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $118K across 37 grants.
What is The Imperial Charitable Trust's typical grant size?
The Imperial Charitable Trust's median grant in 2025 was $1,625, and its average grant was $67,516, across 36 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Imperial Charitable Trust that year got $1.2M on average.
Where does The Imperial Charitable Trust give grants?
The Imperial Charitable Trust gives mostly in Virginia: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Lynchburg, VA (22 grants), Charleston, WV (2 grants) and Roanoke, VA (2 grants).
Does The Imperial Charitable Trust give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 36 grants with a stated purpose on The Imperial Charitable Trust's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Educational" (36 grants).
Who are The Imperial Charitable Trust's largest grantees?
The Imperial Charitable Trust's largest 2025 grantees include The ICT DAFGIVING360 Fund ($2,267,880), University of Charleston Patrick C Graney III Memorial Fund ($50,000) and Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges ($18,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 96% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
What does The Imperial Charitable Trust fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 filing identifies educational purposes for its largest grants. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Imperial Charitable Trust?
The 2023 filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
How much is The Imperial Charitable Trust required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, The Imperial Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $124K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Imperial Charitable Trust's EIN?
The Imperial Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 51-0172334. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
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 2020 (received by the IRS June 18, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 5, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 14, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 6, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Imperial Charitable Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Imperial Charitable Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-imperial-charitable-trust-morg_63f5af5c27544dce965f0cd23e9c1096
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_510172334_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Imperial Charitable Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-imperial-charitable-trust-morg_63f5af5c27544dce965f0cd23e9c1096},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Imperial Charitable Trust'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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