The James Family Charitable
The James Family Charitable Foundation is a private foundation established in 1994 and based in Charlottesville, Virginia. The foundation was created as the philanthropic vehicle of Hamilton E. James and Amabel B. James. The foundation focuses on creating positive change for families in need, particularly those in economically disadvantaged communities.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$223.5M
+16.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$10.4M
-13.1% YoY
Grant Count
67
-13.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$155K
-0.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The James Family Charitable reported a distributable amount of $12.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to create positive change for families in need, particularly those in economically disadvantaged communities, and to facilitate creating change in communities that need it most.
Primary funding focus areas include:
- Environmental conservation
- Education
- Arts and culture
- Health
- Wildlife conservation
The foundation's giving is deeply tied to the family's personal involvement, with grants typically flowing to organizations where the James family serves as trustees or maintains longstanding relationships.
Grantmaking
The foundation indicates it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited applications for funds. There is no public application process.
Grant Range
$25,000 to $7.6 million
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking focuses nationally across the United States, with particular emphasis on institutions where the family has personal involvement. Notable geographic areas of activity include New York, the District of Columbia, and Montana.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Giving (2024):
- Total assets: $223.5 million
- Total revenues: $42.2 million
- Total expenses: $11.2 million
- Total giving: $10.4 million
Asset Growth:
- 2024: $223.5 million
- 2023: $178.3 million
- 2022: $171.2 million
Revenue Composition (2024):
- Grants and contributions: $24.9 million
- Investment income and dividends: $7.1 million
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $10.2 million
Staffing: The foundation operates with limited staffing, relying primarily on volunteer leadership from Hamilton E. James and Amabel B. James.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $223,543,809 | $192,606,673 | $178,324,321 |
| Revenue | $42,154,998 | $26,826,938 | $19,077,399 |
| Expenses | $11,217,862 | $12,544,586 | $11,903,134 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $10,394,295 | $11,959,092 | $11,415,244 |
| Net Investment Income | $40,432,744 | $26,464,344 | $18,770,303 |
| Distributable Amount | $12,426,419 | $11,659,970 | $10,892,562 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include The James Family Charitable Trust ($7,325,000), Wildlife Conservation Society ($600,000), Metropolitan Museum of Art ($325,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALASKA WILDERNESS LEAGUE WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL | $60,000 |
| AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL | $75,650 |
| BONEFISH & TARPON TRUST KEY LARGO, FL | GENERAL | $50,000 |
| CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY CLEVELAND, OH | GENERAL | $50,000 |
| CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL | $6,000 |
| CHABAD LUBAVITCH OF MO BROOKLYN, NY | GENERAL | $1,800 |
| COLE RESOURCE CENTER INC BELMONT, MA | GENERAL | $5,000 |
| EMMET SPORTSMENS FOUNDATION HARBOR SPRINGS, MI | GENERAL | $5,000 |
| ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY PROJECT WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL | $103,000 |
| FABRETTO CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION EVANSTON, IL | GENERAL | $100,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board Members:
- Hamilton E. James – President & Treasurer (0.25 hours/week, no compensation)
- Amabel B. James – Vice President & Secretary (0.25 hours/week, no compensation)
Hamilton E. James is the former Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of The Blackstone Group, where he worked from 2002 until his retirement in 2021. He serves on the boards of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (as Co-Chair since 2021), Wildlife Conservation Society, Trout Unlimited, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| HAMILTON E JAMES | PRES. & TREA | 0.25 | — |
| AMABEL B JAMES | VP & SECY | 0.25 | — |
Contact Information
- Email: charity@thejamesfoundation.com
- Phone: 434-977-4420
- Address: C/O Silvercrest, 230 Court Square, Charlottesville, VA 22902
- Website: https://thejamesfoundation.com/
- EIN: 13-7051493
- Tax-Exempt Status: 501(c)(3) organization, tax-exempt since November 1994
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The James Family Charitable fund?
The foundation's mission is to create positive change for families in need, particularly those in economically disadvantaged communities, and to facilitate creating change in communities that need it most. Primary funding focus areas include: • Environmental conservation • Education • Arts and culture • Health • Wildlife conservation The foundation's giving is deeply tied to the family's personal involvement, with grants typically flowing to organizations where the James family serves as truste…
How do I apply for a grant from The James Family Charitable?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 98 grants in 2024 • Typical grant range: $25,000 to $7.6 million • Median grant amount: $13,000–$20,000 • Total giving in 2024: approximately $10.4–$12 million **Recent Grant Recipients (2023–2024):** • Wildlife Conservation Society: $600,000–$1 million • Metropolitan Museum of Art: $325,000 • Trey Whitfield School: $150,000 • Partnership for Education Advancement: $718,000 • Trout Unlimited: $315,000 • American University of Beirut: $305,000 • MIT Nano Director Discr…
Where does The James Family Charitable make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking focuses nationally across the United States, with particular emphasis on institutions where the family has personal involvement. Notable geographic areas of activity include New York, the District of Columbia, and Montana.
What size grants does The James Family Charitable award?
In 2024, The James Family Charitable awarded 67 grants totaling $10.4M — an average of about $155K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The James Family Charitable required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The James Family Charitable reported a distributable amount of $12.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The James Family Charitable's EIN?
The James Family Charitable's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-7051493. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The James Family Charitable's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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