The Kenneth and Bettie Christopher
The Kenneth and Bettie Christopher is a private foundation based in Richmond, Virginia. It makes grants to qualifying public charities and does not conduct direct charitable activities itself.
Key facts about The Kenneth and Bettie Christopher
In short: The Kenneth and Bettie Christopher gave $117K across 38 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in Virginia. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 54-1806557
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $117,250
- Grants made (2025)
- 38
- Average grant
- $3,086
- Median grant
- $200
- Total assets
- $169,786
- Primary geography
- Virginia (98% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$170K
-13.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$117K
+205.3% YoY
Grant Count
38
+22.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$3K
+149.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Kenneth and Bettie Christopher reported a distributable amount of $9K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How The Kenneth and Bettie Christopher gives
- 58% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 47% 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 (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s filing does not state a mission. Its 2025 grantees describe a range of charitable work: Westminster Canterbury Foundation raises funds for financial aid and programs serving older adults; George C. Marshall Research Foundation preserves Marshall’s legacy through scholarship, leadership, and educational programs; and World Pediatrics works to heal children and advance pediatric healthcare. Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden describes its work as connecting people to plants and inspiring communities to explore and conserve nature.
Other 2025 recipients include Special Olympics Virginia, which provides sports training and competition for people with intellectual disabilities, and Operation Smile, which provides surgery for people with cleft lip, cleft palate, and other surgical conditions. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not missions stated by the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 38 grants totaling $117,250. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $50,000, with a median of $200. Its largest listed grants were $50,000 each to Richmond Symphony and Westminster Canterbury Foundation, followed by $8,000 to First Presbyterian Church. Other listed recipients included Science Museum of Virginia and Virginia Museum of History & Culture, at $1,000 each.
The foundation made 31 grants totaling $38,400 in 2024 and two grants totaling $80,000 in 2022.
How to Apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Ready to take the next step with The Kenneth and Bettie Christopher?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in Virginia. The listed grant recipients also included organizations in Michigan, Washington, D.C., Kansas, and Tennessee, each accounting for 0% of grant dollars in the reported state breakdown.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 38 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $25K (2020) to $117K (2025). In 2025 it made 38 grants totaling $117K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Richmond Symphony ($50K). Together the top 10 received $112K.
Grant Size Distribution
72 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 70 grants of 72 (97%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond Symphony Richmond, VA | Unrestricted operational support | $50,000 |
| Westminster Canterbury Foundation Richmond, VA | Unrestricted operational support | $50,000 |
| First Presbyterian Church Richmond, VA | Unrestricted operational support | $8,000 |
| Science Museum of VA Richmond, VA | Unrestricted operational support | $1,000 |
| Virginia Museum of History & Culture Richmond, VA | Unrestricted operational support | $1,000 |
| George C Marshall Research Foundation Lexington, VA | Unrestricted operational support | $500 |
| Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Richmond, VA | Unrestricted operational support | $500 |
| VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center Richmond, VA | Unrestricted operational support | $500 |
| World Pediatrics Richmond, VA | Unrestricted operational support | $500 |
| Hillsdale College Hillsdale, MI | Unrestricted operational support | $400 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grants awarded | Grant count |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $117,250 | 38 |
| 2024 | $38,400 | 31 |
| 2022 | $80,000 | 2 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $169,786 | $195,412 | $200,337 |
| Revenue | $82,162 | $53,583 | $1,616 |
| Expenses | $129,134 | $45,410 | $2,595 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $126,694 | $42,457 | $713 |
| Net Investment Income | $80,213 | $35,316 | $2,875 |
| Distributable Amount | $9,325 | $10,620 | $10,017 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 9, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 21, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 1, 2026)
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Kenneth M Perry as president, treasurer, and director; Bettie Christopher Perry as vice president and director; Benjamin S Candland as secretary; and Christopher M Perry as director.
The Kenneth and Bettie Christopher is led by Kenneth M Perry, President, Treasurer & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kenneth M Perry
President, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bettie Christopher Perry
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christopher M Perry
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Benjamin S Candland
Secretary
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: John B O'Grady (2020) — Secretary
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.
Contact
Mailing address: 1500 Westbrook Ct 4108, Richmond, VA 23227-3365
Phone: (804) 200-1027
Frequently asked questions about The Kenneth and Bettie Christopher
How much does The Kenneth and Bettie Christopher give each year?
The Kenneth and Bettie Christopher gave $117K across 38 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $38K across 31 grants.
What is The Kenneth and Bettie Christopher's typical grant size?
The Kenneth and Bettie Christopher's median grant in 2025 was $200, and its average grant was $3,086, across 38 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Kenneth and Bettie Christopher give grants?
The Kenneth and Bettie Christopher gives mostly in Virginia: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Richmond, VA (19 grants), Washington, DC (3 grants) and Topeka, KS (2 grants).
Does The Kenneth and Bettie Christopher give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Kenneth and Bettie Christopher's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (38 of 38) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Kenneth and Bettie Christopher's largest grantees?
The Kenneth and Bettie Christopher's largest 2025 grantees include Richmond Symphony ($50,000), Westminster Canterbury Foundation ($50,000) and First Presbyterian Church ($8,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 92% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Kenneth and Bettie Christopher?
The Kenneth and Bettie Christopher reported $170K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $127K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $9K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Kenneth and Bettie Christopher fund?
The foundation’s filing does not state a mission. Its 2025 grantees describe a range of charitable work: Westminster Canterbury Foundation raises funds for financial aid and programs serving older adults; George C. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Kenneth and Bettie Christopher?
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 Kenneth and Bettie Christopher's EIN?
The Kenneth and Bettie Christopher's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-1806557. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Kenneth and Bettie Christopher accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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