The Landmark Foundation
The Landmark Foundation is a private foundation incorporated in Virginia in 1953 and granted tax-exempt status in December 1955. Based in Norfolk, Virginia, the foundation operates as a company-sponsored foundation with a focus on strategic philanthropic giving across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$98.0M
+5.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$8.2M
-9.2% YoY
Grant Count
39
-9.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$209K
+0.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Landmark Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports organizations involved with:
- Secondary education
- Arts and culture
- Leadership development
- Environmental conservation and sustainability
Grantmaking
The foundation is an active grantmaker with significant annual distributions. In 2024, the foundation made 34 grants totaling approximately $8.17 million in charitable giving.
Grant Range
Typical awards range from $1,000 to $2,000,000.
Review Cycle
, and decision timelines are not publicly disclosed.
How to Apply
The foundation maintains a low public profile with no publicly available website or published grant guidelines, suggesting a selective, relationship-based approach to grantmaking typical of private family foundations. Specific application procedures, deadlines, and decision timelines are not publicly disclosed.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily focuses on the Norfolk/Virginia region, though grants have been made in Nevada and North Carolina as well.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets and Revenue
- Total Assets (2024): $98,014,987
- Total Assets (2023): $92,600,000
- Total Revenue (2024): $2,531,434
- Total Revenue (2023): $3,294,914
- Investment Income and Dividends (2024): $2,519,966
- Investment Income and Dividends (2023): $2,735,313
Expenses and Giving
- Total Expenses (2024): $8,376,175
- Total Expenses (2023): $9,395,044
- Total Giving (2024): $8,169,500
- Total Liabilities (2023): $10,000
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $98,014,987 | $92,600,252 | $88,207,238 |
| Revenue | $2,531,434 | $3,294,914 | $19,148,163 |
| Expenses | $8,376,175 | $9,395,044 | $8,181,144 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $8,169,500 | $8,993,500 | $7,885,410 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,423,719 | $3,113,139 | $18,952,425 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,753,195 | $4,315,735 | $4,403,111 |
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
181 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Access College Foundation ($1,750,000), Norfolk State University ($1,000,000), Next Step to Success ($750,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACCESS COLLEGE FOUNDATION NORFOLK, VA | EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS | $1,750,000 |
| ALBEMARLE AREA UNITED WAY ELIZABETH CITY, NC | HUMAN SERVICES | $10,000 |
| ALL DISTRICT READS NORFOLK, VA | EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS | $25,000 |
| AN ACHIEVABLE DREAM VIRGINIA BEACH VIRGINIA BEACH, VA | EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS | $100,000 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA VIRGINIA BEACH, VA | HUMAN SERVICES | $500,000 |
| CHESAPEAKE HEALTH DEPARTMENT CHESAPEAKE, VA | HUMAN SERVICES | $300,000 |
| CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF THE KING'S DAUGHTERS NORFOLK, VA | HUMAN SERVICES | $175,000 |
| CIVIC LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE NORFOLK, VA | HUMAN SERVICES | $5,000 |
| COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF HAMPTON ROADS PORTSMOUTH, VA | HUMAN SERVICES | $50,000 |
| EVMS FOUNDATION NORFOLK, VA | EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key leadership includes:
- Frank Batten Jr. — President and Director
- Richard F. Barry III — Vice President
- Guy R. Friddell III — Vice President and Secretary
- Colleen R. Pittman — Vice President and Treasurer
- Charles L. Watkins — Vice President
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RICHARD F BARRY III | VICE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTO | 1 | — |
| FRANK BATTEN JR | PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR | 4 | — |
| CHARLES L WATKINS | VICE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTO | 0.5 | — |
| GUY R FRIDDELL III | VICE PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY | 0.5 | — |
| COLLEEN R PITTMAN | VICE PRESIDENT AND TREASURER | 0.5 | — |
| CONRAD M HALL | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In September 2022, Frank Batten Jr., President and CEO of the Landmark Foundation, presented a $5 million gift to Norfolk State University to support need-based scholarships for students over a five-year period. The university receives $1 million annually to assist in-state students with financial gaps in tuition and educational expenses.
News | Norfolk State UniversityFrequently Asked Questions
What does The Landmark Foundation fund?
The foundation supports organizations involved with: • Secondary education • Arts and culture • Leadership development • Environmental conservation and sustainability
How do I apply for a grant from The Landmark Foundation?
The foundation is an active grantmaker with significant annual distributions. In 2024, the foundation made 34 grants totaling approximately $8.17 million in charitable giving. Notable recent grants include: • Access College Foundation: $1,750,000 (Educational Programs, 2024) • Next Step To Success: $750,000 (Human Services, 2024) • Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Virginia: $500,000 (Human Services, 2024) • Norfolk State University: $5,000,000 (Need-based scholarships over five years, 2022) Typi…
Where does The Landmark Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily focuses on the Norfolk/Virginia region, though grants have been made in Nevada and North Carolina as well.
What size grants does The Landmark Foundation award?
In 2024, The Landmark Foundation awarded 39 grants totaling $8.2M — an average of about $209K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Landmark Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Landmark Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Landmark Foundation's EIN?
The Landmark Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-6038902. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Landmark Foundation'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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