The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund
The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund is a private foundation based in McLean, Virginia. Its 2025 filing reports grants to organizations working in areas including arts and culture, historic preservation, environmental conservation, health, and civic affairs.
The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund at a glance
In short: The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund gave $453K across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $24K), top state Florida. 16% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $452,500
- -59.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- -44.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $23,816
- -27.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $7,371,844
- -3.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 16% first-time grantees (3 of 19, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Florida (48% 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 Lee and Juliet Folger Fund
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The fund states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1320 Old Chain Bridge Rd, Mclean, VA 22101
Phone: (703) 847-1350
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Society of the Four Arts ($150K). Together the top 10 received $397K.
Grant Size Distribution
167 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 145 grants of 167 (87%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing reports that the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in Florida (48%) and the District of Columbia (30%), followed by Virginia, Maryland, and Washington state (6% each). The listed grants also include recipients in Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund open to new grantees?
16%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 19 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $23K; repeat grants $24K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $13K repeat.
- 68% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 27% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 44% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $453K (2025) to $6.1M (2021). In 2025 it made 19 grants totaling $453K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Society of the Four Arts Palm Beach, FL | Capital Campaign Support | $150,000 |
| Alibi Preservation Foundation Washington, DC | Operating Expenses | $50,000 |
| Wadsworth Sulgrave Historic Preservation Foundation Washington, DC | Repair/ Restoration House & Grounds | $50,000 |
| Green Horizon Land Trust Lake Wales, FL | Marketing & Additional Signage for GHLT Properties | $35,000 |
| National Gallery of Art Landover, MD | Director's Circle | $25,000 |
| Wild Entrust International Bainbridge Island, WA | C4C Support Botswana | $25,000 |
| Federal City Council Washington, DC | General Operating Expenses | $16,500 |
| Peabody Essex Museum Salem, MA | Marine Hall Reinstallation Project | $15,000 |
| St Albans School Washington, DC | Annual Giving | $15,000 |
| Winter Haven Hospital Foundation Winter Haven, FL | Psychiatry | $15,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund?
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 | $7,371,844 | $424,824 | $670,224 | $452,500 | 19 | $612,524 | $454,352 | $1,381,691 |
| 2024 | $7,617,244 | $467,666 | $1,328,677 | $1,119,000 | 34 | $1,271,523 | $516,364 | $1,232,002 |
| 2023 | $8,478,255 | $885,233 | $1,974,414 | $1,745,300 | 48 | $1,891,983 | $837,646 | $1,147,768 |
| 2022 | $9,567,436 | $1,888,182 | $797,187 | $619,500 | 38 | $759,198 | $1,855,874 | $1,271,378 |
| 2021 | $8,476,441 | $501,041 | $6,311,997 | $6,102,700 | 28 | — | $472,758 | $1,250,184 |
| 2020 | $14,271,973 | $2,164,207 | $2,218,882 | $2,044,750 | 48 | — | $2,135,678 | $1,246,671 |
| 2019 | $14,326,648 | $4,539,682 | $5,994,059 | $5,712,250 | 53 | — | $4,508,475 | $1,347,376 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund reported a distributable amount of $1.4M 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
The filing information does not state a mission for the fund. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations and projects connected with the arts, historic properties, environmental conservation, health, and civic affairs. For example, Green Horizon Land Trust describes its mission as conserving environmentally sensitive lands, while Historic Colony House says it works to preserve and protect historic buildings in Lake Wales, Florida. Falls Church Arts describes its work as supporting community-based art and arts education. These are grantees’ missions, not stated priorities of the fund.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the fund reported 19 grants totaling $452,500. Awards ranged from $1,000 to $150,000, with a median grant of $15,000. The largest listed award was $150,000 to the Society of the Four Arts for capital campaign support. Other notable grants included $50,000 to Alibi Preservation Foundation for operating expenses and $50,000 to Wadsworth Sulgrave Historic Preservation Foundation for repairs and restoration of a house and grounds. Green Horizon Land Trust received $35,000 for marketing and additional signage for its properties; the National Gallery of Art and Wild Entrust International each received $25,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Lee M. Folger as president; Juliet C. Folger as treasurer and vice president; Cecily C. Colburn as secretary and vice president; and Leiter C. Colburn, Olivia M. Colburn, and Rory W. Colburn as vice presidents.
The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund is led by Lee M. Folger, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Lee M. Folger
President
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cecily C. Colburn
Secretary & Vice President
Vice President → Secretary & Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Juliet C. Folger
Treasurer & Vice President
Treasurer, Secretary & V. President → Treasurer, Secretary & V. P, 2020
Treasurer, Secretary & V. P → Treasurer & Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Leiter C. Colburn
Vice President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Olivia M. Colburn
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rory W. Colburn
Vice President
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Kathrine D. Folger (2019) — Lee M. Folger & Representative · Filing note: Deceased 9297
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Lee and Juliet Folger Fund
How much does The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund give each year?
The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund gave $453K across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.1M across 34 grants.
What is The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund's typical grant size?
The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $23,816, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund that year got $23K on average.
Where does The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund give grants?
The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund's top state is Florida, with 48% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (30%) and Virginia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (6 grants), Palm Beach, FL (2 grants) and Lake Wales, FL (2 grants).
Does The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund give general operating support?
Yes: 26% of The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (5 of 19) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund's largest grantees?
The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund's largest 2025 grantees include Society of the Four Arts ($150,000), Alibi Preservation Foundation ($50,000) and Wadsworth Sulgrave Historic Preservation Foundation ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 55% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund?
The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund reported $7.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $613K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund fund?
The filing information does not state a mission for the fund. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations and projects connected with the arts, historic properties, environmental conservation, health, and civic affairs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund?
The fund states that it 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 Lee and Juliet Folger Fund's EIN?
The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-0794388. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund 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
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 15, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 26, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-lee-and-juliet-folger-fund-morg_5a4b6c625d1c40fab0d03a596fc119b8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_520794388_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-lee-and-juliet-folger-fund-morg_5a4b6c625d1c40fab0d03a596fc119b8},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-21. 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 Lee and Juliet Folger Fund'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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