The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation
The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation is a Richmond, Virginia-based private foundation that supports charitable organizations in Richmond and throughout the Commonwealth, primarily for capital projects. It describes itself as a private, independent foundation and says it partners with local organizations through matching and challenge grants.
Key facts about The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation
In short: The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation gave $9.5M across 71 grants in 2024 (avg $134K), mostly in Virginia. 46% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 54-1530891
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $9,537,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 71
- Average grant
- $134,324
- Median grant
- $50,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 46% first-time grantees (33 of 71, 2024)
- Total assets
- $137,592,523
- Primary geography
- Virginia (97% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Applications are submitted through the online portal. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- For the Fall 2026 cycle, the Contact Form is due by 5 p.m.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$137.6M
+4.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$9.5M
+33.8% YoY
Grant Count
71
-6.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$134K
+43.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation reported a distributable amount of $6.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation open to new grantees?
46%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 33 of 71 grantees (46%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $182K; repeat grants $93K. How we count
Medians: $100K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 46% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 52% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 144% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 mission is to support nonprofit organizations throughout Virginia, primarily for capital projects. Its focus areas are arts and culture; civic and community needs; education; environment and conservation; historic preservation; and social services and welfare.
The Foundation supports a range of organizations and projects. For example, Better Housing Coalition says its mission is to develop affordable housing communities in the Richmond metropolitan area; Virginia Repertory Theatre says it uses live theatre to entertain, challenge, and uplift communities; and CARITAS says it creates a safe space to heal and time to rebuild. These grantees received capital-project support in 2024.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the Foundation reported 71 grants totaling $9,537,000. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $1,000,000, with a median of $50,000. The Foundation says awards are generally $50,000–$500,000, are typically made on a challenge or matching basis, and usually fund no more than one-third of a project’s cost. It does not consider multi-year funding.
Review Cycle
** For the Fall 2026 cycle, the Contact Form is due by 5 p.m. on August 28, 2026, and invited applications are due by 5 p.m. on September 15, 2026. The Foundation also has a Spring cycle; its guidelines list February 26 for the Contact Form and March 15 for the application.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation
Ready to take the next step with The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation makes grants to eligible nonprofits in Richmond and across Virginia, with priority given to qualifying organizations in the Richmond area. Its guidelines also include organizations with a direct impact in the Commonwealth. In 2024, 97% of grant dollars went to Virginia recipients and 3% to Minnesota recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 71 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
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
324 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS Richmond, VA | SUPPORT CAPITAL CAMPAIGN WITH FOCUS ON RENOVATION OF THE LESLIE CHEEK THEATER | $1,000,000 |
| VPM PUBLIC MEDIA Richmond, VA | BUILD A NEW HEADQUARTERS IN DOWNTOWN RICHMOND | $750,000 |
| CROSS-OVER MINISTRY Richmond, VA | PURCHASE AND RENOVATE HENRICO CLINIC BUILDING AND RENOVATE RICHMOND CLINIC BUILDING | $605,000 |
| BETTER HOUSING COALITION Richmond, VA | SUPPORT THE COLBROOK DEVELOPMENT | $500,000 |
| LIBERATION VETERAN SERVICES INC Richmond, VA | SUPPORT CONSTRUCTION OF PHASE I OF VETERANS VILLAGE, A NEW 38-UNIT MICRO-APARTMENT BUILDING | $500,000 |
| RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF RICHMOND Richmond, VA | SUPPORT THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE AT VCU CHILDREN'S TOWER AND THE NEW GUESTROOM RONALD MCDONAL HOUSE IN RICHMOND | $500,000 |
| VIRGINIA REPERTORY THEATRE Richmond, VA | SUPPORT THE GREAT STAGES CAMPAIGN AND CAPITAL PROJECTS | $500,000 |
| CARITAS Richmond, VA | SUPPORT DINWIDDIE AVENUE MEN'S CAMPUS RENOVATION PROJECT | $365,000 |
| COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG FOUNDATION Williamsburg, VA | RESTORE THE POWDER MAGAZINE | $320,000 |
| HAMPDEN-SYDNEY COLLEGE Hampdensydney, VA | COMPLETE A COMPREHENSIVE HISTORIC RENOVATION OF VENABLE HALL | $300,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $137,592,523 | $14,165,988 | $10,789,032 | $9,537,000 | 71 |
| 2023 | $131,901,277 | $9,029,148 | $8,074,695 | $7,127,054 | 76 |
| 2022 | $117,530,431 | $6,822,912 | $8,114,486 | $7,184,000 | 72 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $137,592,523 | $131,901,277 | $117,530,431 |
| Revenue | $14,165,988 | $9,029,148 | $6,822,912 |
| Expenses | $10,789,032 | $8,074,695 | $8,114,486 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $9,537,000 | $7,127,054 | $7,184,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $13,127,612 | $8,148,551 | $5,992,720 |
| Distributable Amount | $6,620,838 | $5,977,162 | $6,213,417 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing listed Thurston R. Moore, Esq., as president; Charles F. Witthoefft, Esq., as vice president and secretary; Mrs. Palmer P. Garson as treasurer; Mrs. Amy P. Nisenson as executive director; and Edward W. Valentine as director.
The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation is led by Amy P. Nisenson, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 5 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Amy P. Nisenson
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$80K (2020) → $93K (2024)
Thurston R. Moore Esq.
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Edward W. Valentine
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Charles F. Witthoefft Esq.
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Palmer P. Garson
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
Contact
Application contact: Amy Nisenson
Mailing address: 8003 Franklin Farms Drive Suite, Richmond, VA 23219-4037
Phone: (804) 780-2000
Website: https://mmparsonsfoundation.org
Frequently asked questions about The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation
How much does The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation give each year?
The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation gave $9.5M across 71 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $7.1M across 76 grants.
What is The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation's typical grant size?
The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $134,324, across 71 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation that year got $182K on average.
Where does The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation give grants?
The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation gives mostly in Virginia: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Richmond, VA (42 grants), Williamsburg, VA (2 grants), Henrico, VA (2 grants) and Mechanicsville, VA (2 grants).
Does The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 30% of The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (21 of 71) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation's largest grantees?
The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Virginia Museum of Fine Arts ($1,000,000), VPM Public Media ($750,000) and Cross-Over Ministry ($605,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 25% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation?
The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation reported $137.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $9.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $6.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s mission is to support nonprofit organizations throughout Virginia, primarily for capital projects. Its focus areas are arts and culture; civic and community needs; education; environment and conservation; historic preservation; and social services and welfare. The Foundation supports a range of organizations and projects. For example, Better Housing Coalition says its mission is to develop affordable housing communities in the Richmond metropolitan area; Virginia Repertory Thea…
How do I apply for a grant from The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation?
Applications are submitted through the online portal. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation's EIN?
The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-1530891. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation by hand.
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