The Newbern Foundation
The Newbern Foundation is a private foundation based in Roanoke, Virginia. Its 2024 filing lists geographic restrictions of Roanoke, Virginia, and northeastern Florida, and identifies military and first-responder causes, youth in need, education in STEM and civics, and Christian culture causes as award areas.
The Newbern Foundation at a glance
In short: The Newbern Foundation gave $106K across 106 grants in 2024 (avg $1K), top state Virginia. 22% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $106,030
- +6.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 106
- +14.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $1,000
- -7.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $3,595,331
- +28.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 22% first-time grantees (23 of 105, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Virginia (39% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Newbern Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It lists no specific application format and no deadlines; applicants are directed to contact the foundation. The filing lists geographic restrictions of Roanoke, Virginia, and northeastern Florida, and award areas of military/first responder, youth in need, education (STEM and civics), and Christian culture causes.
- Contact
Application contact: The Newbern Foundation
Mailing address: 3570 Hershberger Rd Nw, Roanoke, VA 24017-1834
Phone: (540) 777-2020
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Newbern Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Alexander-Tharpe Fund at Ga Tech ($10K). Together the top 10 received $28K.
Grant Size Distribution
424 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 424 grants of 424 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s filing lists Roanoke, Virginia, and northeastern Florida as geographic restrictions. In 2024, grant dollars went primarily to recipients in Virginia (39%), Georgia (15%), and Florida (15%), followed by the District of Columbia (7%) and California (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 106 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Newbern Foundation open to new grantees?
22%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 23 of 105 grantees (22%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $859; repeat grants $1K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 76% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+9%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 69% 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 (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $96K (2020) to $106K (2024). In 2024 it made 106 grants totaling $106K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Alexander-Tharpe Fund at Ga Tech Atlanta, GA | Higher Education Fund | $10,000 |
| Georgia Tech Roll Call Atlanta, GA | Scholarships | $3,000 |
| Navy Seal Foundation Virginia Beach, VA | Support for Navy Seals | $2,500 |
| Samaritan's Purse Boone, NC | Poverty Support | $2,500 |
| Boy Scouts of America Roanoke, VA | Helping Children | $2,000 |
| Americares Stamford, CT | Health Focused Relief | $2,000 |
| Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute Herndon, VA | Support for Women | $1,500 |
| Heritage Foundation Washington, DC | Free Enterprise | $1,500 |
| Hillsdale College Hillsdale, MI | Admission Solely on Merit | $1,500 |
| Judicial Watch Washington, DC | Accountability and Intergrity in Law | $1,500 |
Ready to take the next step with The Newbern Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3,595,331 | $659,769 | $116,791 | $106,030 | 106 | $108,400 | $98,944 | $156,145 |
| 2023 | $2,801,416 | $6,811 | $10,176 | $100,000 | 93 | — | — | $128,439 |
| 2022 | $2,414,389 | $135,485 | $108,478 | $97,350 | 75 | — | $182,589 | — |
| 2021 | $2,927,484 | $125,551 | $106,141 | $97,550 | 75 | — | $127,929 | — |
| 2020 | $1,984,330 | $17,329 | $103,392 | $96,150 | 75 | — | — | — |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Newbern Foundation reported a distributable amount of $156K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No separate mission statement is provided. The foundation’s 2024 filing identifies its award areas as military and first-responder causes, youth in need, education (STEM and civics), and Christian culture causes.
Its grants include support for organizations whose own missions address these areas. For example, the Navy SEAL Foundation says it supports warriors, veterans, and their families; Operation Gratitude says it honors military and first responders; and PAWS 4 Liberty says it raises and trains service dogs for disabled military veterans. Samaritan’s Purse describes its work as providing spiritual and physical aid to people facing hardship around the world.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 106 grants totaling $106,030. Grants ranged from $250 to $10,000, with a median of $1,000. The largest grant listed was $10,000 to the Alexander-Tharpe Fund at Georgia Tech for a higher education fund. Other listed grants included $3,000 to Georgia Tech Roll Call for scholarships and $2,500 each to the Navy SEAL Foundation for support for Navy SEALs and Samaritan’s Purse for poverty support.
Additional 2024 recipients included Judicial Watch ($1,500), Operation Gratitude ($1,500), Fisher House Foundation ($1,000), and PAWS 4 Liberty ($1,000). Judicial Watch describes its mission as promoting integrity, transparency, and accountability in government; Fisher House Foundation says it provides assistance to military members, veterans, and their families; and Operation Gratitude says it provides opportunities for Americans to express gratitude to military and first responders.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Jess Newbern III as President & T, J Cason Newbern as Secretary, and Kelly Newbern Van Aken and L Brook Newbern Roncinske as Vice Presidents.
The Newbern Foundation is led by Jess Newbern III, President & T since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jess Newbern III
President & T
President & Treasurer → President & T, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
J. Cason Newbern
Secretary
Vice President & Secretary → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Kelly Newbern Van Aken
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
L. Brook Newbern Roncinske
Vice President
On filings since 2020
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Newbern Foundation
How much does The Newbern Foundation give each year?
The Newbern Foundation gave $106K across 106 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $100K across 93 grants.
What is The Newbern Foundation's typical grant size?
The Newbern Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,000, across 106 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Newbern Foundation that year got $859 on average.
Where does The Newbern Foundation give grants?
The Newbern Foundation's top state is Virginia, with 39% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Georgia (15%) and Florida (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were Roanoke, VA (25 grants), Washington, DC (8 grants), Fernandina Beach, FL (7 grants) and Salem, VA (5 grants).
Does The Newbern Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 106 grants with a stated purpose on The Newbern Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Military Family Support" (5 grants), "Medical Research" (3 grants) and "Education Support" (3 grants).
Who are The Newbern Foundation's largest grantees?
The Newbern Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Alexander-Tharpe Fund at Ga Tech ($10,000), Georgia Tech Roll Call ($3,000) and Navy Seal Foundation ($2,500), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 15% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Newbern Foundation?
The Newbern Foundation reported $3.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $108K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $156K (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 Newbern Foundation fund?
No separate mission statement is provided. The foundation’s 2024 filing identifies its award areas as military and first-responder causes, youth in need, education (STEM and civics), and Christian culture causes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Newbern Foundation?
The filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Newbern Foundation's EIN?
The Newbern Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-2016695. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Newbern Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-newbern-foundation-morg_5e8e9e7f997f4821af5f668f12482f64
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_542016695_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Newbern Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-newbern-foundation-morg_5e8e9e7f997f4821af5f668f12482f64},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Newbern Foundation'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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