The Peterson Family Foundation Inc
The Peterson Family Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Fairfax, Virginia. It supports music therapy programs in children’s hospitals and medical research into childhood leukemia; its website also identifies pediatric diabetes programs among the areas it works with.
The Peterson Family Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Peterson Family Foundation Inc gave $6.3M across 116 grants in 2024 (avg $54K), top state Virginia. 41% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $6,299,652
- +84.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 116
- +17.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $54,307
- +57.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $3,500
- Total assets
- $2,408,748
- -44.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 41% first-time grantees (47 of 116, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Virginia (43% 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 Peterson Family Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. The filing lists the requested purpose and amount of funds, a copy of the most recent Form 990, and an IRS determination letter if applicable as application materials. It lists no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Leyla Deprenger
Mailing address: 4100 Monument Corner Drive Suite, 300, Fairfax, VA 22030
Phone: (703) 227-1259
Email: ldeprenger@petersoncos.com
Website: https://petersonfamilyfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Peterson Family Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Inova Health System Foundation ($1.3M). Together the top 10 received $5.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
518 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 453 grants of 518 (87%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state went to Virginia (43%), Washington, D.C. (18%), Maine (14%), Vermont (12%), and Florida (6%). The foundation’s website says it aims to bring music therapy to hospitalized children across the United States and Europe.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 116 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Peterson Family Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
41%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 47 of 116 grantees (41%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $28K; repeat grants $72K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 47% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 115% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $2.9M (2021) to $9.4M (2020). In 2024 it made 116 grants totaling $6.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Inova Health System Foundation Falls Church, VA | General Support & Life W/ Cancer | $1,288,700 |
| Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation Washington, DC | Restoration Funds | $1,000,000 |
| Middlebury College Middlebury, VT | General Support | $725,000 |
| St Stephen's & St Agnes School Alexandria, VA | Renovation Funds | $605,000 |
| York Hospital York, ME | Renovation Funds | $458,334 |
| Ogunquit Playhouse Foundation Ogunquit, ME | Renovation Funds | $333,333 |
| Northern Virginia Family Service Oakton, VA | General Support & Fund for Families | $230,000 |
| George Mason University Foundation Inc Fairfax, VA | Renovation Funds | $225,553 |
| PBO of the United States Miami, FL | Medical Equipment | $150,000 |
| Potomac Riverkeeper Inc Washington, DC | General Support | $136,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Peterson Family Foundation Inc?
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 | $2,408,748 | $4,431,642 | $6,342,554 | $6,299,652 | 116 | $6,303,133 | $647,557 | $164,766 |
| 2023 | $4,319,660 | $6,410,770 | $3,478,032 | $3,417,983 | 99 | $3,434,396 | $5,523,887 | $221,072 |
| 2022 | $6,398,355 | $3,144,640 | $4,381,021 | $4,352,540 | 111 | $4,352,822 | $3,116,225 | $408,855 |
| 2021 | $10,465,952 | $6,659,097 | $3,089,198 | $2,934,854 | 96 | $2,942,871 | $2,140,267 | $113,335 |
| 2020 | $6,517,888 | $7,483,374 | $9,552,963 | $9,415,067 | 96 | — | $4,724,311 | $267,733 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Peterson Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $165K 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
The foundation describes its approach as treating the whole child through pediatric healthcare. Its website explains that music therapy can support children’s physical, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual health, including through pain and anxiety reduction, self-expression, movement in rehabilitation, and relaxation. It also supports childhood leukemia research, including research associated with the Loh Lab at UCSF. The foundation says it has supported research and treatment for childhood leukemia since 2003 and also works with programs focused on pediatric diabetes.
The 2024 grants show support for organizations with a range of missions. Inova Health System Foundation, the largest recipient, describes its parent organization as providing healthcare and related services in Northern Virginia and the greater Washington, D.C. area. Ogunquit Playhouse Foundation says it produces theatrical performances, develops new stage works, and preserves a historic organization. George Mason University Foundation says it administers private gifts for the benefit of the university. Other 2024 recipients included organizations whose stated missions involve evidence-based health information, disaster relief, film, and higher education.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 116 grants totaling $6,299,652. Grants ranged from $250 to $1,288,700, with a median grant of $3,500.
Among the largest grants were $1,288,700 to Inova Health System Foundation for general support and Life with Cancer; $1,000,000 to Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation for restoration funds; $725,000 to Middlebury College for general support; $605,000 to St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School for renovation funds; and $458,334 to York Hospital for renovation funds. Other substantial grants included $333,333 to Ogunquit Playhouse Foundation for renovation funds and $230,000 to Northern Virginia Family Service for general support and its Fund for Families.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Lauren E. Peterson as president, Jon M. Peterson as vice president, Carolyn S. Peterson as secretary, Steven B. Peterson as director, and William E. Peterson as treasurer.
The Peterson Family Foundation Inc is led by Lauren E. Peterson, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Lauren E. Peterson
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steven B. Peterson
Director
Secretary → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carolyn S. Peterson
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jon M. Peterson
Vice President
Vice President → Treasurer, 2021
Treasurer → Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William E. Peterson
Treasurer
Treasurer → Director, 2021
Director → Treasurer, 2022
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Peterson Family Foundation Inc
How much does The Peterson Family Foundation Inc give each year?
The Peterson Family Foundation Inc gave $6.3M across 116 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $3.4M across 99 grants.
What is The Peterson Family Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Peterson Family Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $3,500, and its average grant was $54,307, across 116 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Peterson Family Foundation Inc that year got $28K on average.
Where does The Peterson Family Foundation Inc give grants?
The Peterson Family Foundation Inc's top state is Virginia, with 43% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (18%) and Maine (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (7 grants), Alexandria, VA (7 grants), Fairfax, VA (7 grants) and York, ME (4 grants).
Does The Peterson Family Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 89% of The Peterson Family Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (103 of 116) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Hurricane Relief" (5 grants) and "Renovation Funds" (4 grants).
Who are The Peterson Family Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Peterson Family Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Inova Health System Foundation ($1,288,700), Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation ($1,000,000) and Middlebury College ($725,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 48% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Peterson Family Foundation Inc?
The Peterson Family Foundation Inc reported $2.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $6.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $165K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Peterson Family Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation describes its approach as treating the whole child through pediatric healthcare. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Peterson Family Foundation Inc?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Peterson Family Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Peterson Family Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-1870812. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Peterson Family Foundation Inc 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Peterson Family Foundation Inc funds
Community Improvement & Capacity Building Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Leveling-Up Award $1,000 · Due October 25, 2026
- Arnold F. Keller, Jr. Grant for New Initiatives/Program Expansion $25,000 · Due October 27, 2026
- Wausau Marathon County Impact Grants (Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin) $1,000 to $100,000 depending on the scope of the project · Due October 27, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Peterson Family Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Peterson Family Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-peterson-family-foundation-inc-morg_3bb1fd858cb8464c983567365baa722c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_541870812_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Peterson Family Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-peterson-family-foundation-inc-morg_3bb1fd858cb8464c983567365baa722c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-24. 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 Peterson Family Foundation Inc'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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