The Steven & Katherine Markel Foundation
The Steven & Katherine Markel Foundation is a private foundation established in 2006 and based in Richmond, Virginia. The foundation makes grants to qualifying charitable organizations and does not conduct charitable activities directly.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$9.0M
+6.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.1M
+12.6% YoY
Grant Count
8
-57.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$136K
+167.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary purpose is to make grants to qualifying charitable organizations. Based on recent grantmaking activity, funding priorities include:
- Education
- Historic preservation and historic buildings
- Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking
- Human services
Grantmaking
The foundation indicates it is "preselected only," suggesting grants are made to organizations selected by the foundation rather than through an open application process.
Grant Range
approximately $25,000–$50,000
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds charitable organizations in Virginia, with a particular emphasis on the Greater Richmond region.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $8,955,131
- Total revenues: $802,055
- Total expenses: $1,094,325
- Total giving: $1,090,391
As of 2023:
- Total assets: $21,000,000
- Total distributions: $968,000
The foundation holds shares of Markel Corporation common stock as part of its asset base.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $8,955,131 | $8,440,859 | $8,788,858 |
| Revenue | $802,055 | $109,650 | $250,628 |
| Expenses | $1,094,325 | $971,768 | $991,649 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,090,391 | $968,124 | $988,189 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,921 | $9,641 | $628 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,138,415 | $1,050,138 | $1,006,484 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 8 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
70 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Steven A. Markel – President/Director
- Katherine N. Markel – Secretary/Treasurer/Director
Both serve on a voluntary basis with minimal time commitment (1 hour per week reported) and receive no compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEVEN A MARKEL | PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| KATHERINE N MARKEL | SECRETARY/TREASURER/DIRECT | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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