The Townsend Family Foundation
The Townsend Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. Its 2025 filing lists 33 grants totaling $49,750 to charitable organizations, including recipients in Virginia and other states.
The Townsend Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Townsend Family Foundation gave $50K across 33 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in Virginia. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $49,750
- -8.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 33
- +13.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,508
- -19.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $420,713
- -5.2% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Virginia (78% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to The Townsend Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Foundation Source 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809-1377
Phone: (800) 839-1754
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Townsend Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Eastern Shore Chapel Episcopal Church ($6K). Together the top 10 received $30K.
Grant Size Distribution
134 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 134 grants of 134 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, Virginia recipients received 78% of grant dollars, followed by Maryland at 10%, the District of Columbia at 3%, and Alabama and Oregon at 2% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 33 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Townsend Family Foundation gives
- 82% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−8%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 225% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 $3K (2019) to $71K (2023). In 2025 it made 33 grants totaling $50K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Shore Chapel Episcopal Church Virginia Beach, VA | Chapel Pantry pledge AND general fund | $6,000 |
| LIL Roar Cat Rescue Virgina Beach, VA | General & Unrestricted | $6,000 |
| United States Naval Academy Foundation Inc Annapolis, MD | General & Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Fight CF Foundation Virginia BCH, VA | General & Unrestricted | $2,500 |
| Little League Baseball Inc Virginia BCH, VA | Charitable Event | $2,500 |
| Lynnhaven River Now Virginia BCH, VA | General & Unrestricted | $2,500 |
| Southeastern Virginia Areawide Model Program Inc Norfolk, VA | General & Unrestricted | $2,500 |
| Child & Family Services of Eastern Virginia Inc Norfolk, VA | General & Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| Equal Justice Initiative Montgomery, AL | General & Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| Forkids Inc Chesapeake, VA | General & Unrestricted | $1,000 |
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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 | $420,713 | $36,729 | $59,960 | $49,750 | 33 | $56,560 | $33,729 | $25,190 |
| 2024 | $443,944 | $30,639 | $64,571 | $54,250 | 29 | $60,927 | $27,495 | $25,961 |
| 2023 | $477,376 | $34,695 | $80,357 | $70,500 | 33 | $77,047 | $31,491 | $26,311 |
| 2022 | $522,538 | $10,486 | $64,787 | $54,350 | 36 | $60,989 | $7,632 | $28,703 |
| 2021 | $576,839 | $368,362 | $19,294 | $11,000 | 3 | $16,874 | $15,992 | $15,445 |
| 2020 | $227,771 | $2,575 | $8,116 | — | — | — | $3,308 | $12,654 |
| 2019 | $233,312 | $6,753 | $11,207 | $3,000 | 1 | — | $4,379 | $12,596 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Townsend Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $25K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including animal rescue, environmental conservation, housing, and community services. For example, Lil Roar Cat Rescue says it works to reduce the community’s feral cat population through spaying and neutering, medical care, socialization, and adoption or fostering. Lynnhaven River NOW describes its work as coordinating education and conservation efforts to restore and clean up the Lynnhaven River basin and its waters.
Other 2025 recipients describe a range of services: Samaritan House says it supports adults and children affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and homelessness; ForKids says it provides crisis response, shelter, housing, economic mobility, and education programs for families and children; and Habitat for Humanity International describes building affordable homes with partner communities.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded 33 grants totaling $49,750. Grant amounts ranged from $250 to $6,000, with a median of $1,000. Its largest listed grants were $6,000 each to Eastern Shore Chapel Episcopal Church and Lil Roar Cat Rescue, and $5,000 to the United States Naval Academy Foundation. Other notable grants included $2,500 each to Fight CF Foundation, Little League Baseball, Lynnhaven River NOW, and Southeastern Virginia Areawide Model Program.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Shannon S Townsend as director, president, and treasurer, and William Townsend as director, secretary, and vice president.
The Townsend Family Foundation is led by Shannon S Townsend, Director, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2019; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Shannon S Townsend
Director, President & Treasurer
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William Townsend
Director, Secretary & Vice President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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 Townsend Family Foundation
How much does The Townsend Family Foundation give each year?
The Townsend Family Foundation gave $50K across 33 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $54K across 29 grants.
What is The Townsend Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Townsend Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,508, across 33 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Townsend Family Foundation give grants?
The Townsend Family Foundation gives mostly in Virginia: 78% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Maryland (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Norfolk, VA (10 grants), Virginia BCH, VA (7 grants), Virginia Beach, VA (3 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does The Townsend Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 97% of The Townsend Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (32 of 33) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Townsend Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Townsend Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Eastern Shore Chapel Episcopal Church ($6,000), LIL Roar Cat Rescue ($6,000) and United States Naval Academy Foundation Inc ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Townsend Family Foundation?
The Townsend Family Foundation reported $421K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $57K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $25K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Townsend Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including animal rescue, environmental conservation, housing, and community services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Townsend Family Foundation?
The foundation 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 Townsend Family Foundation's EIN?
The Townsend Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-4749431. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Townsend Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 14, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 23, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 30, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 25, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 3, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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