The Walter Alan Richards Foundation
The Walter Alan Richards Foundation is a private foundation based in Columbus, Georgia. Its 2025 filing reports 17 grants totaling $1,399,408, all to recipients in Georgia. The foundation’s 2024 filing is marked as its final return and says it was terminating and distributed all its net assets to public charities, with the final distribution made in August 2025. It therefore appears to have wound down and stopped grantmaking.
The Walter Alan Richards Foundation at a glance
In short: The Walter Alan Richards Foundation gave $1.4M across 17 grants in 2025 (avg $82K), mostly in Georgia. 12% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,399,408
- +1127.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 17
- -5.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $82,318
- +1199.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 12% first-time grantees (2 of 17, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Georgia (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Walter Alan Richards Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it says it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2137 Springdale Dr, Columbus, GA 31906
Phone: (706) 322-1985
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Walter Alan Richards Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley Inc ($1.3M). Together the top 10 received $1.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
82 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 79 grants of 82 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Georgia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Walter Alan Richards Foundation open to new grantees?
12%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 17 grantees (12%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $93K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 82% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 1335% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 $87K (2019) to $1.4M (2025). In 2025 it made 17 grants totaling $1.4M.
*2023: Covers 16 months (fiscal year-end changed).
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley Inc Columbus, GA | Chattahoochee valley imagination library & walter alan richards fund | $1,292,908 |
| Columbus State University Columbus, GA | Math collaborative, honors college scholarship, and csu library archives | $50,000 |
| Brookstone School Columbus, GA | General Use of Donee | $8,000 |
| Columbus Technical College Foundation Inc Columbus, GA | Vectr Project | $8,000 |
| Springer Academy Columbus, GA | General Use of Donee | $5,000 |
| Columbus Museum Columbus, GA | Education Department | $4,000 |
| Springer Opera House Arts Association Inc Columbus, GA | General Use of Donee | $4,000 |
| St Thomas Episcopal Church Columbus, GA | Educational Outreach | $4,000 |
| Columbus Symphony Orchestra Columbus, GA | Education | $3,000 |
| Do Good Fund Inc Columbus, GA | General Use of Donee | $3,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Walter Alan Richards Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The 2024 filing is marked as the organization’s final return. It states that the foundation was terminating and distributed all net assets to public charities without retaining any right, title, or interest in them; the final distribution was made in August 2025.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | $46,012 | $1,415,123 | $1,399,408 | 17 | $1,403,396 | $35,205 | $37,145 |
| 2024 | $1,369,111 | $143,412 | $134,970 | $114,000 | 18 | $117,026 | $127,117 | $95,269 |
| 2023* | $1,360,669 | $249,831 | $225,676 | $203,000 | 16 | $205,125 | $131,771 | $119,625 |
| 2022 | $1,336,514 | $35,169 | $113,761 | $97,500 | 16 | $99,434 | $29,523 | $98,676 |
| 2021 | $1,415,106 | $49,316 | $117,811 | $91,000 | 15 | — | $29,227 | $93,365 |
| 2020 | $1,483,601 | $322,655 | $107,022 | $88,000 | 15 | — | $306,999 | $78,787 |
| 2019 | $1,267,018 | $126,009 | $103,516 | $87,000 | 15 | — | $110,143 | $80,682 |
*2023: Covers 16 months (fiscal year-end changed).
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Walter Alan Richards Foundation reported a distributable amount of $37K 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
The filings do not state the foundation’s mission or formal funding focus areas. Its 2025 grants went to a range of organizations, including educational institutions, cultural organizations, and community charities. These examples describe the grantees, not the foundation’s own mission: Brookstone School says it provides education from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade; Historic Columbus Foundation says it works to preserve historical structures and educate the public about local history; and Do Good Fund says it builds a collection of photographs from the American South and makes it accessible through exhibitions and community programming.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 17 grants totaling $1,399,408. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $1,292,908, with a median of $3,000. Its largest reported grant was $1,292,908 to Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley Inc. for the Chattahoochee Valley Imagination Library and Walter Alan Richards Fund. Other notable grants included $50,000 to Columbus State University for the Math Collaborative, Honors College Scholarship, and CSU Library Archives; $8,000 each to Brookstone School and Columbus Technical College Foundation; and $5,000 to Springer Academy. The filing also reports grants to Columbus Museum, Springer Opera House Arts Association, St Thomas Episcopal Church, Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Do Good Fund, Historic Columbus Foundation, and National Infantry Museum Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2025 filing lists the following officers and directors:
- J W Feighner Jr — President
- Barrett Feighner — Vice President
- Stephen M Howard — Secretary/Treasurer
- Celia G Page — Assistant Secretary/Treasu
- Alan F Rothschild Jr — Director
- Charlotte Page — Director
- Maggie Kelsey — Director
- John Reeves — Director
- Mercer Reeves — Director
- Gordon Feighner — Director
The Walter Alan Richards Foundation is led by J. W. Feighner Jr., President on every filing since 2019; none of the 11 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
J. W. Feighner Jr.
President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alan F. Rothschild Jr.
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Charlotte Page
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gordon Feighner
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Reeves
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maggie Kelsey
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mercer Reeves
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Philip Crawford
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Barrett Feighner
Vice President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Celia G. Page
Assistant Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephen M. Howard
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Ann Howard (2019–2023) — Director
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 Walter Alan Richards Foundation
How much does The Walter Alan Richards Foundation give each year?
The Walter Alan Richards Foundation gave $1.4M across 17 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $114K across 18 grants.
What is The Walter Alan Richards Foundation's typical grant size?
The Walter Alan Richards Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $3,000, and its average grant was $82,318, across 17 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Walter Alan Richards Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does The Walter Alan Richards Foundation give grants?
The Walter Alan Richards Foundation gives mostly in Georgia: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Columbus, GA (17 grants).
Does The Walter Alan Richards Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 53% of The Walter Alan Richards Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (9 of 17) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Walter Alan Richards Foundation's largest grantees?
The Walter Alan Richards Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley Inc ($1,292,908), Columbus State University ($50,000) and Brookstone School ($8,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 97% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
What does The Walter Alan Richards Foundation fund?
The filings do not state the foundation’s mission or formal funding focus areas. Its 2025 grants went to a range of organizations, including educational institutions, cultural organizations, and community charities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Walter Alan Richards Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it says it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
How much is The Walter Alan Richards Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, The Walter Alan Richards Foundation reported a distributable amount of $37K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Walter Alan Richards Foundation's EIN?
The Walter Alan Richards Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-6035136. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Walter Alan Richards 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
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS January 7, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 12, 2024)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Walter Alan Richards Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Walter Alan Richards Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-walter-alan-richards-foundation-morg_8b2af151d27b447bb7cab4bd174db793
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_586035136_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Walter Alan Richards Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-walter-alan-richards-foundation-morg_8b2af151d27b447bb7cab4bd174db793},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Walter Alan Richards 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.
The Walter Alan Richards Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?