The Walter Alan Richards Foundation
The Walter Alan Richards Foundation is a private foundation based in Columbus, Georgia. Established in 1958, it operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and maintains a preselected grantmaking approach.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
-100.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.4M
+1127.6% YoY
Grant Count
17
-5.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$82K
+1199.8% YoY
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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's grant-making focuses on Education, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, and Human Services, with a primary geographic emphasis on Georgia.
Grantmaking
The foundation operates on a preselected basis only and does not accept unsolicited applications for funds.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Georgia.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Current Status (Tax Year 2024):
- Total assets: $0
- Total liabilities: $0
Note: The foundation filed a final return as of 2025, indicating a change in operational status.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | $1,369,111 | $1,341,630 |
| Revenue | $46,012 | $143,412 | $226,030 |
| Expenses | $1,415,123 | $134,970 | $220,914 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,403,396 | $117,026 | $205,072 |
| Net Investment Income | $35,205 | $127,117 | $111,043 |
| Distributable Amount | $37,145 | $95,269 | $90,442 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
82 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley Inc ($1,292,908), Columbus State University ($50,000), Brookstone School ($8,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BROOKSTONE SCHOOL COLUMBUS, GA | GENERAL USE OF DONEE | $8,000 |
| CHATTAHOOCHEE VALLEY CAMELLIA SOCIETY INC COLUMBUS, GA | GENERAL USE OF DONEE | $1,000 |
| COLUMBUS BOTANICAL GARDENS COLUMBUS, GA | EDUCATION | $2,500 |
| COLUMBUS MUSEUM COLUMBUS, GA | EDUCATION DEPARTMENT | $4,000 |
| COLUMBUS STATE UNIVERSITY COLUMBUS, GA | MATH COLLABORATIVE, HONORS COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP, AND CSU LIBRARY ARCHIVES | $50,000 |
| COLUMBUS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA COLUMBUS, GA | EDUCATION | $3,000 |
| COLUMBUS TECHNICAL COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC COLUMBUS, GA | VECTR PROJECT | $8,000 |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE VALLEY INC COLUMBUS, GA | CHATTAHOOCHEE VALLEY IMAGINATION LIBRARY & WALTER ALAN RICHARDS FUND | $1,292,908 |
| DO GOOD FUND INC COLUMBUS, GA | GENERAL USE OF DONEE | $3,000 |
| HISTORIC COLUMBUS FOUNDATION COLUMBUS, GA | GENERAL USE OF DONEE | $3,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is governed by the following board members and officers:
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| J W Feighner Jr | President |
| Barrett Feighner | Vice President |
| Stephen M Howard | Secretary/Treasurer |
| Celia G Page | Assistant Secretary/Treasurer |
| Alan F Rothschild Jr | Director |
| Charlotte Page | Director |
| Maggie Kelsey | Director |
| John Reeves | Director |
| Mercer Reeves | Director |
| Gordon Feighner | Director |
| Philip Crawford | Director |
All board members serve with one hour per week commitment and receive no compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MR BARRETT FEIGHNER | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| MR J W FEIGHNER JR | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| MR STEPHEN M HOWARD | SECRETARY/TREASURER | 1 | — |
| MS CELIA G PAGE | ASSISTANT SECRETARY/TREASU | 1 | — |
| MR ALAN F ROTHSCHILD JR | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| CHARLOTTE PAGE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MAGGIE KELSEY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JOHN REEVES | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MERCER REEVES | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| GORDON FEIGHNER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| PHILIP CRAWFORD | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Walter Alan Richards Foundation fund?
The foundation's grant-making focuses on Education, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, and Human Services, with a primary geographic emphasis on Georgia.
How do I apply for a grant from The Walter Alan Richards Foundation?
The foundation operates on a preselected basis only and does not accept unsolicited applications for funds. **Grant Activity:** • Total giving: $1,399,408 (as of most recent filing) • Typical award range: $1,000–$1,292,908 • Median grant amount: $3,000 • Recent grant count: 17 grants (as of tax year 2024)
Where does The Walter Alan Richards Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Georgia.
What size grants does The Walter Alan Richards Foundation award?
In 2025, The Walter Alan Richards Foundation awarded 17 grants totaling $1.4M — an average of about $82K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
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 2020–2025.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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