The Watterson Foundation is a private foundation (501(c)(3)) established in 1961 and located in Charlottesville, Virginia. The foundation operates as a grantmaking organization with no direct charitable activities of its own.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
-100.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.5M
+1028.6% YoY
Grant Count
6
-14.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$245K
+1216.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Watterson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $18K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary purpose is to provide grants to support the general purposes of its donees. The foundation has no stated direct charitable activities.
Grantmaking
The Watterson Foundation made 39 grants in the most recent reporting year (2023). Recent grants include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $400,699
- Total Revenues: $130,879
- Total Expenses: $130,266
- Investment Income and Dividends: $38,249
The foundation has zero employees and relies on investment income as its primary revenue source.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | $400,699 | $400,086 |
| Revenue | $1,133,640 | $130,879 | $49,257 |
| Expenses | $1,480,847 | $130,266 | $54,641 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,470,000 | $130,250 | $53,100 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,133,640 | $130,863 | $49,221 |
| Distributable Amount | $18,126 | $63,550 | $59,307 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 6 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
118 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Hospice of the Piedmont ($350,000), Weatherhead School of Management ($350,000), Charlottesville Albemarle Spca ($270,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| HOSPICE OF THE PIEDMONT CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | GENERAL PURPOSES OF DONEE | $350,000 |
| CHARLOTTESVILLE ALBEMARLE SPCA CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | GENERAL PURPOSES OF THE DONNE | $270,000 |
| CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | GENERAL PURPOSES OF THE DONEE | $150,000 |
| WEATHERHEAD SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT CLEVELAND, OH | GENERAL PURPOSES OF THE DONEE | $350,000 |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF CHARLOTTESV CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | GENERAL PURPOSES OF THE DONEE | $100,000 |
| THE BLUE RIDGE AREA FOOD BANK VERONA, VA | GENERAL PURPOSES OF THE DONEE | $250,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MARTHA S WATTERSON | Secretary | 1 | — |
| STUART G WATTERSON | President | 1 | — |
| WAYT TIMBERLAKE | Treasurer | 1 | — |
| YVONNE WATTERSON | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Watterson Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary purpose is to provide grants to support the general purposes of its donees. The foundation has no stated direct charitable activities.
How do I apply for a grant from The Watterson Foundation?
The Watterson Foundation made 39 grants in the most recent reporting year (2023). Recent grants include: | Grantee | Purpose | Year | Amount | |---------|---------|------|--------| | Christ Episcopal Church Endowment Fund | General Purposes of Donee | 2023 | $125,000 | | VPM Media Corporation | General Purposes of Donee | 2023 | $750 | The foundation has a history of issuing grants that have not been cashed by donees.
Where does The Watterson Foundation make grants?
The foundation is based in Charlottesville, Virginia.
What size grants does The Watterson Foundation award?
In 2024, The Watterson Foundation awarded 6 grants totaling $1.5M — an average of about $245K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Watterson Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Watterson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $18K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Watterson Foundation's EIN?
The Watterson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-6520026. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Watterson Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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