Vartkess & Rita Balian
The Vartkess & Rita Balian Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Arlington, Virginia (EIN 02-0602788), established in 2002. The foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization with a focus on supporting educational, cultural, religious, and performing arts programs.
Key facts about Vartkess & Rita Balian
- EIN
- 02-0602788
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $37,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 29
- Average grant
- $1,276
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Primary geography
- Virginia (34% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Vartkess & Rita Balian funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Vartkess & Rita Balian's 29 itemized 2025 grants were Virginia (34%), New York (22%) and District of Columbia (20%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (9 grants), New York, NY (5 grants), Arlington, VA (3 grants) and Burbank, CA (2 grants). 83% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
How Vartkess & Rita Balian gives
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
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Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$37K
+10.4% YoY
Grant Count
29
+3.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$1K
+6.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation primarily funds support for 501(c)(3) organizations with emphasis on:
- Educational program support
- Cultural program support
- Religious benevolence
- Performing arts program support
- Public benefit programs
The foundation has demonstrated particular commitment to Armenian cultural, educational, and humanitarian initiatives.
Grantmaking
The foundation is closed to unsolicited applications and maintains tight relationships with established partners.
Grant Range
$223 to $30,500
Average Grant
$867
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation distributes grants across 13 locations with geographic diversification including:
- District of Columbia (28% of grants, concentrated in Washington)
- Virginia
- New York
- California
- International recipients
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 29 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2025:
- Total assets: $491,590
- Total revenues: $42,909
- Total expenses: $49,305
- Investment income and dividends: $9,418
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $33,491
- Number of employees: 0
Historical Assets:
- Total assets reported at $733,731 (alternative source)
Revenue Trend: Total revenues increased 734.3% from 2024 ($5,143) to 2025 ($42,909), primarily driven by net gains from asset sales.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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
114 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include Armenian American Cultural Association ($11,000), Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church ($2,500), St Mary Armenian Apostolic Church ($2,500 across 2 grants).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ARMENIAN AMERICAN CULTURAL ASSOCIATION Arlington, VA | GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES | $11,000 |
| EASTERN DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH New York, NY | 125TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION | $2,500 |
| ST MARY ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH Washington, DC | FOR CHILDREN OF ETCHMIADZIN | $2,000 |
| AGBU FOCUS New York, NY | IN MEMORY OF VARTKESS M BALIAN | $1,500 |
| AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF ARMENIA Oakland, CA | GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES | $1,000 |
| AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT New York, NY | GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES | $1,000 |
| ARMENIAN MISSIONARY ASSOC OF AMERICA Paramus, NJ | GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES | $1,000 |
| FUND FOR ARMENIAN RELIEF New York, NY | GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES | $1,000 |
| KNIGHTS OF VARTAN Arleta, CA | GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES | $1,000 |
| NAASR Belmont, MA | GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES | $1,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Rita S. Balian serves as a key leader and contact for the foundation (c/o Rita S Balian, 1300 Crystal Dr Apt 1505, Arlington, VA 22202-3273). Rita Balian is Founder, President and CEO of the Armenian American Cultural Association, Inc. (AACA), established in 1995.
Vartkess Balian co-founded the foundation with Rita and has been active in philanthropic leadership, including co-chairing the AGBU President's Club since 1987.
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2025 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rita S Balian | Director & President | — | — |
| Gregory S Balian | Director & Vice-President | — | — |
| Raffi V Balian | Director & Secretary/Treasurer | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Balians have been recognized for their sustained philanthropic work. In 2007, they were honored at the AGBU FOCUS event for their 20-year support of the AGBU New York Summer Intern Program (NYSIP), which they established with their husband in 1987.
The foundation has supported numerous educational and cultural institutions including AGBU, Yerevan State University, American University of Armenia, and established the Vartkess & Rita Balian Elementary School in Garbi, Armenia. The Balians established the "Balian Press Award" in 1986, given annually to Armenian journalists demonstrating excellence in promoting Armenian causes.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Vartkess & Rita Balian fund?
The foundation primarily funds support for 501(c)(3) organizations with emphasis on: • Educational program support • Cultural program support • Religious benevolence • Performing arts program support • Public benefit programs The foundation has demonstrated particular commitment to Armenian cultural, educational, and humanitarian initiatives.
How do I apply for a grant from Vartkess & Rita Balian?
**Grant Activity:** • Total historical giving: $268,023 across 208 grants • Most recent year (2025): 34 grants totaling $37,000–$49,305 in expenses • Grant range: $223 to $30,500 • Median grant size: $1,000 • Average grant size: $867 **Recent Grant Examples (2025):** • Armenian American Cultural Association: $11,000 (General Operating Expenses) • St Mary Armenian Apostolic Church: $2,000 (For Children of Etchmiadzin) • American University of Beirut Medical Center: $1,000 (General Operating Expe…
Where does Vartkess & Rita Balian make grants?
The foundation distributes grants across 13 locations with geographic diversification including: • District of Columbia (28% of grants, concentrated in Washington) • Virginia • New York • California • International recipients
What size grants does Vartkess & Rita Balian award?
In 2025, Vartkess & Rita Balian awarded 29 grants totaling $37K — an average of about $1K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Vartkess & Rita Balian's EIN?
Vartkess & Rita Balian's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 02-0602788. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.