W Russell and Norma Ramsey Foundation
The W Russell and Norma Ramsey Foundation is a private foundation based in McLean, Virginia, established in September 1994. It operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization with a straightforward charitable approach: making cash contributions to a variety of charitable organizations across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.2M
-22.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$753K
+155.5% YoY
Grant Count
13
-38.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$58K
+312.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's charitable activity consists of making cash contributions to a variety of charitable organizations. Primary funding focus areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Historical Organizations
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants to charitable organizations without a formal application process noted in available sources.
How to Apply
noted in available sources.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- Maryland
- District of Columbia
- Virginia
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2023):
- Total Assets: $2.9M–$3.11M
- Total Giving: $752,500
- Revenue: $1.4M
- Expenses: $368,000
- Total Liabilities: $0
The foundation maintains a healthy financial position with no outstanding liabilities.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,231,575 | $2,865,155 | $3,112,751 |
| Revenue | $126,309 | $957,162 | $1,401,093 |
| Expenses | $759,889 | $325,409 | $367,816 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $752,500 | $294,500 | $356,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $126,309 | $944,370 | $1,389,653 |
| Distributable Amount | $137,421 | $133,866 | $131,228 |
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
62 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by three directors:
- W Russell Ramsey — Director
- Norma Ramsey — Director
- Ned S Scherer — Director
W. Russell "Russ" Ramsey is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Ramsey Asset Management, an alternative asset management firm headquartered in McLean, Virginia. He is also known as co-founder, president, and co-chief executive officer of Friedman, Billings, Ramsey Group (FBR), an investment banking and brokerage firm he co-founded in 1989.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| W RUSSELL RAMSEY | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| NORMA RAMSEY | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| NED S SCHERER | DIRECTOR | — | — |
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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