William M Backer Foundation Inc

THE PLAINS, VA EIN: 13-3579157

William M Backer Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in The Plains, Virginia. The foundation maintains a focus on philanthropic giving within the United States, with particular emphasis on specific regions and cause areas.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$7.5M

+22.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$500K

-32.8% YoY

Grant Count

52

+10.6% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$10K

-39.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, William M Backer Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $428K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's grant-making priorities include:

  • Education
  • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
  • Human Services

Grantmaking

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily directs funding toward:

  • Virginia
  • Kentucky
  • District of Columbia

Grant Distribution by State

10states
+2 more states

Cities

AlexandriaAnnapolisAugustaBerryvilleBoyceBroad RunChampaignCharlestonCharlottesvilleChicagoElmontFremontFront RoyalGeorgetownLeesburgLexingtonLurayMarshallMiddleburgMidland

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Total Assets: $7,521,696 (as of most recent IRS Form 990 filing in 2024)

Total Giving: $500,000 (most recent filing year)

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$528K$1M$2M$2M20202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$7,521,696$6,149,216$6,819,261
Revenue$1,921,645$221,098$563,658
Expenses$549,165$891,143$281,140
Qualifying Distributions$501,231$756,517$221,330
Net Investment Income$1,820,130$164,578$506,880
Distributable Amount$428,080$430,098$517,549

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$186K$372K$558K$744K56 grants202046 grants202140 grants202247 grants202352 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

PIEDMONT ENVIRONMENTAL C…$246KCAMPAIGN LEGAL CENTER$35KGRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH$25KFAUQUIER FREE CLINIC$18KPIEDMONT JOURNALISM FOUN…$15KVIRGINIA TECH FOUNDATION$13KGRAYSON-JOCKEY CLUB RESE…$10KOUR CHILDREN FOUNDATION$10KPLANNED PARENTHOOD$10KVIRGINIA LEAGUE FOR PLAN…$10K

Grant Size Distribution

233 grants across all recorded years

228<$50K1$50–100K3$100–250K1$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Piedmont Environmental Council ($245,800), Campaign Legal Center ($35,000), Grace Episcopal Church ($25,000).

RecipientPurposeAmount
AFRO-AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION OF FAUQUIER COUNTY THE PLAINS, VACHARITABLE PURPOSES$5,000
BACKSTRETCH EMPLOYEE SERVICE TEAM (BEST) ELMONT, NYCHARITABLE PURPOSES$1,000
BUCHANAN HALL UPPERVILLE, VACHARITABLE PURPOSES$500
BULL RUN MOUNTAIN CONSERVANCY BROAD RUN, VACHARITABLE PURPOSES$1,000
CAMPAIGN LEGAL CENTER WASHINGTON, DCCHARITABLE PURPOSES$35,000
CITIZENS FOR FAUQUIER COUNTY WARRENTON, VACHARITABLE PURPOSES$2,000
CLIFTON INSTITUTE WARRENTON, VACHARITABLE PURPOSES$5,000
EARTH JUSTICE OAKLAND, CACHARITABLE PURPOSES$2,000
FAC FOUNDATION FREMONT, NECHARITABLE PURPOSES$5,000
FAUQUIER EDUCATION FARM WARRENTON, VACHARITABLE PURPOSES$1,500

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
ANN M BACKERPRESIDENT1
DAVID MOLTKE-HANSENDIRECTOR1
GEORGIA H HERBERTSECRETARY1
GEORGE GRAYSONTREASURER1
TREVOR POTTERDIRECTOR1

Contact Information

Address: 7181 Smitten Farm Lane, The Plains, VA 20198-1930

EIN: 13-3579157

Frequently Asked Questions

What does William M Backer Foundation Inc fund?

The foundation's grant-making priorities include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services

How do I apply for a grant from William M Backer Foundation Inc?

**Grant Amounts:** Typical awards range from $500 to $450,000. **Total Annual Giving:** $500,000 (based on most recent IRS Form 990 filing from 2024) **Recent Grant Activity:** The foundation awarded $35,000 to the Piedmont Journalism Foundation in 2023 for charitable purposes.

Where does William M Backer Foundation Inc make grants?

The foundation primarily directs funding toward: • Virginia • Kentucky • District of Columbia

What size grants does William M Backer Foundation Inc award?

In 2024, William M Backer Foundation Inc awarded 52 grants totaling $500K — an average of about $10K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is William M Backer Foundation Inc required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, William M Backer Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $428K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is William M Backer Foundation Inc's EIN?

William M Backer Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3579157. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

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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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