William M Backer Foundation Inc
William M Backer Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Middleburg, Virginia. Its 2025 grants supported organizations working in areas including environmental protection, local history, journalism, health care, housing, and charitable and religious purposes.
William M Backer Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: William M Backer Foundation Inc gave $650K across 52 grants in 2025 (avg $12K), mostly in Virginia. 4% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $649,700
- +29.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 52
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $12,494
- +29.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $7,664,502
- +1.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 4% first-time grantees (2 of 52, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Virginia (84% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to William M Backer Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 7181 Smitten Farm Lane, The Plains, VA 20198
Phone: (540) 364-2777
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who William M Backer Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Piedmont Environmental Council ($256K). Together the top 10 received $533K.
Grant Size Distribution
237 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 230 grants of 237 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, Virginia organizations received 84% of grant dollars, followed by organizations in the District of Columbia (9%), Kentucky (3%), New York (2%), and Illinois (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 52 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is William M Backer Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
4%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 52 grantees (4%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $6K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 92% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 199% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 142% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $218K (2022) to $744K (2023). In 2025 it made 52 grants totaling $650K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Piedmont Environmental Council Warrenton, VA | Environmental Purposes | $256,000 |
| Afro-American Historical Association of Fauquier County The Plains, VA | Charitable Purposes | $110,000 |
| Campaign Legal Center Washington, DC | Charitable Purposes | $50,000 |
| Citizens for Fauquier County Warrenton, VA | Charitable Purposes | $32,000 |
| Piedmont Journalism Foundation The Plains, VA | Charitable Purposes | $25,000 |
| Fauquier Free Clinic Warrenton, VA | Charitable Purposes | $17,500 |
| Windy Hill Foundation Middleburg, VA | Charitable Purposes | $12,500 |
| Grace Episcopal Church The Plains, VA | Religious Purposes | $10,000 |
| Grayson-Jockey Club Research Fdn Lexington, KY | Horse Veterinary Research Purposes | $10,000 |
| Just Neighbors Annandale, VA | Charitable Purposes | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with William M Backer Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $7,664,502 | $901,049 | $758,243 | $649,700 | 52 | $661,450 | $840,244 | $466,800 |
| 2024 | $7,521,696 | $1,921,645 | $549,165 | $500,000 | 52 | $501,231 | $1,820,130 | $428,080 |
| 2023 | $6,149,216 | $221,098 | $891,143 | $743,500 | 47 | $756,517 | $164,578 | $430,098 |
| 2022 | $6,819,261 | $563,658 | $281,140 | $217,500 | 40 | $221,330 | $506,880 | $517,549 |
| 2021 | $6,536,743 | $639,003 | $524,821 | $460,000 | 46 | — | $589,154 | $522,355 |
| 2020 | $6,422,587 | $338,687 | $489,806 | $439,000 | 56 | — | $290,107 | $452,013 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, William M Backer Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $467K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied missions. Citizens for Fauquier County describes its mission as conserving and preserving rural Fauquier County. The Piedmont Journalism Foundation says it provides fact-based, in-depth, nonpartisan local journalism to foster an informed and engaged citizenry. Fauquier Free Clinic says it offers medical, dental, and mental health care to residents of Fauquier and Rappahannock counties who lack appropriate alternatives. Windy Hill Foundation says it provides affordable housing and enrichment activities for individuals and families, including older adults.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 52 grants totaling $649,700. Grants ranged from $500 to $256,000, with a median grant of $2,500. The largest awards included $256,000 to Piedmont Environmental Council for environmental purposes, $110,000 to the Afro-American Historical Association of Fauquier County for charitable purposes, and $50,000 to Campaign Legal Center for charitable purposes. Other notable awards included $32,000 to Citizens for Fauquier County, $25,000 to Piedmont Journalism Foundation, and $17,500 to Fauquier Free Clinic.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ann M Backer as president; David Moltke-Hansen and Trevor Potter as directors; Georgia H Herbert as secretary; and George Grayson as treasurer.
William M Backer Foundation Inc is led by Ann M. Backer, President since 2022 (on filings since 2020); none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ann M. Backer
President
President & Treasurer → President, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Moltke-Hansen
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Trevor Potter
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
George Grayson
Treasurer
Vice President → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Georgia H. Herbert
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about William M Backer Foundation Inc
How much does William M Backer Foundation Inc give each year?
William M Backer Foundation Inc gave $650K across 52 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $500K across 52 grants.
What is William M Backer Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
William M Backer Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $12,494, across 52 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from William M Backer Foundation Inc that year got $6K on average.
Where does William M Backer Foundation Inc give grants?
William M Backer Foundation Inc gives mostly in Virginia: 84% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was District of Columbia (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Warrenton, VA (9 grants), The Plains, VA (6 grants), Middleburg, VA (6 grants) and Washington, DC (5 grants).
Who are William M Backer Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
William M Backer Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Piedmont Environmental Council ($256,000), Afro-American Historical Association of Fauquier County ($110,000) and Campaign Legal Center ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 64% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is William M Backer Foundation Inc?
William M Backer Foundation Inc reported $7.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $661K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $467K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does William M Backer Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied missions. Citizens for Fauquier County describes its mission as conserving and preserving rural Fauquier County. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from William M Backer Foundation Inc?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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 2020–2025.
Does William M Backer Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 17, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 16, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). William M Backer Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/william-m-backer-foundation-inc-morg_7afa7908854f49d1924c2e16f9972e0a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_133579157_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{William M Backer Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/william-m-backer-foundation-inc-morg_7afa7908854f49d1924c2e16f9972e0a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from William M Backer Foundation Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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