The Wise Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1999 and located in Marshall, Virginia. As a 501(c)(3) organization, it operates as a family foundation with limited staffing, focusing on distributing grants to charitable organizations across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$19.7M
+0.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$944K
-5.0% YoY
Grant Count
86
-1.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$11K
-3.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's stated purpose is "giving to local community projects." Primary funding interests include:
- Education
- Historic preservation
- Community services
- Fire and rescue services
- Science and STEM education
Grantmaking
The foundation indicates it makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations only and does not accept unsolicited applications for funds.
Grant Range
$500–$175,000
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Virginia, West Virginia, and South Carolina, with emphasis on local community projects.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year 2024:
- Total assets: $19,700,039
- Total revenues: $1,074,125
- Total expenses: $1,049,374
- Total liabilities: $0
- Investment income and dividends: $582,115
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $492,010
Historical Context:
- Tax-exempt status since August 1999
- EIN: 54-1942771
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $19,700,039 | $19,667,227 | $20,456,298 |
| Revenue | $1,074,125 | $460,520 | $1,794,469 |
| Expenses | $1,049,374 | $1,115,503 | $1,235,142 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $969,373 | $1,029,878 | $1,138,664 |
| Net Investment Income | $994,124 | $463,265 | $1,697,991 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,059,515 | $979,657 | $1,002,167 |
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 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 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
- Lewis B Pollard – President
- Lewis S Wiley – Board Member
- Frederick G Pollard II – Board Member
- Sheila W Harrell – Board Member
- Dawn E Confer – Board Member
The foundation operates with limited paid staffing; board members contribute minimal hours on a volunteer basis, with the exception of one board member who receives $24,000 annually.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEWIS B POLLARD | PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
| LEWIS S WILEY | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| FREDERICK G POLLARD II | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| SHEILA W HARRELL | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| DAWN E CONFER | BOARD MEMBER | 5 | $24,000 |
Contact Information
- Address: PO Box 557, Marshall, VA 20116-0557
- Telephone: 540-364-2470
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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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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