The James Family Charitable Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The James Family Charitable Foundation funds a wide range of causes without a stated focus area, including wildlife-conservation, environmental, cultural, educational, religious and community or social-service organisations, so many types of small nonprofits could in principle fit its giving pattern.
- However, it operates by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a cold application is unlikely to be the right route in.
- About eight in ten of its 225 grants to organisations fall between $1,000 and $97,000, and the median grant is $12,000, so a modest request in that range is realistic, even though its overall giving, which includes one $9,400,000 grant, can make its total portfolio look larger than typical.
- Some 87% of its grant dollars went to organisations it had also funded before, suggesting this is a relationship-led foundation that sustains existing connections rather than one that actively seeks new applicants, and there is no indication of any particular timing for approaches.
- Because it only makes contributions to preselected organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests, nonprofits without an existing link to the foundation should not submit a direct application.
Overview
The James Family Charitable Foundation is a US private foundation based in Charlottesville, VA.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The filing records grants chiefly under a general purpose, rather than identifying a particular funding field. The recipients shown include wildlife-conservation and environmental organisations; museums, libraries and other cultural institutions; schools and universities; religious congregations; and community and social-service organisations. The grant record also includes conservation, education, arts and cultural, public-interest and social-support organisations, demonstrating a varied set of charitable recipients rather than one stated programme focus. The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Pennsylvania and New York.
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 87% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 225 grants to organisations were $12,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 4%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 1%
- The largest single recipient received 71% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 87% of grant dollars went to organisations The James Family Charitable Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 72% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 83 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $13,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- James Family Charitable Trust · General$7,325,0002024 tax year
- Wildlife Conservation Society · General$600,0002024 tax year
- Metropolitan Museum of Art · General$332,5002024 tax year
- Montana Council of Trout Unlimited · General$260,0002024 tax year
- University of Washington CVI · General$200,0002024 tax year
- Trey Whitfield School · General$150,0002024 tax year
- Environmental Integrity Project · General$103,0002024 tax year
- Fabretto Children's Foundation · General$100,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Amabel B James — Vice President & Secretary
- Hamilton E James — President & Treasurer
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $11,903,134 | $11,415,244 | $219,738,910 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $12,544,586 | $11,959,092 | $233,478,723 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $11,578,725 | $10,755,158 | $281,416,650 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
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At a glance
Applying to The James Family Charitable Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Charlottesville, VA
Applying to The James Family Charitable Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Charlottesville, VA