The Agena Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests, so a cold application is unlikely to be considered; a new applicant should expect to need an introduction first.
- Its stated interests in education and young adult programmes, and its grants to youth, housing and shelter, family-support and therapeutic groups, suggest where work might fit, though no geographic focus is stated.
- Most of its grants fall between $20,000 and $265,000, and half of its grants to organisations are $70,000 or less, so a modest request sits comfortably within what it usually gives, although its largest grant was $325,000.
- Repeat giving is strong: 92% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in the earlier filings, which suggests it relies on established relationships.
Overview
The Agena Foundation is a US private foundation based in Chesapeake, VA.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2024, TY2023) 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 foundation describes its distributions as charitable and educational, including programmes intended to improve the quality of young adults. Its grants have supported youth clubs, youth mentoring and youth services; organisations providing homelessness programmes, rent assistance and emergency family shelters; and services addressing domestic and sexual violence, therapeutic needs and foster care. The record also includes special-needs housing, creative-writing education, prescription-medicine programmes and community service. The recipients therefore include youth-serving, housing and shelter, family-support, therapeutic, arts-education and community organisations.
Themes
- Education
- Young adult programmes
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Virginia.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 92% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2023 or TY2024 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2023, TY2024 and TY2025 filings, half of its 53 grants to organisations were $70,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2025.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 15% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2025, 92% of grant dollars went to organisations The Agena Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 19 grants in tax year 2025 by size
Median $80,000 (tax year 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Boys and Girls Club of Southeastern Virginia · Club prgm for youth and teens$312,5002025 tax year
- Salvation Army of Tidewater · Rent assistance program$245,0002025 tax year
- Together We Can · Operations$227,5002025 tax year
- ForKids · In support of prgm for homeless$213,0002025 tax year
- Seton Youth Shelters · Emergency family and youth shelter$145,0002025 tax year
- Yours Ministry · Youth mentorship$135,0002025 tax year
- YWCA · Domestic & sexual violence$134,5002025 tax year
- Tidewater Youth Services Foundation · Community based therapeutic services$97,0002025 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Kimberly C Painter — Treasurer
- Felicia Ford — Executive Director
- Christopher H Russi — Secretary
- Kimberlee Russi — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 tax year | $1,734,793 | $1,320,209 | $41,359,494 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $2,747,471 | $2,124,500 | $44,703,075 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
| 2025 tax year | $2,437,440 | $2,004,300 | $48,075,685 | Filing for 2025 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 Agena Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Chesapeake, VA
Applying to The Agena Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Chesapeake, VA