Potomac Health Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Potomac Health Foundation funds health programmes for medically underserved people, so a good fit will be a public charity, unit of government or exempt operating foundation (others need a tax-exempt fiscal sponsor) working to increase access to health care within its stated geographic focus of Eastern Prince William County Virginia, eastern Fairfax and Stafford.
- Most grants to organisations fall between $15,500 and $195,000, with a median of $58,500, so a request in that range is realistic, though its Howard L. Greenhouse Large Grant Program can go up to $250,000 for project-based work through an open request-for-proposals process, while its Health Safety Net support offers general operating support by invitation only.
- Applications for the Large Grant Program open with a Letter of Intent in spring, and the Foundation welcomes inquiry calls and offers workshops to help with questions, with feedback given between the first and second phases.
- With 89% of its grant dollars going to organisations it had already funded, it leans towards continuing relationships, so new applicants should expect to build a relationship over time and should come prepared to show some matching support rather than ask for full funding, with letters of support encouraged at the formal application stage.
Overview
Potomac Health Foundation is a US private foundation based in Woodbridge, VA.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Potomac Health Foundation invests in programmes to improve health in its service area by promoting the health of medically underserved people. Its grants support programmes that increase access to health care and serve communities in its geographic service area. The Howard L. Greenhouse Large Grant Program makes project-based grants through an open request-for-proposals process, while its Health Safety Net support provides general operating support by invitation to agencies serving the medically underserved, including providers of direct clinical services. Eligible recipients include public charities, domestic units of government and exempt operating foundations; other agencies need a tax-exempt fiscal sponsor. The Foundation considers general operating, project, organisational scholarship, matching and capital-project support. It favours proposals with significant impact, alignment with its priorities, sound financial planning and sustainability, complementarity with other organisations, and best-practice, innovative responses to health issues.
Themes
- Health care for the underserved
- Current and emerging health issues
Geographic Focus
Eastern Prince William County Virginia; eastern Fairfax; Stafford.
How to apply
For the Howard L. Greenhouse Large Grant Program, organisations begin with a Letter of Intent (LOI), the first stage; feedback is provided between the first and second phases. Inquiry calls are generally welcome, and workshops offer a venue for application questions.
Deadlines: Applications are submitted in the spring.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 89% 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 148 grants to organisations were $58,500 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Proposals should show significant impact, align clearly with Foundation priorities, demonstrate sound financial planning and sustainability, complement other organisations’ efforts, and address health issues using best practices and innovative strategies.
- The Foundation expects an agency to contribute some matching support rather than request full funding.
- Letters of support are highly encouraged during the formal application phase to illustrate partnerships.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 8% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 89% of grant dollars went to organisations Potomac Health Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 55 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $84,100 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Prince William County Community Services · Crisis receiving and stabilization center$500,0002024 tax year
- Northern Virginia Family Service · Public health benefits & insurance navigation ($25,343); operating support ($227,500)$252,8432024 tax year
- Action in Community Through Service · Operating support$250,0002024 tax year
- Pathway Homes · Operating support$250,0002024 tax year
- Arc of Greater Prince William · Operating support$250,0002024 tax year
- House Student Leadership Center · Operating support$250,0002024 tax year
- Youth for Tomorrow · Behavioral healthcare and substance abuse treatment services ($175,000); operating support ($72,280)$247,2802024 tax year
- Virginia Poverty Law Center · Enroll va potomac program$192,1352024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Clarice Torian MEd — Director
- R Michael Sorensen — Director
- Wiliam C Reha MD MBA — Director
- Sarah Pitkin PhD — Director
- William M Moss — Director
- Phyllis Morgan PhD — Director
- Debra Lee MD — Director As Of March 2024
- Sam Hill EdD — Director
- Paul Gaden — Director
- Carlos Castro — Director
- Wayne Mallard — Secretary
- Gayle Whitlock — Treasurer
- Carol S Shapiro MD MBA — Vice-Chair
- Marion M Wall — Chair
- Erin Thomas-Matthews — Executive Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $1,463,560 | $866,400 | $105,638,628 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $7,771,406 | $5,972,302 | $107,812,905 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $10,101,437 | $5,865,522 | $109,573,060 | 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
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Potomac Health Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (703) 523-0624
- info@potomachealthfoundation.org
- IMANI@POTOMACHEALTHFOUNDATION.ORG
- Woodbridge, VA
- potomachealthfoundation.org
Applying to Potomac Health Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (703) 523-0624
- info@potomachealthfoundation.org
- IMANI@POTOMACHEALTHFOUNDATION.ORG
- Woodbridge, VA
- potomachealthfoundation.org