Herndon Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Herndon Foundation funds educational, cultural and human service work across the Commonwealth of Virginia, with priority given to organisations operating principally in metropolitan Richmond, so nonprofits outside Virginia are not a fit.
- Most grants are modest: about 8 in 10 of its 418 grants fall between $5,000 and $50,000, with a median grant of $25,000, so a request in that range is realistic, though its stated Competitive Grants programme caps requests at $25,000.
- Applications go through a link on the Foundation's website once the grant cycle opens, with the competitive grant request cycle beginning on August 1st, so plan to apply at that point in the year.
- The Foundation appears relationship-led rather than purely open-competition: 96% of its grant dollars went to organisations it had also funded in prior filings, and it describes sending quarterly funding without a request to aligned organisations it has gotten to know, so building a relationship over time may matter as much as a single strong proposal.
- Organisations that are private foundations under Section 509(a) of the IRS Code are not funded and should not apply.
Overview
Herndon Foundation is a US private foundation based in Richmond, 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
The Herndon Foundation supports educational, cultural and human service organisations that primarily benefit the Greater Richmond community. It gives strong preference to organisations operating principally in metropolitan Richmond whose services align with one or more of its three funding priorities. In education, it supports strategies that influence students’ long-term educational advancement and career preparation, including early childhood education, school readiness, expanded learning and enrichment outside school, and STEM programmes supporting teachers and/or students. In health and human services, it seeks to meet basic human needs for the most vulnerable citizens, including food, shelter and healthcare. Its historic preservation and cultural experiences priority seeks to increase access and participation in arts and culture, including natural resources, environmental sustainability, visual and performing arts, museums, other cultural institutions and cultural heritage.
Themes
- Education
- Health & human services
- Historic preservation
- Arts and culture
Geographic Focus
Commonwealth of Virginia. Priority: Metropolitan Richmond.
What They Don't Fund
- Private foundations under Section 509(a) of the IRS Code
How to apply
Qualified organisations submit proposals through a link on the Foundation’s website once the grant cycle opens.
Deadlines: The competitive grant request cycle begins on August 1st.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 96% 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 418 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- It favours organisations whose services align with one or more of its three funding priorities.
- It sends quarterly funding without a grant request to aligned organisations it has gotten to know.
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 18% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 96% of grant dollars went to organisations Herndon 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 138 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $25,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Vmi Foundation · General operating support$1,000,0002024 tax year
- University of Richmond · General operating support$584,0002024 tax year
- Virginia Museum of History and Culture · General operating support$250,0002024 tax year
- River Road Church Baptist · Chapel renovation support$125,0002024 tax year
- J Sargeant Reynolds Community College Educational Foundation · In support of sprout school partnership pilot program$125,0002024 tax year
- United Way of Greater Richmond · General operating support$75,0002024 tax year
- Big Brothers Big Sisters Services · General operating support$50,0002024 tax year
- Groundwork RVA · General operating support$50,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- John D Gottwald — Trustee
- James T Gottwald — Trustee
- William M Gottwald — Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $5,624,613 | $5,358,500 | $108,844,075 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $6,043,237 | $5,689,000 | $125,878,028 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $6,073,000 | $5,635,000 | $121,801,430 | 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 Herndon Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (804) 560-4119
- info@herndonfdn.org
- INFO@HERNDONFDN.ORG
- Richmond, VA
- herndonfdn.org
Applying to Herndon Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (804) 560-4119
- info@herndonfdn.org
- INFO@HERNDONFDN.ORG
- Richmond, VA
- herndonfdn.org