The Stover Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The Stover Foundation accepts no unsolicited requests, so a small charity should not send it a proposal and should wait to be invited, and most of its grant dollars go to organisations it has funded before, so it looks relationship-led.
- Its interests are evangelism, education, compassion, faithful Christian citizenship, entrepreneurship and free enterprise, and it excludes direct services to poor and suffering persons in local communities and operating budgets for local churches, so organisations whose work is mainly those things should not expect to be considered.
- About 8 in 10 of its 108 grants fall between $5,000 and $150,000, and half are $10,000 or less, so a modest request is the realistic size, though its largest grant was $310,000 and that band is not a ceiling.
- The filing states no geographic focus, so the states where its grants have mainly gone should not be read as a limit on who may apply.
Overview
The Stover Foundation is a US private foundation based in Annapolis, MD.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2024, TY2023) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Stover Foundation funds ministries of evangelism, education and compassion that are harmonious with Robert Stover's core values and the limitations of its grant policy. Its educational grants favour projects promoting faithful Christian citizenship, entrepreneurship and free enterprise. It considers applications only from organisations it has invited. The foundation describes its philanthropy as modest and strategic, investing contributions in a manner it believes will be multiplied by the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Its funding is intended to bear witness to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Themes
- Evangelism
- Education
- Compassion
- Faithful Christian citizenship
- Entrepreneurship
- Free enterprise
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Arizona and West Virginia.
What They Don't Fund
- For private foundations as defined in Section 509a of the IRS Code
- For specific individuals and/or their personal benefit
- For individuals unauthorized to act on behalf of a qualified tax-exempt organization
- For funds that will ultimately be passed through to other organizations
- For propagandizing or for influencing legislation and litigation for the purpose of influencing or changing legislation and elections
- For sectarian or religious organizations whose principal activity is for the primary benefit of their own members
- For promotion or performance of abortion or euthanasia
- For long-term loans, endowments, debt retirement, operational deficits, or to finance fund raising activities
- Ordinarily for emergency or disaster relief
- For media organizations including production and airtime
- For local church operating budgets (targeted evangelism, education and compassion projects that are over and above the operating budget may be considered)
- Direct services to poor and suffering persons in local communities
How to apply
Organisations are considered for grants only when the foundation has invited them to apply.
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 108 grants to organisations were $10,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Educational grants favour projects promoting faithful Christian citizenship, entrepreneurship and free enterprise.
- The foundation funds ministries harmonious with Mr. Robert Stover's core values and the limitations in its grant policy.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2025.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 13%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 6%
- The largest single recipient received 16% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2025, 92% of grant dollars went to organisations The Stover 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 31 grants in tax year 2025 by size
Median $10,000 (tax year 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Gardere Community Christian School · To further christian education$310,0002025 tax year
- Young Life · General evangelical outreach$250,0002025 tax year
- Waynesburg University · To further christian education$200,0002025 tax year
- Alliance Defending Freedom · General evangelical outreach$150,0002025 tax year
- Dunham School · To further christian education$135,0002025 tax year
- Closer To God Epc Church · General evangelical outreach$50,0002025 tax year
- C. S. Lewis Institute · To further christian education$41,0002025 tax year
- Annapolis Area Christian School · To further christian education$40,0002025 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Rev Carmen Fowler Laberge — Director
- Brooke Johnston — Director
- Princeton Scott Bardwell — Director
- Daniel Jessup — Director
- Gary Nickerson — Director
- Cara Ludwig — Secretary
- Dr Gerrit Dawson — Chairman
- Dr Parker Williamson — COO / Treasurer
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 tax year | $1,191,023 | $983,895 | $29,864,492 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $1,567,757 | $1,376,500 | $31,803,386 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
| 2025 tax year | $1,694,880 | $1,420,000 | $35,596,019 | 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
Registers and filings
Other sources
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to The Stover Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Annapolis, MD
- thestoverfoundation.org
Applying to The Stover Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Annapolis, MD
- thestoverfoundation.org