← Back to US Funders Directory

Kenneth A. Hall and Patricia A. Hall Charitable Foundation

Annual Giving
$3.0M
Grant Range
$2K - $5.2M

Kenneth A. Hall and Patricia A. Hall Charitable Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2,960,000 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $70,604,181 (2023)
  • Number of Grants: 35 awards (2023)
  • Grant Range: $2,000 - $5,200,000+
  • Geographic Focus: Hampton Roads region (Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake area)
  • Application Method: No public application process

Contact Details

Location: Norfolk, VA
EIN: 83-4709926
Type: Private Foundation

Note: No website, phone, or email publicly available. The foundation does not maintain a public application process.

Overview

The Kenneth A. Hall and Patricia A. Hall Charitable Foundation was established by Kenneth A. Hall, founder of Hall Automotive Group, who built one of the 50 largest auto retailers in the United States before his retirement in 2006. Hall passed away in 2019 at age 82, leaving behind a legacy of significant philanthropy in the Hampton Roads region. The foundation, with assets exceeding $70 million and annual giving of approximately $3 million, focuses on healthcare, education (particularly automotive trades education), environmental conservation, and mental health services. The foundation operates as a private family foundation that identifies and supports causes through its trustees' connections and strategic community relationships rather than through a public application process.

Funding Priorities

Documented Grant Recipients and Amounts

Healthcare:

  • Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters (CHKD): $5,000,000+ for mental health programming and Children's Pavilion
  • Old Dominion University Athletics: $150,000 for Student-Athlete Mental Health and Well-being Center

Education:

  • Tidewater Community College: $100,000 ($50,000 spring + $50,000 fall) for Kenneth A. Hall Automotive Scholarship program, awarding up to $2,000 per student for tuition, books, fees, tools, and materials

Environmental/Community Development:

  • Norfolk Botanical Garden: $1,000,000+ for Kenneth A. and Patricia A. Hall Charitable Foundation Shoreline Restoration & Boardwalk project

Priority Areas

Based on documented grants, the foundation prioritizes:

  • Children's healthcare, particularly mental health services
  • Automotive trades education and workforce development
  • Student mental health and well-being at educational institutions
  • Environmental conservation and public green spaces
  • Community infrastructure projects in Hampton Roads

Geographic Focus

All documented grants are concentrated in the Hampton Roads region, particularly Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Chesapeake, Virginia.

Governance and Leadership

Gray Kiger Sr. is identified as one of the executives of the Hall Foundation. Kiger has a personal connection to the foundation's mental health initiatives; his son, Gray, a member of the Old Dominion University sailing team, died by suicide in 2017. When approached about ODU's plans to provide mental health counseling for student-athletes, Kiger was eager to support the initiative, leading to the foundation's $150,000 donation.

The foundation was established by Kenneth A. Hall, who founded Hall Automotive Group in 1975, starting with a single Tidewater AMC/Jeep dealership in Virginia Beach and eventually growing to 17 dealerships with 24 franchises across 22 locations. Hall was known not only as a prominent business leader but as a generous philanthropist who supported Operation Smile, accompanying physicians on medical missions around the world using his private jet.

According to Jena Virga, executive director of the Old Dominion Athletic Foundation, when describing the Hall Foundation's approach: Kiger "was eager to help" when presented with ODU's mental health counseling plans, indicating the foundation responds to compelling proposals from organizations aligned with trustees' interests.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Kenneth A. Hall and Patricia A. Hall Charitable Foundation operates as a private family foundation that makes grants based on trustee discretion and through pre-existing relationships with organizations in the Hampton Roads community.

Grants appear to be initiated through:

  • Direct outreach to the foundation by organizations known to trustees
  • Trustees identifying needs and initiating contact with organizations
  • Personal connections and relationships within the Hampton Roads philanthropic community

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation responds to organizations that present compelling cases aligned with trustees' interests. Known pathways include:

Leverage Regional Networks: The foundation is deeply connected to Hampton Roads business, education, and healthcare communities. Organizations like the Old Dominion Athletic Foundation successfully approached the foundation directly about specific needs.

Focus on Measurable Impact: The foundation's support for ODU's mental health program came after they could demonstrate clear need and impact (121 student-athletes receiving 776 counseling sessions in 2023-24).

Connect to Trustees' Personal Interests: Gray Kiger Sr.'s personal experience with mental health loss led to the foundation's support for mental health initiatives. Understanding trustees' personal motivations can guide appropriate proposals.

Build Relationships with Related Grantees: Organizations like CHKD, Norfolk Botanical Garden, Tidewater Community College, and Old Dominion University have received funding and may provide insights into the foundation's priorities.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available. As a private foundation making grants through trustee discretion, timelines likely vary based on proposal size and complexity.

Application Success Factors

While the foundation does not accept public applications, analysis of their documented grants reveals clear success factors:

Personal Connection to Cause: The foundation's $150,000 grant to ODU for mental health counseling was facilitated by Gray Kiger Sr.'s personal experience. Projects that resonate with trustees' lived experiences appear particularly compelling.

Hampton Roads Focus: All documented grants support organizations in the Norfolk/Virginia Beach/Chesapeake area. Geographic proximity appears essential.

Connection to Hall's Legacy: The automotive scholarship at TCC directly connects to Kenneth Hall's career building Hall Automotive Group. Projects that honor or extend the founder's life work may resonate with trustees.

Large-Scale Community Impact: Major gifts ($1M+) support significant infrastructure projects like CHKD's Children's Pavilion and Norfolk Botanical Garden's boardwalk restoration that serve broad community populations.

Specific, Well-Defined Projects: Grants support discrete projects with clear deliverables—a named boardwalk, a specific scholarship program, a mental health center—rather than general operating support.

Measurable Outcomes: The TCC scholarship specifies "students who have demonstrated a strong work ethic, a drive to succeed and a commitment to education and training," suggesting the foundation values demonstrable results.

Education and Healthcare Priority: The foundation's two largest documented areas of giving are healthcare (especially children's and mental health) and education (particularly workforce development).

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application: This foundation cannot be approached through a standard grant application process; relationship-building and direct trustee contact are necessary
  • Regional Focus Is Critical: All documented grants support Hampton Roads organizations; geographic proximity to Norfolk appears essential
  • Healthcare and Education Dominate: Children's health, mental health services, and automotive/technical education receive the largest grants
  • Legacy Matters: Projects connected to Kenneth Hall's automotive industry background or Operation Smile/medical mission work may hold special appeal
  • Think Capital Projects: Multiple million-dollar+ grants support named facilities and infrastructure rather than program operating costs
  • Personal Stories Resonate: Gray Kiger Sr.'s personal loss influenced mental health funding; authentic connections to trustees' experiences matter
  • Be Patient and Strategic: Building awareness with foundation executives takes time; this is not a foundation for organizations seeking quick funding decisions

References

← Back to US Funders Directory