FundersVirginia

Houff Charitable Foundation

Weyers Cave, VA · EIN 81-4489297. Reported 215 grants totalling $1,778,947 to 92 organizations across tax years 2021-2024. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.

Yesaccepts unsolicited requests
$2,500median grant
$1,778,947granted, 2021-2024
92organizations funded
69%of grantees funded again the next year
$4,425,809assets, latest filing

Does this foundation accept applications?

Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. Houff Charitable Foundation did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.

This is the foundation's own statement to the IRS, not our judgement, and it says nothing about whether they have a form, a deadline, or an appetite for new grantees. Treat it as the reason this foundation is worth your research time, not as an invitation. Many small foundations of this kind have no website and no application process -- a letter of inquiry is the normal first step.

How big are its grants?

The median grant is $2,500. Half of everything it gave fell between $1,000 and $5,000; the smallest was $300 and the largest $200,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.

Under $1,000
5 grants
$1,000 - $5,000
134 grants
$5,000 - $10,000
42 grants
$10,000 - $25,000
22 grants
$25,000 - $50,000
3 grants
$50,000 - $100,000
1 grant
$100,000 and Up
8 grants

Every organization it funded

This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which the organization received money -- more than one means a real relationship rather than a one-off.

OrganizationLocationTotal receivedGrantsYears fundedLast
Staunton-Augusta YMCAStaunton, VA$401,000442024
Shenandoah District Church BrethrenWeyers Cave, VA$200,000112021
Weyers Cave Rec AssociationWeyers Cave, VA$125,000112024
Augusta Health FoundationFisherville, VA$110,000222024
Weyers Cave Community CenterWeyers Cave, VA$109,000222024
Verona Community CenterVerona, VA$70,600442024
Ruritan Charities of Mt Sidney IncVerona, VA$50,000112024
Bridgewater Health Care FoundationBridgewater, VA$40,000442024
Clayton Matthews Memorial FoundationBroadway, VA$40,000222024
Verona Community Food PantryVerona, VA$40,000442024
Pleasant Valley ChurchWeyers Cave, VA$33,000442024
SddaWeyers Cave, VA$32,000332024
Saving Grace Dba the Butterfly HouseVirginia Beach, VA$25,000112021
Weyers Cave Fire DepartmentWeyers Cave, VA$23,140442024
Aisle 7 FellowshipVerona, VA$20,000442024
Bethany UMCWeyers Cave, VA$20,000442024
Port Discovery Children's MuseumBaltimore, MD$20,000442024
Young LifeStaunton, VA$19,000442024
Bridgewater CollegeBridgewater, VA$18,750442024
Blue Ridge Community CollegeWeyers Cave, VA$18,500442024
Staunton Augusta Art CenterStaunton, VA$15,000332024
The Wildlife Center of VaWaynesboro, VA$12,500332024
Valley Mission IncStaunton, VA$12,000222024
Warm IncWaynesboro, VA$12,000222024
Memorial Baptist ChurchStaunton, VA$11,707112022
Boys Home IncCovington, VA$11,500442024
Augusta Regional Dental ClinicFishersville, VA$10,000222024
Blue Ridge Area Food BankVerona, VA$10,000442024
Boys & Girls Club of Waynesboro Staunton & AugustaWaynesboro, VA$10,000112024
Brethern Woods CampKeezeletown, VA$10,000112024
Mental Health American of AugustaStaunton, VA$10,000442024
National Casagal Association for ChildrenSeattle, WA$10,000222024
SacraStaunton, VA$10,000442024
Vision AppalachiaPittsburgh, PA$10,000222024
WreVerona, VA$9,950332024
Augusta ExpoFishersville, VA$8,000442024
Equipping the SaintsWeyers Cave, VA$8,000442024
Monacan Indian NationMadison Heights, VA$8,000442024
NAMIBaltimore, MD$7,500332024
Rockingham County Fair AssociationHarrisonburg, VA$7,500332024
Verona UMC Food PantryVerona, VA$7,500332024
HumcGrottoes, VA$7,000222022
Kingsway Prison & Family OutreachHarrisonburg, VA$7,000442024
South River FellowshipGrottoes, VA$7,000222024
Augusta County Historical SocietyStaunton, VA$6,000112024
The Madee ProjectFishersville, VA$6,000332024
Brethren & Mennonite Heritage CenterHarrisonburg, VA$5,000112024
Clendenin Elementary SchoolNorth Elkview, WV$5,000112024
Help Glassbrenner UMCChurchville, VA$5,000112021
The Tyler Wentz Memorial FundHenrico, VA$5,000112021
Ulman FoundationBaltimore, MD$5,000112022
Verona UMCVerona, VA$5,000222024
American Frontier CultureStaunton, VA$4,000442024
Augusta Regional SPCAStaunton, VA$4,000222022
Avalon CenterWilliamsburg, VA$4,000442024
Child Development ResourcesNorge, VA$4,000442024
Clymore Elementary SchoolFort Defiance, VA$4,000222023
Housing Partnerships IncWilliamsburg, VA$4,000442024
Jamestown Yorktown FoundationWilliamsburg, VA$4,000442024
Spirit HorseRaphine, VA$4,000222023
Verona Fire DepartmentVerona, VA$4,000442024
Fort Definance High SchoolFort Definance, VA$3,500222023
Augusta County FairVerona, VA$3,000332024
Augusta County Fire & Rescue IncVerona, VA$3,000112021
Coaches USAHarrisonburg, VA$3,000222024
Renewing Homes of Greater AugustaStaunton, VA$3,000332024
Patrick Henry Family ServicesLynchburg, VA$2,500112021
Alzheimer's AssociationCharlottesville, VA$2,000222024
Coffeehouse of Rockbridge IncLexington, VA$2,000112024
Compass CenterGlen Allen, VA$2,000332024
FishWilliamsburg, VA$2,000222022
Fish (roxie Charity)Williamsburg, VA$2,000222024
Foster Love MinistriesWaynesboro, VA$2,000112022
Margaret's Saving Grace Bully RescueMauretown, VA$2,000222022
New Hope Community CenterNew Hope, VA$2,000222022
New Hope Fire DepartmentNew Hope, VA$2,000222022
Sos Children's VillagesWashington, DC$2,000112022
Valley Associates for IndependentHarrisonburg, VA$2,000112021
Fort Definance High School (thanksgFort Definance, VA$1,500222022
Jmu FoundationHarrisonburg, VA$1,500112024
Augusta Christian AcademyFishersville, VA$1,000112024
Augusta County SheriffVerona, VA$1,000112021
Augusta MasStaunton, VA$1,000112024
Bridge Christian ChurchFishersville, VA$1,000112024
HrcdccHarrisonburg, VA$1,000112021
KarisWeyers Cave, VA$1,000112021
Pinch Elementary SchoolElkview, WV$1,000112022
The Agape CenterMoneta, VA$1,000112021
Valley Children's Advocacy CenterStaunton, VA$1,000112021
Weyers Cave Ruritan ClubWeyers Cave, VA$1,000112023
Speaking Spirits MinistriesRichmond, VA$500112023
Hope Distributed CdcHarrisonburg, VA$300112022

60 of 92 (65%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold.

Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 69%, across 3 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is about typical. A high number means its list is close to settled and a newcomer has to displace someone; a low one means it is still moving money around, which is where an opening is.

What the money was for

Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.

What kind of organizations it funds

By the recipient's own IRS classification, for the 101 grants where we could identify the organization. These are assigned categories, not our guesses.

Human Services
19 grants
Arts & Culture
16 grants
Education
15 grants
Religion
8 grants
Recreation & Sports
7 grants
Community Improvement
7 grants
Housing & Shelter
6 grants
Food & Nutrition
5 grants

Giving by year

Tax yearGrantsTotalMedian grant
202155$513,750$2,000
202252$271,807$2,250
202346$278,850$2,500
202462$714,540$2,750

Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.

Where its money goes

Foundations concentrate geographically far more than their mission statements suggest. 97% of this one's giving went to organizations in Virginia. If you are outside its footprint, that matters more than how well your programme fits.

Virginia
$1.7M
Maryland
$32K
Washington
$10K
Pennsylvania
$10K
West Virginia
$6K
District of Columbia
$2K

Find more foundations like Houff Charitable Foundation

We email you newly filed foundations whose giving matches your state and cause, as the IRS publishes them. Free.

No spam, unsubscribe in one click. We never sell or share your address.

Funders that support the same organizations

These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are the strongest available signal that two funders have overlapping priorities, and a funder already backing your peers is a far warmer prospect than one that merely lists your cause.

Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund17 shared recipientsCommunity Foundation of the Central12 shared recipientsDonor Advised Charitable Giving Inc12 shared recipientsAmerican Online Giving Foundation Inc11 shared recipientsVanguard Charitable Endowment Program10 shared recipientsThe Bank of America Charitable Foundation Inc9 shared recipients

How to approach this foundation

  1. Check you are its size. The median grant is $2,500. Asking for ten times that is the most common way small organizations waste a submission.
  2. Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Virginia.
  3. Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
  4. Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.

Related guides

Foundations funding education in VirginiaEvery funder in this group, ranked

Where these numbers come from

Everything above is taken from Houff Charitable Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2021-2024). Nothing here is scraped, inferred, or estimated.

Address of record on the latest return: 46 Houff Road, Weyers Cave, VA, 24486. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.

EIN 81-4489297 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this

This is history, not an open call. Foundation returns are published about a year after the tax year ends. Nothing on this page is a deadline. It is a record of who this foundation has actually funded, which is the best available predictor of who it will fund next -- and a much better basis for deciding whether to write to them than a mission statement.

Is something here wrong about your foundation? Email hello@funderscope.com and we will correct it.