The Goode Family Foundation concentrates its philanthropy in the Norfolk/Hampton Roads region, funding civic and cultural institutions that strengthen the local community, shoreline environment, and maritime identity. Its grants are sizable and targeted — supporting university programs, environmental restoration of the Elizabeth River, maritime education and museum institutions, and general community services. The foundation shows a preference for multi-year or repeat support to a small set of regional organizations that align with those civic, environmental, and cultural priorities.
Concentrated, high-dollar grants to a small number of regional institutions; several repeat grants to the same organizations; predominately unrestricted program support for civic/environmental/cultural projects rather than many small awards.
Goode Family Foundation’s giving is anchored by repeat, six-figure support for a small group of Norfolk and Virginia Beach institutions, including Virginia Wesleyan University, Nauticus Foundation, and the Elizabeth River Project. That pattern shows a foundation that backs civic and cultural anchors over multiple years rather than spreading grants broadly across many organizations. Recent awards also point to a clear interest in the region’s maritime identity and shoreline environment, alongside higher education, museums, and community services. The foundation’s largest recent grant, $500,000 to Virginia Wesleyan University in 2024, stands out as a defining commitment to local higher education. In the same period, it gave $250,000 to Nauticus Foundation in 2024 and again in 2025, and $200,000 to the Elizabeth River Project in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Those repeated grants suggest an approach built around sustained operating support for organizations with long-term community roles in Hampton Roads. Other grants reinforce that regional focus. The foundation has supported the Chrysler Museum of Art, United Way, the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, and The Hermitage Museum, all on a scale that fits a disciplined, relationship-based grantmaking pattern. Across the record, the grants align with tax-exempt program support for institutions serving Norfolk and the surrounding area.
Higher education is one clear part of the portfolio. Goode Family Foundation gave $500,000 to Virginia Wesleyan University in 2024 for support of the recipient’s tax-exempt program, making it the largest recent grant in the record. Maritime education and public engagement also appear as a recurring priority. The foundation awarded $250,000 to Nauticus Foundation in 2024 and another $250,000 in 2025, both for support of the recipient’s tax-exempt program. Environmental work on the Elizabeth River is another consistent theme. The Elizabeth River Project received $200,000 in 2023, $200,000 in 2024, and $200,000 in 2025, indicating sustained support for shoreline and estuary restoration work. Cultural institutions are part of the mix as well. The foundation gave $250,000 to Chrysler Museum of Art in 2025 and $130,000 each year from 2023 through 2025 to Virginia Museum of History & Culture.
$1.9M
$11.6M
$2.8M
$2M
Most grants fall between $20K and $75K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$75K
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Notable grantees: Elizabeth River Project, Nauticus Foundation, Virginia Wesleyan University, Chrysler Museum of Art, United Way
Typical grant size sits at $20,000 at the 25th percentile, $50,000 at the median, and $75,000 at the 75th percentile, but the recent record also includes several six-figure awards. The pattern is highly repeat-oriented: multiple recipients appear in three consecutive years, including Elizabeth River Project, Virginia Museum of History & Culture, and Thomas Jefferson Foundation. The foundation gives to tax-exempt nonprofit organizations and uses program support language in the grants list, with no indication of individual giving or program-related investments.
Giving is concentrated in Virginia, which accounts for 92% of grants, and the top state by grant count is also Virginia. Recent grants cluster in Norfolk and Virginia Beach, with additional awards in Richmond, Charlottesville, and Roanoke. The recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 73 grants in the United States and no non-U.S. recipients in the record.
The record shows support for tax-exempt nonprofit organizations working in higher education, maritime education, environmental restoration, museums, public media, health, and community services. Recent recipients include Virginia Wesleyan University, Nauticus Foundation, Elizabeth River Project, Chrysler Museum of Art, United Way, and CHKD.
The grant-size distribution is $20,000 at the 25th percentile, $50,000 at the median, and $75,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent grants list also includes larger, targeted awards such as $500,000 and multiple $250,000 and $200,000 grants.
Yes. Several recipients appear in consecutive years, including Elizabeth River Project in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Virginia Museum of History & Culture in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and Thomas Jefferson Foundation in 2023, 2024, and 2025. That points to sustained support rather than one-time funding.
The grants are overwhelmingly local. Virginia is the top state by grant count, and 92% of grants go to recipients in Virginia. Recent awards in the list are concentrated in Norfolk and Virginia Beach, with additional Virginia recipients in Richmond, Charlottesville, and Roanoke.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNITED WAY | NORFOLK, VA | $250,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| NAUTICUS FOUNDATION | NORFOLK, VA | $250,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| CHRYSLER MUSEUM OF ART | NORFOLK, VA | $250,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| ELIZABETH RIVER PROJECT | NORFOLK, VA | $200,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF HISTORY & CULTURE | RICHMOND, VA | $130,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| THE HERMITAGE MUSEUM | NORFOLK, VA | $100,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| CHKD | NORFOLK, VA | $100,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| THE VIRGINIA ZOO | NORFOLK, VA | $100,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| THOMAS JEFFERSON FOUNDATION | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $75,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| YMCA OF SOUTH HAMPTON ROADS | CHESAPEAKE, VA | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| YWCA | NORFOLK, VA | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| TAUBMAN MUSEUM OF ART | ROANOKE, VA | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| KEY WEST LITERARY SEMINAR | KEY WEST, FL | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX -EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| VIRGINIA OPERA | NORFOLK, VA | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| VIRGINIA STAGE COMPANY | NORFOLK, VA | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| THE STUDIOS OF KEY WEST | KEY WEST, FL | $30,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| EASTERN VIRGINIA MEDICAL SCHOOL | NORFOLK, VA | $20,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| ROANOKE COLLEGE | SALEM, VA | $15,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| OLD DOMINION EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION | NORFOLK, VA | $15,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| HOLLINS UNIVERSITY | ROANOKE, VA | $15,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| UNITED JEWISH FEDERATION | VIRGINIA BEACH, VA | $2,500 | 2025 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| URBAN LEAGUE OF HAMPTON ROADS | NORFOLK, VA | $1,500 | 2025 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| VIRGINIA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY | VIRGINIA BEACH, VA | $500,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| NAUTICUS FOUNDATION | NORFOLK, VA | $250,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| ELIZABETH RIVER PROJECT | NORFOLK, VA | $200,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF HISTORY & CULTURE | RICHMOND, VA | $130,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| THE VIRGINIA ZOO | NORFOLK, VA | $100,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| WHRO | NORFOLK, VA | $100,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| THE HERMITAGE MUSEUM | NORFOLK, VA | $100,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| CHKD | NORFOLK, VA | $100,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| THOMAS JEFFERSON FOUNDATION | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $75,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| VIRGINIA STAGE COMPANY | NORFOLK, VA | $50,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| THE VIRGINIA BEACH MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART | VIRGINIA BEACH, VA | $50,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| YWCA | NORFOLK, VA | $50,000 | 2024 | CMILLER - 05/02/23 01:24PM WORKSHEET PRIVATE FOUNDATION |
| SAMARITAN HOUSE | VA BEACH, VA | $50,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| NORFOLK BOTANICAL GARDENS | NORFOLK, VA | $50,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| VIRGINIA AQUARIUM & MARINE SCIENCE CENTER | VIRGINIA BEACH, VA | $50,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| UP CENTER | NORFOLK, VA | $50,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| THE STUDIOS OF KEY WEST | KEY WEST, FL | $30,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| CHRIST & ST LUKE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH | NORFOLK, VA | $25,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| EASTERN VIRGINIA MEDICAL SCHOOL | NORFOLK, VA | $20,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $20,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| ROANOKE COLLEGE | SALEM, VA | $15,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| OLD DOMINION EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION | NORFOLK, VA | $15,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| HOLLINS UNIVERSITY | ROANOKE, VA | $15,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| MILITARY AVIATION MUSEUM | VIRGINIA BEACH, VA | $10,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| THE GRABHORN INSTITUTE | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $5,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| ELIZABETH RIVER PROJECT | NORFOLK, VA | $200,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF HISTORY & CULTURE | RICHMOND, VA | $130,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
| THE HERMITAGE MUSEUM | NORFOLK, VA | $120,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM |
UNITED WAY
$250,000SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM
CHRYSLER MUSEUM OF ART
$250,000SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM
VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF HISTORY & CULTURE
$130,000SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM
SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM
THE VIRGINIA ZOO
$100,000SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM
THOMAS JEFFERSON FOUNDATION
$75,000SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM
YWCA
$50,000SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM
VIRGINIA OPERA
$50,000SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX EXEMPT PROGRAM
EASTERN VIRGINIA MEDICAL SCHOOL
$20,000SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM
OLD DOMINION EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
$15,000SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM
UNITED JEWISH FEDERATION
$2,500SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM
THE VIRGINIA ZOO
$100,000SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM
WHRO
$100,000SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM
THOMAS JEFFERSON FOUNDATION
$75,000SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM
SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM
YWCA
$50,000CMILLER - 05/02/23 01:24PM WORKSHEET PRIVATE FOUNDATION
NORFOLK BOTANICAL GARDENS
$50,000SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM
SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM
UP CENTER
$50,000SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM
CHRIST & ST LUKE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
$25,000SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM
EASTERN VIRGINIA MEDICAL SCHOOL
$20,000SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM
MILITARY AVIATION MUSEUM
$10,000SUPPORT RECIPIENT'S TAX-EXEMPT PROGRAM