The Petters Family Foundation concentrates its philanthropy on higher education and STEM-focused educational access in Virginia, favoring large, multi-year gifts to local institutions that support student pathways (including military and minority outreach) and experiential learning. They also fund informal science and natural history education through significant support to regional museums. The foundation typically makes a small number of sizable grants and maintains repeat relationships with flagship recipients in the Hampton Roads/VA area.
Petters Family Foundation’s giving is marked by repeated, large support for the College of William & Mary Foundation, including three consecutive annual grants for the Camp Launch program and general support from 2023 through 2025. That pattern sits alongside a broader portfolio centered on higher education, STEM-related access, and student pathways in Virginia. The foundation also supports military academy outreach, community college education, and local institutions that connect students to experiential learning, entrepreneurship, and museum-based science education. Repeat grants show a preference for ongoing relationships rather than isolated awards. Virginia Living Museum, Virginia Foundation for Community College Education, An Achievable Dream, and Soundscapes each appear multiple times in the recent grants list, often with general support or broad operational backing. The foundation’s recent giving also includes support for institutions serving underrepresented applicants and students, such as the US Naval Academy Foundation’s STEM and minority outreach for admissions. Its portfolio extends beyond higher education into youth and community programs, including Boys & Girls Clubs of the Virginia Peninsula and Soundscapes in Newport News, as well as faith-based education through Jesuit High School and Tougaloo College.
Higher education is a central theme. The Petters Family Foundation gave $250,000 in 2023, $200,000 in 2024, and $200,000 in 2025 to the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education for general support, indicating sustained backing for community college capacity. STEM access and admissions outreach appear in its support for the US Naval Academy Foundation. The foundation gave $400,000 in 2023 and $200,000 in 2024, followed by $250,000 in 2025, each designated for the Naval Academy annual fund and STEM and minority outreach for admissions. Informal science and natural history education is another recurring area. Virginia Living Museum received $250,000 in both 2024 and 2025 for general support, while the Mariner's Museum and Park received $100,000 in 2023 and 2024 and $110,000 in 2025. The foundation also backs youth development and experiential learning. Soundscapes in Newport News received $61,500 in 2023 and $93,050 in 2024 for general support, and Bearings Bike Shop received $120,000 in 2024 and $150,000 in 2025 for capital and operational support.
$3.2M
$50.3M
$14.9M
$3.8M
Most grants fall between $5K and $135K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$135K
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Concentrated, large-dollar grants with repeat funding to a handful of core, local grantees; emphasis on multi-year or recurring support rather than many small donations.
Notable grantees: College of William & Mary Foundation, U.S. Naval Academy Foundation, Virginia Living Museum, Virginia Foundation for Community College Education
Typical grants cluster around a $5,000 p25, $15,000 median, and $135,122 p75, but the recent list shows a smaller number of very large awards alongside some mid-sized gifts. The foundation gives locally and repeatedly: several recipients appear across multiple years, including annual support patterns for 2023 through 2025. It operates as a family foundation and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. The grants shown do not indicate an application process.
Grant recipients are overwhelmingly in Virginia, with 81% of grants going to recipients in the home state. Newport News appears repeatedly, including Virginia Living Museum, An Achievable Dream, Soundscapes, and The Mariner's Museum and Park. Other Virginia recipients include Williamsburg, Hampton, and Richmond. Outside Virginia, the foundation has funded Annapolis, Atlanta, Tampa, Tougaloo, and New Orleans, but the recipient-country distribution remains entirely U.S.-based.
The foundation concentrates on higher education, STEM-related educational access, and student pathways in Virginia. Recent grants also support museums, early childhood education, youth programs, and institutions tied to outreach, entrepreneurship, and experiential learning.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including the College of William & Mary Foundation from 2023 through 2025, Virginia Living Museum in 2024 and 2025, and the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The grant-size distribution shows a p25 of $5,000, a median of $15,000, and a p75 of $135,122. The recent grants list also includes several much larger awards, especially to higher-education and student-development institutions.
Its giving is local, with 81% of grants going to recipients in Virginia. Recent Virginia recipients include organizations in Newport News, Williamsburg, Hampton, and Richmond, while the rest of the grants go to U.S. organizations in a small number of other states.
Recent grants include general support, capital and operational support, sponsorship of the Camp Launch program, support for the Naval Academy annual fund, and targeted STEM and minority outreach for admissions. The foundation also gave general support to museums, colleges, and youth-serving organizations.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WILLIAM & MARY FOUNDATION | WILLIAMSBURG, VA | $1,000,000 | 2026 | SPONSORSHIP OF CAMP LAUNCH PROGRAM AND GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SOUNDSCAPES | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $366,990 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| US NAVAL ACADEMY FOUNDATION | ANNAPOLIS, MD | $250,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT OF NAVAL ACADEMY ANNUAL FUND, STEM AND MINORITY OUTREACH FOR ADMISSIONS. |
| VIRGINIA LIVING MUSEUM | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $250,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SON OF A SAINT | NEW ORLEANS, LA | $210,000 | 2026 | IMPROVING THE LIVES OF FATHERLESS BOYS IN NEW ORLELANS |
| AN ACHIEVABLE DREAM | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $205,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND SUPPORT |
| PEAKE CHILDHOOD CENTER | HAMPTON, VA | $202,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT FOR LOW INCOME EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION |
| VIRGINIA FOUNDATION FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE EDUCATION | NORTH CHESTERFIELD, VA | $200,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BEARINGS BIKE SHOP | ATLANTA, GA | $150,000 | 2026 | CAPITAL AND OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | TAMPA, FL | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MARINER'S MUSEUM AND PARK | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WHRO | NORFOLK, VA | $75,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF PUBLIC BROADCASTING |
| FIRSTSPARK | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $20,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| UNITED WAY OF THE VIRGINIA PENINSULA | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR NOLA | NEW ORLEANS, LA | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND SUPPORT |
| DEGOOD FOUNDATION | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| VIRGINIA CENTER FOR INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES | RICHMOND, VA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THRIVE PENINSULA | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| RIVERSIDE FOUNDATION | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE VIRGINIA PENINSULA | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CNU EDUCATION FOUNDATION | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND SUPPORT |
| WILLIAM & MARY BUSINESS SCHOOL FOUNDATION | WILLIAMSBURG, VA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND SUPPORT |
| HAMPTON EDUCATION FOUNDATION | HAMPTON, VA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| YMCA OF THE VIRGINIA PENINSULAS | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PENINSULA PASTORAL COUNSELING CENTER | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HOLY TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND SUPPORT |
| BAYPORT FOUNDATION | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND SUPPORT |
| EDMARC INC | PORTSMOUTH, VA | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HILTON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH PRESCHOOL | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $2,500 | 2026 | HILTON PRESBYTERIAN PRESCHOOL MINISTRY |
| COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY FOUNDATION | WILLIAMSBURG, VA | $1,005,000 | 2025 | SPONSORSHIP OF CAMP LAUNCH PROGRAM AND GENERAL SUPPORT |
| US NAVAL ACADEMY FOUNDATION | ANNAPOLIS, MD | $250,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF NAVAL ACADEMY ANNUAL FUND, STEM AND MINORITY OUTREACH FOR ADMISSIONS. |
| VIRGINIA LIVING MUSEUM | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AN ACHIEVABLE DREAM | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $205,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND SUPPORT |
| PEAKE CHILDHOOD CENTER | HAMPTON, VA | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT FOR LOW INCOME EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION |
| VIRGINIA FOUNDATION FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE EDUCATION | RICHMOND, VA | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BEARINGS BIKE SHOP | ATLANTA, GA | $150,000 | 2025 | CAPITAL AND OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| SOUNDSCAPES | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $130,163 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MARINER'S MUSEUM AND PARK | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $110,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | TAMPA, FL | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FIRSTSPARK | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $20,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| UNITED WAY OF THE VIRGINIA PENINSULA | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WHRO | NORFOLK, VA | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF PUBLIC BROADCASTING |
| DEGOOD FOUNDATION | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| RIVERSIDE FOUNDATION | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SON OF A SAINT | NEW ORLEANS, LA | $10,000 | 2025 | IMPROVING THE LIVES OF FATHERLESS BOYS IN NEW ORLELANS |
| VIRGINIA CENTER FOR INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES | RICHMOND, VA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HAMPTON EDUCATION FOUNDATION | HAMPTON, VA | $5,160 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THRIVE PENINSULA | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PENINSULA PASTORAL COUNSELING CENTER | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| YMCA OF THE VIRGINIA PENINSULAS | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
SPONSORSHIP OF CAMP LAUNCH PROGRAM AND GENERAL SUPPORT
US NAVAL ACADEMY FOUNDATION
$250,000SUPPORT OF NAVAL ACADEMY ANNUAL FUND, STEM AND MINORITY OUTREACH FOR ADMISSIONS.
VIRGINIA LIVING MUSEUM
$250,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GENERAL FUND SUPPORT
PEAKE CHILDHOOD CENTER
$202,500GENERAL SUPPORT FOR LOW INCOME EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
GENERAL SUPPORT
JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MARINER'S MUSEUM AND PARK
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WHRO
$75,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF PUBLIC BROADCASTING
LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR NOLA
$15,000GENERAL FUND SUPPORT
DEGOOD FOUNDATION
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THRIVE PENINSULA
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
RIVERSIDE FOUNDATION
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE VIRGINIA PENINSULA
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HAMPTON EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
PENINSULA PASTORAL COUNSELING CENTER
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HOLY TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH
$2,500GENERAL FUND SUPPORT
BAYPORT FOUNDATION
$2,500GENERAL FUND SUPPORT
HILTON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH PRESCHOOL
$2,500HILTON PRESBYTERIAN PRESCHOOL MINISTRY
COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY FOUNDATION
$1,005,000SPONSORSHIP OF CAMP LAUNCH PROGRAM AND GENERAL SUPPORT
US NAVAL ACADEMY FOUNDATION
$250,000SUPPORT OF NAVAL ACADEMY ANNUAL FUND, STEM AND MINORITY OUTREACH FOR ADMISSIONS.
VIRGINIA LIVING MUSEUM
$250,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GENERAL SUPPORT FOR LOW INCOME EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
MARINER'S MUSEUM AND PARK
$110,000GENERAL SUPPORT
JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
UNITED WAY OF THE VIRGINIA PENINSULA
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WHRO
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF PUBLIC BROADCASTING
DEGOOD FOUNDATION
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
RIVERSIDE FOUNDATION
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HAMPTON EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$5,160GENERAL SUPPORT
THRIVE PENINSULA
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
PENINSULA PASTORAL COUNSELING CENTER
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT