The Sentara Foundation is a nonprofit division of Sentara Health dedicated to responding to the healthcare needs of the communities we serve and supporting Sentara Health's mission to improve health every day through philanthropy that advances programs, services and facilities.
Sentara Hospitals’ recent grantmaking is dominated by large internal allocations and major support for Eastern Virginia Medical School, with one 2024 grant of $51,390,387 to Sentara Health for corporate overhead allocations and a 2023 grant of $18,076,052 to Eastern Virginia Medical School for operating fund and indigent care. That pattern shows a funder working at hospital scale, using philanthropy to support both system-level costs and direct community health needs. The foundation also backed community health support through grants such as $5,822,021 to Relinkorg and $1,003,680 to Christians United for Haiti Inc. Smaller awards in the recent record extend that same health-oriented approach to local nonprofits and civic partners, including medical centers, EMS-related groups, and community organizations. Across the grants list, the foundation appears closely tied to health access, indigent care, and community health programs, with repeated support for organizations serving patients and local residents in Virginia and selected other U.S. communities.
Healthcare access is a consistent theme in the recent grants. Sentara Hospitals gave $18,076,052 to Eastern Virginia Medical School for operating fund and indigent care, then followed with $13,942,084 in 2024 and $925,190 in 2025 to the same grantee for operating fund and indigent care. Community health programming also appears in awards like $100,000 to Olde Towne Medical Center for community health support and $33,125 to Reck League for community health support. The foundation also supported emergency-response and health-related infrastructure through $35,000 to Peninsula Ems Council for donation/sponsorship and $25,000 to Tidewater Ems Council Inc for program support. Beyond direct health providers, Sentara Hospitals gave $15,500 to VA Peninsula Chamber of Commerce and $6,600 to Greater Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce for program support, showing some funding reaches local civic organizations tied to community programming.
Typical grants cluster around a median of $33,125, with the 25th percentile at $11,000 and the 75th percentile at $1,003,680, showing a mix of smaller community awards and much larger institutional support. The recent record also shows repeat funding to the same recipients across multiple years, including Sentara Health and Eastern Virginia Medical School, which points to ongoing support rather than one-time awards. Sentara Hospitals is a public charity, not a funder of individuals, and it does not make program-related investments. Its grants are overwhelmingly local, with 90% of grants going to recipients in Virginia.
$54.9M
$2.7B
$4.4B
$3.9B
Most grants fall between $11K and $1M, with a median of $33K.
25th Percentile
$11K
Median
$33K
75th Percentile
$1M
ERIC CONLEY
DIR/PRESIDENT (BOTH EFFECTIVE 8/24)
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Giving is concentrated in Virginia and especially the Virginia Beach area, where Sentara Health appears repeatedly as a recipient. Norfolk is another major recipient city through multiple awards to Eastern Virginia Medical School. Beyond those two hubs, recent grants also reached Williamsburg, Newport News, Chesapeake, Hampton, Gloucester, Portsmouth, and Virginia Beach. Outside Virginia, the recent list includes recipients in Estero, Florida and Houston, Texas, but the grant record remains entirely U.S.-based.
The recent grants show support for health systems, medical schools, community health organizations, EMS-related groups, and some local civic organizations. Examples include operating support for Eastern Virginia Medical School, community health support for Olde Towne Medical Center, and program support for Tidewater Ems Council Inc and local chambers of commerce.
No. The foundation is marked as not funding individuals, and the recent grant list reflects organizational recipients such as Sentara Health, Eastern Virginia Medical School, and community nonprofits rather than private persons.
The grant-size distribution centers at a median of $33,125. The 25th percentile is $11,000 and the 75th percentile is $1,003,680, so the portfolio includes both modest local awards and very large institutional grants.
Yes. The recent record includes repeated awards to the same organizations across years, including Sentara Health and Eastern Virginia Medical School. That pattern suggests ongoing support for core partners and continuing health-related priorities.
Virginia is the clear center of giving: 90% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state, and the top state by grant count is Virginia. The grants reach multiple Virginia cities, especially Virginia Beach and Norfolk.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SENTARA HEALTH | VIRGINIA BEACH, VA | $43,947,441 | 2025 | CORPORATE OVERHEAD ALLOCATIONS |
| EASTERN VIRGINIA MEDICAL SCHOOL | NORFOLK, VA | $9,483,335 | 2025 | OPERATING FUND |
| EASTERN VIRGINIA MEDICAL SCHOOL | NORFOLK, VA | $925,190 | 2025 | INDIGENT CARE |
| SENTARA HEALTH | VIRGINIA BEACH, VA | $466,603 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| VA PENINSULA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $15,500 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| LET FREEDOM RING FOUNDATION | WILLIAMSBURG, VA | $10,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| GREATER WILLIAMSBURG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | WILLIAMSBURG, VA | $6,100 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SENTARA HEALTH | VIRGINIA BEACH, VA | $51,390,387 | 2024 | CORPORATE OVERHEAD ALLOCATIONS |
| EASTERN VIRGINIA MEDICAL SCHOOL | NORFOLK, VA | $13,942,084 | 2024 | OPERATING FUND AND INDIGENT CARE |
| TIDEWATER EMS COUNCIL INC | CHESAPEAKE, VA | $25,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| COLISEUM CENTRAL BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT | HAMPTON, VA | $19,500 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE WILLIAMSBURG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | WILLIAMSBURG, VA | $15,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| HOSPICE HOUSE OF WILLIAMSBURG | WILLIAMSBURG, VA | $11,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| PENINSULA EMS COUNCIL | GLOUCESTER, VA | $10,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| VA PENINSULA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | $9,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| GREATER WILLIAMSBURG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | WILLIAMSBURG, VA | $6,600 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| EASTERN VIRGINIA MEDICAL SCHOOL | NORFOLK, VA | $18,076,052 | 2023 | OPERATING FUND AND INDIGENT CARE |
| SENTARA HEALTH | VIRGINIA BEACH, VA | $17,712,544 | 2023 | CORPORATE OVERHEAD ALLOCATIONS |
| RELINKORG | ESTERO, FL | $5,822,021 | 2023 | COMMUNITY HEALTH SUPPORT |
| CHRISTIANS UNITED FOR HAITI INC | VIRGINIA BEACH, VA | $1,003,680 | 2023 | COMMUNITY HEALTH SUPPORT |
| SOMEBODY CARES AMERICA INC | HOUSTON, TX | $517,947 | 2023 | COMMUNITY HEALTH SUPPORT |
| OLDE TOWNE MEDICAL CENTER | WILLIAMSBURG, VA | $100,000 | 2023 | COMMUNITY HEALTH SUPPORT |
| TIDEWATER UKRAINIAN SCHOOL | VIRGINIA BEACH, VA | $55,564 | 2023 | COMMUNITY HEALTH SUPPORT |
| PENINSULA EMS COUNCIL | GLOUCESTER, VA | $35,000 | 2023 | DONATION/SPONSORSHIP |
| RECK LEAGUE | NORFOLK, VA | $33,125 | 2023 | COMMUNITY HEALTH SUPPORT |
| COLISEUM CENTRAL BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT | HAMPTON, VA | $25,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE WILLIAMSBURG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | WILLIAMSBURG, VA | $7,500 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| OASIS-COMMISSION ON SOCIAL MINISTRY OF PORTSMOUTHCHESAPEAKE | PORTSMOUTH, VA | $5,942 | 2023 | COMMUNITY HEALTH SUPPORT |
EASTERN VIRGINIA MEDICAL SCHOOL
$9,483,335OPERATING FUND
EASTERN VIRGINIA MEDICAL SCHOOL
$925,190INDIGENT CARE
VA PENINSULA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
$15,500PROGRAM SUPPORT
LET FREEDOM RING FOUNDATION
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
GREATER WILLIAMSBURG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
$6,100PROGRAM SUPPORT
EASTERN VIRGINIA MEDICAL SCHOOL
$13,942,084OPERATING FUND AND INDIGENT CARE
TIDEWATER EMS COUNCIL INC
$25,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
COLISEUM CENTRAL BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT
$19,500PROGRAM SUPPORT
THE WILLIAMSBURG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
$15,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
HOSPICE HOUSE OF WILLIAMSBURG
$11,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
PENINSULA EMS COUNCIL
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
VA PENINSULA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
$9,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
GREATER WILLIAMSBURG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
$6,600PROGRAM SUPPORT
EASTERN VIRGINIA MEDICAL SCHOOL
$18,076,052OPERATING FUND AND INDIGENT CARE
RELINKORG
$5,822,021COMMUNITY HEALTH SUPPORT
CHRISTIANS UNITED FOR HAITI INC
$1,003,680COMMUNITY HEALTH SUPPORT
TIDEWATER UKRAINIAN SCHOOL
$55,564COMMUNITY HEALTH SUPPORT
PENINSULA EMS COUNCIL
$35,000DONATION/SPONSORSHIP
RECK LEAGUE
$33,125COMMUNITY HEALTH SUPPORT
COLISEUM CENTRAL BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT
$25,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
THE WILLIAMSBURG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
$7,500PROGRAM SUPPORT
OASIS-COMMISSION ON SOCIAL MINISTRY OF PORTSMOUTHCHESAPEAKE
$5,942COMMUNITY HEALTH SUPPORT