The Forster-Connolly Foundation concentrates substantial, multi-hundred-thousand-dollar gifts in faith-based education and Catholic social services, with a particular affinity for Jesuit and Catholic secondary and higher-education institutions. It also supports faith-rooted community development and a small number of non-sectarian colleges and hospitals. Grants are few but large, suggesting a preference for transformational gifts to established institutions rather than many small awards.
The Forster-connolly Foundation C/o Peter Forster makes large, institution-level grants, with a clear emphasis on Catholic and Jesuit education. Its recent awards include $500,000 to Austin College for charitable support, $300,000 to Archbishop Carroll High School, and $225,000 to Washington Jesuit Academy. The pattern points to selective funding for established schools and related Catholic institutions rather than broad small-grant activity. Beyond secondary education, the foundation backs Catholic higher education and faith-based service organizations. Boston College received $200,000, while Catholic Extension was also awarded $200,000. The grant list also shows support for Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Washington, Holy Trinity Catholic Church, and Samaritan Inns, indicating a mix of education, parish-linked charity, and social services. The portfolio includes some non-sectarian and healthcare grantees as well. Shriners Hospital Boston received $200,000, and later gifts went to institutions such as Concord Academy, The Meadowbrook School of Weston, and Nurturing Minds. Taken together, the foundation’s giving is concentrated, relationship-oriented, and oriented toward organizations that already operate at institutional scale.
Catholic secondary education is a major theme. The foundation gave $300,000 to Archbishop Carroll High School for charitable support, $225,000 to Washington Jesuit Academy, and $125,000 to Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School. Catholic higher education appears alongside that school support. Austin College received $500,000 for charitable support, and Boston College received $200,000. Those gifts sit within a broader pattern of backing educational institutions rather than short-term project grants. Faith-based social services and parish-linked charity also appear repeatedly. Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Washington received $300,000 and another $50,000, while Catholic Extension received $200,000. Holy Trinity Catholic Church received $150,000, showing support that reaches into parish-level institutions as well as larger service agencies. Healthcare is present through a smaller number of major gifts. Shriners Hospital Boston received $200,000 in 2024 and $100,000 in 2023.
$2.3M
$16.2M
$1.2M
$2.4M
Most grants fall between $25K and $150K, with a median of $60K.
25th Percentile
$25K
Median
$60K
75th Percentile
$150K
About 8% of grants go to recipients in DC.
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Concentrated giving: a small number of large grants ($200k–$500k) to established institutions, with occasional repeat funding to select community/faith organizations rather than broad, distributed funding.
Notable grantees: Washington Jesuit Academy, Archbishop Carroll High School, Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Washington, Boston College, Community Renewal
Typical grants are relatively large: the 25th percentile is $25,000, the median is $60,000, and the 75th percentile is $150,000. Recent awards cluster above those levels, with several six-figure gifts and multiple repeat awards to the same organizations across 2023 and 2024, including Community Renewal, Nurturing Minds, and Samaritan Inns. The foundation is classified as a regular funder and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. The grant list suggests institutional, multi-year relationships rather than one-off awards.
Recipients are entirely in the United States, and Virginia is the top state by grant count. Washington, DC appears frequently, including grants to Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Washington, Archbishop Carroll High School, Washington Jesuit Academy, and Samaritan Inns. Other recurring locations include Massachusetts, with Boston College, Shriners Hospital Boston, Nurturing Minds, Concord Academy, and The Meadowbrook School of Weston, plus Maryland and Louisiana through grantees in Bladensburg, Kensington, Takoma Park, and Shreveport.
Its recent grants emphasize Catholic and Jesuit education, Catholic social services, parish-linked charity, and faith-based community renewal. Examples include Archbishop Carroll High School, Washington Jesuit Academy, Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Washington, Catholic Extension, and Community Renewal.
The grant-size distribution is $25,000 at the 25th percentile, $60,000 at the median, and $150,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards often sit in the six-figure range, including several grants of $200,000 or more.
Yes. Several recipients appear in more than one year, including Community Renewal in 2023 and 2024, Nurturing Minds in 2023 and 2024, Samaritan Inns in 2023 and 2024, and Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Washington in 2023 and 2024.
Virginia is the top state by grant count, but many grants also go to Washington, DC and Massachusetts. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARCHBISHOP CARROLL HIGH SCHOOL | WASHINGTON, DC | $400,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| NATIONAL CAPITAL AREA COUNCIL - BSA | BETHESDA, MD | $374,232 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| COMMUNITY RENEWAL | SHREVEPORT, LA | $250,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES ARCHDIOCESE OF WASHINGTON | WASHINGTON, DC | $200,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| APPLETREE INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATION INNOVATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $175,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF JACKSON HOLE | JACKSON, WY | $150,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| VIENNA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | VIENNA, VA | $150,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| HOLY TRINITY CATHOLIC CHURCH | WASHINGTON, DC | $120,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| IONA HOUSE | WASHINGTON, DC | $75,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF LEEDS PARISH | MARKHAM, VA | $65,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| THE ACADEMY OF HOLY CROSS | KENSINGTON, MD | $60,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| CYCLE CONNECT | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| CONCORD ACADEMY | CONCORD, MA | $50,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| THE ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE OF WASHINGTON | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| SAMARITANS PURSE | BOONE, NC | $50,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| BOSTON BALLET | BOSTON, MA | $50,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| SO OTHERS MIGHT EAT | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| HOLY CROSS HEALTH FOUNDATION | SILVER SPRING, MD | $25,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| NATIONAL CAPITAL AREA COUNCIL - BSA | BETHESDA, MD | $297,052 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION | JACKSON, WY | $275,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| COMMUNITY RENEWAL | SHREVEPORT, LA | $250,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES ARCHDIOCESE OF WASHINGTON | WASHINGTON, DC | $250,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| NURTURING MINDS | NEWTONVILLE, MA | $150,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| BOSTON COLLEGE | CHESTNUT HILL, MA | $150,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| WASHINGTON JESUIT ACADEMY | WASHINGTON, DC | $125,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| HOLY TRINITY CATHOLIC CHURCH | WASHINGTON, DC | $120,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| SAMARITAN INNS | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF JACKSON HOLE | JACKSON, WY | $65,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| THE ACADEMY OF HOLY CROSS | KENSINGTON, MD | $60,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| CYCLE CONNECT | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| SAMARITANS PURSE | BOONE, NC | $50,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| CONCORD ACADEMY | CONCORD, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| THE INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION | BALTIMORE, MD | $40,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| ARTISTS IN MIDDLEBURG | MIDDLEBURG, VA | $35,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| FAUQUIER COUNTY FOOD BANK AND THRIFT STORE | WARRENTON, VA | $30,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| HOLY CROSS HEALTH FOUNDATION | SILVER SPRING, MD | $25,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| SO OTHERS MIGHT EAT | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| SAN MIGUEL SCHOOL | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| ORDER OF MALTA | WASHINGTON, DC | $20,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| ARCS METRO WASINGTON CHAPTER | POTOMAC, MD | $15,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART | LANDOVER, MD | $10,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| JESUITS REFUGEE SERVICEUSA | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| ARCHBISHOP CARROLL HIGH SCHOOL | WASHINGTON, DC | $300,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| COMMUNITY RENEWAL | SHREVEPORT, LA | $250,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| SHRINERS HOSPITAL BOSTON | BOSTON, MA | $200,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| NURTURING MINDS | NEWTONVILLE, MA | $150,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| HOLY TRINITY CATHOLIC CHURCH | WASHINGTON, DC | $150,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| ELIZABETH SETON HIGH SCHOOL | BLADENSBURG, MD | $143,680 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| DON BOSCO CRISTO REY HIGH SCHOOL | TAKOMA PARK, MD | $125,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| WASHINGTON JESUIT ACADEMY | WASHINGTON, DC | $125,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
ARCHBISHOP CARROLL HIGH SCHOOL
$400,000CHARITABLE
CATHOLIC CHARITIES ARCHDIOCESE OF WASHINGTON
$200,000CHARITABLE
APPLETREE INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATION INNOVATION
$175,000CHARITABLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF JACKSON HOLE
$150,000CHARITABLE
VIENNA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
$150,000CHARITABLE
HOLY TRINITY CATHOLIC CHURCH
$120,000CHARITABLE
IONA HOUSE
$75,000CHARITABLE
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF LEEDS PARISH
$65,000CHARITABLE
THE ACADEMY OF HOLY CROSS
$60,000CHARITABLE
CYCLE CONNECT
$50,000CHARITABLE
CONCORD ACADEMY
$50,000CHARITABLE
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE OF WASHINGTON
$50,000CHARITABLE
COMMUNITY RENEWAL
$250,000CHARITABLE
CATHOLIC CHARITIES ARCHDIOCESE OF WASHINGTON
$250,000CHARITABLE
BOSTON COLLEGE
$150,000CHARITABLE
WASHINGTON JESUIT ACADEMY
$125,000CHARITABLE
HOLY TRINITY CATHOLIC CHURCH
$120,000CHARITABLE
THE ACADEMY OF HOLY CROSS
$60,000CHARITABLE
CYCLE CONNECT
$50,000CHARITABLE
CONCORD ACADEMY
$50,000CHARITABLE
ARTISTS IN MIDDLEBURG
$35,000CHARITABLE
FAUQUIER COUNTY FOOD BANK AND THRIFT STORE
$30,000CHARITABLE
SAN MIGUEL SCHOOL
$25,000CHARITABLE
ORDER OF MALTA
$20,000CHARITABLE
ARCS METRO WASINGTON CHAPTER
$15,000CHARITABLE
JESUITS REFUGEE SERVICEUSA
$10,000CHARITABLE
ARCHBISHOP CARROLL HIGH SCHOOL
$300,000CHARITABLE
SHRINERS HOSPITAL BOSTON
$200,000CHARITABLE
HOLY TRINITY CATHOLIC CHURCH
$150,000CHARITABLE
ELIZABETH SETON HIGH SCHOOL
$143,680CHARITABLE
DON BOSCO CRISTO REY HIGH SCHOOL
$125,000CHARITABLE
WASHINGTON JESUIT ACADEMY
$125,000CHARITABLE