The Richard & Leslie Gilliam Foundation concentrates philanthropic support in Virginia with an emphasis on education—especially higher education and workforce/community college initiatives—and regional community wellbeing. They make large, targeted grants to a small set of repeat grantees, while also funding health research, rural/Appalachian economic and sustainable development, family crisis services, and regional arts. Their giving pattern and grantee names indicate a preference for durable institutions (colleges, foundations) and place-based interventions in Appalachia/central Virginia.
A defining thread in The Richard & Leslie Gilliam Foundation’s recent giving is sustained, high-dollar support for Virginia colleges and education intermediaries. One of its largest reported grants went to Uva College at Wise, alongside repeated support for the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education and James Madison University. That pattern suggests a funder building around public higher education, workforce pathways, and affiliated foundations rather than one-off project gifts. The foundation also backs place-based institutions with long-running relationships. Advanced Studies in Culture Foundation appears multiple times across recent years, and the grantee list includes Virginia organizations tied to arts, civic culture, and regional development. Alongside those education commitments, the foundation has also supported Focused Ultrasound Foundation and Family Crisis Support Services Inc, showing that its grantmaking extends beyond campuses into health, family stability, and community wellbeing. Its recent awards are not scattered broadly across many sectors; they cluster around durable organizations in Virginia and nearby Appalachian communities. Grantees in the list include Barter Theatre, William King Museum of Art, Appalachian Sustainable Development, and regional colleges, indicating a preference for institutions rooted in specific places and capable of continuing work over time.
Education is the clearest theme in the recent record. The foundation gave $641,117 to Uva College at Wise for education, $444,496 to the JMU Foundation for education, and $249,640 to the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education for education. It also supports arts and cultural institutions in southwest Virginia. Recent examples include $240,000 to Barter Theatre for support the arts and $135,000 to William King Museum of Art for support the arts, with another $40,000 to Barter Theatre in 2025. A third strand is community and place-based development. The foundation awarded $500,000 to Appalachian Sustainable Development for help mankind and $30,000 to American Climate Partners for help mankind. Health-related philanthropy appears as well, including $600,000 to Focused Ultrasound Foundation for help mankind.
$3.1M
$47.1M
$2.9M
$3.6M
Most grants fall between $5K and $35K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$35K
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Relatively concentrated, high-dollar grants to a small number of repeat and institutional grantees—many Virginia-based—rather than many small awards; mix of multi-grant relationships and one-off major gifts focused on place-based impact.
Notable grantees: Advanced Studies in Culture Foundation, Virginia Foundation for Community College Education, UVA College at Wise, Focused Ultrasound Foundation, Appalachian Sustainable Development
Typical grant sizes cluster in the mid-five-figure range, with a p25 of $5,000, a median of $25,000, and a p75 of $35,000. The recent list also shows that the foundation makes some much larger awards, including six-figure grants to education and health-related recipients. Several organizations recur across multiple years, which points to ongoing institutional relationships rather than purely one-time gifts. The foundation is a private family foundation, and its grantmaking is local in scope. It does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
Grant recipients are overwhelmingly in Virginia: 87% of grants go to recipients in the state, and all listed recipients are in the United States. Charlottesville appears repeatedly through grants to Advanced Studies in Culture Foundation and Focused Ultrasound Foundation. Other recurring Virginia locations include Wise, Harrisonburg, Abingdon, Richmond, and Orange. Outside Virginia, the foundation has also given to organizations in West Liberty, West Virginia; Pippa Passes, Kentucky; and Baltimore, Maryland.
Education is the strongest theme, especially higher education and community college initiatives in Virginia. The recent record also includes arts and culture, Appalachian sustainable development, family crisis services, and health-related philanthropy such as focused ultrasound research.
Yes. Several grantees appear in multiple years, including Uva College at Wise, Advanced Studies in Culture Foundation, Virginia Foundation for Community College Education, Focused Ultrasound Foundation, Barter Theatre, and William King Museum of Art.
The distribution is centered in the five-figure range: p25 is $5,000, median grant size is $25,000, and p75 is $35,000. The recent grants list also includes larger awards, including several in the $100,000+ range.
Most grants go to Virginia recipients. The data shows 87% of grants are awarded in the foundation’s headquarters state, and the recipient city list is dominated by Virginia places such as Charlottesville, Wise, Harrisonburg, Abingdon, Richmond, and Orange.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals, and the recent grants are all made to organizations such as colleges, foundations, theaters, museums, and service groups.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FOCUSED ULTRASOUND FOUNDATION | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $600,000 | 2025 | HELP MANKIND |
| FAMILY CRISIS SUPPORT SERVICES INC | NORTON, VA | $525,000 | 2025 | HELP MANKIND |
| APPALACHIAN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT | BRISTOL, VA | $500,000 | 2025 | HELP MANKIND |
| ADVANCED STUDIES IN CULTURE FOUNDATION | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $350,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| VIRGINIA FOUNDATION FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE EDUCATION | RICHMOND, VA | $249,640 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| ELEVATE EARLY EDUCATION | VIRGINIA BEACH, VA | $166,667 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| WILLIAM KING MUSEUM OF ART | ABINGDON, VA | $135,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT THE ARTS |
| UVA COLLEGE AT WISE | WISE, VA | $75,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| ALICE LLOYD COLLEGE | PIPPA PASSES, KY | $50,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| VIRGINIA COMMEMORATIONS INC | RICHMOND, VA | $50,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| BARTER THEATRE | ABINGDON, VA | $40,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT THE ARTS |
| JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY | HARRISONBURG, VA | $40,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| AMERICAN CLIMATE PARTNERS | ORANGE, VA | $30,000 | 2025 | HELP MANKIND |
| PRO-ART | WISE, VA | $25,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT THE ARTS |
| THE PARAMOUNT THEATER | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $25,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT THE ARTS |
| HOLSTON HOME FOR CHILDREN | GREENEVILLE, TN | $25,000 | 2025 | HELP MANKIND |
| THE NAPOLEON HILL FOUNDATION | WISE, VA | $25,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| MARTHA JEFFERSON HOSPITAL | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $25,000 | 2025 | HELP MANKIND |
| VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF FINE ART | RICHMOND, VA | $25,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT THE ARTS |
| MILLIGAN UNIVERSITY | MILLIGAN, TN | $25,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| NOURISH LA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | HELP MANKIND |
| CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST INC | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $15,000 | 2025 | RELIGIOUS |
| THE COVENANT SCHOOL | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $10,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| HERE FOR THE GIRLS | WILLIAMSBURG, VA | $10,000 | 2025 | HELP MANKIND |
| FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF DAMASCUS | DAMASCUS, VA | $10,000 | 2025 | RELIGIOUS |
| MOUNTAIN EMPIRE OLDER CITIZENS INC | BIG STONE GAP, VA | $10,000 | 2025 | HELP MANKIND |
| APPALACHIA BOOK COMPANY | LOWMANSVILLE, KY | $7,874 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| CHARLOTTESVILLE FREE CLINIC | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $5,000 | 2025 | HELP MANKIND |
| EMORY & HENRY COLLEGE | EMORY, VA | $5,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| SHELTER FOR HELP IN EMERGENCY | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $3,000 | 2025 | HELP MANKIND |
| HARVEST CHILD CARE MINISTRIES | DUFFIELD, VA | $2,500 | 2025 | HELP MANKIND |
| CHURCH OF GOD OF PROPHECY | JONESVILLE, VA | $2,500 | 2025 | RELIGIOUS |
| HOSPICE OF THE PIEDMONT | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $2,000 | 2025 | HELP MANKIND |
| CHARLOTTESVILLE OPERA | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $2,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT THE ARTS |
| PIEDMONT FAMILY YMCA | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $1,000 | 2025 | HELP MANKIND |
| LOAVES AND FISHES FOOD PANTRY | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $1,000 | 2025 | HELP MANKIND |
| EAST RIVANNA FIRE COMPANY | KESWICK, VA | $500 | 2025 | HELP MANKIND |
| APPALACHIAN HIGHLANDS COMMUNITY DENTAL CENTER | ABINGDON, VA | $500 | 2025 | HELP MANKIND |
| ADVANCED STUDIES IN CULTURE FOUNDATION | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $250,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| BARTER THEATRE | ABINGDON, VA | $240,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT THE ARTS |
| VIRGINIA FOUNDATION FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE EDUCATION | RICHMOND, VA | $224,640 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| WILLIAM KING MUSEUM OF ART | ABINGDON, VA | $135,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT THE ARTS |
| WEST LIBERTY UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | WHEELING, WV | $100,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| FOCUSED ULTRASOUND FOUNDATION | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $100,000 | 2024 | HELP MANKIND |
| UVA COLLEGE AT WISE | WISE, VA | $75,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| THE CENTER FOR NATURAL CAPITAL | ORANGE, VA | $30,000 | 2024 | HELP MANKIND |
| ALICE LLOYD COLLEGE | PIPPA PASSES, KY | $30,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| HOLSTON HOME FOR CHILDREN | GREENEVILLE, TN | $25,000 | 2024 | HELP MANKIND |
| MILLIGAN COLLEGE | MILLIGAN COLLEGE, TN | $25,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| THE PARAMOUNT THEATER | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $25,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT THE ARTS |
ADVANCED STUDIES IN CULTURE FOUNDATION
$350,000EDUCATION
UVA COLLEGE AT WISE
$75,000EDUCATION
JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY
$40,000EDUCATION
AMERICAN CLIMATE PARTNERS
$30,000HELP MANKIND
PRO-ART
$25,000SUPPORT THE ARTS
THE PARAMOUNT THEATER
$25,000SUPPORT THE ARTS
THE NAPOLEON HILL FOUNDATION
$25,000EDUCATION
MARTHA JEFFERSON HOSPITAL
$25,000HELP MANKIND
VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF FINE ART
$25,000SUPPORT THE ARTS
NOURISH LA
$20,000HELP MANKIND
CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST INC
$15,000RELIGIOUS
HERE FOR THE GIRLS
$10,000HELP MANKIND
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF DAMASCUS
$10,000RELIGIOUS
MOUNTAIN EMPIRE OLDER CITIZENS INC
$10,000HELP MANKIND
APPALACHIA BOOK COMPANY
$7,874EDUCATION
HARVEST CHILD CARE MINISTRIES
$2,500HELP MANKIND
CHURCH OF GOD OF PROPHECY
$2,500RELIGIOUS
HOSPICE OF THE PIEDMONT
$2,000HELP MANKIND
CHARLOTTESVILLE OPERA
$2,000SUPPORT THE ARTS
PIEDMONT FAMILY YMCA
$1,000HELP MANKIND
EAST RIVANNA FIRE COMPANY
$500HELP MANKIND
APPALACHIAN HIGHLANDS COMMUNITY DENTAL CENTER
$500HELP MANKIND
ADVANCED STUDIES IN CULTURE FOUNDATION
$250,000EDUCATION
UVA COLLEGE AT WISE
$75,000EDUCATION
THE CENTER FOR NATURAL CAPITAL
$30,000HELP MANKIND
MILLIGAN COLLEGE
$25,000EDUCATION
THE PARAMOUNT THEATER
$25,000SUPPORT THE ARTS