The Forster Family Foundation concentrates its giving on faith-based education and institutional support, especially Catholic schools and charities, while also funding local congregations and youth development in the Washington, D.C./Virginia region. Grants are large and targeted, often repeated to the same institutions (secondary schools, a private college, diocesan charities and church bodies), indicating strategic philanthropic partnerships rather than one-off gifts.
A defining feature of The Forster Family Foundation C/o Peter Forster is its repeated large-scale support for Catholic education and affiliated institutions, including $500,000 grants to Archbishop Carroll High School in 2023 and to Austin College in 2024 and 2025. The pattern suggests a funder that favors sizeable, targeted awards to schools, churches, and diocesan organizations rather than a wide spread of small gifts. Recent grants also show consistent backing for parish and congregational life: Vienna Presbyterian Church received $450,000 in 2024, followed by additional gifts of $150,000 in 2025 and $100,000 in 2023. The foundation also appears comfortable funding institutions across different parts of the religious and educational landscape, from Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Washington and Catholic Extension to independent schools such as Elizabeth Seton High School, Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School, and The Potomac School. Its giving profile points to sustained institutional relationships, often renewed across multiple years, with several recipients appearing more than once in the recent grants list. The result is a portfolio centered on faith-based education, church support, and long-term capacity building for selected nonprofits and schools.
Catholic education is a central theme in the foundation’s recent giving. It awarded $500,000 to Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, DC in 2023 and $150,000 to Elizabeth Seton High School in Bladensburg, MD in 2023, followed by another $150,000 in 2025. The foundation also gave $125,000 to Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School in Washington, DC in 2023 and $75,000 to Evergreen Christian School in Leesburg, VA in 2025. Institutional Catholic support extends beyond schools: Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Washington received $250,000 in 2024, and Catholic Extension received $200,000 in both 2024 and 2025. Faith-based congregations also receive direct support, including $450,000 to Vienna Presbyterian Church in 2024 and $55,000 to The Episcopal Church of Leeds Parish in 2023 and 2025.
Grant sizes are relatively large, with a typical range centered at $25,000 at the 25th percentile, a median of $50,000, and $121,250 at the 75th percentile. The recent grants list shows repeated support to the same recipients across years, including Austin College, Catholic Extension, Vienna Presbyterian Church, Elizabeth Seton High School, and The Episcopal Church of Leeds Parish. That repeat pattern points to ongoing institutional relationships rather than one-time awards. The foundation is organized as a family foundation and does not make program-related investments. The available data does not show an application process.
$2M
$16.6M
$880K
$2.1M
Most grants fall between $25K and $121K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$25K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$121K
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Concentrated, high-dollar philanthropy with a small number of large grants and repeat multi-grant relationships; geographically focused around the National Capital / Northern Virginia area but willing to make substantial gifts outside the region for aligned institutions.
Notable grantees: Archbishop Carroll High School, Austin College, Catholic Extension, Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Washington, National Capital Area Council (Boy Scouts)
Giving is regional and entirely domestic in the recent grants list, with all 62 grants going to U.S. recipients. Virginia appears frequently, including Washington, DC-area and Northern Virginia grantees such as Vienna Presbyterian Church in Vienna, Evergreen Christian School in Leesburg, and The Episcopal Church of Leeds Parish in Markham. Other recurring recipient hubs include Washington, DC; Bethesda, MD; Chicago, IL; and Jackson, WY. Illinois is the top state by grant count, though the foundation’s headquarters are in Hume, VA.
Its recent grants concentrate on Catholic education, diocesan charities, parish support, and other faith-based institutions. Schools such as Archbishop Carroll High School, Elizabeth Seton High School, and Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School appear alongside Catholic Extension, Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Washington, and church bodies like Vienna Presbyterian Church and The Episcopal Church of Leeds Parish.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Austin College in 2024 and 2025, Catholic Extension in 2024 and 2025, Vienna Presbyterian Church in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and Elizabeth Seton High School in 2023 and 2025. The pattern indicates sustained relationships.
The distribution centers on larger institutional gifts: the 25th percentile is $25,000, the median is $50,000, and the 75th percentile is $121,250. Recent grants also include several awards at $150,000, $200,000, $300,000, $400,000, and $500,000.
The foundation gives most often in Illinois by grant count, while 32% of grants go to recipients in Virginia. Recent recipient cities include Washington, DC; Vienna, VA; Bethesda, MD; Chicago, IL; and Jackson, WY.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments, according to the profile data.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUSTIN COLLEGE | SHERMAN, TX | $500,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| ARCHBISHOP CARROLL HIGH SCHOOL | WASHINGTON, DC | $400,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| CATHOLIC EXTENSION | CHICAGO, IL | $200,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| VIENNA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | WVIENNA, VA | $150,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| ELIZABETH SETON HIGH SCHOOL | BLADENSBURG, MD | $150,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF JACKSON HOLE | JACKSON, WY | $150,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| AMERICAN PRECISION MUSEUM | WINDSOR, VT | $100,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| IONA HOUSE | WASHINGTON, DC | $75,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| EVERGREEN CHRISTIAN SCHOOL | LEESBURG, VA | $75,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF LEEDS PARISH | MARKHAM, VA | $55,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| FAUQUIER COUNTY FOOD BANK | WARRENTON, VA | $30,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| THE METROPOLITAN CLUB PRESERVATION FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| THE FATHER MCKENNA CENTER INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| THE POTOMAC SCHOOL | MCLEAN, VA | $15,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| THE FLINT HILL SCHOOL | OAKTON, VA | $15,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| AUSTIN COLLEGE | SHERMAN, TX | $500,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| VIENNA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | WVIENNA, VA | $450,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| NATIONAL CAPITAL AREA COUNCIL | BETHESDA, MD | $300,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES ARCHDIOCESE OF WASHINGTON | WASHINGTON, DC | $250,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| CATHOLIC EXTENSION | CHICAGO, IL | $200,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| BOSTON COLLEGE | CHESTNUT HILL, MA | $150,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| AMERICAN PRECISION MUSEUM | WINDSOR, VT | $100,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| IONA HOUSE | WASHINGTON, DC | $75,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| THE KNOWLEDGE PLEDGE | ORLEAN, VA | $50,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| TZEDEK DC | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION | JACKSON, WY | $50,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| THE FLINT HILL SCHOOL | OAKTON, VA | $50,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| CYCLE CONNECT | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| ARTISTS IN MIDDLEBURG | MIDDLEBURG, VA | $35,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF JACKSON HOLE | JACKSON, WY | $25,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| HOLY CROSS HEALTH FOUNDATION | SILVER SPRING, MD | $25,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| FRANKLIN CENTRAL JUNIOR HIGH | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $25,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| THE FATHER MCKENNA CENTER INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| THE POTOMAC SCHOOL | MCLEAN, VA | $15,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| FAUQUIER COUNTY FOOD BANK | WARRENTON, VA | $12,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| ARCHBISHOP CARROLL HIGH SCHOOL | WASHINGTON, DC | $500,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| NATIONAL CAPITAL AREA COUNCIL | BETHESDA, MD | $272,496 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| ELIZABETH SETON HIGH SCHOOL | BLADENSBURG, MD | $150,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| DON BOSCO CRISTO REY HIGH SCHOOL | WASHINGTON, DC | $125,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| THE POTOMAC SCHOOL | MCLEAN, VA | $110,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| VIENNA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | WVIENNA, VA | $100,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION | JACKSON, WY | $100,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| APPLETREE INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATION INNOVATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $75,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF LEEDS PARISH | MARKHAM, VA | $55,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| THE FLINT HILL SCHOOL | OAKTON, VA | $50,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF JACKSON HOLE | JACKSON, WY | $50,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| THE KNOWLEDGE PLEDGE | ORLEAN, VA | $50,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| THE MEADOWBROOK SCHOOL | WESTON, MA | $50,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
AUSTIN COLLEGE
$500,000CHARITABLE
ARCHBISHOP CARROLL HIGH SCHOOL
$400,000CHARITABLE
CATHOLIC EXTENSION
$200,000CHARITABLE
VIENNA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
$150,000CHARITABLE
ELIZABETH SETON HIGH SCHOOL
$150,000CHARITABLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF JACKSON HOLE
$150,000CHARITABLE
AMERICAN PRECISION MUSEUM
CHARITABLE
IONA HOUSE
$75,000CHARITABLE
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF LEEDS PARISH
$55,000CHARITABLE
COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS
$50,000CHARITABLE
FAUQUIER COUNTY FOOD BANK
$30,000CHARITABLE
THE METROPOLITAN CLUB PRESERVATION FOUNDATION
$25,000CHARITABLE
AUSTIN COLLEGE
$500,000CHARITABLE
VIENNA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
$450,000CHARITABLE
NATIONAL CAPITAL AREA COUNCIL
$300,000CHARITABLE
CATHOLIC CHARITIES ARCHDIOCESE OF WASHINGTON
$250,000CHARITABLE
CATHOLIC EXTENSION
$200,000CHARITABLE
BOSTON COLLEGE
$150,000CHARITABLE
AMERICAN PRECISION MUSEUM
$100,000CHARITABLE
IONA HOUSE
$75,000CHARITABLE
THE KNOWLEDGE PLEDGE
$50,000CHARITABLE
CYCLE CONNECT
$50,000CHARITABLE
ARTISTS IN MIDDLEBURG
$35,000CHARITABLE
FRANKLIN CENTRAL JUNIOR HIGH
$25,000CHARITABLE
FAUQUIER COUNTY FOOD BANK
$12,000CHARITABLE
ARCHBISHOP CARROLL HIGH SCHOOL
$500,000CHARITABLE
NATIONAL CAPITAL AREA COUNCIL
$272,496CHARITABLE
ELIZABETH SETON HIGH SCHOOL
$150,000CHARITABLE
DON BOSCO CRISTO REY HIGH SCHOOL
$125,000CHARITABLE
VIENNA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
$100,000CHARITABLE
APPLETREE INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATION INNOVATION
$75,000CHARITABLE
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF LEEDS PARISH
$55,000CHARITABLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF JACKSON HOLE
$50,000CHARITABLE
THE KNOWLEDGE PLEDGE
$50,000CHARITABLE
THE MEADOWBROOK SCHOOL
$50,000CHARITABLE