What does it mean for grant money to stay in-state?

It is the share of grants made by funders based in Virginia that reached organizations also located in Virginia, rather than organizations in other states. A high share means local funders mostly back local causes; a low one means the money largely leaves.

Is Virginia a major grantmaking state?

Virginia ranks 16th of the 52 states and territories by grant dollars from resident funders. The largest grantmaking states are California and New York; the most outward, where money mostly leaves, are domiciles like Delaware.

How can a nonprofit find funders in Virginia?

Start with the largest grantmakers based in Virginia, currently Charities Aid Foundation America and US Committee for Refugees And. Out-of-state funders also reach in, led by Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund. Virginia funds public benefit above the national rate, so funders active there are worth approaching.

How recent is this Virginia grant data?

It is read from IRS Form 990 and 990-PF e-file filings for fiscal years 2022 and 2023, the two years with complete coverage. US charity filings lag 12 to 24 months, so this is the most recent complete picture.

Funding by state · VA

Grantmaking in Virginia

3,339 grantmakers are based in Virginia. Together they granted $10.7B across the 2022 and 2023 filings, the 16th most of any state, and kept 40% of it in Virginia. Roughly half stays, half leaves.

3,339

grantmakers

$10.7B

granted

40%

stays in-state

The short version

3,339 grantmakers are based in Virginia, granting $10.7B across the FY2022 and FY2023 IRS filings, the 16th most of any state.
40% of grants made by Virginia funders stayed in Virginia; the rest went to organizations in other states.
Virginia is a net importer of grant money, its organizations drawing $3.1B more from outside funders than Virginia funders send out.
Virginia funds public benefit more heavily than the country, at 6.69× the national rate.

Virginia is a net importer of grant money, $3.1B more arrives than leaves.

Largest funders based in Virginia

Grantmakers headquartered in Virginia, sized by total grants made. Pick one for its dossier.

3,331 other funders$7.3B

Charities Aid Foundation America$1.1B US Committee for Refugees And$685M

Organizations in Virginia that draw the most

The nonprofits in Virginia that received the most grant money.

1Rector and Visitors of the University$753M 2The Nature Conservancy$690M 3Stand Together C4 Fund$613M 4Americans for Prosperity$387M 5Charities Aid Foundation America$364M 6Donors Trust Inc$348M 7Public Broadcasting Service$306M 8Marine Spill Response Corporation$295M

Biggest funders reaching into Virginia from elsewhere

Out-of-state funders sending the most money to organizations in Virginia.

1Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund$713M 2Believe in People Inc$448M 3National Philanthropic Trust$374M 4Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc$314M 5Marine Preservation Association$295M 6Corporation for Public Broadcasting$238M

What Virginia funds, against the country

Each cause by how much of Virginia's grant money it draws relative to the national rate. To the right of the line is overweight, to the left underweight. Virginia is most overweight on public benefit, at 6.69× the national rate. Dot size is the cause's share of the state.

Where the money goes by org size

Grant dollars to organizations in Virginia, by the recipient's size, against the national average (the marker). Virginia sends a larger share to $10M to $100M organizations than the country as a whole, and less to $100M and up.

Under $100k1% vs 1% national

$100k to $1M5% vs 6% national

$1M to $10M21% vs 21% national

$10M to $100M34% vs 28% national

$100M and up39% vs 44% national

Find funders by cause in Virginia

Who funds each cause in Virginia, with the largest funders and how to reach them.

Questions and answers

What does it mean for grant money to stay in-state?: It is the share of grants made by funders based in Virginia that reached organizations also located in Virginia, rather than organizations in other states. A high share means local funders mostly back local causes; a low one means the money largely leaves.
Is Virginia a major grantmaking state?: Virginia ranks 16th of the 52 states and territories by grant dollars from resident funders. The largest grantmaking states are California and New York; the most outward, where money mostly leaves, are domiciles like Delaware.
How can a nonprofit find funders in Virginia?: Start with the largest grantmakers based in Virginia, currently Charities Aid Foundation America and US Committee for Refugees And. Out-of-state funders also reach in, led by Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund. Virginia funds public benefit above the national rate, so funders active there are worth approaching.
How recent is this Virginia grant data?: It is read from IRS Form 990 and 990-PF e-file filings for fiscal years 2022 and 2023, the two years with complete coverage. US charity filings lag 12 to 24 months, so this is the most recent complete picture.

More from the funding graph

The regranting layer

51% of grant dollars pass through an intermediary

The DAF merry-go-round

$9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds

Strange bedfellows

the named clusters of US funding

The camps

funders cluster by geography, not ideology

State money flows

the interactive map of money crossing state lines

Giving abroad

which US foundations fund each country

Read from IRS Form 990 and 990-PF e-file XML for fiscal years 2022 and 2023. A funder is placed by the state on its most recent filing. In-state share counts grant dollars whose recipient is also in Virginia, among recipients resolved by EIN. Source: IRS Form 990 downloads.