Mary Morton Parsons Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation supports arts and culture, civic and community needs, education, environment and ecology, historic preservation, and social services and welfare in Central Virginia.
FUNDING AREAS: Arts and culture, civic and community needs, education, environment and ecology, historic preservation, social services and welfare
IP TAKE: This is an accessible and approachable local funder, but make sure to contact the staff before submitting a proposal for a better chance at priority consideration.
PROFILE: Established in 1988, the Mary Morton Parsons Foundation is a private family foundation based in Richmond, Virginia. Parsons (1903-1990) was the daughter of William Smith Morton, who founded the Home Beneficial Life Insurance Company. The foundation aims to "work together as a community to make the greater Richmond area a better place to live and work and that we preserve the related traditions and history of our Commonwealth.” It funds local efforts for arts and culture, civic and community needs, education, environment and ecology, historic preservation, and social services and welfare.
The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation typically awards between $3 million and $5 million in grants each year. It mostly awards support for capital projects on a matching or challenge basis. The Parsons Foundation usually ensures that its grants fund less than one-third of a project’s costs. Organizations must wait five years to apply for a new Parsons grants after receiving a prior grant. Parsons does not consider requests for general operating expenses, research, religious programs, individuals, endowment funds, local chapters of national organizations, or organizations outside of Virginia.
Grants range between about $10,000 and $1 million. Learn more about this funder’s local giving on the past grants page of the funder’s website. Grantmaking focuses on the city of Richmond and the surrounding areas in Central Virginia. Past local grantees include Goochland Pet Lovers, Mariner’s Museum and Park, Bridgewater College, and the Ashland Theatre Foundation.
This foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits. The spring and fall grant cycle deadlines are March 15 and September 15. The staff welcomes telephone inquiries and gives priority consideration to organizations that contacted the foundation before submitting a proposal. The foundation dos not require a standard application form but outlines its required submission documents on its website. Direct general questions to the staff at mmparsons.foundation@gmail.com or 804-780-2183.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
LINKS:
