Chrisman Family Foundation

The Chrisman Family Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 2012 and headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. Led by Samuel Baronian Jr., who serves as President, Secretary, and Treasurer on a volunteer basis (10 hours per week, no compensation), the foundation operates with a lean administrative structure that maximizes resources directed toward charitable giving. With total assets of $16.5 million and 2024 revenue of $1.75 million diversified across contributions (56%), investment dividends (19%), asset sales (23%), and interest income (2%), the foundation maintains strong financial health while growing its asset base. The most notable strategic characteristic is the foundation's dramatic scaling trajectory: after operating for nearly a decade as a modest family foundation making fewer than 10 grants per year, it pivoted sharply in 2022-2024 to become a significant regional grantmaker. This tenfold increase in grantmaking activity — from 7 grants in 2021 to 80 in 2024 — signals either a generational transition in leadership, a deliberate decision to increase the payout rate, or new contributions enabling expanded giving. The foundation's exclusive use of general operating support (unrestricted funding) rather than program-specific grants is strategically significant, as this form of support is consistently rated by nonprofits as the most valuable and impactful. The closed application process allows the foundation to maintain focus and minimize administrative overhead consistent with its all-volunteer staffing model.

The Chrisman Family Foundation distributes general operating support grants ranging from $1,000 to $40,000, with a median grant size of approximately $10,000 and an average near $12,800. In 2024, the foundation awarded 80 grants totaling $1,025,000 across its core focus areas of education, arts and culture, historic preservation, healthcare, and human services. The largest grants ($40,000) went to prominent Virginia cultural and historical institutions including the American Civil War Museum, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, and the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation. Other significant recipients include the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Foundation ($32,500), the University of Mary Washington Foundation ($30,000-$40,000), and the Children's Hospital Foundation ($30,000). The foundation's geographic reach is centered on Virginia — particularly Richmond, Williamsburg, and Fredericksburg — with some grants extending to Florida (Key West, Islamorada) and California. The charitable disbursement rate of 78.9% of total expenses is well above the IRS-required 5% minimum payout for private foundations, with a 6.2% payout rate relative to assets, reflecting the family's commitment to active grantmaking over asset preservation. Year-over-year, total giving increased from $691,000 (2023) to $1,025,000 (2024), a 48% increase demonstrating accelerating philanthropic commitment.

The Chrisman Family Foundation occupies a distinctive niche among Richmond-area private foundations. The following comparison contextualizes its position relative to regional peers:

Relative to its asset size, the Chrisman Family Foundation demonstrates an above-average payout rate (6.2% of assets vs. the 5% IRS minimum) and a high volume of grants for its size class. While dwarfed by the Cabell Foundation's $163M endowment, Chrisman's 80 annual grants and broad geographic spread make it one of the more active mid-sized family foundations in the Richmond philanthropic ecosystem. Its exclusive focus on general operating support distinguishes it from peers that typically mix program-specific and unrestricted grants. The foundation's volunteer-only staffing model keeps administrative costs near zero, maximizing the percentage of assets directed to charitable purposes. The 48% year-over-year increase in total giving (2023 to 2024) outpaces peer growth rates, suggesting the foundation may continue scaling its grantmaking in coming years.

The Chrisman Family Foundation has undergone a dramatic expansion in grantmaking activity over the past three years. The grant count trajectory tells the story: from a single grant in 2013, the foundation grew slowly to 4-7 grants annually through 2021. The inflection point occurred in 2022, when awards jumped from 7 to 31, then nearly tripled to 79 in 2023 and reached 80 in 2024. Total giving similarly surged from approximately $32,500 annually (2019-2020) to $691,000 in 2023 and $1,025,000 in 2024. The foundation's asset base grew from $16.2M to $16.5M between 2023 and 2024, even as distributions exceeded $1 million — indicating ongoing contributions or strong investment returns sustaining the endowment. Revenue in 2024 reached $1,747,128, with nearly $1 million in new contributions suggesting continued family investment in the foundation. Net income of $322,862 in 2024 confirms the foundation is growing, not just spending down. The foundation has maintained its closed grantmaking approach throughout this expansion, suggesting a well-developed network of preselected charitable partners rather than a shift to open applications. The listed website (chrisman.org) is a genealogy research site unrelated to the foundation; the foundation does not maintain a public web presence, consistent with its private, invitation-only grantmaking model.

The Chrisman Family Foundation operates as a closed grantmaking entity that only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations. The foundation explicitly does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. There is no public application form, online portal, or published application deadline. Organizations interested in receiving support should be aware that the foundation's grantmaking is driven entirely by internal identification and selection of recipients. The best approach for nonprofits seeking funding is to build visibility within the Virginia philanthropic community, particularly in Richmond, Williamsburg, and Fredericksburg. Strong relationships with organizations already in the foundation's grantee network may lead to introductions. The foundation favors general operating support, so organizations should be prepared to articulate their overall mission and impact rather than presenting project-specific proposals. Focus areas that align with the foundation's giving patterns include education, arts and culture, historic preservation, healthcare, and human services. Geographic alignment with Virginia (particularly the Richmond metro area) is strongly correlated with funding. Contact information: phone 804-257-9899, mailing address PO Box 17764, Richmond, VA 23226-7764.