The Vf Foundation
Wilmington, DE · EIN 56-2322084. Reported 237 grants totalling $23.6M to 133 recipients across tax years 2021-2024. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. The Vf Foundation did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $50,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $25,000 and $125,000; the smallest was $2,500 and the largest $1,026,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trust for Public Land | Los Angeles, CA | $1,455,000 | 6 | 4 | 2024 |
| University of Denver | Denver, CO | $1,406,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| United Nations Foundation Inc | Washington, DC | $1,000,000 | 4 | 3 | 2024 |
| Soil Health Institute | Morrisville, NC | $950,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Nature Conservancy | Arlington, VA | $910,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Greensboro Chamber Foundation | Greensboro, NC | $825,000 | 5 | 4 | 2024 |
| Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club Inc | Steamboat Springs, CO | $750,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Outdoor Foundation | Boulder, CO | $750,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Wateraid America Inc | New York, NY | $750,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Forum for the Future US Inc | Brooklyn, NY | $700,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Yma Fashion Scholarship Fund | New York, NY | $600,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Impact Farming Foundation Inc | Briarcliff Manor, NY | $535,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Girl Scouts of the United States of America | New York, NY | $500,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Uvalde Cisd Moving Forward Foundation | Uvalde, TX | $500,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| At the Epicenter | Longmont, CO | $403,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| United Way of Greater Greensboro Inc | Greensboro, NC | $400,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| United States Association for Unhcr | Washington, DC | $376,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| National Forest Foundation | Missoula, MT | $340,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Colorado State University Foundation | Fort Collins, CO | $290,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| American Recreation Coalition | Washington, DC | $254,000 | 4 | 3 | 2024 |
| Business for Social Responsibility | San Francisco, CA | $250,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Greening Youth Foundation Inc | Atlanta, GA | $250,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Skatepark Project | Vista, CA | $250,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| United States Fund for Unicef | New York, NY | $250,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| World Business Council for Sustainable Development | Geneva | $250,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Denver Public Schools Foundation | Denver, CO | $245,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Arizona State University Foundation for a New Amer | Tempe, AZ | $238,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| GIVE2ASIA | Oakland, CA | $227,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Myriad USA Inc | New York, NY | $225,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Camber Outdoors | Boulder, CO | $215,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Historic Southside Incorporated | Fort Worth, TX | $214,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Friends of Greensboro Parks Andrecreation | Greensboro, NC | $200,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Get Lit Words Ignite Inc | Los Angeles, CA | $200,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Protect Our Winters | Boulder, CO | $200,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Raisefashion Inc | Woodbury, CT | $200,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Water Org Inc | Kansas City, MO | $200,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Oregon State University Foundation | Corvallis, OR | $197,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Civic Center Conservancy | Denver, CO | $185,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Environmental Learning for Kids | Denver, CO | $175,000 | 3 | 2 | 2024 |
| First Descents | Denver, CO | $175,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Guilford Education Alliance Inc | Greensboro, NC | $175,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| American National Red Cross - Mile High Chapter | Denver, CO | $155,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Lewis College of Business | Detroit, MI | $155,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Adm Capital Foundation Inc | Quincy, MA | $150,000 | 3 | 2 | 2023 |
| Creatives Want Change Inc | Brooklyn, NY | $150,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Friends of Greensboro Parks and Recreation | Greensboro, NC | $150,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Ready for School Ready for Life | Greensboro, NC | $150,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Skateistan | Seattle, WA | $150,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| The Biomimicry Institute | Missoula, MT | $150,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Protect Our Winters Europe - Association for Clima | Innsbruck | $142,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Savory Institute Org Inc | Boulder, CO | $138,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Globalgiving Foundation Inc | Washington, DC | $133,000 | 2 | 1 | 2022 |
| Outdoor Alliance | Washington, DC | $130,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Habitat for Humanity International Inc - Fort Wort | Fort Worth, TX | $108,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| World Wildlife Fund Inc | Washington, DC | $104,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| 4DWN Project Inc | Dallas, TX | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Cdp North America Inc | New York, NY | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Childrens Home Society of North Carolina Inc | Greensboro, NC | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Denver Civic Ventures Inc | Denver, CO | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Leicester City Football Club Trust Limited | Leicester | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Summit Foundation | Vevey | $90,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Womens Wilderness Institute | Boulder, CO | $85,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Paradox Sports | Eldorado Sprg, CO | $80,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Cambodian Childrens Fund | Santa Monica, CA | $79,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| American National Red Cross | Denver, CO | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Childrens Museum of Denver Inc | Denver, CO | $75,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Industrial Commons | Morganton, NC | $75,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Mca Denver | Denver, CO | $75,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| The Park People | Denver, CO | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| University of Colorado Foundation | Denver, CO | $75,000 | 2 | 1 | 2021 |
| Youth Seen | Broomfield, CO | $75,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| No Barriers USA | Fort Collins, CO | $73,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| American Forest Foundation | Washington, DC | $72,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| National Sports Center for the Disabled Inc | Denver, CO | $70,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Community Foundation | Boulder, CO | $67,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Beyond Sport Foundation | London | $65,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| London Wildlife Trust | London | $60,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| National Governors Association Center for Best Pra | Washington, DC | $60,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Outdoor Afro | Oakland, CA | $60,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Sos Outreach | Avon, CO | $60,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Girl Scouts of Colorado | Denver, CO | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Kiss the Ground | Los Angeles, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| National Park City Foundation | London | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Natuurpunt Vereniging Zonder Winstoogmerk Verenigi | Mechelen | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| North Carolina State University Foundation Inc | Raleigh, NC | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| North Carolina Textile Foundation Inc | Raleigh, NC | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Orange County Coastkeeper | Huntingtn Bch, CA | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Year One Inc | Denver, CO | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Girls at Work Inc | Manchester, NH | $45,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Wildmon | Dale, TX | $45,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Conservation Colorado Education Fund | Denver, CO | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Rino Gives Back | Denver, CO | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Aspen Institute Inc | Washington, DC | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Conservation Lands Foundation | Durango, CO | $35,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Greensboro Childrens Museum | Greensboro, NC | $35,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Protect Our Winters Europe - Association for Clima | Innsbruck | $34,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Community Initiatives | Oakland, CA | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Unc-G Excellence Foundation | Greensboro, NC | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| American Indian College Fund | Denver, CO | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Big City Mountaineers Inc | Golden, CO | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Bolsa Chica Conservancy | Huntington Beach, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Denver Inc | Denver, CO | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Catalyst Sports Inc | Atlanta, GA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Church Health Center of Memphis Inc | Memphis, TN | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Colorado Outward Bound School - Outward Bound Wild | Denver, CO | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Fondazione Mission Bambini Onlus | Milano | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Justice Outside | Oakland, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Nawic Founders Scholarship Foundation | Fort Worth, TX | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Noisyvision Ets | Sant Angelo Di Piove, Padova | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Project Fearless Foundation | Amsterdam | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Real Deal Revolution | Long Beach, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| San Luis Valley Great Outdoors | Alamosa, CO | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Social Good Fund Inc | Richmond, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forest | Concord, NH | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Surfrider Foundation | San Clemente, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Venture Out Project Inc | Northhampton, MA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| We Are Urban Milano | Milano | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Hawaii Community Foundation | Honolulu, HI | $22,500 | 2 | 1 | 2023 |
| Colorado Mesa University Foundation | Grand Jct, CO | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Greensboro Downtown Parks Inc | Greensboro, NC | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Longboard Women United | Madrid | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Western Colorado University Foundation | Gunnison, CO | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Youth on Record | Denver, CO | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Colorado Succeeds | Littleton, CO | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| United Arts Council of Greater Greensboro Inc | Greensboro, NC | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| University Impact | Provo, UT | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado Inc | Denver, CO | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Guilford Says Yes to Education | Jamestown, NC | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| SOLES4SOULS | Old Hickory, TN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Womens Resource Center of Greensboro Inc | Greensboro, NC | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| American Cancer Society Inc | Oklahoma City, OK | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Junior Achievement of the Triad Inc | Greensboro, NC | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Alzheimers Tennessee Inc | Knoxville, TN | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
55 of 133 (41%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 40%, across 3 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is less consistent than most. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.
- University of Denver
Leadership in the Outdoor Recreation Industry (LORI) Program - Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club Inc
Howelsen Hill Chairlift Project - Trust for Public Land
The Trust for Public Land's Community Schoolyard Initiative - Nature Conservancy
Regenerative Ranching and Stewardship: Partnering and Providing Tools for All to advance conservation - The Outdoor Foundation
Thrive Outside National Youth Engagement Initiative (Thrive Denver and Powering Thrive) - Uvalde Cisd Moving Forward Foundation
Outdoor Elements in the Building a Brighter Future - Uvalde Moving Forward Elementary Campus in the Uvalde CISD Project
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 193 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 78 | $7,990,000 | $50,000 |
| 2022 | 61 | $8,215,500 | $75,000 |
| 2023 | 54 | $3,972,500 | $50,000 |
| 2024 | 44 | $3,422,000 | $32,500 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Where its money goes
29% of its giving went to organizations in Colorado. If your organization is based elsewhere, look in the recipient list for grants to your area before writing.
Get funders for your state and cause by email
We email you funders that gave to organizations in your state and cause, up to five at a time each week and never the same one twice, from their own IRS filings. Free. The weekly email has not started yet.
Unsubscribe in one click from any email. We never sell or share your address. To match on your organization and typical grant size too, keep a private profile.
Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $50,000. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Colorado.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from The Vf Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2021-2024). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.
Address of record on the latest return: Foundation Source 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE, 19809. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 56-2322084 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
Is something here wrong about your foundation? Email [email protected] and we will correct it.