The Virginia State Capitol

Form 990-PFTax year 2025EIN 56-6059951

Challenge Fund

A private foundation in Richmond, VA. Its return for tax year 2025 lists 13 grants and $255,750 paid in grants.

Tax year 2025 (period ending Dec 31, 2025), read from the IRS e-file on Nov 11, 2026. Returns reach the IRS 5 to 18 months after the year they describe.

How to apply

Preselected only

The return checks the box saying the foundation gives only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Assets and giving by year

8 returns on file
Grants paid by tax year. The latest year is in blue.
  • Tax year 2025

    $255,750

    Grants listed
    13
    Assets, end of year
    $4,809,509
  • Tax year 2024

    $255,000

    Grants listed
    18
    Assets, end of year
    $4,223,674
  • Tax year 2023

    $262,725

    Grants listed
    11
    Assets, end of year
    $4,178,599
  • Tax year 2022

    $289,500

    Grants listed
    16
    Assets, end of year
    $4,539,556
  • Tax year 2021

    $255,000

    Grants listed
    15
    Assets, end of year
    $4,804,239
  • Tax year 2020

    $241,290

    Grants listed
    11
    Assets, end of year
    $4,652,008
  • Tax year 2019

    $187,081

    Grants listed
    13
    Assets, end of year
    $4,820,230
  • Tax year 2018

    $298,000

    Grants listed
    14
    Assets, end of year
    $4,841,446

Grants paid in 2025

13 grants, largest first

As listed on the return.

  1. The University of North Carolina at Capel Hill Foundation HillChapel Hill, NC

    General support

    $40,000
  2. Rhode Island Community Food Bank AssociationProvidence, RI

    General support

    $27,000
  3. Reproductive Freedom for All FoundationWashington, DC

    General support

    $25,000
  4. American Civil Liberties Union FoundationNew York, NY

    General support

    $21,250
  5. The HavenTucson, AZ

    General support

    $21,250
  6. Equal Justice InitiativeMontgomery, AL

    General support

    $20,000
  7. Save the Children Federation IncFairfield, CT

    General support

    $20,000
  8. Ukraine Crisis Relief FundWashington, DC

    General support

    $20,000
  9. Providence AthenaeumProvidence, RI

    General support

    $15,000
  10. Rhode Island School of DesignProvidence, RI

    General support

    $15,000
  11. Everycat Health Foundation IncWyckoff, NJ

    General support

    $10,625
  12. Independent Animal Rescue IncDurham, NC

    General support

    $10,625
  13. Hope RenovationsCarrboro, NC

    General support

    $10,000

Where the money goes

By cause: grants to organizations we matched to the IRS list of exempt organizations, by their category.

  1. Civil rights2 grants $41,25028% of the total
  2. Education2 grants $30,00020% of the total
  3. Food and agriculture1 grant $27,00018% of the total
  4. Animals2 grants $21,25014% of the total
  5. International aid1 grant $20,00013% of the total
  6. Jobs and employment1 grant $10,0007% of the total

By State

Grants to organizations with a US address, latest year.

  1. North Carolina3 grants $60,625
  2. Rhode Island3 grants $57,000
  3. District of Columbia2 grants $45,000
  4. Arizona1 grant $21,250
  5. New York1 grant $21,250
  6. Alabama1 grant $20,000
  7. Connecticut1 grant $20,000
  8. New Jersey1 grant $10,625

Officers, directors and trustees

3 people as filed

As filed on the return, with average hours per week and pay from the foundation.

  • H Smith Richardson IIIDIRECTOR Hours 1.5Pay $7,240
  • Ann Page RichardsonDIRECTOR Hours 0.5Pay $0
  • Cary R PaynterDIRECTOR Hours 0.5Pay $0

The return

More foundations

Similar foundations

Same main cause (civil rights), giving between a quarter and four times this foundation’s where possible, nearby first.

  1. Morris Family FoundationCharlottesville, VA 19 grants Preselected only $157,500 giving
  2. Bear-Sontz Family FoundationCharlottesville, VA 48 grants Preselected only $150,000 giving
  3. Clarke Hook FoundationChantilly, VA 11 grants Preselected only $135,000 giving
  4. Ashraf Family FoundationAshburn, VA 19 grants Accepts applications $130,298 giving
  5. Shah Gupta Family FoundationVienna, VA 10 grants Preselected only $130,030 giving