Formed in
1975

E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation was formed in 1975 as E. Rhodes Carpenter Foundation by E. Rhodes Carpenter, founder of the Richmond, Virginia based company now known as Carpenter Co.

During Mr. Carpenter’s lifetime, the Foundation made a few substantial gifts but for the most part had minimal assets. In accordance with Mr. Carpenter’s wishes, the Foundation received significant funding following his death in 1980. His wife, Leona B. Carpenter, died a year later leaving substantial assets to the Foundation. In 1982, the name of the Foundation was changed to E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation. The Foundation operates independently of, and has no connection, to Carpenter Co.

Formed in 1975

E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation was formed in 1975 as E. Rhodes Carpenter Foundation by E. Rhodes Carpenter, founder of the Richmond, Virginia based company now known as Carpenter Co.

During Mr. Carpenter’s lifetime, the Foundation made a few substantial gifts but for the most part had minimal assets. In accordance with Mr. Carpenter’s wishes, the Foundation received significant funding following his death in 1980. His wife, Leona B. Carpenter, died a year later leaving substantial assets to the Foundation. In 1982, the name of the Foundation was changed to E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation. The Foundation operates independently of, and has no connection, to Carpenter Co.

Application
Deadlines

Application
Deadlines

The Foundation Board generally meets in the spring and in the autumn. Applications must be postmarked or private carrier dated on or before January 31 to be considered at the spring meeting and on or before July 15 for the autumn meeting.

See New Address Below

Form of Applications

No forms need be filled out in order to apply; a letter application is sufficient. This letter should:

  • be in writing (no emails), in duplicate (2 copies), have all pages numbered and include a contact name and address
  • except as stated in Guideline #4, be addressed to:
    E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, Radnor Financial Center – 150 N. Radnor-Chester Road, Suite A200, Radnor, PA  19087
  • begin with a maximum 50-word description of the project and the amount of funding requested
  • include a brief history and the purpose of the requesting organization and a fuller description of the specific project for which funding is requested
  • include a detailed budget for that project, including any charges for general administrative overhead
  • have enclosed (i) one copy of the requesting organization’s financial statements for its current and immediately preceding fiscal year; (ii) one copy of the organization’s IRS ruling that it is described in Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) and is not a private foundation under Code Section 509(a); and (iii) if the organization is required to file Federal Form 990, one copy of the organization’s most recently filed Form.

The Foundation will consider only one request from an organization in a calendar year.

Grant-Making Guidelines

(as of 6/21/19)

  1. The Foundation will consider grant requests from public charities which had direct relationships with Leona or Rhodes Carpenter during their lifetimes.
  2. The Foundation will consider grant requests in support of graduate theological education from United States and Canadian organizations which are public charities.
  3. The Foundation will consider grant requests for support of the performing arts in Richmond, Virginia. The Foundation will consider requests from public charities located in or outside Richmond, provided that the performing arts activity for which funding is requested occurs within the Richmond City limits.
  4. The Foundation will consider requests for any charitable purpose from public charities located in Conover, NC; Temple, TX; Tupelo, MS: Russellville, KY; and Riverside, CA. Such requests should conform to the requirements listed under Form of Applications and Application Deadlines above, except that such requests should be submitted to the Carpenter Co. manufacturing facility in the community in which the requesting public charity is located.
  5. The Foundation will consider requests from museums which are public charities and have a permanent collection for the purchase, conservation and exhibition of Asian art and relating to education in Asian art. In addition, the Foundation will consider requests from such institutions to underwrite the costs of exhibitions of Western art in the Peoples Republic of China or the Republic of China (Taiwan).
  6. The Foundation will consider funding public charities’ projects and programs (e.g., conferences, resources, etc.) offering support to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons of faith, or endeavoring to insure faith communities’ understanding, affirmation, and inclusion of such persons.
  7. The Foundation will consider requests for support of community health nursing from public charities (pre-selected by the Foundation Board) located in the communities of Worcester, Massachusetts; Richmond, Virginia; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Form of Applications

No forms need be filled out in order to apply; a letter application is sufficient. This letter should:

  • be in writing (no emails), in duplicate (2 copies), have all pages numbered and include a contact name and address
  • except as stated in Guideline #4, be addressed to:
    E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, Radnor Financial Center – 150 N. Radnor-Chester Road, Suite A200, Radnor, PA  19087
  • begin with a maximum 50-word description of the project and the amount of funding requested
  • include a brief history and the purpose of the requesting organization and a fuller description of the specific project for which funding is requested
  • include a detailed budget for that project, including any charges for general administrative overhead
  • have enclosed (i) one copy of the requesting organization’s financial statements for its current and immediately preceding fiscal year; (ii) one copy of the organization’s IRS ruling that it is described in Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) and is not a private foundation under Code Section 509(a); and (iii) if the organization is required to file Federal Form 990, one copy of the organization’s most recently filed Form.

The Foundation will consider only one request from an organization in a calendar year.

Grant-Making Guidelines

(as of 6/21/19)

  1. The Foundation will consider grant requests from public charities which had direct relationships with Leona or Rhodes Carpenter during their lifetimes.
  2. The Foundation will consider grant requests in support of graduate theological education from United States and Canadian organizations which are public charities.
  3. The Foundation will consider grant requests for support of the performing arts in Richmond, Virginia. The Foundation will consider requests from public charities located in or outside Richmond, provided that the performing arts activity for which funding is requested occurs within the Richmond City limits.
  4. The Foundation will consider requests for any charitable purpose from public charities located in Conover, NC; Temple, TX; Tupelo, MS: Russellville, KY; and Riverside, CA. Such requests should conform to the requirements listed under Form of Applications and Application Deadlines above, except that such requests should be submitted to the Carpenter Co. manufacturing facility in the community in which the requesting public charity is located.
  5. The Foundation will consider requests from museums which are public charities and have a permanent collection for the purchase, conservation and exhibition of Asian art and relating to education in Asian art. In addition, the Foundation will consider requests from such institutions to underwrite the costs of exhibitions of Western art in the Peoples Republic of China or the Republic of China (Taiwan).
  6. The Foundation will consider funding public charities’ projects and programs (e.g., conferences, resources, etc.) offering support to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons of faith, or endeavoring to insure faith communities’ understanding, affirmation, and inclusion of such persons.
  7. The Foundation will consider requests for support of community health nursing from public charities (pre-selected by the Foundation Board) located in the communities of Worcester, Massachusetts; Richmond, Virginia; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Restrictions
& Limitations

Restrictions
& Limitations

  1. The Foundation generally will not consider requests to support private secondary education, individuals, local religious congregations, or large public charities, e.g., the American Red Cross, American Cancer Society, United Way, etc.
  2. The Foundation generally will not transfer funds from its endowment to the endowment of another organization. Grants are made for specific projects, programs and operating support.

Foundation Staff

Joseph A. O’Connor, Jr., Co-Executive Director
Diane L. Collins, Co-Executive Director
John T. Yoder, CPA
Kathleen A. McNamee, Administrative Assistant

Foundation Staff

Joseph A. O’Connor, Jr.
 • Co-Executive Director
Diane L. Collins
 • Co-Executive Director
John T. Yoder
 • CPA
Kathleen A. McNamee
 • Administrative Assistant

Contact Information

New Address
Radnor Financial Center
150 N. Radnor-Chester Road
Suite A200
Radnor, PA  19087

P: 215-979-3221   F: 215-979-3229
Email