Three Decades of Civic Investment
From a modest family endowment established in a Richmond office in 1987 to one of central Virginia’s most active private grant-making foundations, the Edmund Cheney Foundation’s history reflects the evolving needs and aspirations of the communities we serve. This timeline traces the major milestones, program expansions, and leadership transitions that have shaped our mission across nearly four decades.
Foundation Timeline
Foundation Chartered
Edmund R. Cheney, a Richmond industrialist and lifelong preservation advocate, establishes the Edmund Cheney Foundation with an initial endowment of $1.2 million from the sale of his non-voting shares in Cheney Manufacturing Corporation. The foundation’s charter specifies two core program areas: historic preservation and educational scholarships. The first office is established at 412 East Franklin Street in Richmond, sharing space with the Virginia Historical Society. Cheney personally serves as chairman and sole grant reviewer during the foundation’s inaugural year.
First Historic Preservation Grants Awarded
The foundation awards its first three grants totaling $87,000: $45,000 for emergency stabilization of the 1793 Hanover Tavern in Hanover County, $25,000 for facade restoration of the 1812 Henrico County Courthouse, and $17,000 for an architectural survey of endangered pre-Civil War structures along the Kanawha Canal towpath in downtown Richmond. These initial investments establish the foundation’s preservation methodology: prioritize endangered structures, require matching funds, and demand long-term maintenance commitments from grantees.
STEM Scholarship Program Established
Recognizing a growing need for STEM workforce development in Virginia’s evolving economy, Cheney and the Board of Trustees establish the STEM Education Scholarship program. The inaugural cohort of eight scholars receives $2,000 each to study engineering, biology, and mathematics at Virginia institutions. The program is designed to complement the foundation’s preservation mission by training the next generation of structural engineers, materials scientists, and conservation professionals who will steward Virginia’s built heritage.
Board of Trustees Formalized
The foundation expands its governance structure from Cheney’s original three-person advisory committee to a formal seven-member Board of Trustees with staggered terms, an independent audit committee, and published conflict-of-interest policies. Hon. William T. Randolph III, a retired Henrico County Circuit Court judge, is elected as the board’s first independent chairman, a position he continues to hold. Professional program staff are hired for the first time, including a full-time grants administrator and financial officer.
Passing of Founder Edmund R. Cheney
Edmund R. Cheney passes away on April 14, 2002, at the age of 81. His will directs an additional $4.8 million from his personal estate to the foundation’s endowment, bringing the total endowment to approximately $8.5 million. The bequest includes a provision that at least 60 percent of annual grant disbursements must support historic preservation projects for the first ten years following his death, ensuring continuity of the program he championed most passionately. His son, Robert M. Cheney, joins the Board of Trustees as Treasurer.
$5 Million Cumulative Grantmaking Milestone
The foundation surpasses $5 million in total grants awarded, marking eighteen years of continuous grantmaking. The milestone coincides with the completion of the Capitol Square Historic District documentation project, a three-year, $220,000 initiative that produced the first comprehensive architectural inventory of all contributing structures within the Capitol Square National Historic Landmark boundary in Richmond.
Emergency Community Relief Fund Established
In response to a series of severe weather events affecting central Virginia communities, the Board of Trustees establishes the Emergency Community Relief fund with a standing endowment reserve of $250,000. The fund provides 72-hour rapid deployment capacity for financial assistance following natural disasters and public health emergencies. The first deployment provides $65,000 to families in Buckingham County displaced by a severe ice storm that damaged more than 200 residential structures.
Catherine Hargrove-Cheney Appointed Executive Director
Catherine Hargrove-Cheney, granddaughter of founder Edmund R. Cheney, assumes leadership of the foundation after serving as interim director for eight months following the retirement of the previous executive director. Catherine brings twelve years of nonprofit management experience from positions at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the Community Foundation of Greater Richmond, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. She immediately begins a strategic planning process that will expand the foundation’s program portfolio from two to five distinct grant areas.
Community Infrastructure & Arts Programs Launch
The foundation formally launches two new program areas: Community Infrastructure Grants and Arts and Culture Micro-Grants. The expansion reflects Catherine’s strategic vision of broadening the foundation’s impact beyond preservation and education to address the physical and cultural infrastructure needs of Virginia’s underserved communities. The first Community Infrastructure grant of $85,000 funds ADA-compliance upgrades at three public parks in the Southside Richmond corridor. The first Arts micro-grant of $2,500 supports a community mural project in Manchester.
$12 Million Milestone & 35th Anniversary
The foundation surpasses $12 million in cumulative grants awarded, coinciding with its 35th anniversary. The Board of Trustees commissions an independent economic impact study through the University of Richmond Robins School of Business, which finds that foundation investments have generated $41.2 million in downstream economic activity. The foundation relocates its office to 901 East Cary Street, Suite 1600, in Richmond’s financial district, providing expanded meeting space for site visits and community engagement events.
VCU STEM Pipeline & Tredegar Ironworks
The foundation awards its largest-ever single grant of $285,000 for the Tredegar Ironworks Heritage Center Restoration and launches the VCU STEM Pipeline Initiative, a three-year partnership supporting 40 underrepresented STEM undergraduates per year. Total endowment assets exceed $18 million, ensuring the long-term sustainability of all five program areas for the foreseeable future.