Corina Higginson Trust
The Corina Higginson Trust is a private philanthropic trust (established 1962) supporting organizations in the greater Washington, D.C. area. The official site announces a spend-down (July 31, 2023) and states the Trust will stop accepting unsolicited applications beginning with the 2024 Spring Grant Round.
Source: Website · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
Small-to-midsize nonprofits operating in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area (arts, youth development, community services, or human services) with an existing connection or demonstrated local track record.
Good Fit
- • Located in the DC–MD–VA metro area with demonstrated local impact.
- • Program areas aligned with past grants (arts, youth development, community/human services).
- • Existing relationship, prior small grants, or local referrals to trustees or staff.
- • Project-based requests for one-time or short-term support during the spend-down period.
- • Ability to be nominated or otherwise identified by a referrer on the foundation’s radar.
Geography
Giving is regionally concentrated: the D.C. metro receives the majority of dollars (about 65% in 2024), but grants also reached multiple states (six distinct states observed in the latest year).
Recipient Variety
The foundation funded many distinct independent organizations each year (74 in 2022, 68 in 2023, 49 in 2024) with modest top-recipient shares, indicating a broadly distributed recipient set rather than a tiny closed circle.
New Applicants
The foundation publicly states it accepts only preselected applicants and stopped unsolicited applications beginning in 2024; although a small number of new grantees appeared in 2024, the observed pattern and the declared preselection policy indicate unfamiliar applicants are unlikely to gain entry without nomination or a relationship.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
