Bannon Foundation
The Bannon Foundation is a private foundation based in Greenville, South Carolina. Its 2024 filing reports $192,000 in grants to 10 organizations, including Clemson University and IPTAY in South Carolina.
Bannon Foundation at a glance
In short: Bannon Foundation gave $192K across 10 grants in 2024 (avg $19K), mostly in South Carolina. 40% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $192,000
- -11.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 10
- -33.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $19,200
- +32.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $2,719,845
- -5.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 40% first-time grantees (4 of 10, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- South Carolina (97% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Bannon Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 9097, Greenville, SC 29604
Phone: (864) 350-4783
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Bannon Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Clemson University ($110K). Together the top 10 received $192K.
Grant Size Distribution
52 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 47 grants of 52 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 97% of grant dollars went to recipients in South Carolina, 2% to Montana, and 1% to Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Bannon Foundation open to new grantees?
40%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 10 grantees (40%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $31K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 60% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 22% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 112% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $120K (2020) to $217K (2023). In 2024 it made 10 grants totaling $192K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Clemson University Clemson, SC | Education | $110,000 |
| Iptay Clemson, SC | Athletic Scholarships | $62,000 |
| Roper Mountain Science Center Association Greenville, SC | Public Support | $5,000 |
| The Children's Museum of the Upstate Greenville, SC | Public Support | $5,000 |
| Greenville Humane Society Greenville, SC | Public Support | $2,000 |
| Missoula Public Library Foundation Missoula, MT | General Support | $2,000 |
| Montana Science Fair Missoula, MT | Science Fair | $2,000 |
| Safe Harbor Richmond, VA | Public Support | $1,500 |
| Mauldin Miracle League Greer, SC | Baseball Operations | $1,500 |
| Harvest Hope Food Bank Columbia, SC | Food Distribution | $1,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Bannon Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,719,845 | $86,269 | $237,940 | $192,000 | 10 | $217,092 | $65,421 | $194,226 |
| 2023 | $2,871,375 | $42,283 | $246,432 | $217,000 | 15 | $231,338 | $44,470 | $175,596 |
| 2022 | $3,064,360 | $49,706 | $170,661 | $129,000 | 7 | $141,050 | $20,378 | $182,639 |
| 2021 | $3,185,236 | $315,135 | $199,413 | $158,000 | 10 | $169,179 | $287,174 | $192,736 |
| 2020 | $3,071,712 | $-137,425 | $163,105 | $119,500 | 10 | — | $13,699 | $156,821 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Bannon Foundation reported a distributable amount of $194K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included education, athletic scholarships, public support, library support, a science fair, baseball operations, and food distribution. The Clemson University Foundation describes its mission as promoting Clemson University’s educational and scientific research purposes and seeking and managing gifts for the university. IPTAY describes its mission as supporting Clemson University athletic programs. The Children’s Museum of the Upstate says it works to “ignite a community of compassionate problem solvers through intentional and inclusive play.” Missoula Public Library Foundation says it advocates for the library and raises funds for library initiatives, while Safe Harbor says it supports survivors of sexual and domestic violence and human trafficking.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 10 grants totaling $192,000. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $110,000, with a median grant of $2,000. The largest listed grants were $110,000 to Clemson University for education and $62,000 to IPTAY for athletic scholarships. Other listed grants included $5,000 each to Roper Mountain Science Center Association and The Children’s Museum of the Upstate; $2,000 each to Greenville Humane Society, Missoula Public Library Foundation, and Montana Science Fair; and grants of $1,500 to Safe Harbor and Mauldin Miracle League and $1,000 to Harvest Hope Food Bank.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists John R. Thomas, James G. Bannon III, and Karen V. Steffan as trustees.
Bannon Foundation's 2024 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
John R. Thomas
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Karen V. Steffan
Trustee
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James G. Bannon III
Trustee
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Trey Bannon (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Karen Stephen (2020) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Bannon Foundation
How much does Bannon Foundation give each year?
Bannon Foundation gave $192K across 10 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $217K across 15 grants.
What is Bannon Foundation's typical grant size?
Bannon Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $2,000, and its average grant was $19,200, across 10 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Bannon Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does Bannon Foundation give grants?
Bannon Foundation gives mostly in South Carolina: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Greenville, SC (3 grants), Clemson, SC (2 grants) and Missoula, MT (2 grants).
Does Bannon Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 10% of Bannon Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Public Support" (4 grants).
Who are Bannon Foundation's largest grantees?
Bannon Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Clemson University ($110,000), Iptay ($62,000) and Roper Mountain Science Center Association ($5,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 92% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Bannon Foundation?
Bannon Foundation reported $2.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $217K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $194K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Bannon Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included education, athletic scholarships, public support, library support, a science fair, baseball operations, and food distribution. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Bannon Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Bannon Foundation's EIN?
Bannon Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 57-0833931. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Bannon Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Bannon Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/bannon-foundation-morg_387308f45290427b908b02e976903b80
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_570833931_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Bannon Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/bannon-foundation-morg_387308f45290427b908b02e976903b80},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Bannon Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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