Better Place Foundation is a private foundation designated as a 501(c)(3) organization. The foundation is also known as The Ratliff Charitable Foundation and is located in Irondale, Alabama. It was established in May 1998 and operates as a grantmaking foundation supporting various charitable causes.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$11.9M
+8.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$883K
+2.3% YoY
Grant Count
52
+10.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$17K
-7.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Better Place Foundation primarily funds programs in the following areas:
- Social assistance
- Educational programs
- Community support
- Social justice
- Health and social services
- Environmental initiatives
- Social and environmental awareness programs
Grantmaking
The foundation made 50 grants in 2024, with a total grant distribution of approximately $790,400. Recent grants include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily operates in Alabama, with a base in the Irondale area.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $11,934,287
- Total Revenues: $1,909,958
- Total Expenses: $1,508,951
- Number of Employees: 0
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $11,000,000
- Total Revenues: $1,080,000
- Total Expenses: $1,250,000
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $11,934,287 | $11,019,181 | $11,281,878 |
| Revenue | $1,909,958 | $1,075,075 | $-1,899,794 |
| Expenses | $1,508,951 | $1,253,514 | $1,518,213 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $923,759 | $904,724 | $795,047 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,325,580 | $775,403 | — |
| Distributable Amount | $737,243 | $746,698 | $816,456 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
244 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| WILLIAM T RATLIFF III | PRES/TREAS/DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| CARL A LESSMAN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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