Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation
BLUE RIDGE ENERGY MEMBERS is a public charity based in Lenoir, North Carolina, formed in 1991. It provides assistance with electric and heating utility bills and financial support to nonprofit community organizations addressing educational, healthcare, economic, and community development needs.
Key facts about Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation
In short: Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation gave $140K across 13 grants in 2025 (avg $11K), mostly in North Carolina. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 56-1793740
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $139,758
- Grants made (2025)
- 13
- Average grant
- $10,751
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $100,532
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$101K
-27.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$140K
-24.5% YoY
Grant Count
13
-27.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$11K
+4.6% YoY
How Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation gives
- 31% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−19%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to provide assistance for electric and heating utility bills and financial support for nonprofit community organizations that meet educational, healthcare, economic, and community development needs.
Its 2025 grants included unrestricted support for organizations such as Ashe Memorial Hospital Foundation, Alleghany County Rescue Squad, and WAMY Community Action. The grantee organizations describe their own missions as promoting the activities of Ashe Memorial Hospital; providing emergency medical and volunteer rescue services in Alleghany County; and partnering with families and communities to support disadvantaged people in becoming self-sufficient, respectively.
Grantmaking
In 2025, BLUE RIDGE ENERGY MEMBERS reported 13 grants totaling $139,758. Grant amounts ranged from $7,500 to $17,258, with a median of $10,000. The listed grant purposes were unrestricted support.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All reported 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $20K (2020) to $185K (2024). In 2025 it made 13 grants totaling $140K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Ashe Memorial Hospital Foundation ($17K). Together the top 10 received $115K.
Grant Size Distribution
62 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 62 grants of 62 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ashe Memorial Hospital Foundation Jefferson, NC | Unrestricted Support | $17,258 |
| Amorem Boone, NC | Unrestricted Support | $12,500 |
| ASU Foundation Inc-Walker Coll BLD Boone, NC | Unrestricted Support | $12,500 |
| Caldwell Mem Hospital Foundation Lenoir, NC | Unrestricted Support | $12,500 |
| Alleghany County Rescue Squad Sparta, NC | Unrestricted Support | $10,000 |
| Alleghany Health Sparta, NC | Unrestricted Support | $10,000 |
| Ashe Really Cares West Jefferson, NC | Unrestricted Support | $10,000 |
| Collettsville Ruritan Club Collettsville, NC | Unrestricted Support | $10,000 |
| Foscoe Grandfather Comm Ctr & Park Banner Elk, NC | Unrestricted Support | $10,000 |
| Friends of Watauga Cty Pub Library Boone, NC | Unrestricted Support | $10,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $100,532 | $354,637 | $393,484 | $139,758 |
| 2024 | $139,379 | $355,731 | $318,745 | $185,000 |
| 2023 | $102,393 | $345,014 | $396,290 | $105,000 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $100,532 | $139,379 | $102,393 |
| Revenue | $354,637 | $355,731 | $345,014 |
| Expenses | $393,484 | $318,745 | $396,290 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 8, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 3, 2026)
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Katie M Woodle as CEO; Kelly Melton as secretary-treasurer; David Eggers, Bryan Edwards, Tom Trexler, Cindy Price, and Mitch Franklin as directors; James Lawrence as assistant secretary-treasurer; Jeffrey B Joines as president; and Johnny Wishon as vice president.
Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation is led by Katie M. Woodle, CEO since 2025 (on filings since 2020); none of the 15 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Katie M. Woodle
CEO
Senior Vice President Finance → Senior Vice President CFO, 2024
Senior Vice President CFO → CEO, 2025
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeffrey B. Joines
President
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bryan Edwards
Director
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cindy Price
Director
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Boone
Director
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Eggers
Director
Vice President → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James Young
Director
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mitch Franklin
Director
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tom Trexler
Director
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Angie Miller
Director
On filings since 2023
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Doug Spell
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kelvin Gryder
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James Lawrence
Assistant Sec-Tr
Director → Assistant Sec-Tr, 2021
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Johnny Wishon
Vice President
Assistant Sec-Tr → Vice President, 2021
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kelly Melton
Secretary - Treasurer
Director → Secretary - Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Douglas W. Johnson (2020–2024) — CEO
- Former: Joy B. Coffey (2020–2022) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 112, Lenoir, NC 28645
Phone: (828) 758-2383
Frequently asked questions about Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation
How much does Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation give each year?
Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation gave $140K across 13 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $185K across 18 grants.
What is Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation's typical grant size?
Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $10,751, across 13 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation give grants?
Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation gives mostly in North Carolina: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Boone, NC (5 grants) and Sparta, NC (2 grants).
Does Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (13 of 13) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation's largest grantees?
Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Ashe Memorial Hospital Foundation ($17,258), Amorem ($12,500) and ASU Foundation Inc-Walker Coll BLD ($12,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 30% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation?
Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation reported $101K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $355K.
What does Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to provide assistance for electric and heating utility bills and financial support for nonprofit community organizations that meet educational, healthcare, economic, and community development needs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation?
Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation's EIN?
Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-1793740. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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