Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc
Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Fortson, Georgia. Its 2025 filing reports 27 grants totaling $200,285, with the listed grant purposes and recipients indicating substantial support for animal welfare organizations.
Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc gave $200K across 27 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in Alabama. 52% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $200,285
- +61.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 27
- +68.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $7,418
- -4.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $39,653
- +139.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 52% first-time grantees (14 of 27, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Alabama (54% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc
- 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: 368 Burnt Hickory Way, Fortson, GA 31808
Phone: (706) 576-4900
Website: https://burnthickory.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Cookie's K-9 Rescue ($64K). Together the top 10 received $170K.
Grant Size Distribution
113 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 109 grants of 113 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 54% of grant dollars went to recipients in Alabama and 35% to recipients in Georgia. Smaller shares went to recipients in Washington (3%), Illinois (3%), and Florida (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 27 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
52%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 14 of 27 grantees (52%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $11K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 37% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−10%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $118K (2021) to $223K (2022). In 2025 it made 27 grants totaling $200K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cookie's K-9 Rescue Lafayette, AL | Animal Welfare | $64,000 |
| Holding Hope Inc Cuthbert, GA | Animal Welfare | $20,000 |
| Humane County of Harris County Hamilton, GA | Animal Welfare | $17,135 |
| Woof Avenue Rescue Auburn, AL | Animal Welfare | $15,000 |
| Animal Ark Rescue Columbus, GA | Animal Welfare | $14,000 |
| Cruiser's Legacy Animal Rescue Auburn, AL | Animal Welfare | $12,500 |
| Savage Hart Forston, GA | Animal Welfare | $10,000 |
| Operation Dog Tag Ferndale, WA | Animal Welfare | $6,950 |
| Phenix City Court Referrals Phenix City, AL | Animal Welfare | $5,400 |
| New Hope Rescue Inc Opelika, AL | Animal Welfare | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $39,653 | $225,000 | $201,880 | $200,285 | 27 | $200,285 | $2,135 |
| 2024 | $16,533 | $125,000 | $125,825 | $124,350 | 16 | $124,350 | $973 |
| 2023 | $17,358 | $220,000 | $223,492 | $222,017 | 22 | $222,017 | $2,047 |
| 2022 | $20,850 | $150,000 | $224,180 | $222,650 | 18 | $222,650 | $2,650 |
| 2021 | $81,530 | $200,000 | $118,470 | $117,700 | 30 | $117,700 | $3,094 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $2K for 2025 — 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 in the available information. Its 2025 grants show a strong animal-welfare focus. For example, New Hope Rescue Inc says it provides temporary housing and veterinary care for homeless pets through a foster-based program, while Ruby Whiskers Animal Rescue says it rescues, shelters, and cares for dogs and cats while seeking permanent homes for them.
The 2025 recipients also included organizations with other purposes. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital describes its mission as advancing cures and prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Florida Wild Mammal Association describes its work as wildlife rehabilitation and education.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 27 grants totaling $200,285. Grants ranged from $750 to $64,000, with a median grant of $2,500. The largest listed awards included $64,000 to Cookie’s K-9 Rescue, $20,000 to Holding Hope Inc, $17,135 to Humane County of Harris County, $15,000 to Woof Avenue Rescue, and $14,000 to Animal Ark Rescue; each was reported for animal welfare. Other 2025 grants included $5,000 to New Hope Rescue Inc, $4,500 to Ruby Whiskers Animal Rescue NFP, and $1,000 each to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Turning Point USA Inc, and Florida Wild Mammal Association.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists James G Stelzenmuller III as CFO, Patsy D Stelzenmuller as Secretary, and Bonnie Jean Stelzenmuller as Vice President.
Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Bonnie Jean Stelzenmuller
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
James G. Stelzenmuller III
CFO
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Patsy D. Stelzenmuller
Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc
How much does Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc give each year?
Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc gave $200K across 27 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $124K across 16 grants.
What is Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $7,418, across 27 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc that year got $4K on average.
Where does Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc give grants?
Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc gives mostly in Alabama: 54% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Georgia (35%). The most frequent recipient cities were Auburn, AL (2 grants), Columbus, GA (2 grants) and Memphis, TN (2 grants).
Does Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 27 grants with a stated purpose on Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Animal Welfare" (25 grants).
Who are Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Cookie's K-9 Rescue ($64,000), Holding Hope Inc ($20,000) and Humane County of Harris County ($17,135), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 50% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc?
Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc reported $40K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $200K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided in the available information. Its 2025 grants show a strong animal-welfare focus. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc?
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 Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc's EIN?
Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-1207236. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 1, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 10, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 5, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/burnt-hickory-foundation-inc-morg_aa00fd3e0f7d40f7a038f1bb57fa0b32
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_851207236_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/burnt-hickory-foundation-inc-morg_aa00fd3e0f7d40f7a038f1bb57fa0b32},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Burnt Hickory Foundation Inc'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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