C Spire Foundation
C Spire Foundation is a private foundation based in Ridgeland, Mississippi, and funded by C Spire. It says its mission is to inspire excellence and transform the communities it serves, with support for STEM education, digital literacy, and professional skills development for students.
C Spire Foundation at a glance
In short: C Spire Foundation gave $617K across 41 grants in 2025 (avg $15K), mostly in Mississippi. 22% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $616,563
- -27.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 41
- -25.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $15,038
- -2.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $7,500
- Total assets
- $364,149
- -4.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 22% first-time grantees (8 of 37, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Mississippi (93% 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 C Spire Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation provides an online application for formal requests. Applicants are asked to provide information about the organization’s 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, event details, and audience. The foundation considers support for 501(c)(3) organizations primarily focused on STEAM education that supports digital literacy, technology, professional skills, and workforce development, with preference for organizations based in its region. Sponsorship proposals should be submitted at least 90 days before an event; the review process is approximately two to three weeks. Grant requests should be submitted 150 days before an event; the review period is up to four weeks.
- Review Cycle
- For sponsorships, submit at least 90 days before the event. For grants, submit 150 days before the event.
- Deadline
- For sponsorships, submit at least 90 days before the event.
- Contact
Application contact: Elizabeth C Pickering
Mailing address: 1018 Highland Colony Pkwy, Suite 700, Ridgeland, MS 39157
Phone: (601) 974-7645
Website: https://cspire.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from C Spire Foundation
Who C Spire Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Friends of Russell C Davis Planetarium ($100K). Together the top 10 received $414K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($12,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
210 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 199 grants of 210 (95%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it supports students across Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama, with preference for organizations based in its region. In 2025, 93% of grant dollars went to recipients in Mississippi, 4% to Alabama, 2% to Tennessee, and 1% to Ohio.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 41 itemized grants.
Cities
Is C Spire Foundation open to new grantees?
22%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 37 grantees (22%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $18K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 62% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 106% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 901% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $299K (2022) to $1.4M (2021). In 2025 it made 41 grants totaling $617K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Friends of Russell C Davis Planetarium Jackson, MS | Planetarium | $100,000 |
| Base Camp Academy Water Valley, MS | Sustaining Sponsor Base Camp Coding Academy STEM | $75,000 |
| Pinola Community Center Pinola, MS | STEM Program | $50,000 |
| Eudora Welty Foundation Jackson, MS | Scholastic Writing Awards | $40,000 |
| Bean Path Jackson, MS | Summer Camp | $30,000 |
| Mississippi Childrens Museum Jackson, MS | MS Science Festival | $26,328 |
| American Red Cross Flowood, MS | Disaster Relief | $25,000 |
| Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi Hernando, MS | Global Teaching Project STEM | $25,000 |
| Community Foundation for Mississippi Jackson, MS | National Folk Festival Family Area | $20,000 |
| Jackson State University Jackson, MS | Annual Scholarship | $15,000 |
Ready to take the next step with C Spire Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $364,149 | $600,000 | $674,932 | $616,563 | 41 | $674,932 | $74,915 |
| 2024 | $383,081 | $591,511 | $896,491 | $849,957 | 55 | $896,491 | $27,012 |
| 2023 | $688,061 | $600,000 | $584,764 | $516,855 | 62 | $584,764 | $32,582 |
| 2022 | $672,825 | $600,000 | $344,398 | $299,100 | 27 | $344,398 | $25,817 |
| 2021 | $417,223 | $2,500 | $1,427,383 | $1,381,700 | 25 | $1,427,383 | $72,558 |
| 2020 | $1,842,106 | $1,003,850 | $517,692 | $473,000 | 23 | — | $56,915 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, C Spire Foundation reported a distributable amount of $75K 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
The foundation supports STEM education, digital literacy, technology, professional skills, and workforce development. Its website describes initiatives including computer science teacher training, scholarships, support for Base Camp Coding Academy, and the C3 Jr. Coding Challenge at the Mississippi Science Fest.
Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations and projects, including science and technology education, scholarships, writing awards, disaster relief, and community events. Among the recipients, Bean Path describes its mission as creating equitable STEAM opportunities in Mississippi by providing access to tools, knowledge, and networks. The Eudora Welty Foundation says it was created to assist the Mississippi Department of Archives and History with preserving and maintaining the Eudora Welty House. The Mississippi Children’s Museum describes its mission as creating experiences that inspire excellence and a lifelong joy of learning.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 41 grants totaling $616,563. Awards ranged from $1,000 to $100,000, with a median grant of $7,500. Notable awards included $100,000 to Friends of Russell C Davis Planetarium for the planetarium; $75,000 to Base Camp Academy for sustaining sponsorship of Base Camp Coding Academy STEM; $50,000 to Pinola Community Center for a STEM program; and $40,000 to the Eudora Welty Foundation for Scholastic Writing Awards. Other awards included $30,000 to Bean Path for a summer camp, $26,328 to the Mississippi Children’s Museum for the MS Science Festival, and $25,000 to the American Red Cross for disaster relief.
The foundation also awarded $15,000 to Troy University Foundation for an annual scholarship. The foundation’s announcement says this scholarship program provides three students studying specified fields—including accounting, computer and information sciences, electronics engineering, or cyber security—with $5,000 each for the 2025–2026 school year.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Elizabeth C Pickering as executive director and president; Jim Richmond, Hu Meena, Meredith Creekmore, Hugh Goings, and Betsy Oellerich as directors; Wesley Goings as treasurer; and Cara Carr as secretary.
C Spire Foundation is led by Elizabeth C. Pickering, Executive Director President since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 8 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Elizabeth C. Pickering
Executive Director President
Executive Director → Executive Director President, 2024
On filings since 2020
$15K (2020) → $0 (2025)
Hu Meena
Director
President → Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Jim Richmond
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Meredith Creekmore
Director
Secretary & Treasurer → Secr Treasurer, 2021
Secr Treasurer → Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Betsy Oellerich
Director
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Hugh Goings
Director
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Wesley Goings
Treasurer
Vice President → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Cara Carr
Secretary
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Tanya Rankin (2024) — Vice President
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $9K, to Elizabeth C Pickering (Exec DIR President).
Frequently asked questions about C Spire Foundation
How much does C Spire Foundation give each year?
C Spire Foundation gave $617K across 41 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $850K across 55 grants.
What is C Spire Foundation's typical grant size?
C Spire Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $7,500, and its average grant was $15,038, across 41 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from C Spire Foundation that year got $12K on average.
Where does C Spire Foundation give grants?
C Spire Foundation gives mostly in Mississippi: 93% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Jackson, MS (13 grants), Mississippi State, MS (2 grants), Troy, AL (2 grants) and University, MS (2 grants).
Does C Spire Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 41 grants with a stated purpose on C Spire Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Annual Scholarship" (9 grants) and "STEM Program" (3 grants).
Who are C Spire Foundation's largest grantees?
C Spire Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Friends of Russell C Davis Planetarium ($100,000), Base Camp Academy ($75,000) and Pinola Community Center ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($12,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is C Spire Foundation?
C Spire Foundation reported $364K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $675K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $75K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does C Spire Foundation fund?
The foundation supports STEM education, digital literacy, technology, professional skills, and workforce development. Its website describes initiatives including computer science teacher training, scholarships, support for Base Camp Coding Academy, and the C3 Jr. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from C Spire Foundation?
The foundation provides an online application for formal requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is C Spire Foundation's EIN?
C Spire Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-3426826. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in C Spire Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). C Spire Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/c-spire-foundation-morg_d5250959b40549f38a7650bf09742f4e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_203426826_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{C Spire Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/c-spire-foundation-morg_d5250959b40549f38a7650bf09742f4e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 C Spire 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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