Carol and Witt Stephens Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Little Rock, Arkansas. Its 2024 filing lists grants to charitable organizations, including an Arkansas arts institution, churches, conservation organizations, and groups supporting education, health, and food assistance.
Key facts about Carol and Witt Stephens
In short: Carol and Witt Stephens gave $976K across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $89K), mostly in Virginia. 18% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 31-1740109
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $975,739
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- Average grant
- $88,704
- Median grant
- $12,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (2 of 11, 2025)
- Total assets
- $1,607,102
- Primary geography
- Virginia (69% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- 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. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.6M
-25.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$976K
+188.2% YoY
Grant Count
11
+10.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$89K
+162.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Carol and Witt Stephens reported a distributable amount of $202K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Carol and Witt Stephens open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 11 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $108K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 64% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 47% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 483% 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts Foundation, which says it manages an endowment for the benefit of the museum and holds title to its art collection. Other grantees describe their work as supporting wildlife and conservation, post-secondary education for low-income single parents, research and care for the NF community, and waterfowl and waterfowl hunting.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 10 grants totaling $338,515. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $200,000, with a median of $11,000. The largest grants included $200,000 to the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts Foundation, $50,000 to Salem First Baptist Church, $37,915 to Tall Timbers Foundation, and $20,000 to USET Foundation.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 83% of grant dollars went to recipients in Arkansas, 11% to Florida, 6% to New Jersey, and 0% to North Dakota.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 11 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
Cities
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
71 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| JEFFERSON SCHOLARS FOUNDATION Charlottesville, VA | 38,500 UNITS OF ENERGY TRANSFER PARTNERS LP | $669,515 |
| ARKANSAS MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS FOUNDATION Litle Rock, AR | REIMAGINING THE ARKANSAS MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS CAMPAIGN | $200,000 |
| TALL TIMBERS FOUNDATION Tallahassee, FL | ALBANY QUAIL PROJECT | $30,124 |
| ARKANSAS GAME & FISH FOUNDATION Litle Rock, AR | MALLARDS FOR MARION & GET IT FOR GAME WARDENS | $21,000 |
| USET FOUNDATION Gladstone, NJ | PATHWAY TO THE PODIUM | $20,000 |
| NEW LIFE CHURCH Conway, AR | GENERAL FUND | $12,000 |
| ARKANSAS SINGLE PARENT SCHOLARSHIP FUND Springdale, AR | 2025 A DAY OF HOPE PRESENTING SPONSORSHIP | $10,000 |
| SCULPTURE AT THE RIVERMARKET Little Rock, AR | GENERAL FUND | $5,000 |
| GREATER HOUSTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION Houston, TX | BRITTANY ANN HILDEBRAND FUND FOR ADHD PRESCRIPTION REFORM | $5,000 |
| FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Magnolia, AR | TUCKER ELLIOTT FRANKS SCHOLARSHIP FUND | $2,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,152,142 | $91,736 | $345,449 | $338,515 | 10 |
| 2023 | $2,407,411 | $138,278 | $1,097,644 | $1,092,725 | 17 |
| 2022 | $3,367,222 | $74,347 | $1,896,456 | $1,845,495 | 17 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,607,102 | $2,152,142 | $2,407,411 |
| Revenue | $437,979 | $91,736 | $138,278 |
| Expenses | $982,003 | $345,449 | $1,097,644 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $975,739 | $338,515 | $1,092,725 |
| Net Investment Income | $437,979 | $91,736 | $138,278 |
| Distributable Amount | $202,006 | $208,089 | $219,741 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 24, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
W.R. Stephens Jr. is listed as a trustee on the 2024 filing.
Carol and Witt Stephens is led by Wr Stephens Jr., Trustee on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Wr Stephens Jr.
Trustee
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.
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 3417, Little Rock, AR 72203
Phone: (501) 377-2118
Frequently asked questions about Carol and Witt Stephens
How much does Carol and Witt Stephens give each year?
Carol and Witt Stephens gave $976K across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $339K across 10 grants.
What is Carol and Witt Stephens's typical grant size?
Carol and Witt Stephens's median grant in 2025 was $12,000, and its average grant was $88,704, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Carol and Witt Stephens that year got $4K on average.
Where does Carol and Witt Stephens give grants?
Carol and Witt Stephens gives mostly in Virginia: 69% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Arkansas (26%). The most frequent recipient cities were Litle Rock, AR (2 grants).
Does Carol and Witt Stephens give general operating support?
Yes: 18% of Carol and Witt Stephens's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (2 of 11) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Carol and Witt Stephens's largest grantees?
Carol and Witt Stephens's largest 2025 grantees include Jefferson Scholars Foundation ($669,515), Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts Foundation ($200,000) and Tall Timbers Foundation ($30,124), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 92% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Carol and Witt Stephens?
Carol and Witt Stephens reported $1.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $976K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $202K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Carol and Witt Stephens fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts Foundation, which says it manages an endowment for the benefit of the museum and holds title to its art collection. Other grantees describe their work as supporting wildlife and conservation, post-secondary education for low-income single parents, research and care for the NF community, and waterfowl and waterfowl hunting.
How do I apply for a grant from Carol and Witt Stephens?
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 Carol and Witt Stephens's EIN?
Carol and Witt Stephens's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1740109. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Carol and Witt Stephens accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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