Coal Creek Watershed Foundation
Coal Creek Watershed Foundation is a private foundation based in Knoxville, Tennessee. Its website describes an all-volunteer organization working to improve quality of life in the Coal Creek watershed, including through scholarships, watershed education and American chestnut planting on reclaimed mine land.
Coal Creek Watershed Foundation at a glance
In short: Coal Creek Watershed Foundation gave $41K across 18 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in Tennessee. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $41,000
- +173.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 18
- +200.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,278
- -8.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $181,956
- -7.6% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Coal Creek Watershed Foundation
- 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. The scholarship information describes a program for eligible students, rather than an open grant program for outside applicants.
- Contact
Mailing address: 9411 Abbey Mist Lane, Knoxville, TN 37931
Phone: (865) 690-4268
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Coal Creek Watershed Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Alexis McCoy ($3K). Together the top 10 received $25K.
Grant Size Distribution
51 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 51 grants of 51 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing shows that 100% of grant dollars went to recipients in Tennessee. The foundation’s website describes the Coal Creek watershed as encompassing Lake City, Briceville, Fraterville and Beech Grove.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Coal Creek Watershed Foundation gives
- 28% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 86% from 2022 to 2025. 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 (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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2K (2019) to $41K (2025). In 2025 it made 18 grants totaling $41K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Alexis McCoy Rocky Top, TN | Educational Support | $2,500 |
| Alexis Seibers Rocky Top, TN | Educational Support | $2,500 |
| Bella Fleming Jacksboro, TN | Educational Support | $2,500 |
| Brooklyn Dugger Briceville, TN | Educational Support | $2,500 |
| Madison Braden Caryville, TN | Educational Support | $2,500 |
| Lonna Barnette Briceville, TN | Educational Support | $2,500 |
| Kyrstan Campbell Briceville, TN | Educational Support | $2,500 |
| Carly Goans Briceville, TN | Educational Support | $2,500 |
| Madison Barber Briceville, TN | Educational Support | $2,500 |
| Saylor Hutcheson Caryville, TN | Educational Support | $2,500 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $181,956 | $30,000 | $44,931 | $41,000 | 18 | $44,931 | $736 |
| 2024 | $196,887 | $15,000 | $18,731 | $15,000 | 6 | $18,731 | $860 |
| 2023 | $200,618 | $11,260 | $11,003 | $7,500 | 3 | $11,003 | $1,046 |
| 2022 | $200,361 | $26,000 | $25,605 | $22,000 | 10 | $25,605 | $947 |
| 2021 | $199,966 | $45,868 | $40,197 | $36,000 | 14 | $40,197 | $765 |
| 2020 | $194,295 | $32,550 | $29,057 | $25,000 | 10 | — | $839 |
| 2019 | $190,802 | $1,150 | $3,322 | $2,000 | 1 | — | $792 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Coal Creek Watershed Foundation reported a distributable amount of $736 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’s website describes its efforts as improving quality of life in the Coal Creek watershed. Its stated activities include the Coal Creek Scholars Program, teaching students about local history and planting American chestnuts on abandoned mine land.
The website describes the Scholars Program as providing financial aid and guidance to graduates of Briceville Elementary School pursuing college or technical education. The 2025 filing lists educational support as the purpose of the grants shown.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 18 grants totaling $41,000. The grants ranged from $2,000 to $2,500, with a median of $2,500. Listed recipients include Alexis McCoy and Alexis Seibers, each receiving $2,500 for educational support, and Zeb West and Josie Adams, each receiving $2,000 for educational support.
The foundation’s website describes scholarship assistance for Briceville School graduates. A page dated August 28, 2019 describes a past application cycle: high school seniors were asked to submit an essay before April 15 of their senior year, addressing their intended studies, GPA, community service and plans to use their education to improve quality of life in Anderson County. The page says preference was given to applicants pursuing fields expected to qualify them for employment after graduation. These are historical instructions, not a current deadline or application cycle.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Barry Thacker as president, Carol Moore as secretary and Mary Thacker as treasurer.
Coal Creek Watershed Foundation is led by Barry Thacker, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Barry Thacker
President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carol Moore
Secretary
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mary Thacker
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Coal Creek Watershed Foundation
How much does Coal Creek Watershed Foundation give each year?
Coal Creek Watershed Foundation gave $41K across 18 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $15K across 6 grants.
What is Coal Creek Watershed Foundation's typical grant size?
Coal Creek Watershed Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $2,278, across 18 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Coal Creek Watershed Foundation give grants?
Coal Creek Watershed Foundation gives mostly in Tennessee: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Briceville, TN (5 grants), Copperhill, TN (5 grants), Rocky Top, TN (2 grants) and Caryville, TN (2 grants).
Does Coal Creek Watershed Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 18 grants with a stated purpose on Coal Creek Watershed Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Educational Support" (18 grants).
Who are Coal Creek Watershed Foundation's largest grantees?
Coal Creek Watershed Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Alexis McCoy ($2,500), Alexis Seibers ($2,500) and Bella Fleming ($2,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 18% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Coal Creek Watershed Foundation?
Coal Creek Watershed Foundation reported $182K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $45K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $736 (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Coal Creek Watershed Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website describes its efforts as improving quality of life in the Coal Creek watershed. Its stated activities include the Coal Creek Scholars Program, teaching students about local history and planting American chestnuts on abandoned mine land. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Coal Creek Watershed Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Coal Creek Watershed Foundation's EIN?
Coal Creek Watershed Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 62-1832028. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Coal Creek Watershed Foundation 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
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS September 8, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Coal Creek Watershed Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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