Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville
The Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville is a public charity based in Huntsville, Alabama. Incorporated in 2008, it convenes donors, nonprofit organizations, community groups, local government, and businesses to mobilize philanthropy and address regional needs.
Key facts about Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville
In short: Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville gave $11.7M across 285 grants in 2024 (avg $41K). 40% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 26-3750673
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $11,695,517
- Grants made (2024)
- 285
- Average grant
- $41,037
- Median grant
- $14,700
- New grantees (estimate)
- 40% first-time grantees (113 of 282, 2024)
- Total assets
- $66,326,810
- How to apply
- The website provides links to current grant opportunities and an application option for Foundation grants; application details vary by program. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The listed 2026 cycles have passed.
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 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 2024 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$66.3M
+29.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$11.7M
-16.4% YoY
Grant Count
285
+9.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$41K
-23.4% YoY
Is Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville open to new grantees?
40%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 113 of 282 grantees (40%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $28K; repeat grants $50K. How we count
Medians: $11K first-time, $22K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2024). 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 Foundation’s mission is to “mobilize generosity to improve quality of life in our community.” Its website says donors can direct giving to one or more areas of its Quality of Life Framework, or to other causes supported by charities that align with their philanthropic plans.
The 2024 filing describes endowments supporting broad community needs, equity gaps, women and families, and education-related needs. It also reports grants from the Compass Society, Women’s Philanthropy Society, and Racial Equity Fund.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the Foundation reported 285 grants totaling $11,695,517. Grant amounts ranged from $5,100 to $651,700, with a median of $14,700. The largest reported awards included $651,700 to Freed-Hardeman University for a capital campaign and scholarships; $600,000 to the City of Huntsville for the Huntsville City Football Club Stadium; $381,650 to Kids to Love Foundation for Davidson Farms and wellness support; and $379,716 to the University of Alabama in Huntsville Foundation for an endowed chair, capital campaign, and scholarships.
The 2024 filing also reports that the Compass Society awarded $50,000 each to Huntsville Hospital Foundation and United Way of Madison County. The Women’s Philanthropy Society awarded $50,000 each to Boys and Girls Clubs of North Alabama and WellStone. The Racial Equity Fund selected seven nonprofits for a total of $73,250.
The website describes the Compass Society as supporting high-impact, collaborative, visionary projects spanning the Foundation’s Quality of Life Framework, with awards of $50,000 to nonprofits serving Jackson, Limestone, Madison, Marshall, and Morgan Counties. It reports that two organizations received $75,000 combined in 2025. The listed 2026 Compass Society grant cycle, April 1–June 30, has passed. Other grant opportunities listed on the website also have 2026 cycles that have passed as of October 2, 2026.
Review Cycle
The listed 2026 cycles have passed. The website lists future cycle dates only for the programs and periods described above.
How to Apply
The website provides links to current grant opportunities and an application option for Foundation grants; application details vary by program.
Open Grants
15 open opportunities from Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville
ALATEC Corporate Care Fund
Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling (quarterly review)
CAP & GOWN Project Fund
Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville
Amount
$35,000+
Deadline
Deadline not published
CFGH: Racial Equity Fund
Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Ready to take the next step with Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s website identifies its service area as Jackson, Limestone, Madison, Marshall, and Morgan Counties. Its grantmaking page describes the GFiber Digital Inclusion Fund as supporting digital inclusion in Huntsville, Alabama.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $3.8M (2019) to $14.0M (2023). In 2024 it made 285 grants totaling $11.7M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Freed-Hardeman University ($652K). Together the top 10 received $3.8M.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 individual scholarships ($85,300), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
1,169 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 956 grants of 1,169 (82%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Freed-Hardeman University | Capital Campign and various Scholarships | $651,700 |
| City of Huntsville | Huntsville City Football Club Stadium | $600,000 |
| Kids to Love Foundation | Davidson Farms and Wellness Support | $381,650 |
| University of Alabama in Huntsville Foundation | Endowed Chair, Capital Campaign, and various scholarships | $379,716 |
| Maranatha Camp and Conference Center Inc | Agency Withdrawal and General Support | $371,034 |
| Whitesburg Baptist Church | Religion, Capital Campaign, and Missions | $357,015 |
| The Museum of Information Explosion (SIGNALS) | Capital Campaign | $356,500 |
| HudsonAlpha Foundation | Healthcare Research | $316,009 |
| Huntsville Hospital Foundation Inc | Capital Campaign, Sponsorships, and General Support | $202,500 |
| Houston PetSet | General Support Sponsorship | $200,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $66,326,810 | $23,055,184 | $13,945,107 | $11,695,517 |
| 2023 | $51,319,803 | $17,823,410 | $15,700,525 | $13,987,722 |
| 2022 | $46,091,896 | $14,359,826 | $11,421,752 | $10,498,401 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $66,326,810 | $51,319,803 | $46,091,896 |
| Revenue | $23,055,184 | $17,823,410 | $14,359,826 |
| Expenses | $13,945,107 | $15,700,525 | $11,421,752 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,958,202 | $1,248,746 | $1,055,183 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 23, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 4, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 29, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 28, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 19, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 8, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Sidney Ray White Jr as Chair, Susan Lynn Troy as Vice Chair, Garfield Wilbur Boon III as Secretary, and Penny Billings as Treasurer. It also lists Brad Garland, Christopher Russell, Clay Hagan, D Ashley Jones, Douglas C Martinson II, and Elizabeth Abel as members.
Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville is led by Melissa Thompson, CEO & President on every filing since 2019; 1 of 19 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Melissa Thompson
CEO & President
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$81K (2019) → $128K (2024)
Sidney Ray White Jr.
Chair
New on the 2024 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Clay Hagan
Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jay Dryden
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kristina Hendrix
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Penny Billings
Treasurer
Member → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
George Smith
Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brad Garland
Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Abel
Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gary Whitley Jr.
Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lori Womack
Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christopher Russell
Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
D Ashley Jones
Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Douglas C Martinson II
Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Garfield Wilbur Boon III
Secretary
New on the 2024 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Henry L Isenberg III
Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Katherine Elizabeth Sippel
Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Leta Demaioribus
Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susan Lynn Troy
Vice Chair
New on the 2024 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (20)
- Former: Chris Hinson (2019–2023) — Member
- Former: Chris Russell (2019–2023) — Member
- Former: Jessica Hovis Smith (2019–2023) — Member
- Former: Lynn Troy (2019–2023) — Vice Chair
- Former: Mike Demaioribus (2019–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Ray White (2019–2023) — Chair
- Former: Cecilia Showalter (2021–2023) — Member
- Former: Gw Boon III (2022–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Doug Martinson II (2023) — Member
- Former: Frank Williams (2019–2022) — Member
- Former: Ginger Harper (2019–2022) — Chair
- Former: Mike Lowe (2019–2022) — Member
- Former: Tina Watts (2020–2022) — Member
- Former: James Gilbert MD (2019–2021) — Member
- Former: Clayton Gibson (2021) — Member
- Former: Joe Alexander (2019–2020) — Past Chair
- Former: Nancy Washington Vaughn (2019–2020) — Secretary
- Former: Kevin Webber (2019) — Member
- Former: Pam Hudson MD (2019) — Member
- Former: Stuart Obermann (2019) — CEO & President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "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 $128K, to Melissa Thompson (CEO/President).
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 332, Huntsville, AL 35804
Phone: (256) 489-3525
Frequently asked questions about Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville
How much does Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville give each year?
Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville gave $11.7M across 285 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $14.0M across 261 grants.
What is Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville's typical grant size?
Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville's median grant in 2024 was $14,700, and its average grant was $41,037, across 285 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville that year got $28K on average.
Does Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville give general operating support?
Yes: 87% of Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (248 of 285) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Capital Campaign" (4 grants) and "Scholarships" (3 grants).
Who are Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville's largest grantees?
Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville's largest 2024 grantees include Freed-Hardeman University ($651,700), City of Huntsville ($600,000) and Kids to Love Foundation ($381,650), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. It also paid 2 individual scholarships ($85,300), which are not listed by name. Together they received 14% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville?
Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville reported $66.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $23.1M.
What does Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville fund?
The Foundation’s mission is to “mobilize generosity to improve quality of life in our community.” Its website says donors can direct giving to one or more areas of its Quality of Life Framework, or to other causes supported by charities that align with their philanthropic plans. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville?
The website provides links to current grant opportunities and an application option for Foundation grants; application details vary by program. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville make grants?
The Foundation’s website identifies its service area as Jackson, Limestone, Madison, Marshall, and Morgan Counties. Its grantmaking page describes the GFiber Digital Inclusion Fund as supporting digital inclusion in Huntsville, Alabama.
What is Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville's EIN?
Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-3750673. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Here's the math on researching Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville by hand.
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