Community Foundation of West Alabama
The Community Foundation of West Alabama is a public charity located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Organized in 1999, it receives and expends charitable funds for the benefit of communities in the West Alabama area.
Community Foundation of West Alabama at a glance
In short: Community Foundation of West Alabama gave $840K across 38 grants in 2025 (avg $22K). 16% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $839,858
- -39.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 38
- -11.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $22,102
- -31.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $33,503,993
- +71.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 16% first-time grantees (6 of 38, 2025)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated November 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Community Foundation of West Alabama
- How to Apply
-
Submit the regular grant application with the required materials for consideration by the Grant Review Committee and Board of Directors.
- Review Cycle
- The community grant cycles have deadlines of **April 1 and November 1** each year. The next stated deadline is **November 1, 2026**.
- Deadline
- The community grant cycles have deadlines of April 1 and November 1 each year.
- Next open deadline
- March 1, 2027 (Elois Zeanah Endowed Scholarship)
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 3033, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403
Phone: (205) 366-0698
Website: https://thecfwa.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from Community Foundation of West Alabama
Community Foundation of West Alabama: Community Grants- Regular Grant
Community Foundation of West Alabama
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Community Foundation of West Alabama: Education Grant
Community Foundation of West Alabama
Amount
Up to US $500
Deadline
Deadline not published
Elois Zeanah Endowed Scholarship
Community Foundation of West Alabama
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Expected ~March
Based on past cycles
Who Community Foundation of West Alabama funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was University of Alabama ($135K). Together the top 10 received $545K.
Grant Size Distribution
179 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 152 grants of 179 (85%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s community grantmaking benefits communities in the West Alabama area. The filing reports that all 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in one state, but does not identify that state in the supplied data.
Is Community Foundation of West Alabama open to new grantees?
16%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 38 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $24K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $12K repeat.
- 68% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+14%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). 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 $530K (2019) to $1.4M (2024). In 2025 it made 38 grants totaling $840K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama | General Fund | $135,335 |
| The Church at Tuscaloosa | General Fund | $87,396 |
| Children's Hands-on Museum | General Fund | $50,338 |
| Feed My Starving Children | General Fund | $50,000 |
| Christ Episcopal | General Fund | $48,740 |
| St Mark Methodist Church | General Fund | $46,000 |
| First Presbyterian Church of Tuscaloosa | General Fund | $39,242 |
| American Christian Academy | General Fund | $30,422 |
| United Way of West Alabama | General Fund | $29,200 |
| Grace Presbyterian Church | General Fund | $28,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Community Foundation of West Alabama?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The Foundation reports $2,813,555 in gifts received during 2024 and $25,101,083 in grants awarded from inception through December 31, 2024. It also reports that 14 scholarship recipients received a total of $53,000 in 2024.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $33,503,993 | $13,941,495 | $1,542,775 | $839,858 | 38 | $740,614 |
| 2024 | $19,492,749 | $3,727,647 | $1,963,851 | $1,392,305 | 43 | $596,336 |
| 2023 | $17,144,123 | $2,996,126 | $1,712,344 | $1,250,010 | 41 | $409,576 |
| 2022 | $15,413,835 | $1,116,961 | $1,223,331 | $737,071 | 32 | $295,706 |
| 2021 | $19,060,733 | $2,179,444 | $1,013,492 | $537,233 | 25 | $365,242 |
| 2020 | $16,669,868 | $1,717,684 | $1,181,290 | $727,450 | 30 | $215,542 |
| 2019 | $15,469,152 | $3,220,874 | $912,040 | $530,150 | 37 | $352,614 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated mission is to further charitable, educational, literary, religious, scientific, and other endeavors within the West Alabama area and to enable individuals and organizations to better their communities.
Community grants may support arts and humanities, children and youth, education, elder care, the environment, health and medicine, recreation, and social welfare. The Foundation says it looks for requests addressing critical community needs and root causes, avoiding duplication of existing services unless serving unserved populations, and involving collaboration and ways to measure impact. It also considers applicants’ expertise and experience.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the Foundation reported 43 itemized grants totaling $1,392,305. Grant amounts ranged from $5,250 to $157,020, with a median of $12,400. The Foundation separately reports that $1,740,818 in grants were authorized for 2024.
Among the largest itemized grants were $157,020 to Arts ’N Autism, $152,544 to Second Wind Program Inc., $135,835 to JH Ranch, $104,000 to DCH Foundation, and $92,500 to the University of Alabama. Each was listed for a general fund.
For non-donor-advised funds, grant awards are based on applications and require a report to the Foundation within six months of receipt. Donor-advised grants are based on donor recommendations; the Foundation verifies that recipients are charitable organizations, with board approval required for grants over $10,000 and director approval for grants under $10,000.
Community grant applicants must include an IRS tax-determination letter identifying the organization, its tax identification number, and its tax-exempt status. Applications are initially checked for required materials, then reviewed by the Grant Review Committee, which recommends awards to the Board of Directors. The Board makes final grant decisions.
The Foundation does not make grants to individuals, for religious purposes, ticketed events, political purposes, lobbying, replacement of government funding, endowments, or other discretionary pools. It ordinarily does not fund operating expenses except in the initial stages of a pilot project, regularly recurring program expenses, or regularly supported activities of fundraising organizations. Organizations that have received grants are advised to wait a year before reapplying.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Lin Moore as chair and Glenn Taylor as president and CEO. Other listed officers and directors are Pierce Boyd, Sam Faucett, Phyllis Gamble (treasurer), Judge John England Jr., Susan Cork, Leah Ann Sexton, Claude Edwards (past chair), and Thomas A. Nettles IV.
Community Foundation of West Alabama is led by Glenn Taylor, President & CEO on every filing since 2019; 1 of 14 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Glenn Taylor
President & CEO
On filings since 2019
20 hrs/week
$42K (2019) → $58K (2025)
Bobby Ingram
Chairman
Director → Vice Chairman, 2024
Vice Chairman → Chairman, 2025
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas A. Nettles IV
Director
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chris McCool
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan Cork
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brad Crow
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Judge Wade Drinkard
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Libby Shaw
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michele Coley
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mike Mitchell
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William Walker Jr.
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lin Moore
Past Chair
Treasurer → Chairman, 2023
Chairman → Past Chair, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Phyllis Gamble
Vice Chairman
Director → Treasurer, 2024
Treasurer → Vice Chairman, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Heyward Gould
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (15)
- Former: Claude Edwards (2019–2024) — Past Chair
- Former: Dave Pass (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Judge John England Jr. (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Leah Ann Sexton (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Pierce Boyd (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Sam Faucett (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: James I. Harrison III (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Pam Parker (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Barry Mason (2019–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Mary Bess Paluzzi (2019–2022) — Vice President
- Former: Shelley Jones (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Hugh Stegall (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: John T. Dewitt (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: James Flemming (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Davis S. Burton Jr. (2019) — Director
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $58K, to Glenn Taylor (President & CEO).
Frequently asked questions about Community Foundation of West Alabama
How much does Community Foundation of West Alabama give each year?
Community Foundation of West Alabama gave $840K across 38 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.4M across 43 grants.
What is Community Foundation of West Alabama's typical grant size?
Community Foundation of West Alabama's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $22,102, across 38 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Community Foundation of West Alabama that year got $9K on average.
Does Community Foundation of West Alabama give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Community Foundation of West Alabama's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (38 of 38) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are Community Foundation of West Alabama's largest grantees?
Community Foundation of West Alabama's largest 2025 grantees include University of Alabama ($135,335), The Church at Tuscaloosa ($87,396) and Children's Hands-on Museum ($50,338), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Community Foundation of West Alabama?
Community Foundation of West Alabama reported $33.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $13.9M.
What does Community Foundation of West Alabama fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission is to further charitable, educational, literary, religious, scientific, and other endeavors within the West Alabama area and to enable individuals and organizations to better their communities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Community Foundation of West Alabama?
Submit the regular grant application with the required materials for consideration by the Grant Review Committee and Board of Directors. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does Community Foundation of West Alabama make grants?
The Foundation’s community grantmaking benefits communities in the West Alabama area. The filing reports that all 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in one state, but does not identify that state in the supplied data.
What is Community Foundation of West Alabama's EIN?
Community Foundation of West Alabama's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 63-1225003. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 15, 2026)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 10, 2022)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Community Foundation of West Alabama funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Community Foundation of West Alabama's focus areas in our free grants database
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Community Foundation of West Alabama down — hundreds of funders to go?