Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation
The Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation is a private foundation based in Savannah, Georgia. It makes charitable grants to organizations, with 2024 grant dollars concentrated in Georgia and North Carolina.
Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation at a glance
In short: Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation gave $732K across 28 grants in 2024 (avg $26K), mostly in Georgia. 14% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $731,800
- +38.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 28
- -6.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $26,136
- +48.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $9,670,820
- -0.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 14% first-time grantees (4 of 28, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Georgia (80% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 15 Lake Street 210, Savannah, GA 31411
Phone: (912) 598-1771
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Second Harvest of Coastal GA ($360K). Together the top 10 received $600K.
Grant Size Distribution
151 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 143 grants of 151 (95%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 80% of grant dollars went to recipients in Georgia and 14% to recipients in North Carolina. The remaining reported shares were 3% for Washington, DC, and 1% each for California and Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation open to new grantees?
14%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 28 grantees (14%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $14K; repeat grants $28K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 57% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 70% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 138% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $431K (2021) to $732K (2024). In 2024 it made 28 grants totaling $732K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Second Harvest of Coastal GA Savannah, GA | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $360,000 |
| Lake Junaluska Assembly Lake Junaluska, NC | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $50,000 |
| Haywood Christian Ministry Waynesville, NC | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $35,000 |
| Hospice Savannah Savannah, GA | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $30,000 |
| Wesley Monumental Church Savannah, GA | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $30,000 |
| Leukemia & Lymphoma Soceity Savannah, GA | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $20,000 |
| National Parks Conservation Association Washington, DC | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $20,000 |
| Savannah Book Festival Savannah, GA | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $20,000 |
| Union Mission Inc Savannah, GA | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $20,000 |
| Congregation Mickve Israel Savannah, GA | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $15,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $9,670,820 | $906,682 | $926,319 | $731,800 | 28 | $768,140 | $819,188 | $556,482 |
| 2023 | $9,684,840 | $555,328 | $614,860 | $527,050 | 30 | $534,608 | $475,076 | $528,063 |
| 2022 | $9,550,759 | $613,098 | $524,978 | $435,050 | 26 | $435,050 | $613,098 | $523,685 |
| 2021 | $9,441,449 | $1,189,935 | $530,724 | $431,000 | 33 | $436,337 | $1,095,548 | $575,629 |
| 2020 | $8,793,784 | $706,866 | $563,313 | $473,500 | 34 | — | $228,898 | $499,153 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation reported a distributable amount of $556K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants included organizations working in areas such as hospitality and spiritual renewal, crisis support, hospice care, homelessness, national-park conservation, and cancer research and support. These are grantee activities, not stated foundation priorities. For example, Lake Junaluska Assembly describes its mission as offering Christian hospitality and renewal; Haywood Christian Ministry says it provides care to people in crisis; and Hospice Savannah says it provides services and resources related to life-limiting illness, dying, death, grief, and loss. Union Mission describes its work as reducing and eliminating homelessness, while the National Parks Conservation Association says it protects national parks and the American Cancer Society describes work in cancer advocacy, research, and patient support.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 28 grants totaling $731,800. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $360,000, with a median grant of $10,000. The largest reported grants included $360,000 to Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia; $50,000 to Lake Junaluska Assembly; $35,000 to Haywood Christian Ministry; and $30,000 each to Hospice Savannah and Wesley Monumental Church. These grants were listed as unrestricted charitable grants.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Ezekiel B. Gaines III as president and Christopher E. Klein as secretary. Trustees listed are Courtney G. Fetz, Grace G. Gattis, William B. Gaines, James Thomas Gattis, Ezekiel B. Gaines IV, and Marshall D. Gaines.
Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation is led by Ezekiel B. Gaines III, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 8 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Ezekiel B. Gaines III
President
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Courtney G. Fetz
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ezekiel B. Gaines IV
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Grace G. Gattis
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James Thomas Gattis
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marshall D. Gaines
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William B. Gaines
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christopher E. Klein
Secretary
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation
How much does Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation give each year?
Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation gave $732K across 28 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $527K across 30 grants.
What is Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation's typical grant size?
Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $26,136, across 28 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation that year got $14K on average.
Where does Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation give grants?
Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation gives mostly in Georgia: 80% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was North Carolina (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Savannah, GA (17 grants) and Atlanta, GA (2 grants).
Does Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (28 of 28) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation's largest grantees?
Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Second Harvest of Coastal GA ($360,000), Lake Junaluska Assembly ($50,000) and Haywood Christian Ministry ($35,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 61% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation?
Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation reported $9.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $768K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $556K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants included organizations working in areas such as hospitality and spiritual renewal, crisis support, hospice care, homelessness, national-park conservation, and cancer research and support. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation?
The foundation 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 Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation's EIN?
Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-2398209. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Courtney Knight Gaines 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 23, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/courtney-knight-gaines-foundation-morg_b94fd1ad1cd24647bbe8de64b3f04a87
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_582398209_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/courtney-knight-gaines-foundation-morg_b94fd1ad1cd24647bbe8de64b3f04a87},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-23. 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 Courtney Knight Gaines 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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