Elgin Children's Foundation Inc
Elgin Children's Foundation Inc is a public charity based in Knoxville, Tennessee. It funds programs serving children in rural Southern Appalachia, with a stated focus on academics, dental health, child protection, and discipleship in designated counties in East Tennessee, Eastern Kentucky, and Southwest Virginia.
Elgin Children's Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Elgin Children's Foundation Inc gave $1.6M across 36 grants in 2025 (avg $43K), mostly in Kentucky. 14% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,559,826
- +13.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 36
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $43,329
- +13.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $30,646
- Total assets
- $17,750,019
- +17.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 14% first-time grantees (5 of 36, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Kentucky (61% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Elgin Children's Foundation Inc
- Contact
Mailing address: 10118 Parkside Dr Suite 105, Knoxville, TN 37922-1904
Phone: (865) 862-6560
Website: https://elginfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Elgin Children's Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Southeast South-Central Education Coop ($193K). Together the top 10 received $906K.
Grant Size Distribution
173 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 133 grants of 173 (77%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization states that it serves designated counties in East Tennessee, Eastern Kentucky, and Southwest Virginia. Its website says it serves children in communities in ten Southern Appalachian counties in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia, and describes expansion into neighboring counties. In its 2025 grants, 61% of grant dollars went to recipients in Kentucky, 22% to Tennessee, 11% to Virginia, and 6% to Georgia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 36 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Elgin Children's Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
14%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 36 grantees (14%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $43K; repeat grants $43K. How we count
Medians: $34K first-time, $30K repeat.
- 81% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+19%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.0M (2021) to $1.6M (2025). In 2025 it made 36 grants totaling $1.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Southeast South-Central Education Coop London, KY | Academic | $193,287 |
| Clay County Public Schools Manchester, KY | Academic | $134,000 |
| Emmanuel Methodist Church Bluefield, VA | Discipleship | $100,090 |
| National Christian Foundation Inc Alpharetta, GA | Grant Making | $96,558 |
| Leslie County Publix Schools (BOE) Hyden, KY | Academic | $94,329 |
| Our Father's House Pineville, KY | Discipleship | $69,000 |
| Knox County Board of Education Barbourville, KY | Academic | $63,000 |
| Bell County Board of Education Pineville, KY | Academic | $54,500 |
| Macedonia Baptist Church Manchester, KY | Discipleship | $51,260 |
| Children's Bible Ministries Townsend, TN | Discipleship | $50,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $17,750,019 | $3,574,255 | $3,313,094 | $1,559,826 | 36 | $531,831 |
| 2024 | $15,071,943 | $3,110,568 | $2,912,934 | $1,369,600 | 36 | $355,368 |
| 2023 | $13,485,626 | $3,142,700 | $2,867,781 | $1,340,325 | 35 | $344,031 |
| 2022 | $11,620,867 | $3,047,909 | $2,695,372 | $1,313,023 | 34 | $261,472 |
| 2021 | $13,653,760 | $2,866,277 | $2,118,199 | $1,003,984 | 32 | $628,139 |
| 2020 | $12,020,243 | $3,526,255 | $2,602,882 | $1,309,859 | 31 | $538,889 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s 2025 filing states that its mission is to serve the youngest, poorest, most vulnerable, and most rurally isolated children in designated counties in East Tennessee, Eastern Kentucky, and Southwest Virginia through programs focused on academics, dental health, child protection, and discipleship.
Its filing describes academic work with school districts to strengthen principal leadership and improve literacy and academic achievement, as well as school-based dental programs delivered with local licensed providers. It also describes support for voluntary off-campus Bible release-time programs, children’s ministry ambassadors, and Christian summer camp scholarships, and partnerships with school districts and child advocacy centers to prevent, detect, and respond to abuse and neglect. The filing states that dental screenings and treatment are provided at no cost to participating families, with written parental or custodial permission.
The foundation partners with local volunteer efforts, operating boards, schools, nonprofit organizations, and local ministry groups. Among its 2025 grantees, Southeast South-Central describes its mission as promoting educational excellence and opportunities for children and communities. Safe Harbor Child Advocacy Center says it serves children who are victims of neglect and abuse, while Child Abuse Reporting and describes work to prevent child maltreatment and support families through education and trained volunteer advocates. Appalachian Literacy Initiative says it provides new books to rural and underprivileged school-age children to encourage reading and improve test scores.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 36 grants totaling $1,559,826. Grants ranged from $6,075 to $193,287, with a median of $30,646.
The largest reported grants included $193,287 to Southeast South-Central Education Coop for academic work; $134,000 to Clay County Public Schools for academics; and $100,090 to Emmanuel Methodist Church for discipleship. Other major grants included $96,558 to National Christian Foundation Inc for grantmaking, $94,329 to Leslie County Public Schools (BOE) for academics, and $69,000 to Our Father’s House for discipleship. The filing also lists $50,000 to Children’s Bible Ministries for discipleship and $50,000 to Cumberland Valley Children’s Advocacy Center for child protection.
No application instructions, unsolicited-request policy, or deadline are stated in the available materials.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Adella Thompson as president, chair, and director; Rebekah Thompson Palmer as treasurer and director; and Catherine Vance Thompson as secretary and director. It also lists Terrill A. Parker, Kelly G. Shepard, Dana E. Ring (partial year), Rick Smith, David D. Johnson (partial year), and James G. Wilson, director of the academic program, as directors.
The foundation’s website says its work is overseen by the Thompson family and a board comprising Thompson family members and members of the National Christian Foundation.
Elgin Children's Foundation Inc is led by Adella Thompson, President, Chair & Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 9 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Adella Thompson
President, Chair & Director
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James G. Wilson
Director & Academic Program
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$111K (2025)
Catherine Vance Thompson
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dana E. Ring
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kelly G. Shepard
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rebekah Thompson Palmer
Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rick Smith
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Terrill A. Parker
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David D. Johnson
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: William Paul Phillips (2020–2023) — General Counsel
- Former: Timothy D. Rogers (2020) — Director
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $111K, to James G Wilson (Director, Academic Program).
Frequently asked questions about Elgin Children's Foundation Inc
How much does Elgin Children's Foundation Inc give each year?
Elgin Children's Foundation Inc gave $1.6M across 36 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.4M across 36 grants.
What is Elgin Children's Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Elgin Children's Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $30,646, and its average grant was $43,329, across 36 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Elgin Children's Foundation Inc that year got $43K on average.
Where does Elgin Children's Foundation Inc give grants?
Elgin Children's Foundation Inc gives mostly in Kentucky: 61% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were Tennessee (22%) and Virginia (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Manchester, KY (3 grants), London, KY (2 grants), Pineville, KY (2 grants) and Hyden, KY (2 grants).
Does Elgin Children's Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 36 grants with a stated purpose on Elgin Children's Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Academic" (13 grants), "Child Protection" (11 grants) and "Discipleship" (9 grants).
Who are Elgin Children's Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Elgin Children's Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Southeast South-Central Education Coop ($193,287), Clay County Public Schools ($134,000) and Emmanuel Methodist Church ($100,090), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 27% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Elgin Children's Foundation Inc?
Elgin Children's Foundation Inc reported $17.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.6M.
What does Elgin Children's Foundation Inc fund?
The organization’s 2025 filing states that its mission is to serve the youngest, poorest, most vulnerable, and most rurally isolated children in designated counties in East Tennessee, Eastern Kentucky, and Southwest Virginia through programs focused on academics, dental health, child protection, and discipleship. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Elgin Children's Foundation Inc?
Elgin Children's Foundation Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check elginfoundation.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Elgin Children's Foundation Inc's EIN?
Elgin Children's Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-1599287. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 19, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 20, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 2, 2024)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 29, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Elgin Children's Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/elgin-children-s-foundation-inc-morg_da9f075d9137442a8d14d136434a133f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_461599287_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Elgin Children's Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/elgin-children-s-foundation-inc-morg_da9f075d9137442a8d14d136434a133f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Elgin Children's Foundation Inc'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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