Elizabeth Calvin Bonner Foundation
The Elizabeth Calvin Bonner Foundation is a private foundation based in Charleston, South Carolina. It makes grants to charitable organizations; its 2025 grants included recipients in South Carolina, Virginia, North Carolina, and Arizona.
Elizabeth Calvin Bonner Foundation at a glance
In short: Elizabeth Calvin Bonner Foundation gave $26K across 30 grants in 2025 (avg $866.667), mostly in South Carolina. 13% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $26,000
- -3.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 30
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $867
- -3.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $500
- Total assets
- $252,062
- -2.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (4 of 30, 2025)
- Primary geography
- South Carolina (57% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Elizabeth Calvin Bonner Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Contact W Thomas Rutledge Jr.; the form and materials are as prescribed in the trust agreement. No restrictions on awards are stated.
- Review Cycle
- On an annual basis.
- Deadline
- On an annual basis.
- Contact
Application contact: W Thomas Rutledge Jr
Mailing address: 1700 Ashley River Rd Ste A, Charleston, SC 29407
Phone: (843) 225-1599
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Elizabeth Calvin Bonner Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Maccallum More Museum and Gardens ($4K). Together the top 10 received $17K.
Grant Size Distribution
154 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 154 grants of 154 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 57% of grant dollars went to recipients in South Carolina and 40% to recipients in Virginia. North Carolina received 2% and Arizona 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Elizabeth Calvin Bonner Foundation open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 30 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $475; repeat grants $927. How we count
Medians: $350 first-time, $500 repeat.
- 87% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−1%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 98% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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 $24K (2019) to $28K (2021). In 2025 it made 30 grants totaling $26K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Maccallum More Museum and Gardens Chase City, VA | Assist in Charitable Purpose | $4,000 |
| Prestwood Foundation Clarksville, VA | Assist in Charitable Purpose | $3,000 |
| Respite Care of Charleston Charleston, SC | Assist in Charitable Purpose | $2,000 |
| Friends of Hampton Plantation McClellanville, SC | Assist in Charitable Purpose | $1,500 |
| Fishing Creek Presbyterian Church Chester, SC | Assist in Charitable Purpose | $1,000 |
| Friends of Butler Memorial Library Chase City, VA | Assist in Charitable Purpose | $1,000 |
| Hallie Hill Ravenel, SC | Assist in Charitable Purpose | $1,000 |
| Save Our Heritage Chase City, VA | Assist in Charitable Purpose | $1,000 |
| Strides of Strength Therapeutic Riding Chester, SC | Assist in Charitable Purpose | $1,000 |
| Turtle Survival Alliance Cross, SC | Assist in Charitable Purpose | $1,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $252,062 | $43,109 | $48,285 | $26,000 | 30 | $26,000 | $26,578 | $26,448 |
| 2024 | $257,218 | $35,612 | $48,403 | $26,829 | 30 | $26,829 | $19,537 | $25,645 |
| 2023 | $269,967 | $27,719 | $45,409 | $25,250 | 31 | $25,250 | $12,545 | $23,911 |
| 2022 | $287,657 | $17,799 | $48,718 | $26,150 | 32 | $26,150 | $862 | $26,079 |
| 2021 | $318,438 | $35,761 | $50,453 | $28,300 | 31 | $28,300 | $13,732 | $28,786 |
| 2020 | $333,244 | $34,898 | $44,812 | $24,400 | 26 | — | $14,662 | $24,589 |
| 2019 | $343,240 | $32,662 | $41,684 | $23,800 | 22 | — | $14,778 | $24,622 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Elizabeth Calvin Bonner Foundation reported a distributable amount of $26K 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
No mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grantees included organizations working in areas such as dementia support, food access, medical care, animal welfare, fatherhood services, horticulture, and veterans’ services. For example, Respite Care of Charleston describes its mission as supporting people living with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, while Lowcountry Food Bank describes its mission as pursuing equitable, dignified, and consistent access to food. These are grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 30 grants totaling $26,000. Grants ranged from $200 to $4,000, with a median of $500. Its total grantmaking was $26,829 across 30 grants in 2024 and $25,250 across 31 grants in 2023.
Notable 2025 grants included $4,000 to MacCallum More Museum and Gardens, $3,000 to Prestwood Foundation, $2,000 to Respite Care of Charleston, and $1,500 to Friends of Hampton Plantation. Each was listed with the purpose “assist in charitable purpose.”
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
W Thomas Rutledge Jr. is listed as trustee.
Elizabeth Calvin Bonner Foundation is led by W. Thomas Rutledge Jr., Trustee on every filing since 2019 — the only officer listed, and compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
W. Thomas Rutledge Jr.
Trustee
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
$10K (2019) → $11K (2025)
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 $11K, to W Thomas Rutledge Jr (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Elizabeth Calvin Bonner Foundation
How much does Elizabeth Calvin Bonner Foundation give each year?
Elizabeth Calvin Bonner Foundation gave $26K across 30 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $27K across 30 grants.
What is Elizabeth Calvin Bonner Foundation's typical grant size?
Elizabeth Calvin Bonner Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $500, and its average grant was $867, across 30 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Elizabeth Calvin Bonner Foundation that year got $475 on average.
Where does Elizabeth Calvin Bonner Foundation give grants?
Elizabeth Calvin Bonner Foundation gives mostly in South Carolina: 57% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Virginia (40%). The most frequent recipient cities were Charleston, SC (7 grants), Chase City, VA (5 grants), N Charleston, SC (4 grants) and Chester, SC (2 grants).
Who are Elizabeth Calvin Bonner Foundation's largest grantees?
Elizabeth Calvin Bonner Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Maccallum More Museum and Gardens ($4,000), Prestwood Foundation ($3,000) and Respite Care of Charleston ($2,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 35% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Elizabeth Calvin Bonner Foundation?
Elizabeth Calvin Bonner Foundation reported $252K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $26K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $26K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Elizabeth Calvin Bonner Foundation fund?
No mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grantees included organizations working in areas such as dementia support, food access, medical care, animal welfare, fatherhood services, horticulture, and veterans’ services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Elizabeth Calvin Bonner Foundation?
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Elizabeth Calvin Bonner Foundation's EIN?
Elizabeth Calvin Bonner Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 57-1123927. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 1, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 27, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 26, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 25, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 6, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 8, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 10, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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