Ethel N Bowen Foundation
The Ethel N Bowen Foundation is a private foundation based in Bluefield, West Virginia. Its 2024 filing lists grants for scholarships and for activities including officer training, a children’s food distribution program, and a student trip.
Ethel N Bowen Foundation at a glance
In short: Ethel N Bowen Foundation gave $795K across 321 grants in 2024 (avg $2K), mostly in West Virginia. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $794,750
- +20.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 321
- +8.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $2,476
- +11.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $14,555,160
- +6.6% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- West Virginia (51% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Ethel N Bowen Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Organizations seeking grants do not need a particular application. Scholarship applications can be requested at Summit Community Bank; students must submit transcripts before each semester. Scholarships are generally limited to students in Southwest Virginia and Southern West Virginia.
- Review Cycle
- There is no deadline for organizations. Scholarship applications are due by April 30.
- Deadline
- There is no deadline for organizations.
- Contact
Application contact: Ethel N Bowen Foundation Co Burke H
Mailing address: 525 Federal Street, Bluefield, WV 24701
Phone: (304) 324-3236
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ethel N Bowen Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was City of Bluefield ($29K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $64K.
Organizations only. It also paid 310 individual scholarships ($730,850), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
1,449 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 1,449 grants of 1,449 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars went primarily to recipients in West Virginia (51%) and Virginia (46%), with 2% going to Kentucky, 1% to Ohio, and less than 1% to Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 321 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Ethel N Bowen Foundation gives
- Giving grew 34% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 112% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $593K (2020) to $795K (2024). In 2024 it made 321 grants totaling $795K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| City of Bluefield Bluefield, WV | Police Department Officer Training and K-9 Program | $25,000 |
| Blessings in a Backpack Louisville, KY | Food Distribution Program for Children | $15,000 |
| Bluefield State University Bluefield, WV | FBLA Trip to Orlando FL | $5,000 |
| 45 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $147,500 |
| City of Bluefield Bluefield, WV | Special Promotions Fireworks | $3,500 |
| Caleb Christian Tazewell, VA | Scholarship | $3,000 |
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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 | $14,555,160 | $1,327,384 | $885,589 | $794,750 | 321 | $800,764 | $1,225,584 | $717,581 |
| 2023 | $13,649,763 | $367,492 | $738,999 | $657,783 | 296 | $662,402 | $300,383 | $643,756 |
| 2022 | $12,626,663 | $575,257 | $819,121 | $685,846 | 294 | $691,135 | $481,751 | $663,068 |
| 2021 | $15,334,394 | $2,064,402 | $685,660 | $593,830 | 266 | $598,894 | $1,973,770 | $693,181 |
| 2020 | $13,530,040 | $509,333 | $669,155 | $593,406 | 272 | — | $424,067 | $589,823 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ethel N Bowen Foundation reported a distributable amount of $718K 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
The foundation’s grants include scholarships, as well as support for education and community programs. One 2024 grant supported Blessings in a Backpack, whose stated mission is to mobilize communities, individuals, and resources to provide weekend food for school-aged children who might otherwise go hungry.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 321 grants totaling $794,750. Grants ranged from $350 to $25,000, with a median of $2,000. Notable awards included $25,000 to the City of Bluefield for police department officer training and a K-9 program, and $15,000 to Blessings in a Backpack for a children’s food distribution program. Bluefield State University received $5,000 for an FBLA trip to Orlando, Florida. Several individuals received scholarships, including two awards of $5,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists J Ronald Hypes as president and director, B K Satterfield as secretary/treasurer and director, and Henry C Bowen as vice president and director.
Ethel N Bowen Foundation is led by J. Ronald Hypes, President & Director on the 2024 filing; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
J. Ronald Hypes
President & Director
New on the 2024 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
B. K. Satterfield
Secretary, Treasurer & Director
Treasurer → Secretary, Treasurer & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Henry C. Bowen
Vice President & Director
Board Member → Vice President & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Frank W. Wilkinson (2020–2023) — President
- Former: James R. Hypes (2020–2023) — Vice President & Secretary
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 Ethel N Bowen Foundation
How much does Ethel N Bowen Foundation give each year?
Ethel N Bowen Foundation gave $795K across 321 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $658K across 296 grants.
What is Ethel N Bowen Foundation's typical grant size?
Ethel N Bowen Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $2,000, and its average grant was $2,476, across 321 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Ethel N Bowen Foundation give grants?
Ethel N Bowen Foundation gives mostly in West Virginia: 51% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Virginia (46%). The most frequent recipient cities were Bluefield, WV (5 grants).
Does Ethel N Bowen Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 321 grants with a stated purpose on Ethel N Bowen Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (315 grants).
Who are Ethel N Bowen Foundation's largest grantees?
Ethel N Bowen Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include City of Bluefield ($28,500 across 2 grants), Blessings in a Backpack ($15,000) and Bluefield State University ($5,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 310 individual scholarships ($730,850), which are not listed by name. Together they received 6% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Ethel N Bowen Foundation?
Ethel N Bowen Foundation reported $14.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $801K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $718K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Ethel N Bowen Foundation fund?
The foundation’s grants include scholarships, as well as support for education and community programs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ethel N Bowen 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 Ethel N Bowen Foundation's EIN?
Ethel N Bowen Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7010740. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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). Ethel N Bowen Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ethel-n-bowen-foundation-morg_4c413a82fb6c4fe3bda375a19ed658c7
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_237010740_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ethel N Bowen Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ethel-n-bowen-foundation-morg_4c413a82fb6c4fe3bda375a19ed658c7},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 Ethel N Bowen 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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