Farmer Lee Foundation Inc
Farmer Lee Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Athens, Georgia. It intends to distribute funds to other qualified 501(c)(3) organizations and reports making contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
Farmer Lee Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Farmer Lee Foundation Inc gave $29K across 34 grants in 2024 (avg $851.471), top state North Carolina. 18% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $28,950
- -6.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 34
- -5.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $851
- -1.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $500
- Total assets
- $1,836
- -91.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (6 of 34, 2024)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (28% 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 Farmer Lee Foundation Inc
- 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: PO Box 1983, Athens, GA 30603
Phone: (706) 546-1422
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Farmer Lee Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was World Central Kitchen ($3K). Together the top 10 received $16K.
Grant Size Distribution
173 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 173 grants of 173 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina (28%), the District of Columbia (19%), Georgia (16%), New York (9%) and Virginia (7%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 34 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Farmer Lee Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 34 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $917; repeat grants $838. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $500 repeat.
- 82% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 32% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above 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 $22K (2021) to $32K (2022). In 2024 it made 34 grants totaling $29K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| World Central Kitchen Washington, DC | Hunger and Disaster Relief | $3,000 |
| Town of Highlands Highlands, NC | Donation for Playground | $2,500 |
| Doctors Without Borders New York, NY | International Humanitarian Organizat | $2,000 |
| International Friendship Center Highlands, NC | Highlands Food Pantry | $2,000 |
| Finca International Washington, DC | Poverty Alleviation | $1,000 |
| First Nation Development Longmont, CO | Assists Native Americans | $1,000 |
| Georgia Public Broadcasting Atlanta, GA | Produce and and Distribute TV | $1,000 |
| Grace Cavary Episcopal Church Clarkesville, GA | Community Church | $1,000 |
| Highlands Cashiers Land Trust Highlands, NC | Protect Natural Resources | $1,000 |
| Highlands Community Child Developme Highlands, NC | Childcare and Holistic Education | $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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,836 | $10,013 | $30,819 | $28,950 | 34 | $28,950 | $11 | $925 |
| 2023 | $22,642 | $1,242 | $32,362 | $30,950 | 36 | $30,950 | — | $2,482 |
| 2022 | $53,893 | $75,000 | $33,065 | $31,700 | 37 | $31,700 | — | $452 |
| 2021 | $11,510 | $20,500 | $23,477 | $21,950 | 33 | $21,950 | — | $630 |
| 2020 | $13,180 | $30,002 | $26,478 | $24,950 | 33 | — | — | $584 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Farmer Lee Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $925 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 filing states that it intends to distribute funds to other qualified 501(c)(3) organizations. Its 2024 grants included support for food assistance, humanitarian relief, poverty alleviation, community projects, natural-resource protection, and other charitable work.
The grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the range of supported work: World Central Kitchen says it provides meals in response to humanitarian, climate and community crises; FINCA International says it works to end poverty through sustainable solutions; and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy says it protects and helps manage the Appalachian Trail and its surrounding corridor. These are the grantees’ missions, not stated missions of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 34 grants totaling $28,950. Grants ranged from $100 to $3,000, with a median of $500.
Among the larger 2024 grants were $3,000 to World Central Kitchen for hunger and disaster relief; $2,500 to the Town of Highlands for a playground; $2,000 each to Doctors Without Borders for international humanitarian work and the International Friendship Center for a food pantry; and $1,000 each to FINCA International for poverty alleviation, First Nation Development to assist Native Americans, and Georgia Public Broadcasting to produce and distribute television. No Kid Hungry also received $1,000 to help end childhood hunger in the United States.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Laura Bell and John Bell as directors, and Alan Zielinski, Brooks Woodruff and Leslie Bell as trustees.
Farmer Lee Foundation Inc's 2024 filing lists 5 officers; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Brooks Woodruff
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Bell
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Laura Bell
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Leslie Bell
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alan Zielinski
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Scott Saucier (2020–2021) — Trustee
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 Farmer Lee Foundation Inc
How much does Farmer Lee Foundation Inc give each year?
Farmer Lee Foundation Inc gave $29K across 34 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $31K across 36 grants.
What is Farmer Lee Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Farmer Lee Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $500, and its average grant was $851, across 34 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Farmer Lee Foundation Inc that year got $917 on average.
Where does Farmer Lee Foundation Inc give grants?
Farmer Lee Foundation Inc's top state is North Carolina, with 28% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (19%) and Georgia (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Highlands, NC (5 grants), Washington, DC (4 grants), Atlanta, GA (3 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Farmer Lee Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 34 grants with a stated purpose on Farmer Lee Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Farmer Lee Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Farmer Lee Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include World Central Kitchen ($3,000), Town of Highlands ($2,500) and Doctors Without Borders ($2,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 26% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Farmer Lee Foundation Inc?
Farmer Lee Foundation Inc reported $2K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $29K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $925 (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Farmer Lee Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s filing states that it intends to distribute funds to other qualified 501(c)(3) organizations. Its 2024 grants included support for food assistance, humanitarian relief, poverty alleviation, community projects, natural-resource protection, and other charitable work. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Farmer Lee Foundation Inc?
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 Farmer Lee Foundation Inc's EIN?
Farmer Lee Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-1708822. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Farmer Lee Foundation Inc 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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Figures come from Farmer Lee 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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