Foundations & Grantmakers in Alabama
1,960 grantmakers in Alabama reported grants on their latest 990s. The 705 that made at least 5 grants gave $590.3M. The largest by giving are Haplotace Foundation, The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham and United Way of Central Alabama Inc. The list below ranks grantmakers with at least 5 grants by annual giving, and each funder links to a profile with its grant history and financials.
Looking for open funding opportunities instead? Browse Alabama grants
Foundation giving in Alabama at a glance
Active grantmakers
1,960
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$590.3M
from the 705 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$15K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$55K
per grantmaker
Top 10 foundations in Alabama by annual giving
| # | Funder | City | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Haplotace Foundation | Birmingham | $107.8M | 22 |
| 2 | The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham | Birmingham | $43.6M | 440 |
| 3 | United Way of Central Alabama Inc | Birmingham | $26.0M | 113 |
| 4 | Scholarships for Kids Inc | Birmingham | $20.8M | 76 |
| 5 | Alabama Power Foundation Inc | Birmingham | $16.2M | 1,240 |
| 6 | Alabama Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils | Montgomery | $12.8M | 40 |
| 7 | Dove Family Foundation | Dothan | $12.0M | 29 |
| 8 | Lucille S Beeson Char Tr Bond Mgmt | Birmingham | $12.0M | 17 |
| 9 | Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville | Huntsville | $11.7M | 285 |
| 10 | New Schools for Alabama | Birmingham | $10.4M | 16 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked; 10 organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants (usually one transfer to an affiliated charity) are left out.
Most common focus areas
- Education 97 · 30%
- Human Services 38 · 12%
- Health 34 · 10%
- Religion Related 26 · 8%
- Community Improvement & Capacity Building 18 · 6%
- Arts, Culture & Humanities 16 · 5%
Share of grantmakers with a program NTEE code (40% carry any NTEE code); general grantmaking foundations (NTEE T) are not counted.
Community foundations in Alabama
- The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham $43.6M · 440 grants
- Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville $11.7M · 285 grants
- Central Alabama Community Foundation Inc $8.5M · 59 grants
- Walker Area Community Foundation Inc $7.9M · 95 grants
- The Black Belt Community Foundation Inc $1.5M · 45 grants
- Community Foundation of Northeast Alabama $1.5M · 71 grants
- Community Foundation of West Alabama $1.4M · 43 grants
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2025).
Most open to new grantees in Alabama
Foundations based in Alabama whose latest grant list had the largest share of organizations they had not funded in any earlier year on file.
| # | Funder | First-time grantees | Grantees | Avg first grant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Regions Foundation | 75% (50) | 67 in 2024 | $70K |
| 2 | Mid-South Resource Conservation and Development Council Inc | 71% (45) | 63 in 2025 | $14K |
| 3 | American Snuff Charitable Trust | 71% (17) | 24 in 2025 | $7K |
| 4 | The Neeb Family Foundation | 70% (55) | 79 in 2024 | $9K |
| 5 | The David J Cooper Family Charitable | 63% (24) | 38 in 2024 | $21K |
| 6 | Gulf Coast Resource Conservation and Development Area | 61% (39) | 64 in 2025 | $14K |
| 7 | Alabama Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils | 60% (24) | 40 in 2025 | $74K |
| 8 | Northwest Alabama Resource Conservation & Developement Council | 53% (32) | 60 in 2025 | $10K |
| 9 | Woman's Missionary Union Foundation | 52% (14) | 27 in 2025 | $8K |
| 10 | The Long Lewis Foundation | 51% (161) | 317 in 2024 | $2K |
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990 and 990-PF grant lists. Only foundations with at least 20 grants in each of the last three years (and 20 distinct grantees in the latest), a filing from the last 2 years, and first grants averaging at least $1K are ranked; grants to individuals are left out, and recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed grantee can look new. How we calculate this.
Showing all 2,338 foundations and grantmakers in Alabama
Haplotace Foundation
Birmingham, AL
Assets
$692.7M
Grants
22
Total Given
$107.8M
Auburn University Foundation
Auburn, AL
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
2
Total Given
$64.6M
Feeding the Gulf Coast
Theodore, AL
Assets
$34.0M
Grants
1
Total Given
$58.8M
The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham
Birmingham, AL
Assets
$350.7M
Grants
440
Total Given
$43.6M
University of Alabama Health Services Foundation PC
Birmingham, AL
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
1
Total Given
$31.3M
Equal Justice Initiative
Montgomery, AL
Assets
$474.8M
Grants
1
Total Given
$30.0M
United Way of Central Alabama Inc
Birmingham, AL
Assets
$141.4M
Grants
113
Total Given
$26.0M
Scholarships for Kids Inc
Birmingham, AL
Assets
$45.0M
Grants
76
Total Given
$20.8M
East Alabama Innovation and Rural Training Hub Foundation
Sylacauga, AL
Assets
$34.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$20.4M
UAB Medicine Enterprise
Birmingham, AL
Assets
$259.6M
Grants
15
Total Given
$19.8M
University of South Alabama Foundation
Mobile, AL
Assets
$472.9M
Grants
1
Total Given
$18.3M
Alabama Power Foundation Inc
Birmingham, AL
Assets
$117.9M
Grants
1,240
Total Given
$16.2M
Tigers Unlimited Foundation
Auburn, AL
Assets
$152.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$16.1M
The Caring Foundation
Birmingham, AL
Assets
$81.1M
Grants
1
Total Given
$15.5M
US Space & Rocket Center Education Foundation
Huntsville, AL
Assets
$26.1M
Grants
4
Total Given
$15.0M
Alabama Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils
Montgomery, AL
Assets
$3.9M
Grants
40
Total Given
$12.8M
Dove Family Foundation
Dothan, AL
Assets
$16.6M
Grants
29
Total Given
$12.0M
Lucille S Beeson Char Tr Bond Mgmt
Birmingham, AL
Assets
$199.7M
Grants
17
Total Given
$12.0M
Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville
Huntsville, AL
Assets
$66.3M
Grants
285
Total Given
$11.7M
The Huntsville Hospital Foundationinc
Huntsville, AL
Assets
$50.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$11.0M
New Schools for Alabama
Birmingham, AL
Assets
$18.9M
Grants
16
Total Given
$10.4M
Michael and Noemi Neidorff Family Founda
Birmingham, AL
Assets
$188.5M
Grants
10
Total Given
$9.2M
Altecstyslinger Foundation
Birmingham, AL
Assets
$142.9M
Grants
197
Total Given
$8.9M
Jefferson Rising Fund
Birmingham, AL
Assets
$1.3M
Grants
5
Total Given
$8.6M
Here's the math on clicking through this list.
You, clicking into all 24 funders
~2.8 hrs
at ~7 min per funder profile
Your agents, the same 24
~1 min
every profile evaluated and scored, with reasoning
Questions about foundations in Alabama
What are the largest foundations in Alabama?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are Haplotace Foundation ($107.8M across 22 grants), The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham ($43.6M) and United Way of Central Alabama Inc ($26.0M). Together the top 10 account for 46% of the $590.3M given by the 705 grantmakers in Alabama that made at least 5 grants. Organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants, usually a single transfer to an affiliated charity, are left out of the ranking.
How big is a typical foundation grant in Alabama?
The typical grant is about $15K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $55K in total in their latest filing year, so many are small foundations that give to a few organizations they already know. The largest funders make many more grants, but also get the most requests.
Are there community foundations in Alabama?
Yes. We found 7 community foundations in Alabama with grant activity. The largest by giving are The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville and Central Alabama Community Foundation Inc. Community foundations pool gifts from many local donors and usually run open grant rounds for nonprofits in their area, which makes them a good first stop for local funding.
How do I find Alabama foundations that accept unsolicited proposals?
Most private foundations don't run an open application. Their 990-PF says whether they only give to preselected charities, and their past grants show who they actually fund. Start with the funders above whose grant counts and typical grant size fit your budget, then check each profile's grant history for organizations like yours before you reach out. Read the grant prospecting guide.
Related guides
- Grant prospecting: how to find funders that fit
How to shortlist foundations in Alabama from their 990s and giving history.
- AI grant writing: draft proposals in your voice
Turn a shortlist into LOIs and proposals drafted from your own materials.