Foundations & Grantmakers in Mississippi
584 grantmakers in Mississippi reported grants on their latest 990s. The 227 that made at least 5 grants gave $190.0M. The largest by giving are Create Foundation, Robert M Hearin Support Foundation and Ergon Foundation 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 Mississippi grants
Foundation giving in Mississippi at a glance
Active grantmakers
584
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$190.0M
from the 227 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$19K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$63K
per grantmaker
Top 10 foundations in Mississippi by annual giving
| # | Funder | City | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Create Foundation | Tupelo | $19.0M | 6 |
| 2 | Robert M Hearin Support Foundation | Ridgeland | $14.1M | 18 |
| 3 | Ergon Foundation Inc | Jackson | $10.8M | 158 |
| 4 | Blue Cross & Blue Shield | Flowood | $8.3M | 10 |
| 5 | South Delta Planning | Greenville | $6.9M | 11 |
| 6 | Oakwood Foundation Charitable Trust | Tupelo | $6.9M | 46 |
| 7 | The Luckyday Foundation | Jackson | $6.4M | 12 |
| 8 | Community Foundation for Mississippi | Jackson | $6.2M | 104 |
| 9 | Pinebelt Foundation | Hattiesburg | $5.2M | 133 |
| 10 | Mr & Mrs E H Sumners Foundation | Ridgeland | $5.2M | 5 |
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 33 · 25%
- Health 15 · 11%
- Human Services 15 · 11%
- Arts, Culture & Humanities 12 · 9%
- Community Improvement & Capacity Building 10 · 8%
- Religion Related 10 · 8%
Share of grantmakers with a program NTEE code (40% carry any NTEE code); general grantmaking foundations (NTEE T) are not counted.
Community foundations in Mississippi
- Community Foundation for Mississippi $6.2M · 104 grants
- Pinebelt Foundation $5.2M · 133 grants
- Community Foundation of Northwest $4.4M · 96 grants
- Gulf Coast Community Foundation Inc $1.4M · 77 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 Mississippi
Foundations based in Mississippi 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 | Butler Snow O'Mara Stevens & Cannada | 95% (20) | 21 in 2024 | $10K |
| 2 | Ware Foundation Inc | 56% (18) | 32 in 2024 | $19K |
| 3 | BBB Foundation | 56% (18) | 32 in 2024 | $31K |
| 4 | Mississippi Power Foundation Inc | 52% (38) | 73 in 2025 | $27K |
| 5 | Walker Foundation | 51% (36) | 71 in 2025 | $12K |
| 6 | Pinebelt Foundation | 47% (62) | 133 in 2025 | $24K |
| 7 | Selby and Richard McRae Foundation | 41% (18) | 44 in 2024 | $49K |
| 8 | Community Foundation of Northwest | 41% (39) | 96 in 2024 | $28K |
| 9 | Gulf Coast Community Foundation Inc | 40% (31) | 77 in 2025 | $16K |
| 10 | Ergon Foundation Inc | 39% (49) | 127 in 2025 | $72K |
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 227 grantmakers in Mississippi with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
Create Foundation
Tupelo, MS
Assets
$199.8M
Grants
6
Total Given
$19.0M
Robert M Hearin Support Foundation
Ridgeland, MS
Assets
$234.7M
Grants
18
Total Given
$14.1M
Ergon Foundation Inc
Jackson, MS
Assets
$210.7M
Grants
158
Total Given
$10.8M
Blue Cross & Blue Shield
Flowood, MS
Assets
$167.7M
Grants
10
Total Given
$8.3M
South Delta Planning
Greenville, MS
Assets
$31.4M
Grants
11
Total Given
$6.9M
Oakwood Foundation Charitable Trust
Tupelo, MS
Assets
$7.7M
Grants
46
Total Given
$6.9M
The Luckyday Foundation
Jackson, MS
Assets
$146.6M
Grants
12
Total Given
$6.4M
Community Foundation for Mississippi
Jackson, MS
Assets
$90.3M
Grants
104
Total Given
$6.2M
Pinebelt Foundation
Hattiesburg, MS
Assets
$61.9M
Grants
133
Total Given
$5.2M
Mr & Mrs E H Sumners Foundation
Ridgeland, MS
Assets
$82.6M
Grants
5
Total Given
$5.2M
The Bower Foundation
Ridgeland, MS
Assets
$134.2M
Grants
51
Total Given
$5.1M
Phil Hardin Foundation
Meridian, MS
Assets
$61.9M
Grants
78
Total Given
$4.5M
Community Foundation of Northwest
Hernando, MS
Assets
$48.6M
Grants
96
Total Given
$4.4M
The Riley Foundation
Meridian, MS
Assets
$101.0M
Grants
20
Total Given
$3.7M
Childrens Advocacy Centers
Jackson, MS
Assets
$1.4M
Grants
12
Total Given
$2.8M
Mississippi First Inc
Jackson, MS
Assets
$2.5M
Grants
8
Total Given
$2.5M
Selby and Richard McRae Foundation
Jackson, MS
Assets
$36.3M
Grants
44
Total Given
$2.4M
Maddox Foundation
Hernando, MS
Assets
$5.1M
Grants
12
Total Given
$2.4M
Wheaton Foundation
Jackson, MS
Assets
$154K
Grants
25
Total Given
$2.3M
Gulf of Mexico Alliance
Ocean Springs, MS
Assets
$10.9M
Grants
25
Total Given
$2.3M
Mississippi Hospital Association
Madison, MS
Assets
$32.8M
Grants
8
Total Given
$2.2M
Mississippi Power Foundation Inc
Gulfport, MS
Assets
$65.1M
Grants
75
Total Given
$2.2M
Old Ladies Home Association
Ridgeland, MS
Assets
$48.2M
Grants
9
Total Given
$2.1M
Robert M Hearin Foundation
Ridgeland, MS
Assets
$33.4M
Grants
9
Total Given
$2.0M
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 Mississippi
What are the largest foundations in Mississippi?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are Create Foundation ($19.0M across 6 grants), Robert M Hearin Support Foundation ($14.1M) and Ergon Foundation Inc ($10.8M). Together the top 10 account for 47% of the $190.0M given by the 227 grantmakers in Mississippi 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 Mississippi?
The typical grant is about $19K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $63K 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 Mississippi?
Yes. We found 4 community foundations in Mississippi with grant activity. The largest by giving are Community Foundation for Mississippi, Pinebelt Foundation and Community Foundation of Northwest. 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 Mississippi 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 Mississippi 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.