Fund for Southern Communities Inc logo

Fund for Southern Communities Inc

Public charity · Grantmaker Decatur, GA EIN: 58-1426028 Website

Fund for Southern Communities Inc is a public charity based in Decatur, Georgia. Established in 1981, it makes grants and provides technical assistance to grassroots community groups working for social change in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

Fund for Southern Communities Inc at a glance

In short: Fund for Southern Communities Inc gave $145K across 5 grants in 2025 (avg $29K), mostly in Georgia. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

Annual giving (2025)
$144,550
-69.2% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
5
-77.3% vs 2024
Average grant
$28,910
+35.5% vs 2024
Median grant
$20,000
Total assets
$4,428,769
-6.5% vs 2024
Primary geography
Georgia (86% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated November 2026.

How to apply to Fund for Southern Communities Inc

How to Apply

The funder’s guidelines invite eligible organizations to apply and provide application and eligibility information. They identify long-term social change, a total organizational budget of $150,000 or less, and work in Georgia, North Carolina, or South Carolina as considerations. They state that direct services, social services, and special events are not funded. The guidelines list an October 15 deadline, without specifying a year.

Contact

Mailing address: 4153-C Flat Shoals Pkwy 314, Decatur, GA 30034
Phone: (404) 371-8404
Website: https://fundforsouth.org

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Fund for Southern Communities Inc funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 5 recipients in 2025

Trans Forming: $79KTrans Forming$79K3D Girls: $20K3D Girls$20KEvery Black Girl: $20KEvery Black Girl$20KThe Power of Girls: $20KThe Power of Girls$20KSouthern Neighborhoods Networ: $6KSouthern Neighborhoods Networ$6K

The largest 2025 recipient was Trans Forming ($79K). Together the top 5 received $145K.

Grant Size Distribution

150 grants across all recorded years

131<$50K12$50–100K6$100–250K1$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 131 grants of 150 (87%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The funder identifies Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina as its service area. In 2024, grant dollars were distributed as follows: Georgia, 62%; North Carolina, 18%; South Carolina, 14%; and Tennessee, 6%. The funder’s website notes that donor-advised grants are sometimes made outside its three-state service area.

Grant Distribution by State

16states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 5 itemized grants.

Cities

AtlantaDurhamColumbiaCalabasasCharlotteEast PointMabletonSpartanburgAshevilleBrocktonCollege ParkConyersDecaturJacksonKinstonLilburnMariettaSelmaWintervilleAynor

How Fund for Southern Communities Inc gives

  • Giving fell 93% from 2022 to 2025. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$1M$2M$3M30 grants2021 61 grants2022 32 grants2023 22 grants2024 5 grants2025

From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $145K (2025) to $2.2M (2022). In 2025 it made 5 grants totaling $145K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Trans Forming Atlanta, GAVarious$78,550
3D Girls Atlanta, GASBGWC Emergency Grant$20,000
Every Black Girl Columbia, SCBlack Girl Dream Fund$20,000
The Power of Girls Atlanta, GAEmergency Grant$20,000
Southern Neighborhoods Networ Decatur, GAOrganizational Support$6,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

The 2024 filing reports 22 grants; the 2023 filing reports 32, and the 2022 filing reports 61.

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsNet Investment Income
2025$4,428,769$378,793$455,415$144,5505$120,916
2024$4,734,512$677,869$680,339$469,27622$219,355
2023$4,364,393$1,269,956$1,260,851$1,022,62532$36,792
2022$3,955,170$2,696,112$2,452,251$2,173,44561$149,398
2021$4,446,846$1,997,513$1,009,335$663,48930$171,387

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The funder’s stated mission is to support and unite organizations and donors working to create just and sustainable communities that are free of oppression and embrace and celebrate all people. It says its grantmaking and related activities foster social change initiated by community-based groups in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

Its guidelines identify work against discrimination, workers’ rights, self-determination in low-income and disenfranchised communities, environmental protection, non-traditional arts and media, and peace. The funder also describes support for groups working on environmental justice, anti-racism, women’s rights, youth development, LGBTQ rights, civil rights, and disability rights. It says grantees may receive technical assistance as well as financial support.

Examples of 2024 grantees illustrate the range of organizations funded. Black Girls Film Camp, which received $37,500, says it works to close the representation gap in media by cultivating next-generation storytellers. 3D Girls Incorporated, which received $30,000, says it educates and empowers young women to advocate for themselves and their families. Black Girls Smile Inc, also awarded $30,000, describes a focus on the mental health needs of young Black women. The Beautiful Project Inc, awarded $18,500, describes using storytelling and visual arts to advance healing and representational justice for Black girls, gender-expansive youth, and women.

Grantmaking

The 2024 filing reports 22 grants totaling $469,276. Individual grants ranged from $5,250 to $40,163, with a median of $20,500. The largest listed grants included $40,163 to Trans Forming in Atlanta for “TRANS FORMING,” and $37,500 each to Black Girls Film Camp in Charlotte for the “Black Girl Dream Fund” and New Vision MSK in Warner Robins for “Neighborhood Planning.” Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 5 grants totaling $144,550.

Other notable 2024 awards included $30,370 to HH Sisters Hazlehurst Haile; $30,000 each to 3D Girls and Black Girls Smile; $27,750 each to Hope for Youth and Koinonia Community Solutions; and $27,000 to Every Black Girl. The listed purposes include the Black Girl Dream Fund, neighborhood planning, and various projects.

The funder’s application guidelines describe grants of $1,000–$5,000 for seed grants or general or project support to small organizations with total budgets of $150,000 or less. The guidelines limit funding to once in a 12-month period and generally no more than three grant cycles per organization, with possible exceptions when special targeted funds are available. They say applicants must be registered as nonprofits in Georgia, North Carolina, or South Carolina and have 501(c)(3) status or a fiscal agent; a limited number of 501(c)(4) organizations with a fiscal agent may be accepted. The funder says it may request a budget and reporting for grants with restrictions.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Alice Eason Jenkins as Executive Director; Darren Holmes as Chairman; Demetria Ledbetter as Treasurer; and Imara Canady as Secretary. It lists Shelia Moore, Chrystal Morris, Shanon Pazdera, and Brian K. Sanders as directors.

Fund for Southern Communities Inc is led by Alice Eason Jenkins, Executive Director on every filing since 2021; 1 of 8 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Alice Eason Jenkins

    Executive Director

    On filings since 2021

    40 hrs/week

    $103K (2021) → $105K (2025)

  • Darren Holmes

    Chairman

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Brian K. Sanders

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Chrystal Morris

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Shanon Pazdera

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Shelia Moore

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Demetria Ledbetter

    Treasurer

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Imara Canady

    Secretary

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (2)
  • Former: Julir G. Smithwick (2021) — Director
  • Former: Monica R. Simpson (2021) — Director

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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

Alice Eason Jenkins — Executive Dir.: $105KAlice Eason JenkinsExecutive Dir.$105K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $105K, to Alice Eason Jenkins (Executive Dir.).

Frequently asked questions about Fund for Southern Communities Inc

How much does Fund for Southern Communities Inc give each year?

Fund for Southern Communities Inc gave $145K across 5 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $469K across 22 grants.

What is Fund for Southern Communities Inc's typical grant size?

Fund for Southern Communities Inc's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $28,910, across 5 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.

Where does Fund for Southern Communities Inc give grants?

Fund for Southern Communities Inc gives mostly in Georgia: 86% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was South Carolina (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Atlanta, GA (3 grants).

Does Fund for Southern Communities Inc give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 5 grants with a stated purpose on Fund for Southern Communities Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.

Who are Fund for Southern Communities Inc's largest grantees?

Fund for Southern Communities Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Trans Forming ($78,550), 3D Girls ($20,000) and Every Black Girl ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 82% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Fund for Southern Communities Inc?

Fund for Southern Communities Inc reported $4.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $379K.

What does Fund for Southern Communities Inc fund?

The funder’s stated mission is to support and unite organizations and donors working to create just and sustainable communities that are free of oppression and embrace and celebrate all people. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Fund for Southern Communities Inc?

The funder’s guidelines invite eligible organizations to apply and provide application and eligibility information. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Fund for Southern Communities Inc's EIN?

Fund for Southern Communities Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-1426028. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.

Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

Data update history

(6)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 15, 2026)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 12, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 11, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 2, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
  6. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Fund for Southern Communities 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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