Gail C Link Education Trust
Gail C Link Education Trust is a private foundation based in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Its filing describes a trust that provides scholarships to lower-income students in Hamilton County, Tennessee.
Gail C Link Education Trust at a glance
In short: Gail C Link Education Trust gave $66K across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in Tennessee. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $66,000
- -4.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,000
- -4.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Total assets
- $930,201
- -4.3% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (91% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated November 2026.
How to apply to Gail C Link Education Trust
- How to Apply
-
The filing says to contact the trustee for a scholarship application. Awards are limited to lower-income students in Hamilton County, Tennessee. The filing states that giving is not restricted to preselected organizations.
- Review Cycle
- Based on the school year.
- Deadline
- Based on the school year.
- Contact
Application contact: Sandy Ditus Principal Securities Ne
Mailing address: 7800 Stones River Road, Chattanooga, TN 37421
Phone: (423) 240-1635
Email: dittus.sandy@principal.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Gail C Link Education Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 8 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was University of Tennessee - Chattanooga ($15K). Together the top 8 received $54K.
Organizations only. It also paid 3 individual scholarships ($12,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
50 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 50 grants of 50 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The filing states that scholarship awards are limited to lower-income students in Hamilton County, Tennessee. In 2024, 87% of grant dollars went to recipients in Tennessee, 9% to Alabama, and 4% to North Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
How Gail C Link Education Trust gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+2%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 90% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $54K (2023) to $77K (2021). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $66K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Tennessee - Chattanooga Chattanooga, TN | Student Higher Education Scholarships | $15,000 |
| University of Tennessee - Knoxville Knoxville, TN | Student Higher Education Scholarships | $15,000 |
| University of Memphis Memphis, TN | Student Higher Education Scholarships | $9,000 |
| 3 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $12,000 |
| University of Alabama in Huntsville Huntsville, AL | Student Higher Education Scholarships | $3,000 |
| Alabama A&M University Huntsville, AL | Student Higher Education Scholarships | $3,000 |
| Southern Adventist University Collegedale, TN | Student Higher Education Scholarships | $3,000 |
| Tennessee Tech University Cookeville, TN | Student Higher Education Scholarships | $3,000 |
| Tennessee State University Nashville, TN | Student Higher Education Scholarships | $3,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Gail C Link Education Trust?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $930,201 | $44,238 | $87,977 | $66,000 | 11 | $66,000 | $34,795 | $73,391 |
| 2024 | $972,331 | $31,711 | $96,843 | $69,000 | 11 | $69,000 | $26,714 | $75,423 |
| 2023 | $1,035,407 | $205,611 | $70,930 | $54,000 | 9 | $54,000 | $198,852 | $60,005 |
| 2022 | $882,161 | $53,605 | $82,108 | $64,500 | 10 | $64,500 | $46,347 | $61,845 |
| 2021 | $907,853 | $64,743 | $93,481 | $76,500 | 9 | $76,500 | $57,491 | $66,628 |
| 2020 | $939,193 | $-1,830 | $78,904 | $64,319 | 10 | — | $23,800 | $58,117 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gail C Link Education Trust reported a distributable amount of $73K for 2025 — 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 trust’s stated charitable activity is providing scholarships to lower-income students in Hamilton County, Tennessee. In 2024, its grants were reported as student higher education scholarships to universities.
Among its grantees, an individual recipient State University describes its mission as providing support for the university and its students.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the trust gave 11 grants totaling $69,000. Grant amounts ranged from $3,000 to $15,000, with a median of $3,000. Notable grants included $15,000 to the University of Tennessee–Knoxville, $12,000 to the University of Tennessee–Chattanooga, and $9,000 each to an individual recipient State University and the University of Memphis. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 11 grants totaling $66,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Shawn Kurrelmeir-Lee, Deborah Maddox, Tucker McClendon, and Patricia Russell as directors. Patricia Russell is also listed as trustee and director. Principal Securities Network is listed as custodian trustee, and Sandy Dittus as fund manager.
Gail C Link Education Trust's 2025 filing lists 6 officers; 1 of 6 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Principal Securities Network
Custodian Trustee
Successor Trustee → Custodian Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2022
10 hrs/week
$3K (2023) → $19K (2025)
Deborah Maddox
Director
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patricia Russell
Trustee & Director
Director → Trustee & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shawn Kurrelmeir-Lee
Director
Director → Trustee & Director, 2023
Trustee & Director → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tucker McClendon
Director
On filings since 2024
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sandy Chambers Dittus
Fund Manager
Fund Manager & Trustee Representative → Fund Manager, 2024
On filings since 2022
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Raymond James (2021–2023) — Former Trustee
- Former: John Maynard (2020) — Director
- Former: Raymond James Trust Services (2020) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $19K, to Principal Securities Network (Custodian Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Gail C Link Education Trust
How much does Gail C Link Education Trust give each year?
Gail C Link Education Trust gave $66K across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $69K across 11 grants.
What is Gail C Link Education Trust's typical grant size?
Gail C Link Education Trust's median grant in 2025 was $3,000, and its average grant was $6,000, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Gail C Link Education Trust give grants?
Gail C Link Education Trust gives mostly in Tennessee: 91% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Alabama (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Huntsville, AL (2 grants).
Does Gail C Link Education Trust give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on Gail C Link Education Trust's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Student Higher Education Scholarships" (11 grants).
Who are Gail C Link Education Trust's largest grantees?
Gail C Link Education Trust's largest 2025 grantees include University of Tennessee - Chattanooga ($15,000), University of Tennessee - Knoxville ($15,000) and University of Memphis ($9,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 3 individual scholarships ($12,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 59% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Gail C Link Education Trust?
Gail C Link Education Trust reported $930K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $66K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $73K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Gail C Link Education Trust fund?
The trust’s stated charitable activity is providing scholarships to lower-income students in Hamilton County, Tennessee. In 2024, its grants were reported as student higher education scholarships to universities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Gail C Link Education Trust?
The filing says to contact the trustee for a scholarship application. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Gail C Link Education Trust's EIN?
Gail C Link Education Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-6158233. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 22, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Gail C Link Education Trust funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Gail C Link Education Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
Saint Louis, MO
The Enterprise Holdings Foundation supports charitable and educational nonprofits in communities where Enterprise Mobility operates, focusing on health, education, arts, and disaster relief; applicants must be actively supported by an Enterprise Mobility team member, spouse, or domestic partner. Giving varies widely: it reported 9,499 grants in 2024, but its 2025 filing showed one grant of $101.4 million, so that amount is not a typical award. Applications are accepted at any time through eligible Enterprise-affiliated applicants; the Foundation does not limit giving to preselected organizations.
Assets
$594.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$101.4M
Wollman Scholarship Fund
Birmingham, AL
Assets
$173K
Grants
9
Total Given
$10K
Violet Hampton Tuw #2
Birmingham, AL
This foundation funds university scholarships for students who are legal residents of Tennessee, with 2025 grants going to colleges in Tennessee and several other states. Its 14 grants totaled $46,000, ranging from $2,000 to $14,000; applications are available through GrantInterface, and the filing states there are no deadlines.
Assets
$785K
Grants
14
Total Given
$46K
Hughes Memorial Home
Danville, VA
Hughes Memorial Home funds special projects and capital improvements benefiting needy or at-risk children, as well as scholarships for higher education or job training, in Virginia and North Carolina. Its 2025 grants ranged from $750 to $52,500, with a median of $2,500. It accepts grant applications through an online process, but says applications will not be accepted in 2026; the next stated application period is July 1–September 1, 2027.
Assets
$5.5M
Grants
53
Total Given
$402K
Watson-Brown Foundation Inc
Thomson, GA
Watson-Brown Foundation supports education and scholarship in the American South, Southern history and culture, and historic preservation, with a focus on colleges, universities, and related public charities; its 2024 grants ranged from $1,500 to $684,659, with a median of $6,000. Its work centers on the South, including preservation in east central Georgia and scholarships for eligible students from designated Georgia and South Carolina counties. It accepts institutional grant inquiries throughout the year through a letter-of-inquiry process.
Assets
$143.4M
Grants
153
Total Given
$5.2M
Grammy Museum Foundation Inc
Los Angeles, CA
The grammy museum is a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating and exploring music from yesterday and today to inspire the music of tomorrow through exhibits, education, grants, preservation initiatives, and public programming. Paying tribute to our collective musical heritage, the museum values and celebrates the dynamic connection in people's diverse backgrounds, telling the stories that inspire us, and creative expression that leads change in our industry.
Assets
$24.1M
Grants
9
Total Given
$126K
More similar funders
More Funders in Tennessee
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Gail C Link Education Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/gail-c-link-education-trust-morg_cc0a240d1eee4ca3afcd3b8d3c9a865f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_816158233_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Gail C Link Education Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/gail-c-link-education-trust-morg_cc0a240d1eee4ca3afcd3b8d3c9a865f},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-04. 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 Gail C Link Education Trust'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.
Gail C Link Education Trust down — hundreds of funders to go?