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 $69K across 11 grants in 2024 (avg $6K), mostly in Tennessee. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $69,000
- +27.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 11
- +22.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $6,273
- +4.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Total assets
- $972,331
- -6.1% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (87% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 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 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University of Tennessee - Knoxville ($15K). Together the top 8 received $54K.
Organizations only. It also paid 3 individual scholarships ($15,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
49 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 49 grants of 49 (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 2024 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
How Gail C Link Education Trust gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−10%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 91% 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $54K (2023) to $77K (2021). In 2024 it made 11 grants totaling $69K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Tennessee - Knoxville Knoxville, TN | Student Higher Education Scholarships | $15,000 |
| University of Tennessee - Chattanooga Chattanooga, TN | Student Higher Education Scholarships | $12,000 |
| 3 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $15,000 |
| University of Memphis Memphis, TN | Student Higher Education Scholarships | $9,000 |
| Tennessee Tech University Cookeville, TN | Student Higher Education Scholarships | $6,000 |
| Alabama A&M University Huntsville, AL | Student Higher Education Scholarships | $3,000 |
| Tennessee State University Nashville, TN | Student Higher Education Scholarships | $3,000 |
| University of Alabama in Huntsville Huntsville, AL | Student Higher Education Scholarships | $3,000 |
| Southern Adventist University Collegedale, TN | Student Higher Education Scholarships | $3,000 |
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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 | $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 $75K 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 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.
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 2024 filing lists 6 officers; 1 of 6 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Principal Securities Network
Custodian Trustee
Successor Trustee → Custodian Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2022
10 hrs/week
$3K (2023) → $18K (2024)
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
New on the 2024 filing
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, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $18K, 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 $69K across 11 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $54K across 9 grants.
What is Gail C Link Education Trust's typical grant size?
Gail C Link Education Trust's median grant in 2024 was $3,000, and its average grant was $6,273, across 11 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Gail C Link Education Trust give grants?
Gail C Link Education Trust gives mostly in Tennessee: 87% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 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 2024: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on Gail C Link Education Trust's 2024 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 2024 grantees include University of Tennessee - Knoxville ($15,000), University of Tennessee - Chattanooga ($12,000) and University of Memphis ($9,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 3 individual scholarships ($15,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 52% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Gail C Link Education Trust?
Gail C Link Education Trust reported $972K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $69K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $75K (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 2020–2024.
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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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Gail C Link Education Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 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 2026-10-15. 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.
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