Green South Foundation Inc

CARROLLTON, GA EIN: 84-4534116 Website

Green South Foundation Inc is a private foundation established in 2021 and based in Carrollton, Georgia. The foundation funds efforts to protect the Southeast's wildlife and natural resources for future generations, operating with a "new-venture mindset" that prioritizes high-potential projects needing support to get off the ground.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$25.0M

+9.0% YoY

Annual Giving

$1.8M

+23.8% YoY

Grant Count

-13.3% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$70K

+42.8% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Green South Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $477K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

Mission: We fund efforts that protect our region's incredible wildlife and great outdoors for the benefit of our children.

The foundation operates three primary programs:

Awareness Program Supports fact-based communication projects in the U.S. Southeast to inform communities about climate change and other environmental challenges. The foundation prioritizes projects that close the gap between scientific understanding and public knowledge, with geographic focus on Georgia and the Carolinas.

Accelerator Program Funds projects that accelerate the pace of conservation in the region and strengthen environmental protection, with priority given to work in the Southern Appalachians.

Land Program Partners with accredited land trusts, state and local agencies, and national conservation organizations to invest in regional land conservation projects. The foundation provides low-interest rate loans to conservation organizations for land acquisition, typically secured by first mortgages with interest rates below market rates and four-year repayment terms.

Grantmaking

The foundation made 24 grants totaling approximately $1.8 million, including:

Grant Range

s & Range**

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation's primary geographic focus is the U.S. Southeast, with particular emphasis on:

Southern Appalachians (priority region for accelerator program)
Georgia and the Carolinas (primary focus for awareness program)

Grant Distribution by State

California $1.7M (37%)

North Carolina $582K (13%)

District of Columbia $580K (12%)

New York $535K (12%)

Washington $340K (7%)

Massachusetts $200K (4%)

Wisconsin $200K (4%)

Georgia $160K (3%)

+9 more states

States

Arizona California Colorado Connecticut District of Columbia Georgia Massachusetts Maryland Montana North Carolina New York Oregon South Carolina Texas Virginia Washington Wisconsin

Cities

AppletonArlingtonAshevilleAtlantaAustinBeavertonBostonBoulderCharlotteCharlottesvilleColumbiaHagerstownHendersonvilleLos AngelesMaconMissoulaNew HavenNew YorkNipomoPacoima

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets & Revenue (2024)

Total Assets: $25,000,156
Total Revenue: $6,188,525
Total Expenses: $3,982,378
Net Income: $2,206,147
Total Liabilities: $10,000,000

Annual Giving

2024: $1,822,850 (24 grants)
2023: $1,472,591 (30 grants)
2022: $1,300,000 (24 grants)

Giving Rate Approximately 6.4% of assets annually

Staffing 2 employees (as of 2024)

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$25,000,156	$22,930,861	$14,044,152
Revenue	$6,188,525	$10,390,691	$5,895,412
Expenses	$3,982,378	$2,029,512	$1,650,083
Qualifying Distributions	$2,441,171	$1,974,284	$1,627,688
Net Investment Income	$1,832,292	$335,324	$1,852,040
Distributable Amount	$476,944	$569,723	$172,058

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

81 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include The Trust for Public Lands ($230,000), Catawba College ($194,639), American Conservation Coalition ($130,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
THE CONSESRVATION FUND ARLINGTON, VA	SUPPORT OF LAND CONSERVATION EFFORTS	$50,000
OCMULGEE NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE INITIATIVE MACON, GA	SUPPORT OF LAND CONSERVATION EFFORTS	$120,000
AMERICAN CONSERVATION COALITION APPLETON, WI	CLIMATE AWARENESS PROJECTS	$130,000
THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LANDS LOS ANGELES, CA	SUPPORT OF LAND CONSERVATION EFFORTS	$230,000
CONSERVING CAROLINA HENDERSONVILLE, SC	SUPPORT OF LAND CONSERVATION EFFORTS	$19,000
HACKS HACKERS WASHINGTON, DC	CLIMATE AWARENESS PROJECTS	$100,000
SOUTH CAROLINA FARM BUREAU LAND TRUST INC COLUMBIA, SC	SUPPORT OF LAND CONSERVATION EFFORTS	$20,000
RE WILD AUSTIN, TX	LAND CONSERVATION EFFORTS	$60,000
CATAWBA COLLEGE SALISBURY, NC	CLIMATE AWARENESS PROJECTS	$194,639
JOURNALISM FUNDING PARTNERS SACRAMENTO, CA	SUPPORT FOR LOCAL JOURNALISM	$50,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Roy Richards Founder and President. Retired chief executive of Southwire Company. Currently serves on several boards and teaches in leadership and corporate governance. A hunter, fisherman, and lifelong Southerner who grew up in rural West Georgia and now lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Noel Thorn President of The Thorn Company, LLC, which provides advisory services to Green South. Former CEO and Board Chair of Wild Dunes Associates. Former Land Protection Director of The Nature Conservancy, South Carolina Chapter. Lives in the South Carolina Lowcountry.

Greg Guthrie Managing Director of the Valentine Family Office, which provides accounting and administrative services to Green South.

Sarah Barr Program Associate (as of 2024).

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
ROY RICHARDS JR	PRESIDENT	1	—
JUDY WINDOM	SECRETARY	1	—

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Environment & Animals

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Green South Foundation Inc fund?

**Mission:** We fund efforts that protect our region's incredible wildlife and great outdoors for the benefit of our children. The foundation operates three primary programs: **Awareness Program** Supports fact-based communication projects in the U.S. Southeast to inform communities about climate change and other environmental challenges. The foundation prioritizes projects that close the gap between scientific understanding and public knowledge, with geographic focus on Georgia and the Carolin…

How do I apply for a grant from Green South Foundation Inc?

**Grant Sizes & Range** • Typical grant awards range from $1,000 to $200,000 • Median grant amount: $50,000 • Awareness program grants typically range from $25,000 to $80,000 • Land conservation loans can exceed $565,000 **Recent Grant Activity (2024)** The foundation made 24 grants totaling approximately $1.8 million, including: • Catawba College: $194,639 (Climate Awareness Projects) • Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve Initiative: $120,000 (Land Conservation Efforts) • Potential Energy Coal…

Where does Green South Foundation Inc make grants?

The foundation's primary geographic focus is the U.S. Southeast, with particular emphasis on: • Southern Appalachians (priority region for accelerator program) • Georgia and the Carolinas (primary focus for awareness program)

What size grants does Green South Foundation Inc award?

In 2024, Green South Foundation Inc awarded 26 grants totaling $1.8M — an average of about $70K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Green South Foundation Inc required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Green South Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $477K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.