James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation
The James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Its 2024 filing reports 14 grants totaling $36,700, including grants to organizations in Georgia, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and the District of Columbia.
James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation gave $37K across 14 grants in 2024 (avg $3K), mostly in Georgia. 86% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $36,700
- +72.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 14
- +75.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $2,621
- -1.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,450
- Total assets
- $278,799
- -6.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 86% first-time grantees (12 of 14, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Georgia (82% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 2549, Chattanooga, TN 37409
Phone: (423) 664-7486
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Emory University ($10K). Together the top 10 received $35K.
Grant Size Distribution
46 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 46 grants of 46 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 82% of grant dollars went to recipients in Georgia and 13% to recipients in Tennessee. Recipients in Pennsylvania received 3% of grant dollars, while those in Kentucky and the District of Columbia each received 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
Cities
Is James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
86%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 12 of 14 grantees (86%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 14% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 33% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 121% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $14K (2020) to $37K (2024). In 2024 it made 14 grants totaling $37K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Emory University Atlanta, GA | General | $10,000 |
| No Ga Community Foundation Lafayette, GA | General | $5,000 |
| GFWC Lafayette Womens Club Lafayette, GA | General | $5,000 |
| Walker Co African American Historical Soc Chickamauga, GA | General | $5,000 |
| Walker Count Historic Society Lafayette, GA | General | $2,500 |
| Friends of the Marsh House Lafayette, GA | General | $2,500 |
| Scenic City Clay Arts Chattanooga, TN | General | $1,900 |
| St Judes Childrens Resarch Hospital Memphis, TN | General | $1,000 |
| Tunnel to Towers Foundation Philadelphia, PA | General | $1,000 |
| East TN State University Foundation Johnson City, TN | General | $750 |
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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 | $278,799 | $24,693 | $45,400 | $36,700 | 14 | $36,700 | $695 | $30,365 |
| 2023 | $299,506 | $59,434 | $27,925 | $21,250 | 8 | $21,250 | $34,203 | $29,078 |
| 2022 | $267,997 | $-1,175 | $25,590 | $18,200 | 9 | $18,200 | — | $27,660 |
| 2021 | $294,762 | $2,645 | $35,655 | $27,500 | 6 | — | — | $26,647 |
| 2020 | $327,772 | $7,731 | $20,245 | $13,500 | 9 | — | $3,371 | $26,791 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $30K 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 available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2024 grants went to charitable organizations including universities, community and historical organizations, a public library, and an arts organization.
Emory University, which received $10,000 in 2024, describes its mission as creating, preserving, teaching, and applying knowledge in the service of humanity. Scenic City Clay Arts, which received $1,900, describes its mission as sharing access to all things clay through collaborative education in a community studio. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 14 grants totaling $36,700. Grant amounts ranged from $300 to $10,000, with a median of $1,450.
Among the largest reported grants were $10,000 to Emory University; $5,000 each to NO GA Community Foundation, GFWC Lafayette Women’s Club, and Walker County African American Historical Society; and $2,500 each to Walker County Historic Society and Friends of the Marsh House.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists James C Wadlaw and Charlotte Wardlaw as directors.
James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Charlotte Wardlaw
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James C. Wadlaw
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation
How much does James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation give each year?
James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation gave $37K across 14 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $21K across 8 grants.
What is James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,450, and its average grant was $2,621, across 14 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation give grants?
James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Georgia: 82% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Tennessee (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Lafayette, GA (4 grants) and Chattanooga, TN (3 grants).
Does James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (14 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Emory University ($10,000), No Ga Community Foundation ($5,000) and GFWC Lafayette Womens Club ($5,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 54% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation?
James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation reported $279K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $37K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $30K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation fund?
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2024 grants went to charitable organizations including universities, community and historical organizations, a public library, and an arts organization. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation's EIN?
James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-2342888. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does James C & Charlotte Wardlaw Charitable Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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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