The James I Freeman Charitable Trust is a private foundation located in Texarkana, Arkansas. Established in 2009, it operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with no employees and functions as a grantmaking entity focused on community advancement and charitable giving.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$8.8M
+37.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$324K
+22.6% YoY
Grant Count
32
-8.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$10K
+34.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The trust primarily funds initiatives in the following areas:
- Advancement of the community through the arts
- Advancement of children's health
- Promotion of higher education
- General education support
Grantmaking
The trust made 29 grants in its most recent fiscal year. Recent grants include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The trust primarily focuses on Arkansas, with particular emphasis on the Texarkana area and support for University of Arkansas initiatives.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year Ending November 2024:
- Total Assets: $8,828,356
- Total Revenues: $2,725,814
- Total Expenses: $335,794
- Number of Employees: 0
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $8,828,356 | $6,438,090 | $6,418,558 |
| Revenue | $2,725,814 | $287,971 | $2,485,520 |
| Expenses | $335,794 | $267,628 | $208,100 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $323,545 | $263,900 | $202,300 |
| Net Investment Income | $389,203 | $287,971 | $530,750 |
| Distributable Amount | $381,941 | $321,707 | $271,206 |
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
137 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
James Freeman serves as trustee of the foundation. His wife, Barbara Yates Freeman (B.S.'70), is an alumna of the University of Arkansas. Freeman has indicated personal connections to Newton, Madison, and Johnson counties in Arkansas, where he and his brother grew up.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JAMES I FREEMAN | Foundation Mgr. | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In May 2021, James Freeman and Barbara Yates Freeman made a $50,000 gift from the trust to establish an endowed memorial scholarship honoring the Honorable Harvey L. Yates (J.D. '72), Barbara's brother and a former Arkansas state judge who served 28 years on the judiciary. The scholarship supports first-generation college students from specific Arkansas counties, reflecting the founders' own background as first-generation college students.
Carl M. Freeman Foundation announces grant opportunity for Sussex CountySubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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