James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation
The James K. Adams and Arlene L. Adams Foundation is a private foundation based in Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania. Its website describes tuition assistance for students graduating from specified high schools in eastern and central Cumberland County and Perry County, Pennsylvania. The foundation’s 2024 filing is marked as its final return, so it appears to have wound down or stopped grantmaking.
James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation at a glance
In short: James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation gave $157K across 16 grants in 2024 (avg $10K), mostly in Pennsylvania. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $156,500
- -9.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 16
- -27.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $9,781
- +24.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $8,000
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (73% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026.
How to apply to James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing says applications and instructions are available on the website.
- Review Cycle
- The filing lists April 1. The website’s stated deadline for the 2024–2025 cycle, March 31, 2024, has passed.
- Deadline
- The filing lists April 1.
- Contact
Application contact: James K Arlene L Adams Foundation
Mailing address: 7 West State St Suite 301, Sharon, PA 16146
Phone: (724) 981-5882
Website: https://adams.foundation
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Messiah University ($25K). Together the top 10 received $120K.
Grant Size Distribution
41 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 38 grants of 41 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The website identifies eligible students as graduates of specified high schools in eastern and central Cumberland County and Perry County, Pennsylvania. In 2024, 73% of grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania; other reported recipient-state shares were Virginia (7%), Wisconsin (6%), South Carolina (5%), and Delaware (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
Cities
How James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation gives
- 100% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+15%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 2018 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $102K (2018) to $174K (2023). In 2024 it made 16 grants totaling $157K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Messiah University Mechanicsburg, PA | To Pay Tuition. | $25,000 |
| Penn State University University Park, PA | To Pay Tuition. | $17,000 |
| West Chester University West Chester, PA | To Pay Tuition. | $16,000 |
| Geneva College Beaver Falls, PA | To Pay Tuition. | $10,000 |
| Lancaster Bible College Lancaster, PA | To Pay Tuition. | $10,000 |
| Maranatha Baptist University Watertown, WI | To Pay Tuition. | $10,000 |
| Bloomsburg University Bloomsburg, PA | To Pay Tuition. | $8,000 |
| Bob Jones University Greenville, SC | To Pay Tuition. | $8,000 |
| Millersville University Millersville, PA | To Pay Tuition. | $8,000 |
| University of Delaware Newark, DE | To Pay Tuition. | $8,000 |
Ready to take the next step with James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The filing type is Form 990-PF. The 2024 filing is marked as the organization’s final return.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | — | $156,471 | $163,827 | $156,500 | 16 | $156,500 | $38,450 | $3,782 |
| 2023 | $1,051,705 | $7,756 | $176,735 | $173,500 | 22 | $173,500 | $48,294 | $57,497 |
| 2022 | $1,225,475 | $8,625 | $176,236 | $172,000 | 1 | $172,000 | $34,928 | $63,929 |
| 2021 | $1,387,381 | $71,587 | $149,279 | $136,000 | 1 | $136,000 | $46,767 | $73,833 |
| 2020 | $1,463,987 | $22,623 | $135,937 | $121,500 | 1 | — | $45,938 | $75,147 |
| 2018 | $1,574,013 | $1,043,162 | $115,145 | $101,550 | 1 | — | $16,230 | $48,615 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4K 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 foundation’s website says it supports students who value giving back to their community, take an active role in their faith, and accept personal responsibility for becoming productive citizens. The website describes its support as college tuition assistance for graduates of specified high schools in eastern and central Cumberland County and Perry County.
The 2024 filing lists payments to educational institutions for tuition. Among the recipients, Messiah University describes its mission as educating students toward maturity in intellect, character, and Christian faith, while Geneva College describes itself as a Christ-centered academic community preparing students for service to God and neighbor. Maranatha Baptist University says it trains students for effective Gospel ministry, and the University of Pittsburgh describes itself as a public research university serving its region, Pennsylvania, and the nation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 16 grants totaling $156,500. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $25,000, with a median of $8,000. The largest awards included $25,000 to Messiah University, $17,000 to Penn State University, and $16,000 to West Chester University. Other reported awards included $10,000 each to Geneva College, Lancaster Bible College, and Maranatha Baptist University; $8,000 each to Bloomsburg University, Bob Jones University, Millersville University, the University of Delaware, and the University of Pittsburgh; and $7,500 to HACC.
The filing describes the application as available on the foundation’s website and gives restrictions for Pennsylvania 501(c)(3) charities and students graduating from high schools in eastern Cumberland County and Perry County, Pennsylvania. The website’s stated 2024–2025 application deadline of March 31, 2024 is in the past.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists James K. Adams II and Kenneth J. Purcell as trustees.
James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
James K. Adams II
Trustee
On filings since 2018
No compensation reported
Kenneth J. Purcell
Trustee
On filings since 2018
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2018–2024. "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 K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation
How much does James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation give each year?
James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation gave $157K across 16 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $174K across 22 grants.
What is James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation's typical grant size?
James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $8,000, and its average grant was $9,781, across 16 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation give grants?
James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 73% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Virginia (7%) and Wisconsin (6%).
Does James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Pay Tuition." (16 grants).
Who are James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation's largest grantees?
James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Messiah University ($25,000), Penn State University ($17,000) and West Chester University ($16,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
What does James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website says it supports students who value giving back to their community, take an active role in their faith, and accept personal responsibility for becoming productive citizens. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation?
The filing says applications and instructions are available on the website. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
How much is James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation's EIN?
James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-1665127. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2018–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(4)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2018 (received by the IRS November 15, 2019)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 13, 2022)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/james-k-adams-and-arlene-l-adams-foundation-morg_c73d17b17fae4727be56ee17e8f72b7c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_251665127_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{James K Adams \& Arlene L Adams Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/james-k-adams-and-arlene-l-adams-foundation-morg_c73d17b17fae4727be56ee17e8f72b7c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-24. 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 James K Adams & Arlene L Adams Foundation'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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