Joe Lee Griffin Foundation
The Joe Lee Griffin Foundation is a private foundation based in Birmingham, Alabama. Its 2025 filing lists grants to charitable organizations, including churches, cancer organizations, children’s and family organizations, and community groups.
Joe Lee Griffin Foundation at a glance
In short: Joe Lee Griffin Foundation gave $239K across 33 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in Alabama. 3% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $238,500
- +5.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 33
- +3.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $7,227
- +2.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $2,946,856
- -8.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 3% first-time grantees (1 of 33, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Alabama (93% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Joe Lee Griffin Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3700 Colonnade Parkway 300, Birmingham, AL 35243
Phone: (205) 933-7822
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Joe Lee Griffin Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Church of the Highlands ($45K). Together the top 10 received $163K.
Grant Size Distribution
177 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 177 grants of 177 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 93% of grant dollars went to recipients in Alabama. The remaining reported shares were Texas (3%), Tennessee (2%), Missouri (1%), and Montana (0%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 33 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Joe Lee Griffin Foundation open to new grantees?
3%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 33 grantees (3%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 82% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−2%). Method
- In 2025 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
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $190K (2019) to $250K (2023). In 2025 it made 33 grants totaling $239K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Church of the Highlands Birmingham, AL | General Fund | $45,000 |
| Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church Vestavia Hills, AL | General Fund | $30,000 |
| American Cancer Society Birmingham, AL | Joe Lee Griffin Hope Lodge Renovations | $25,000 |
| United States Israel Association Birmingham, AL | General Fund | $25,000 |
| UAB O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center Birmingham, AL | General Fund | $10,000 |
| The Gladney Fund Ft Worth, TX | General Fund | $7,500 |
| Alabama Baptist Children's Homes & Family Ministries Birmingham, AL | General Fund | $5,000 |
| Children's Harbor Alexander City, AL | General Fund | $5,000 |
| Embrace Alabama Kids Montgomery, AL | General Fund | $5,000 |
| Food Bank of East Alabama Auburn, AL | Beat Bama Food Drive | $5,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,946,856 | $23,982 | $279,694 | $238,500 | 33 | $241,700 | $65,107 | $266,979 |
| 2024 | $3,202,568 | $205,178 | $264,658 | $225,500 | 32 | $228,500 | $169,020 | $243,781 |
| 2023 | $3,262,048 | $4,033 | $294,711 | $250,000 | 39 | $252,725 | $122,656 | $231,027 |
| 2022 | $3,552,726 | $436,073 | $282,188 | $242,900 | 40 | $245,375 | $402,491 | $245,787 |
| 2021 | $3,398,841 | $261,269 | $238,484 | $204,000 | 33 | — | $231,670 | $246,364 |
| 2020 | $3,376,056 | $255,871 | $237,016 | $208,250 | 33 | — | $231,798 | $209,906 |
| 2019 | $3,357,201 | $75,344 | $218,876 | $189,650 | 30 | — | $109,513 | $213,131 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Joe Lee Griffin Foundation reported a distributable amount of $267K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included general-fund support for churches and charitable organizations, as well as grants for cancer-related renovations and a food drive.
Some grantees describe their work in their own terms: the American Cancer Society says it works to improve the lives of people with cancer and their families through advocacy, research, and patient support. Children’s Harbor says it provides refuge, respite, and resources to families with children facing a life-altering medical diagnosis. Unless U says it serves adults with developmental disabilities and their families through continuing education and life and social skills.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave $238,500 through 33 grants. Awards ranged from $500 to $45,000, with a median grant of $5,000.
Among the largest 2025 grants were $45,000 to Church of the Highlands and $30,000 to Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church, both for general funds; $25,000 to the American Cancer Society for Joe Lee Griffin Hope Lodge renovations; and $25,000 to the United States Israel Association for its general fund. Other grants included $10,000 to UAB O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center and $7,500 to the Gladney Fund.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ginger Griffin Burkett as president and director, Gari Griffin as vice president and director, and Gana Griffin Barrentine as secretary and director.
Joe Lee Griffin Foundation is led by Ginger Griffin Burkett, President & Director on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ginger Griffin Burkett
President & Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Gana Griffin Barrentine
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Gari Griffin
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Joe Lee Griffin Foundation
How much does Joe Lee Griffin Foundation give each year?
Joe Lee Griffin Foundation gave $239K across 33 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $226K across 32 grants.
What is Joe Lee Griffin Foundation's typical grant size?
Joe Lee Griffin Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $7,227, across 33 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Joe Lee Griffin Foundation that year got $1K on average.
Where does Joe Lee Griffin Foundation give grants?
Joe Lee Griffin Foundation gives mostly in Alabama: 93% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Birmingham, AL (18 grants), Vestavia Hills, AL (4 grants) and Auburn, AL (2 grants).
Does Joe Lee Griffin Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 79% of Joe Lee Griffin Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (26 of 33) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Joe Lee Griffin Foundation's largest grantees?
Joe Lee Griffin Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Church of the Highlands ($45,000), Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church ($30,000) and American Cancer Society ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Joe Lee Griffin Foundation?
Joe Lee Griffin Foundation reported $2.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $242K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $267K (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 Joe Lee Griffin Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included general-fund support for churches and charitable organizations, as well as grants for cancer-related renovations and a food drive. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Joe Lee Griffin Foundation?
The foundation states that it 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 Joe Lee Griffin Foundation's EIN?
Joe Lee Griffin Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 63-0995615. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Joe Lee Griffin Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS January 21, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 1, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 22, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 20, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 4, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 21, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 6, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Joe Lee Griffin Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/joe-lee-griffin-foundation-morg_2d72249975ee4c85af23a1eb26ad3942
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_630995615_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Joe Lee Griffin Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/joe-lee-griffin-foundation-morg_2d72249975ee4c85af23a1eb26ad3942},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Joe Lee Griffin 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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