JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc
JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Columbus, Georgia. Its 2025 grants supported organizations working in education, community advocacy, arts, youth development, historic preservation, and other areas.
JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc gave $1.8M across 53 grants in 2025 (avg $34K), mostly in Georgia. 10% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,791,000
- -15.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 53
- -3.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $33,792
- -12.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $6,000
- Total assets
- $10,092,726
- -4.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 10% first-time grantees (5 of 51, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Georgia (81% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc
- 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 750, Columbus, GA 31902
Phone: (706) 322-6005
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley Inc ($300K). Together the top 10 received $1.5M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($6,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
278 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 236 grants of 278 (85%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 81% of grant dollars went to recipients in Georgia and 14% to recipients in Alabama. The listed shares for New York, Colorado, and Virginia were 1% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 53 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
10%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 51 grantees (10%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $70K; repeat grants $31K. How we count
Medians: $11K first-time, $6K repeat.
- 90% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+0%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 85% 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 (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.8M (2022) to $2.1M (2024). In 2025 it made 53 grants totaling $1.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley Inc Columbus, GA | 2025 Campaign | $300,000 |
| Auburn University Foundation Auburn, AL | Scholarships | $245,000 |
| Brookstone School Inc Columbus, GA | Education | $216,000 |
| Midtown Inc Columbus, GA | Community Advocacy | $200,000 |
| Columbus Technical College Columbus, GA | Education | $125,000 |
| Columbus State University Foundation Columbus, GA | Education | $111,000 |
| Springer Opera House Columbus, GA | ARTS | $80,000 |
| Georgia State University Fdn Atlanta, GA | Education | $70,000 |
| Port Columbus Columbus, GA | Naval Museum | $65,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Chatt Valley Columbus, GA | Youth Development | $50,000 |
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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 | $10,092,726 | $1,304,952 | $1,815,668 | $1,791,000 | 53 | $1,794,337 | $1,302,114 | $2,122,609 |
| 2024 | $10,603,442 | $1,328,843 | $2,204,443 | $2,116,556 | 55 | $2,150,879 | $1,294,479 | $1,937,034 |
| 2023 | $10,845,301 | $1,239,608 | $2,010,151 | $1,989,132 | 57 | $1,991,717 | $1,236,984 | $1,990,615 |
| 2022 | $10,626,106 | $1,067,972 | $1,807,666 | $1,790,113 | 58 | $1,792,624 | $1,065,435 | $1,992,196 |
| 2021 | $10,320,374 | $1,047,043 | $1,819,464 | $1,797,107 | 55 | — | $1,043,515 | $1,797,477 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $2.1M 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 grants include support for educational institutions, community organizations, arts and cultural institutions, and youth-serving organizations. For example, Brookstone School describes itself as a private school providing education from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, while Midtown Inc says it works through education and advocacy to support economic and neighborhood revitalization in Columbus.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 53 grants totaling $1,791,000. Grants ranged from $3,000 to $300,000, with a median grant of $6,000. Among its largest grants were $300,000 to United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley for its 2025 campaign, $245,000 to Auburn University Foundation for scholarships, $216,000 to Brookstone School for education, and $200,000 to Midtown Inc for community advocacy. Other large grants included $125,000 to Columbus Technical College and $111,000 to Columbus State University Foundation, both for education.
United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley describes its mission as leading and uniting community resources to transform lives. Auburn University Foundation says it operates for the exclusive benefit of Auburn University, an educational land-grant institution.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Christopher S Woodruff as chairman and CEO; Katherine F Woodruff as vice chair; Sheila D Ferry, James W Woodruff III, and Dina Woodruff as directors; and Timothy L DeCamp as treasurer/secretary.
JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc is led by Christopher S. Woodruff, Chairman & CEO on every filing since 2021; none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Christopher S. Woodruff
Chairman & CEO
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dina Woodruff
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James W. Woodruff III
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sheila D. Ferry
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Katherine F. Woodruff
Vice Chair
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Timothy L. Decamp
Treasurer & Secretary
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc
How much does JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc give each year?
JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc gave $1.8M across 53 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.1M across 55 grants.
What is JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $6,000, and its average grant was $33,792, across 53 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc that year got $70K on average.
Where does JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc give grants?
JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc gives mostly in Georgia: 81% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Alabama (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Columbus, GA (25 grants), Atlanta, GA (4 grants), Auburn, AL (2 grants) and West Pt, NY (2 grants).
Does JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Occasionally: 2% of JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 53) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Education" (10 grants), "Youth Development" (4 grants) and "Arts" (4 grants).
Who are JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley Inc ($300,000), Auburn University Foundation ($248,000 across 2 grants) and Brookstone School Inc ($216,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($6,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc?
JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc reported $10.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.1M (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 JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants include support for educational institutions, community organizations, arts and cultural institutions, and youth-serving organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc?
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 JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc's EIN?
JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-6049589. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc 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 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 23, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/jw-and-ethel-i-woodruff-foundation-inc-morg_977a234fee174fd9a564a9e2c9c492b1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_586049589_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{JW \& Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/jw-and-ethel-i-woodruff-foundation-inc-morg_977a234fee174fd9a564a9e2c9c492b1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-23. 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 JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc'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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