Lewis a Sikes Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Tabor City, NC EIN: 56-1947091

The Lewis a Sikes Foundation is a private foundation based in Tabor City, North Carolina. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations in North Carolina and South Carolina, including grants for education, religion, arts, and other stated purposes.

Lewis a Sikes Foundation at a glance

In short: Lewis a Sikes Foundation gave $34K across 16 grants in 2024 (avg $2K), mostly in North Carolina. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2024)
$33,637
+37.2% vs 2023
Grants made (2024)
16
+0.0% vs 2023
Average grant
$2,102
+37.2% vs 2023
Median grant
$1,000
Total assets
$1,262,071
+17.7% vs 2023
Primary geography
North Carolina (74% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.

How to apply to Lewis a Sikes 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: 200 S Lewis Street, Tabor City, NC 28463
Phone: (910) 653-2082

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Lewis a Sikes Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

South Columbus High School: $11KSouth Columbus High School$11KClemson Foundation: $4KClemson Foundation$4KNorth Carolina Agricultural Foundation Inc: $4KNorth Carolina AgriculturalFoundation Inc$4KColumbus County Schools: $3KColumbus County Schools$3KSoutheastern Community College: $3KSoutheastern Community College$3KBoys and Girls Home: $1KBoys and Girls Home$1KCoastal School Ministries: $1KCoastal School Ministries$1KFostering Hope: $1KFostering Hope$1KLoris Presbyterian: $1KLoris Presbyterian$1KReuben Brown House Society: $1KReuben Brown House Society$1K

The largest 2024 recipient was South Columbus High School ($11K). Together the top 10 received $29K.

Grant Size Distribution

62 grants across all recorded years

62<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 62 grants of 62 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The 2024 filing reports that 74% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina and 26% to recipients in South Carolina.

Grant Distribution by State

2states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.

Cities

Tabor CityWhitevilleMyrtle BeachLorisRaleighClemsonConwayLake Waccamaw

How Lewis a Sikes Foundation gives

  • 94% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving grew 40% from 2021 to 2024. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 89% 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 (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

$0$10K$20K$30K$40K3 grants2020 12 grants2021 15 grants2022 16 grants2023 16 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $18K (2020) to $34K (2024). In 2024 it made 16 grants totaling $34K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
South Columbus High School Tabor City, NCGrant for Academic Achievement Banquet & Arts$10,537
Clemson Foundation Clemson, SCEducation - Scholarship Fund$4,000
North Carolina Agricultural Foundation Inc Raleigh, NCEducation - Scholarship Fund$4,000
Columbus County Schools Whiteville, NCGrant in Support of Education$3,000
Southeastern Community College Whiteville, NCGrant in Support of Education$2,500
Boys and Girls Home Lake Waccamaw, NCGrant in Support of Education$1,000
Coastal School Ministries Myrtle Beach, SCGrant in Support of Religion$1,000
Fostering Hope Conway, SCGrant to provide basic necessities for children in crisis situations$1,000
Loris Presbyterian Loris, SCGrant in Support of Religion$1,000
Reuben Brown House Society Whiteville, NCGrant in Support of the Arts$1,000
Your AI grants department

Ready to take the next step with Lewis a Sikes Foundation?

Fully replaces Grant database subscriptions Instrumentl · Foundation Directory · GrantStation & similar

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2024$1,262,071$230,632$40,440$33,63716$33,637$207,796$37,724
2023$1,071,879$42,244$30,961$24,51416$29,150—$33,849
2022$1,075,596$76,550$34,691$25,00015$32,887—$33,523
2021$1,091,896$31,342$34,658$24,00012$34,269$14,582$35,076
2020$1,095,547$41,040$23,265$18,0003—$24,119$33,633

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lewis a Sikes Foundation reported a distributable amount of $38K 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

No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for education and scholarships, religion, arts, and assistance for children and people with autism and intellectual disabilities.

Among the grantees, Southeastern Community College describes its work as providing financial aid and special grants to students, community service programs, and financial support for the college. Coastal School Ministries says it provides Horry County public school students the opportunity to participate in Bible classes through a released-time program. SOS Health Care says it provides hope, care, and assistance to individuals with autism and intellectual disabilities. Fostering Hope describes providing facilities, clothing, and personal-care items to displaced children in Horry County and raising foster-care awareness.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation reported 16 grants totaling $33,637. Grant amounts ranged from $350 to $10,537, with a median of $1,000.

Its largest reported grants included $10,537 to South Columbus High School for an academic achievement banquet and arts; $4,000 each to Clemson Foundation and North Carolina Agricultural Foundation Inc. for scholarship funds; $3,000 to Columbus County Schools and $2,500 to Southeastern Community College in support of education. Other listed grants included $1,000 each to Boys and Girls Home, Coastal School Ministries, Fostering Hope, Loris Presbyterian, Reuben Brown House Society, SOS Health Care, and Southeastern Oratoria Society.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists James Craigie as president; Rod Sanders as vice president; Christopher Russell as secretary; and Naomi W Ward as treasurer. It also lists Christopher Collins Russell, Sterling Koonce, Mary Edi Rogers Cox, and Marc Cox as board members.

Lewis a Sikes Foundation is led by James Craigie, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 7 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • James Craigie

    President

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Christopher Collins Russell

    Scretary & Board Member

    Board Member → Scretary & Board Member, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Marc Cox

    Board Member

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Mary Edi Rogers Cox

    Board Member

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Naomi W. Ward

    Treasurer

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Rod Sanders

    Vice President

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Sterling Koonce

    Board Member

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: O. Richard Wright Jr. (2020–2023) — Scretary

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 Lewis a Sikes Foundation

How much does Lewis a Sikes Foundation give each year?

Lewis a Sikes Foundation gave $34K across 16 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $25K across 16 grants.

What is Lewis a Sikes Foundation's typical grant size?

Lewis a Sikes Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $2,102, across 16 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Lewis a Sikes Foundation give grants?

Lewis a Sikes Foundation gives mostly in North Carolina: 74% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was South Carolina (26%). The most frequent recipient cities were Tabor City, NC (4 grants), Whiteville, NC (4 grants), Myrtle Beach, SC (2 grants) and Loris, SC (2 grants).

Does Lewis a Sikes Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2024: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on Lewis a Sikes Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Grant in Support of Education" (3 grants).

Who are Lewis a Sikes Foundation's largest grantees?

Lewis a Sikes Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include South Columbus High School ($10,537), Clemson Foundation ($4,000) and North Carolina Agricultural Foundation Inc ($4,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 55% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is Lewis a Sikes Foundation?

Lewis a Sikes Foundation reported $1.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $34K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $38K (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 Lewis a Sikes Foundation fund?

No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for education and scholarships, religion, arts, and assistance for children and people with autism and intellectual disabilities. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Lewis a Sikes 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 Lewis a Sikes Foundation's EIN?

Lewis a Sikes Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-1947091. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Does Lewis a Sikes 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

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Live grants for the work Lewis a Sikes Foundation funds

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.

Explore Open Grants

Browse active grant opportunities in Lewis a Sikes Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database

Similar Funders

Funders that support many of the same organizations

Waccamaw Community Foundation

Murrells Inlet, SC

Waccamaw Community Foundation funds education, community development, human needs, health, environmental work, arts, religion, and other local needs, primarily in Horry and Georgetown counties, South Carolina; disaster relief may also cover Williamsburg County. Its 2025 itemized grants ranged from $5,063 to $407,100, with a median of $15,390. Most grants come from donor-advised funds and do not accept applications; eligible organizations can apply through competitive programs, while unsolicited requests are not accepted by specified fund types.

Assets

$44.5M

Grants

71

Total Given

$2.0M

The Goodman Foundation Inc

Salisbury, NC

The Goodman Foundation supports charitable organizations across varied fields, including science education, food access, animal welfare, housing, children and families, and conservation. Its 2025 grants ranged from $1,000 to $58,000, with a median of $8,750; most funding went to North Carolina and Texas, with smaller amounts going to Washington, D.C., Georgia, and Connecticut. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Assets

$13.0M

Grants

52

Total Given

$549K

Greater Horizons

Kansas City, MO

Greater Horizons distributes donor-advised fund grants to eligible U.S. charities and institutions across a wide range of causes; international organizations may also be supported after additional due diligence. In 2024, its grants had a median of $15,000, though amounts varied widely. Grants are requested by fund holders, and no general application process for organizations seeking funding is described.

Assets

$2.8B

Grants

3,282

Total Given

$212.2M

Aetna Foundation Inc

Hartford, CT

Aetna Foundation supported health and wellness, access to health care, and related community needs; its 2021 grants ranged from $5,000 to $1 million, with a median of $40,000, and went to organizations across multiple states, especially in D.C. and Connecticut. Its 2021 filing was marked final, so it appears to have ended or be winding down grantmaking; that filing said there were no restrictions on who could apply and pointed applicants to its website for application materials.

Assets

—

Grants

65

Total Given

$7.2M

Blue Grass Community Foundation Inc

Lexington, KY

Blue Grass Community Foundation funds charitable causes and community needs, including education, housing, basic assistance, and youth wellbeing, primarily in Central and Appalachia Kentucky. Its 2025 grants ranged from about $5,000 to $520,000, with a median of about $16,700; the foundation’s website describes competitive grant opportunities but does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$296.2M

Grants

514

Total Given

$20.7M

The Sanders Family Foundation

Tabor City, NC

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$197K

Grants

18

Total Given

$18K

More similar funders

More Funders in North Carolina

The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Lewis a Sikes 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.

Lewis a Sikes Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?

Want AI to do this for you?