Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation
The Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation is a private foundation based in Birmingham, Alabama. Its 2024 grants supported organizations involved in education, including schools and organizations working to promote academic excellence and improve public education.
Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation at a glance
In short: Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation gave $2.6M across 12 grants in 2024 (avg $213K), mostly in Alabama. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,557,345
- +37.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 12
- -53.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $213,112
- +197.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $152,100
- Total assets
- $25,526,362
- -4.4% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Alabama (93% 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 Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation
- How to Apply
Potential grantees should submit a letter describing the organization and proposed use of funds, the project’s timing, how success will be measured, evidence of tax-exempt status, a list of directors and executive…
Potential grantees should submit a letter describing the organization and proposed use of funds, the project’s timing, how success will be measured, evidence of tax-exempt status, a list of directors and executive staff, and the project budget and any additional funders. The filing states that there are no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Sam Dipiazza
Mailing address: 25 Ridge Drive, Mountain Brook, AL 35213
Phone: (205) 879-6122
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Blount County Education Foundation Inc ($630K). Together the top 10 received $2.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
62 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 33 grants of 62 (53%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 93% of grant dollars went to recipients in Alabama and 7% went to recipients in New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation gives
- 42% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 83% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 163% of 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $452K (2020) to $2.6M (2024). In 2024 it made 12 grants totaling $2.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Blount County Education Foundation Inc Oneonta, AL | General Support | $630,000 |
| I3 Academy Birmingham, AL | General Support | $562,000 |
| New Schools for Alabama Birmingham, AL | General Support | $510,000 |
| Cornerstone School Birmingham, AL | General Support | $189,529 |
| Center for Educational Innovation New York, NY | General Support | $167,322 |
| Tarrant Board of Education Birmingham, AL | General Support | $154,200 |
| Teach for America Alabama Birmingham, AL | General Support | $150,000 |
| Foundations Early Learning Center Fairfield, AL | General Support | $77,000 |
| Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic School Birmingham, AL | General Support | $61,494 |
| The Hope Institute Birmingham, AL | General Support | $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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $25,526,362 | $1,739,164 | $2,913,089 | $2,557,345 | 12 | $2,624,015 | $1,566,948 | $1,606,764 |
| 2023 | $26,690,829 | $967,199 | $2,235,936 | $1,859,827 | 26 | $1,926,497 | $808,141 | $1,491,425 |
| 2022 | $27,959,608 | $1,048,994 | $2,476,822 | $2,098,932 | 11 | $2,165,602 | $870,522 | $1,579,320 |
| 2021 | $30,785,859 | $2,019,539 | $1,725,685 | $1,400,000 | 1 | $1,466,670 | $1,839,151 | $1,805,502 |
| 2020 | $29,091,963 | $262,901 | $772,841 | $452,167 | 12 | — | $452,975 | $1,492,364 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.6M 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 went to organizations whose stated missions include promoting academic excellence in Blount County schools, supporting the growth of excellent public charter schools in Alabama, and helping public schools improve the quality of education. I3 Academy describes its mission as empowering learners to become agents of change who solve problems in their world. The Hope Institute says it brings character-development practices to K–12 schools in Alabama.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 12 grants totaling $2,557,345. Grants ranged from $800 to $630,000, with a median of $152,100. The largest awards were $630,000 to Blount County Education Foundation, $562,000 to I3 Academy, and $510,000 to New Schools for Alabama. Each grant was listed for general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Martin Solomon and Samuel A. DiPiazza Jr. as trustees.
Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; all 2 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Martin Solomon
Trustee
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
$50K (2020) → $50K (2024)
Samuel A. Dipiazza Jr.
Trustee
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
$50K (2020) → $50K (2024)
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $50K, to Martin Solomon (Trustee). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation
How much does Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation give each year?
Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation gave $2.6M across 12 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.9M across 26 grants.
What is Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation's typical grant size?
Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $152,100, and its average grant was $213,112, across 12 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation give grants?
Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation gives mostly in Alabama: 93% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Birmingham, AL (9 grants).
Does Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 12) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation's largest grantees?
Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Blount County Education Foundation Inc ($630,000), I3 Academy ($562,000) and New Schools for Alabama ($510,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 67% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation?
Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation reported $25.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations whose stated missions include promoting academic excellence in Blount County schools, supporting the growth of excellent public charter schools in Alabama, and helping public schools improve the quality of education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation?
Potential grantees should submit a letter describing the organization and proposed use of funds, the project’s timing, how success will be measured, evidence of tax-exempt status, a list of directors and executive… Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation's EIN?
Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-6828582. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/max-and-lorayne-cooper-foundation-morg_904fcd69ceb947acb0c845ca57ce0397
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_546828582_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Max and Lorayne Cooper Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/max-and-lorayne-cooper-foundation-morg_904fcd69ceb947acb0c845ca57ce0397},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Max and Lorayne Cooper 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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