Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc
Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership is a private foundation based in Nahunta, Georgia. Its charitable foundation supports community development in the eight-county service area of Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation (OREMC), including initiatives related to education, community health, and economic development.
Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc gave $172K across 40 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), mostly in Georgia. 48% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $171,862
- +1.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 40
- -16.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,297
- +22.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $203,989
- -4.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 48% first-time grantees (19 of 40, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Georgia (66% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated November 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Its website says qualifying organizations serving residents in OREMC’s eight-county service area are invited to submit project applications for quarterly board review. Applicants are asked to provide a project brief describing the organization, proposed project, estimated costs, beneficiaries, goals and measures of success, geographic reach, community support, timeline, and other anticipated funding. The application also calls for an IRS 501(c)(3) letter, board list, and current-year budget and cash-flow statements. Requests must identify a specific amount and need; incomplete applications are not considered. Recipients must sign a commitment contract, report how funds were used and their community impact, and wait 12 months after all grant funds have been disbursed before applying again.
- Review Cycle
- October 2, 2026.
- Deadline
- October 2, 2026.
- Contact
Application contact: Ruby Sawyer
Mailing address: 14384 Cleveland St E, Nahunta, GA 31553
Phone: (912) 462-5131
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Baker County Council of Aging Inc ($5K). Together the top 10 received $50K.
Grant Size Distribution
180 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 180 grants of 180 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s guidelines require applicants to serve residents of Brantley, Camden, Charlton, Glynn, Ware, or Wayne counties in Georgia, or Baker or Nassau counties in Florida. In 2024, 65% of grant dollars went to recipients in Georgia and 35% to recipients in Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 40 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
48%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 19 of 40 grantees (48%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 35% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−3%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2022–2025). 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 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $158K (2023) to $178K (2022). In 2025 it made 40 grants totaling $172K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Baker County Council of Aging Inc Macclenny, FL | Community | $5,000 |
| Baker County Education Foundation Macclenny, FL | Community | $5,000 |
| Baker County Historical Society Macclenny, FL | Community | $5,000 |
| Baker County Ministers' Assoc Macclenny, FL | Community | $5,000 |
| Brantley Co Family Connection Nahunta, GA | Community | $5,000 |
| Brantley County Exchange Club Nahunta, GA | Community | $5,000 |
| Camp Trach Me Away Atlanta, GA | Community | $5,000 |
| Charlton Co Historical Society Folkson, GA | Community | $5,000 |
| Church Girls Inc Folkston, GA | Community | $5,000 |
| Ducks Unlimited Inc Memphis, TN | Community | $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 | $203,989 | $160,117 | $171,977 | $171,862 | 40 | $171,862 | $5,892 | $7,622 |
| 2024 | $213,866 | $145,100 | $169,366 | $168,700 | 48 | $168,700 | $916 | $4,955 |
| 2023 | $229,627 | $88,667 | $157,694 | $157,694 | 45 | $157,694 | $22,148 | $12,647 |
| 2022 | $298,654 | $476,341 | $177,687 | $177,687 | 47 | $177,687 | $21,031 | $10,711 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $8K 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
The foundation’s stated goal is to address charitable needs and improve quality of life in the communities served by OREMC. Its guidelines identify community service—including public safety, health care, self-sufficiency, and basic needs—education and youth initiatives, and disaster relief as eligible areas.
Its 2024 grants included organizations with varied missions. For example, Adventure Bags says it provides emergency hygiene and personal items to children in crisis; Hospice of the Golden Isles says it serves terminally ill patients and their families; and The Arc North Florida says it provides employment training, living services, and advocacy for people with disabilities. These are the grantees’ own descriptions of their work.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 48 grants totaling $168,700. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $5,000, with a median of $3,000. Notable awards included $5,000 each to Adventure Bags, Hospice of the Golden Isles, The Arc North Florida, and Georgia Lions Camp; $4,100 to Second Wind Dreams; and $3,250 to The Coastal Symphony of Georgia. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 40 grants totaling $171,862.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Ruby Ann Sawyer as president, Ramona Jones as vice president, Sonya Walker as secretary, and Shallen Crum as treasurer. It also lists Rhonda Dowling, Matthew Jordan, Tina Mobley, Rissa Self, and Carolyn Strickland as directors.
The foundation’s website lists a nine-seat Board of Trustees, with one member representing each OREMC district. The listed trustees are Tina Mobley, Ramona Jones, Brooke Joiner, Ruby Ann Sawyer, Ronda Dowling, Sonja Walker, Crystal Willis, and Janie Fairman; the District 9 seat is vacant.
Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc is led by Ruby Ann Sawyer, President on every filing since 2022; none of the 9 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ruby Ann Sawyer
President
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Rhonda Dowling
Director
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Tina Mobley
Director
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Brooke Joiner
Director
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Janie Fairman
Director
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Vacant
Director
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Ramona Jones
Vice President
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Sonya Walker
Secretary
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Crystal Willis
Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Carolyn Strickland (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Matthew Jordan (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Rissa Self (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Shallen Crum (2022–2024) — Treasurer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2022–2025. "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 Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc
How much does Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc give each year?
Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc gave $172K across 40 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $169K across 48 grants.
What is Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $4,297, across 40 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc that year got $4K on average.
Where does Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc give grants?
Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc gives mostly in Georgia: 66% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Florida (31%). The most frequent recipient cities were Brunswick, GA (6 grants), Macclenny, FL (5 grants), Nahunta, GA (3 grants) and Waycross, GA (3 grants).
Does Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 40 grants with a stated purpose on Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Community" (40 grants).
Who are Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Baker County Council of Aging Inc ($5,000), Baker County Education Foundation ($5,000) and Baker County Historical Society ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 9% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc?
Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc reported $204K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $172K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $8K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s stated goal is to address charitable needs and improve quality of life in the communities served by OREMC. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc?
The foundation’s filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc's EIN?
Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 86-1297626. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2022–2025.
Does Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 31, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2022–2024
Live grants for the work Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/okefenoke-rural-electric-membership-corporation-foundation-inc-morg_aa1022fbabad4cfc9dc427e53bffeac7
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_861297626_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/okefenoke-rural-electric-membership-corporation-foundation-inc-morg_aa1022fbabad4cfc9dc427e53bffeac7},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-02. 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 Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation 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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