Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund
The Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund is a public charity based in Birmingham, Alabama. Formed in 1989, it makes grants in support of the benefit of mankind, the education of youth, the relief of human suffering, and the propagation of the Christian religion; the fund reports that it conducts no programs of its own.
Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund at a glance
In short: Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund gave $1.6M across 65 grants in 2024 (avg $25K), mostly in Alabama. 22% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,642,440
- -2.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 65
- -15.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $25,268
- +15.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $53,466,329
- +4.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 22% first-time grantees (14 of 65, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Alabama (82% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund
- How to Apply
-
For annual and small grants, apply through IPCF’s online application process by the applicable deadline. Small grants are limited to organizations and requests of $7,500 or less; emergency grants are available by request to organizations.
- Review Cycle
- The next listed small-grant deadline is January 31, 2027. Annual-grant deadlines are June 15 for new applicants and August 15 for returning applicants each year; the 2026 deadlines have passed.
- Deadline
- The next listed small-grant deadline is January 31, 2027.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3100 Highland Ave, Birmingham, AL 35205
Phone: (205) 933-3705
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund
IPCF Annual Grants
Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund
Amount
More than US $7,500
Deadline
Deadline not published
IPCF Emergency Grants
Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling (quarterly review)
IPCF Scholarship Grants
Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was IPC ($382K). Together the top 10 received $1.0M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($20,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
403 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 365 grants of 403 (91%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The fund is based in Birmingham, and 82% of its 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in Alabama. Other reported recipient-state shares were North Carolina (4%), Colorado (3%), Texas (2%), and Tennessee (2%). Its grants also include support for work beyond the United States, such as medical and development projects in Malawi, Mexico, and Sudan.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 65 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund open to new grantees?
22%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 14 of 65 grantees (22%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $29K. How we count
Medians: $11K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 65% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−8%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). 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 $1.6M (2024) to $1.9M (2020). In 2024 it made 65 grants totaling $1.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| IPC Birmingham, AL | Support Ministry and Social Services | $382,000 |
| Summer Adventures in Learning Birmingham, AL | Program Support | $147,000 |
| Kirkwood by the River Birmingham, AL | 2025 chaplain grant for chaplain services including salary and benefits at kirkwood by the river | $132,500 |
| Medical Missions Inc Huntersville, NC | Mission trips $18,800 and remainder to medical faculty housing nkhoma, malawi and church construction project chiapas, mexico | $66,000 |
| First Light Birmingham, AL | Operating Support | $60,000 |
| Stair of Birmingham Birmingham, AL | Stair Tutoring Program | $52,000 |
| Mwandi UCZ Mission Hospital American Partners Denver, CO | Salary support and partial funding for new lab building | $50,000 |
| Living River Montevallo, AL | Assitant Director for Development Postion, 2025 | $48,000 |
| Medical Benevolence Foundation Houston, TX | Physician Pipeline for Surgical Residency Program in Malawi | $38,000 |
| 16TH Street Baptist Church Birmingham, AL | 16TH Street Baptist Church Preservation and Expansion Project | $25,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $53,466,329 | $4,916,249 | $2,306,110 | $1,642,440 | 65 | $4,916,249 |
| 2023 | $51,173,619 | $2,241,285 | $2,382,634 | $1,688,867 | 77 | $2,241,285 |
| 2022 | $47,857,948 | $1,222,791 | $2,326,711 | $1,723,393 | 68 | $1,222,791 |
| 2021 | $56,479,601 | $3,607,280 | $2,249,323 | $1,784,302 | 95 | $3,607,280 |
| 2020 | $53,115,253 | $1,748,832 | $2,328,703 | $1,878,601 | 98 | $1,748,832 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The fund’s stated mission is to support “the benefit of mankind, the education of youth, the relief of human suffering, and propagation of the Christian religion.” It carries out this mission by awarding grants.
Its 2024 grants include support for organizations working in areas such as ministry and social services, tutoring and early learning, services for older adults, homelessness, healthcare, food security, and international aid. For example, First Light describes its work as providing emergency shelter and access to housing for people experiencing homelessness. STAIR of Birmingham says it provides after-school reading assistance to Birmingham City Schools’ children. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own work.
Grantmaking
In 2024, itemized grants totaled $1,642,440 across 65 grants. The grants ranged from $6,000 to $382,000, with a median of $10,000. The largest reported awards included $382,000 to IPC for ministry and social services; $147,000 to Summer Adventures in Learning for program support; and $132,500 to Kirkwood by the River for chaplain services. Other notable awards included $66,000 to Medical Missions Inc, $60,000 to First Light, and $52,000 to STAIR of Birmingham. The fund’s filing narrative separately reports $2,019,791 in grants awarded in 2024, which differs from the itemized grant total.
IPCF describes annual grants for new applicants and returning applicants, along with small and emergency grants. Its website says the annual cycle opens in early May for new applicants, with a June 15 deadline; returning applicants—organizations that received annual awards in the previous two years—have an August 15 deadline. Applications are evaluated by a grantmaking committee, and the process may include a site visit or conference call. The 2026 annual-cycle deadlines have passed. The website says small-grant applications open at the beginning of each year; organizations may request $7,500 or less through its online portal. The 2027 small-grant deadline is January 31, 2027. Emergency grants are available by request to organizations, not individuals. IPCF also describes scholarship grants for needy students at Protestant theological seminaries and small colleges and universities associated with the Presbyterian faith.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The fund’s 2024 filing lists John Norris as president, Sumner Starling as vice president, and Will Wykle as treasurer. Directors listed are Tom Adams, Margaret Brunstad, Susan Dulin, Win Baird, Jim Shepherd, Carrie Walthall, and Merrill Stewart.
The filing says the fund is administered by an elected board of directors with responsibility for its investments and administration. Board members must be church members and are elected by the congregation for three-year terms.
Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund is led by Denise Moore, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 16 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Denise Moore
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Norris
President
Director → Treasurer, 2022
Treasurer → President, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Margaret Brunstad
Director
Director → Vice President, 2022
Vice President → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tom Adams
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susan Dulin
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carrie Walthall
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jim Shepherd
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Win Baird
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amy McCain
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Merrill Stewart
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tom Spencer
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Henry Ray
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Martin
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sheri Robinson
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sumner Starling
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Will Wykle
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (14)
- Former: Jean Shanks (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: John Johnson (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Melanie Talbot (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Kevin Long (2022–2023) — Head of Staff & Director
- Former: Melissa Patrick Reverend (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Patricia Harper (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Beth Adams (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Bud Keller (2020–2022) — President
- Former: Donna Smith (2020–2022) — Past President
- Former: Foots Parnell (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Houston Cook (2020–2021) — Secretary & Treasurer
- Former: Lyda White (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Fred Smith (2020) — Director
- Former: Ruffner Page (2020) — Director
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 Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund
How much does Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund give each year?
Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund gave $1.6M across 65 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $1.7M across 77 grants.
What is Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund's typical grant size?
Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $25,268, across 65 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund that year got $12K on average.
Where does Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund give grants?
Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund gives mostly in Alabama: 82% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Birmingham, AL (43 grants) and Fairfield, AL (2 grants).
Does Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund give general operating support?
Yes: 28% of Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (18 of 65) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Who are Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund's largest grantees?
Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund's largest 2024 grantees include IPC ($382,000), Summer Adventures in Learning ($147,000) and Kirkwood by the River ($132,500), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($20,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund?
Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund reported $53.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $4.9M.
What does Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund fund?
The fund’s stated mission is to support “the benefit of mankind, the education of youth, the relief of human suffering, and propagation of the Christian religion.” It carries out this mission by awarding grants. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund?
For annual and small grants, apply through IPCF’s online application process by the applicable deadline. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund's EIN?
Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 57-0885634. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 9, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 29, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 11, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/orlean-and-ralph-w-beeson-fund-morg_f2101dccb43d4b73afe65000562cd90f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_570885634_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Orlean \& Ralph W Beeson Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/orlean-and-ralph-w-beeson-fund-morg_f2101dccb43d4b73afe65000562cd90f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Orlean & Ralph W Beeson Fund'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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