Pathfinder Foundation Inc
Pathfinder Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. Its 2023 filing reports 45 grants totaling $1,300,000, supporting organizations in South Carolina, Tennessee, New York, and Virginia, among other locations.
Pathfinder Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Pathfinder Foundation Inc gave $1.3M across 45 grants in 2023 (avg $29K), mostly in South Carolina. 14% of 2023 grantees were new. Source: 2023 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2023)
- $1,300,000
- -17.2% vs 2022
- Grants made (2023)
- 45
- -4.3% vs 2022
- Average grant
- $28,889
- -13.5% vs 2022
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $30,192,184
- +3.6% vs 2022
- New grantees (estimate)
- 14% first-time grantees (6 of 43, 2023)
- Primary geography
- South Carolina (73% of itemized 2023 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2023 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2023; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Pathfinder Foundation Inc
- 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: Foundation Source 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809-1377
Phone: (800) 839-1754
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Pathfinder Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2023
The largest 2023 recipient was Lowcountry Land Trust Inc ($230K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $865K.
Grant Size Distribution
184 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 169 grants of 184 (92%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2023, 73% of grant dollars went to recipients in South Carolina and 22% to recipients in Tennessee. The remaining reported shares were New York and Virginia at 2% each, and Washington, DC, at 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2023 grant dollars across all 45 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Pathfinder Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
14%
first-time grantees, 2023
In 2023, 6 of 43 grantees (14%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $19K; repeat grants $32K. How we count
Medians: $23K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 86% of 2023 grantees were also funded in 2022. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2020 to 2023 (+2%). Method
- In 2023 it paid out 90% 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 (2020–2023). 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 2023, annual grant giving ranged from $1.3M (2020) to $1.6M (2022). In 2023 it made 45 grants totaling $1.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lowcountry Land Trust Inc Charleston, SC | capital campaign | $200,000 |
| South Carolina Coastal Conservation League Inc Charleston, SC | Grow Food Initiative | $200,000 |
| The Baylor School Chattanooga, TN | Cartter Scholars Scholarship Fund | $200,000 |
| Charleston Junior Golf Foundation Mt Pleasant, SC | General & Unrestricted | $30,000 |
| Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina Inc N Charleston, SC | Rev. Clementa C. Pinckney Scholarship Fund | $30,000 |
| Lowcountry Land Trust Inc Charleston, SC | General & Unrestricted | $30,000 |
| Nature Conservancy Mt Pleasant, SC | Conservation in South Carolina | $30,000 |
| Open Space Institute Inc New York, NY | General & Unrestricted | $30,000 |
| Polly Boyd Scholarship Fund Chattanooga, TN | Employee Scholarship Fund | $30,000 |
| Southern Environmental Law Center Charlottesville, VA | General & Unrestricted | $30,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $30,192,184 | $3,100,205 | $2,042,211 | $1,300,000 | 45 | $1,366,902 | $2,088,562 | $1,525,180 |
| 2022 | $29,134,190 | $2,136,442 | $2,216,594 | $1,570,000 | 47 | $1,643,220 | $1,531,580 | $1,466,143 |
| 2021 | $29,464,342 | $3,860,077 | $2,065,790 | $1,440,000 | 44 | $1,518,236 | $3,152,184 | $1,603,574 |
| 2020 | $27,420,055 | $2,799,471 | $1,853,865 | $1,280,000 | 48 | — | $2,155,949 | $1,454,023 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Pathfinder Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.5M for 2023 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2023 grants show support for conservation, education and scholarships, and community organizations. Among its grantees, Lowcountry Land Trust describes its mission as protecting land and water and connecting conservation to community. The South Carolina Coastal Conservation League says it advocates to protect the state’s coastal natural environment. Baylor School describes its mission as fostering in students the ability and desire to make a positive difference in the world.
Grantmaking
In 2023, the foundation made 45 grants totaling $1,300,000. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $200,000, with a median of $15,000. The largest grants included $200,000 to Lowcountry Land Trust for a capital campaign, $200,000 to the South Carolina Coastal Conservation League for its Grow Food Initiative, and $200,000 to Baylor School for the Cartter Scholars Scholarship Fund. Other reported grants included $30,000 to the Polly Boyd Scholarship Fund for an employee scholarship fund and $30,000 to Trident Technical College Foundation for general and unrestricted purposes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2023 filing lists T Cartter Lupton II as president and director. It also lists David A Belitz as a director, George G Hill as secretary and director, and Betsey Lupton and John Lupton as directors.
Pathfinder Foundation Inc is led by T Cartter Lupton II, Director & President on every filing since 2020; 2 of 5 officers listed in 2023 are compensated.
Officers on the 2023 filing
T Cartter Lupton II
Director & President
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David A Belitz
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$2K (2020) → $3K (2023)
George G Hill
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$2K (2020) → $3K (2023)
Betsey Lupton
Director
New on the 2023 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Lupton
Director
New on the 2023 filing
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2023. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2023 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2023 filing was $3K, to David A Belitz (Dir). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Pathfinder Foundation Inc
How much does Pathfinder Foundation Inc give each year?
Pathfinder Foundation Inc gave $1.3M across 45 grants in 2023, according to its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2022 it gave $1.6M across 47 grants.
What is Pathfinder Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Pathfinder Foundation Inc's median grant in 2023 was $15,000, and its average grant was $28,889, across 45 grants on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Pathfinder Foundation Inc that year got $19K on average.
Where does Pathfinder Foundation Inc give grants?
Pathfinder Foundation Inc gives mostly in South Carolina: 73% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Tennessee (22%). The most frequent recipient cities were Charleston, SC (23 grants), Chattanooga, TN (6 grants), N Charleston, SC (4 grants) and Mt Pleasant, SC (3 grants).
Does Pathfinder Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 69% of Pathfinder Foundation Inc's 2023 grants with a stated purpose (31 of 45) were for general or operating support, per its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Pathfinder Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Pathfinder Foundation Inc's largest 2023 grantees include Lowcountry Land Trust Inc ($230,000 across 2 grants), South Carolina Coastal Conservation League Inc ($225,000 across 2 grants) and The Baylor School ($200,000), according to its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 50% of its itemized 2023 grant dollars.
How large is Pathfinder Foundation Inc?
Pathfinder Foundation Inc reported $30.2M in total assets on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.5M (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 Pathfinder Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2023 grants show support for conservation, education and scholarships, and community organizations. Among its grantees, Lowcountry Land Trust describes its mission as protecting land and water and connecting conservation to community. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Pathfinder Foundation Inc?
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 Pathfinder Foundation Inc's EIN?
Pathfinder Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-5487095. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2023.
Does Pathfinder 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2023
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