The Pleiad Foundation is a private family charitable foundation based in Birmingham, Alabama. Established in 1996, it is classified as a 501(c)(3) organization and designated as a private independent foundation. The foundation supports nonprofit organizations primarily in the Greater Birmingham and Central Alabama region, with a focus on higher education, medical research, and arts and cultural initiatives.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$9.2M
-3.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.4M
+122.4% YoY
Grant Count
34
+9.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$41K
+102.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Pleiad Foundation reported a distributable amount of $677K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation is committed to supporting Birmingham's revitalization and future development. According to its stated mission, "We want to help the city revitalize itself however we can."
The foundation prioritizes funding in the following areas:
- Higher Education: Support for educational institutions and initiatives in Alabama
- Medical Research: Funding for advancing medical research projects
- Arts and Culture: Support for arts and cultural organizations in Birmingham and Central Alabama
- Community Development: Funding for smaller local projects and organizations across various fields
- Health and Human Services: Support for organizations addressing public health, human services, and services for people with disabilities
Grantmaking
The Pleiad Foundation makes funding decisions once annually, meeting in December to determine disbursements for the following year. On average, the foundation donates to between 20 and 30 nonprofit organizations annually.
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated in the Greater Birmingham and Central Alabama region. While the foundation primarily funds local efforts, it also considers organizations in which foundation members are personally interested or involved.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $9,191,430
- Total Revenues: $1,211,336
- Total Expenses: $1,565,297
- Total Giving: $1,397,667
- Number of Employees: 0
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $9.55 million
- Total Revenues: $1.95 million
- Total Expenses: $742,000
Revenue Composition (2024):
- Investment income and dividends: $343,238
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $718,098
- Total grants and contributions: $150,000
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $9,191,430 | $9,545,391 | $8,341,081 |
| Revenue | $1,211,336 | $1,946,568 | $807,366 |
| Expenses | $1,565,297 | $742,258 | $484,504 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,397,667 | $628,560 | $339,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $893,706 | $457,870 | $584,362 |
| Distributable Amount | $676,739 | $552,974 | $558,408 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
170 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Pleiad Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Birmingham Southern College ($400,000), Uab - Department of Neurosurgery ($265,000), University Foundation ($151,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| COMMUNITY FURNITURE BANK BIRMINGHAM, AL | TO PROMOTE CHARITABLE CAUSE | $10,000 |
| EMBRACE ALABAMA KIDS FLORENCE, AL | TO PROMOTE CHARITABLE CAUSE | $10,000 |
| FRESHWATER LAND TRUST BIRMINGHAM, AL | TO PROMOTE CHARITABLE CAUSE | $57,500 |
| GLEN IRIS GRACE HOOVER, AL | TO PROMOTE CHARITABLE CAUSE | $15,000 |
| JAFI BIRMINGHAM, AL | TO PROMOTE CHARITABLE CAUSE | $25,000 |
| OASIS COUNSELING FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN BIRMINGHAM, AL | TO PROMOTE CHARITABLE CAUSE | $1,000 |
| THE BELL CENTER BIRMINGHAM, AL | TO PROMOTE CHARITABLE CAUSE | $1,000 |
| TRINITY PLACE SHELTER NEW YORK, NY | TO PROMOTE CHARITABLE CAUSE | $10,000 |
| UNITED ABILITY BIRMINGHAM, AL | TO PROMOTE CHARITABLE CAUSE | $10,000 |
| UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION TUSCALOOSA, AL | TO PROMOTE CHARITABLE CAUSE | $151,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The Pleiad Foundation is a family foundation with the following members:
- John and Betty McMahon (founders)
- David McMahon
- Jamey and Carrie McMahon
- Joel and Ashley McMahon
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN J MCMAHON JR | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| JOHN J MCMAHON III | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| JOEL W MCMAHON | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| DAVID A MCMAHON | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| BETTY T MCMAHON | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| CARRIE C MCMAHON | PRESIDENT | — | — |
| ASHLEY R MCMAHON | DIRECTOR | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has been recognized for supporting medical research through the McMahon-Pleiad Prize, awarded by the University of Alabama System. Dr. Gabe Xu received a $75,000 McMahon-Pleiad Prize in recognition of research contributions.
Dr. Gabe Xu wins $75K McMahon-Pleiad Prize from University of Alabama System---
**Contact Information:**
Website: www.pleiadfoundation.org
Phone: 205-322-3302
Address: 1927 1st Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35203-4024
EIN: 63-1159236
Tax-exempt since: March 1996
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Pleiad Foundation fund?
The foundation is committed to supporting Birmingham's revitalization and future development. According to its stated mission, "We want to help the city revitalize itself however we can." The foundation prioritizes funding in the following areas: • **Higher Education**: Support for educational institutions and initiatives in Alabama • **Medical Research**: Funding for advancing medical research projects • **Arts and Culture**: Support for arts and cultural organizations in Birmingham and Centra…
How do I apply for a grant from Pleiad Foundation?
The Pleiad Foundation makes funding decisions once annually, meeting in December to determine disbursements for the following year. On average, the foundation donates to between 20 and 30 nonprofit organizations annually. **Grant Activity:** • Since its founding in 1996, the foundation has made cumulative donations in excess of $20 million • Recent grant awards (2024) include: The University Foundation ($151,000), Huntingdon College ($60,000), and Freshwater Land Trust ($57,500) • Typical award…
Where does Pleiad Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated in the **Greater Birmingham and Central Alabama region**. While the foundation primarily funds local efforts, it also considers organizations in which foundation members are personally interested or involved.
What size grants does Pleiad Foundation award?
In 2024, Pleiad Foundation awarded 34 grants totaling $1.4M — an average of about $41K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Pleiad Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Pleiad Foundation reported a distributable amount of $677K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Pleiad Foundation's EIN?
Pleiad Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 63-1159236. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Pleiad Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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