Reel Life International Inc
Reel Life International Inc is a public charity based in Birmingham, Alabama, formed in 2009. It describes itself as a Great Commission ministry that works alongside churches through discipleship and short-term missions. Its 2024 filing reports 10 grants totaling $584,345. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 8 grants totaling $264,615.
Reel Life International Inc at a glance
In short: Reel Life International Inc gave $265K across 8 grants in 2025 (avg $33K), mostly in Tennessee. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $264,615
- -54.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 8
- -20.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $33,077
- -43.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $29,129
- Total assets
- $953,071
- +17.7% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (50% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated November 2026.
How to apply to Reel Life International Inc
- Contact
Mailing address: 169 Oakmont Road, Birmingham, AL 35244
Phone: (205) 370-1827
Website: https://reel-life.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Reel Life International Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 8 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Volunteer Baptists International ($98K). Together the top 8 received $265K.
Grant Size Distribution
32 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 25 grants of 32 (78%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization’s 2024 filing describes its program activity as primarily in Central and South America, as well as portions of the United States. Among 2024 grant dollars, recipient-state shares were Tennessee 36%, Texas 30%, Alabama 14%, California 10%, and Florida 10%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 8 itemized grants.
Cities
How Reel Life International Inc gives
- Giving grew 197% from 2022 to 2025. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $68K (2021) to $584K (2024). In 2025 it made 8 grants totaling $265K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Volunteer Baptists International Jamestown, TN | Guatemala Baptist Camp Mission and Various Ministry Needs | $98,080 |
| Daystar Baptist Ministries Barboursville, WV | Ministry Support | $40,244 |
| Craig Libby Co Mexican Medical Ministries Lemon Grove, CA | Monthly grant for ministry support & dental ministry expenses | $39,200 |
| Score International Chattanooga, TN | Various monthly grants with differing allocations: rincon family & church ministries, emmanuel house school, pasitos de jesus girls orphanage, joel cotes translator in dr | $32,972 |
| International Ministry of Jesus Birmingham, AL | Ministry Support | $25,286 |
| Worship Center Blessed Ministries OPA Locka, FL | Mmonthly grant support for pastor & food ministry & church ministry expenses | $11,000 |
| Globeworks International Ministries Inc Birmingham, AL | Grant for Pastor Missionary Support & Ministry Expenses | $9,000 |
| Mission Point Ministry Springfield, VA | Missionary Support | $8,833 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $953,071 | $1,444,165 | $1,326,018 | $264,615 | 8 | $18,884 |
| 2024 | $809,813 | $1,029,609 | $1,326,231 | $584,345 | 10 | $28,655 |
| 2023 | $1,089,128 | $1,335,613 | $968,639 | $332,968 | 7 | $13,297 |
| 2022 | $731,250 | $635,315 | $420,782 | $89,012 | 4 | $1,078 |
| 2021 | $511,137 | $354,837 | $237,803 | $68,496 | 3 | $100 |
| 2020 | $390,461 | $426,255 | $380,289 | $101,223 | 6 | $1,095 |
| 2019 | $350,399 | $715,790 | $672,809 | $114,153 | 11 | $1,268 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization states its mission is “to cultivate a passion for the gospel by working with the church to share the love of Christ with those in need around the world.” Its 2024 filing describes support for short-term mission trips and monthly support addressing spiritual and physical needs, primarily in Central and South America and also in portions of the United States.
The 2024 grants show support for organizations whose stated missions include short-term missionary projects in Latin America (E3 Volunteers), missions centered on evangelism and equipping (SCORE International), making disciples and serving people in need (International Ministry of Jesus), and Bible training for Caribbean churches (Caribbean Ministries Association). These are the grantees’ stated missions.
Grantmaking
In 2024, Reel Life International reported 10 grants totaling $584,345. Grants ranged from $9,500 to $177,800, with a median of $48,350. The largest awards included $177,800 to East-West Ministries International for its greatest ministry needs; $117,050 to E3 Volunteers for a Guatemala Baptist Camp mission project; and $69,495 to SCORE International for monthly grants supporting several named ministries and a translator. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 8 grants totaling $264,615.
Other 2024 grants included $56,000 to Worship Center Blessed Ministries for monthly pastor and food-ministry support; $49,200 to Craig Libby Co Mexican Medical Ministries for monthly support and dental-ministry expenses, among other purposes; and $47,500 to International Ministry of Jesus for well construction in Ecuador, a mobile backpack projector system, and ministry support. The filing also lists awards to Caribbean Ministries Association ($24,800), GlobeWorks International Ministries ($21,000), Campus Outreach ($12,000), and Mexican Medical an individual recipient ($9,500).
The website says Reel Life often writes grants to fund projects through field partner organizations. It also states that designated gifts are used exclusively for their stated purpose, subject to the board’s control, and that funds for an over-funded or infeasible project may be redirected to a similar purpose. The website describes scholarships and partial scholarships for volunteers’ mission-trip costs; these are support for participants, not grants to outside applicants. No grant application process or deadline is stated.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists the following directors: Rick Godbehere, Keith Russell, Eddy Brown, Harrison Jones, John Abernathy, Keith Shamblin, Jennifer Key, Doug Cound, and Leslie Brown. Tim Smith is listed as secretary.
Reel Life International Inc is led by O'Neal Michael, Chairman on every filing since 2019; none of the 13 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
O'Neal Michael
Chairman
On filings since 2019
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Abernathy John
Director
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brown Eddy
Director
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brown Leslie
Director
Secretary → Director, 2020
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Godbehere Rick
Director
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Key Jennifer
Director
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Russell Keith
Director
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cound Doug
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jones Harrison
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shamblin Keith
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Key Jim
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Smith Tim
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2020
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Splawn David
Vice Chairman
Vice Chair → Vice Chairman, 2020
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (9)
- Former: Newman Jeff (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Shamblin Caleigh (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Shamblin George (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Hill Anthony (2021) — Director
- Former: Godbehere Chelle (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Jackson Brad (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Lawton Anne (2019) — Director
- Former: Lawton George (2019) — Director
- Former: Wilkey Garrett (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Reel Life International Inc
How much does Reel Life International Inc give each year?
Reel Life International Inc gave $265K across 8 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $584K across 10 grants.
What is Reel Life International Inc's typical grant size?
Reel Life International Inc's median grant in 2025 was $29,129, and its average grant was $33,077, across 8 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Reel Life International Inc give grants?
Reel Life International Inc gives mostly in Tennessee: 50% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were West Virginia (15%) and California (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were Birmingham, AL (2 grants).
Does Reel Life International Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 8 grants with a stated purpose on Reel Life International Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are Reel Life International Inc's largest grantees?
Reel Life International Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Volunteer Baptists International ($98,080), Daystar Baptist Ministries ($40,244) and Craig Libby Co Mexican Medical Ministries ($39,200), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 67% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Reel Life International Inc?
Reel Life International Inc reported $953K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.4M.
What does Reel Life International Inc fund?
The organization states its mission is “to cultivate a passion for the gospel by working with the church to share the love of Christ with those in need around the world.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Reel Life International Inc?
Reel Life International Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check reel-life.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Reel Life International Inc's EIN?
Reel Life International Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-0182988. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 8, 2026)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 14, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 2, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 7, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 11, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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