Southern Partners Fund Inc
Southern Partners Fund Inc. is an Atlanta, Georgia-based public charity, formed in 1998, that supports grassroots community organizations in the rural South. It provides financial resources, technical assistance and training, and access to systems of information and power to organizations seeking racial, economic, and environmental justice.
Southern Partners Fund Inc at a glance
In short: Southern Partners Fund Inc gave $3.0M across 73 grants in 2024 (avg $41K), top state Georgia. 33% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,007,121
- +67.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 73
- +12.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $41,193
- +49.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $24,386,045
- -4.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (24 of 73, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Georgia (34% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Southern Partners Fund Inc
- How to Apply
-
The fund’s application information describes eligibility and review steps for its grant cycles.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1 Baltimore Place 150, Atlanta, GA 30308
Phone: (404) 541-9091
Website: https://southernpartnersfund.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Southern Partners Fund Inc
Who Southern Partners Fund Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was McIntosh Sustainable Envirome ($640K). Together the top 10 received $1.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
303 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 263 grants of 303 (87%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The fund’s eligibility criteria cover rural community organizations, coalitions, and networks in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Its 2024 grant dollars were distributed most heavily among recipients in Georgia (34%), North Carolina (14%), Mississippi (10%), and Florida (10%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 73 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Southern Partners Fund Inc open to new grantees?
33%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 24 of 73 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $22K; repeat grants $51K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $35K repeat.
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 $715K (2020) to $3.0M (2024). In 2024 it made 73 grants totaling $3.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| McIntosh Sustainable Envirome Danen, GA | Social,Economic & Environm Justice | $640,000 |
| Nollie Jenkins Family Center Durant, MS | Social,Economic & Environm Justice | $100,000 |
| North Carolina Business Counc Raleigh, NC | Social,Economic & Environm Justice | $95,000 |
| North Florida Educational Dev Gretna, FL | Social,Economic & Environm Justice | $94,500 |
| Farmworkers Self-Help Inc Dade City, FL | Social,Economic & Environm Justice | $84,000 |
| Emancipate NC Durham, NC | Social,Economic & Environm Justice | $70,000 |
| South Carolina Progressive NE Columbia, SC | Social,Economic & Environm Justice | $70,000 |
| Peach Concerned Citizens Inc Ft Valley, GA | Social,Economic & Environm Justice | $66,341 |
| CASA Azul De Wilson Wilson, NC | Social,Economic & Environm Justice | $65,000 |
| Kentucky Civic Engagement Tab Lexington, KY | Social,Economic & Environm Justice | $65,000 |
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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 | $24,386,045 | $3,526,632 | $4,989,215 | $3,007,121 | 73 | $1,060,646 |
| 2023 | $25,523,608 | $7,416,810 | $3,699,274 | $1,795,363 | 65 | $336,793 |
| 2022 | $20,097,875 | $2,134,554 | $3,290,615 | $1,515,495 | 56 | $445,426 |
| 2021 | $23,852,261 | $3,037,117 | $3,146,534 | $1,638,500 | 58 | $583,774 |
| 2020 | $22,617,938 | $15,879,322 | $2,937,381 | $714,800 | 51 | $66,148 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to serve Southern communities and organizations seeking social, economic, and environmental justice through financial resources, technical assistance and training, and access to systems of information and empowerment.
Its primary focus areas are voter rights and engagement, immigration rights, education reform, and environmental justice. Other stated areas include disability rights, economic justice, healthcare reform, housing reform, incarceration reform, LGBTQ+ rights, women and girls’ leadership, and youth leadership.
The fund supports rural grassroots organizations, coalitions, and networks that use organizing strategies to build community leadership. Its eligibility criteria also require that organizations be majority-governed by leaders of the same race and class as their target populations. Examples of grantees’ stated work include Nollie Jenkins Family Center’s education, family-support, and civic-involvement mission; Emancipate NC’s work on mass incarceration and structural racism; and Casa Azul de Wilson’s support for Eastern Latinx families’ educational, leadership, and civic pursuits.
Grantmaking
The Hubert E. Sapp Regular Grant Cycle offers general or project support. Applicants seeking general support must have operating budgets of $500,000 or less; organizations with budgets between $500,000 and $1.2 million may apply for project support only. Organizations with budgets above $1.2 million are ineligible for this cycle. First-time recipients are limited to $5,000. Applicants need a site visit, though a phone or virtual interview may suffice for previously funded organizations. Previously funded grantees must submit outstanding final reports before new requests can be considered. After five consecutive years of Regular Grant Cycle funding, an organization must wait a year before applying again. The grants committee makes recommendations, which the Board ratifies.
The Discretionary Fund is listed as active and offers awards of up to $3,500, with a maximum of two requests per year. The fund’s stated summary describes it as supporting grassroots organizing for social, economic, and environmental justice, with priorities including education reform, immigration rights, and voter engagement. No deadline is stated.
For 2024, the IRS filing data lists 73 grants totaling $3,007,121; the itemized grants ranged from $10,000 to $640,000, with a median of $25,000. Separately, the organization’s filing narrative says it awarded $3,289,154 in grants to 72 nonprofit organizations in 2024.
Among the listed 2024 grants were $640,000 to McIntosh Sustainable Envirome in Georgia, $100,000 to Nollie Jenkins Family Center in Mississippi, $95,000 to North Carolina Business Council, and $94,500 to North Florida Educational Development in Florida. Other examples include $70,000 to Emancipate NC, $66,341 to Peach Concerned Citizens, and $65,000 to Casa Azul de Wilson.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Fernando Cuevas Jr. as Executive Director and Daphne Saethang as CFO. It lists Dianna Freelon-Foster as Chairman, Tirso Moreno as Vice Chairman, Margarita Romo as Secretary, and Erin Dale-McClellan as Treasurer. Other listed directors are Karen Watson, Brett Bursey, Shaq Cosse, and John Littles.
Southern Partners Fund Inc is led by Fernando Cuevas Jr., Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 10 of 11 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Fernando Cuevas Jr.
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$159K (2020) → $185K (2024)
Dianna Freelon-Foster
Chairman
On filings since 2023
10 hrs/week
$8K (2023) → $9K (2024)
John Littles
Director
Chairman → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$7K (2020) → $8K (2024)
Karen Watson
Director
Director → Chair, 2022
Chair → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$7K (2020) → $8K (2024)
Brett Bursey
Director
Board Member → Director, 2023
On filings since 2022
10 hrs/week
$5K (2022) → $8K (2024)
Shaq Cosse
Director
On filings since 2023
10 hrs/week
$8K (2023) → $8K (2024)
Nadeska Concha
Director
New on the 2024 filing
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tirso Moreno
Vice Chairman
Board Member → Director, 2023
Director → Vice Chairman, 2024
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$7K (2020) → $8K (2024)
Margarita Romo
Secretary
Secretary → Director, 2023
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2022
10 hrs/week
$5K (2022) → $8K (2024)
Daphne Saethang
CFO
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$98K (2023) → $94K (2024)
Erin Dale-McClellan
Treasurer
On filings since 2023
10 hrs/week
$8K (2023) → $8K (2024)
Former officers (5)
- Former: Carolyn Ford (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Gardenia White (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Antoine Smith (2023) — Program Officer
- Former: Rose Johnson (2020–2022) — Former Chair
- Former: Teumbay Barnes (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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $185K, to Fernando Cuevas Jr (Executive Dir.). 10 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Southern Partners Fund Inc
How much does Southern Partners Fund Inc give each year?
Southern Partners Fund Inc gave $3.0M across 73 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $1.8M across 65 grants.
What is Southern Partners Fund Inc's typical grant size?
Southern Partners Fund Inc's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $41,193, across 73 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Southern Partners Fund Inc that year got $22K on average.
Where does Southern Partners Fund Inc give grants?
Southern Partners Fund Inc's top state is Georgia, with 34% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were North Carolina (14%) and Mississippi (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Durham, NC (4 grants), Columbia, SC (2 grants), Raleigh, NC (2 grants) and Baton Rouge, LA (2 grants).
Does Southern Partners Fund Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 73 grants with a stated purpose on Southern Partners Fund Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Social,Economic & Environm Justice" (73 grants).
Who are Southern Partners Fund Inc's largest grantees?
Southern Partners Fund Inc's largest 2024 grantees include McIntosh Sustainable Envirome ($640,000), Nollie Jenkins Family Center ($100,000) and North Carolina Business Counc ($95,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 28% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Southern Partners Fund Inc?
Southern Partners Fund Inc reported $24.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.5M.
What does Southern Partners Fund Inc fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to serve Southern communities and organizations seeking social, economic, and environmental justice through financial resources, technical assistance and training, and access to systems of information and empowerment. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Southern Partners Fund Inc?
The fund’s application information describes eligibility and review steps for its grant cycles. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Southern Partners Fund Inc's EIN?
Southern Partners Fund Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-2409301. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 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 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS December 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Southern Partners Fund Inc funds
Human Services Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Southern Partners Fund Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Southern Partners Fund Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/southern-partners-fund-inc-morg_2f1a94ade2bd40379f0934cf341da421
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_582409301_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Southern Partners Fund Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/southern-partners-fund-inc-morg_2f1a94ade2bd40379f0934cf341da421},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Southern Partners Fund 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.
Southern Partners Fund Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?