Stephens Foundation
Stephens Foundation is a private foundation based in Birmingham, Alabama. Its filing describes a mission to empower underserved children through tennis, education, mindfulness, swimming, soccer, and community programs, including after-school curricula, college preparation, and athletic instruction.
Stephens Foundation at a glance
In short: Stephens Foundation gave $609K across 62 grants in 2024 (avg $10K), mostly in Alabama. 29% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $609,350
- +8.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 62
- +12.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $9,828
- -3.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $3,259,522
- -10.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (18 of 62, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Alabama (80% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Stephens Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 1943, Birmingham, AL 35201-1943
Phone: (205) 991-6600
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Stephens Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Alabama Rivers Alliance ($60K). Together the top 10 received $326K.
Grant Size Distribution
312 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 305 grants of 312 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 80% of grant dollars went to recipients in Alabama. Other leading recipient states were Colorado and Virginia, at 4% each, and Florida and North Carolina, at 3% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 62 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Stephens Foundation open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 18 of 62 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $11K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 55% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+7%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 301% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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 $562K (2023) to $643K (2020). In 2024 it made 62 grants totaling $609K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama Rivers Alliance Birmingham, AL | Support of the Organization | $60,000 |
| Birmingham Southern College Birmingham, AL | Support of Education | $40,000 |
| Alys Stephens Center Birmingham, AL | Support of the Organization | $35,000 |
| Birmingham Museum of Art Birmingham, AL | Support of Arts | $35,000 |
| Childrens Hospital Foundation Birmingham, AL | Support of the Organization | $35,000 |
| Girlspring Inc Birmingham, AL | Support of the Organization | $26,000 |
| Alabama Ballet Birmingham, AL | Support of Arts | $25,000 |
| Compassion and Choices Denver, CO | Support of the Organization | $25,000 |
| Southern Environment Law Center Charlottesville, VA | Support of the Organization | $25,000 |
| Alabama Symphony Orchestra Birmingham, AL | Support of the Arts | $20,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Stephens Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3,259,522 | $245,372 | $616,952 | $609,350 | 62 | $609,350 | $241,618 | $202,516 |
| 2023 | $3,631,102 | $151,015 | $567,903 | $562,000 | 55 | $562,000 | $147,282 | $214,624 |
| 2022 | $4,047,990 | $66,261 | $593,294 | $587,700 | 58 | $587,700 | $62,537 | $253,715 |
| 2021 | $4,575,023 | $59,835 | $580,890 | $569,500 | 70 | $569,500 | $50,004 | $284,000 |
| 2020 | $5,100,078 | $80,783 | $651,852 | $642,500 | 67 | — | $56,388 | $313,620 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Stephens Foundation reported a distributable amount of $203K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated purpose is to support underserved children through athletic, educational, mindfulness, and community programming, with an emphasis on discipline, academic success, emotional wellness, and life skills.
Its 2024 grants also supported organizations whose missions span several fields. For example, Alabama Rivers Alliance describes its work as protecting and restoring Alabama’s water resources, while Black Warrior Riverkeeper says it works to protect and restore the Black Warrior River and its tributaries. STAIR of Birmingham describes its purpose as providing after-school reading assistance to Birmingham City Schools’ children. Red Mountain Theatre Company says it creates theatre experiences intended to enrich, educate, and engage audiences.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 62 grants totaling $609,350. Grant amounts ranged from $750 to $60,000, with a median of $5,000.
Among the largest grants were $60,000 to Alabama Rivers Alliance, $40,000 to Birmingham-Southern College, and $35,000 each to Alys Stephens Center, Birmingham Museum of Art, and Children’s Hospital Foundation. Other notable awards included $26,000 to GIRLSPRING, $25,000 each to Alabama Ballet, Compassion and Choices, and Southern Environmental Law Center, and $20,000 each to Alabama Symphony Orchestra and United Way of Central Alabama.
The 2024 filing also lists grants of $18,000 to Black Warrior Riverkeeper, $15,000 to Red Mountain Theatre Company, $12,500 to Baptist Health Foundation, and $10,000 each to Alabama Archives & History Foundation and STAIR of Birmingham.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists James T Stephens as president, Elton B Stephens Jr as treasurer, Dell S Brooke as secretary, and Jane S Comer as vice president.
Stephens Foundation is led by James T. Stephens, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
James T. Stephens
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Dell S. Brooke
Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Elton B. Stephens Jr.
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Jane S. Comer
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
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 Stephens Foundation
How much does Stephens Foundation give each year?
Stephens Foundation gave $609K across 62 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $562K across 55 grants.
What is Stephens Foundation's typical grant size?
Stephens Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $9,828, across 62 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Stephens Foundation that year got $8K on average.
Where does Stephens Foundation give grants?
Stephens Foundation gives mostly in Alabama: 80% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Birmingham, AL (38 grants), Montgomery, AL (2 grants), Tampa, FL (2 grants) and Homewood, AL (2 grants).
Does Stephens Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 62 grants with a stated purpose on Stephens Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support of the Organization" (54 grants), "Support of Education" (4 grants) and "Support of Arts" (3 grants).
Who are Stephens Foundation's largest grantees?
Stephens Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Alabama Rivers Alliance ($60,000), Birmingham Southern College ($40,000) and Alys Stephens Center ($35,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 22% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Stephens Foundation?
Stephens Foundation reported $3.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $609K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $203K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Stephens Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated purpose is to support underserved children through athletic, educational, mindfulness, and community programming, with an emphasis on discipline, academic success, emotional wellness, and life skills. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Stephens Foundation?
The foundation 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 Stephens Foundation's EIN?
Stephens Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 63-1035698. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Stephens Foundation 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 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Stephens Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/stephens-foundation-morg_c1123efd8e264b468d696e8d14b91901
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_631035698_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Stephens Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/stephens-foundation-morg_c1123efd8e264b468d696e8d14b91901},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Stephens Foundation'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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