Tarver Foundation
Tarver Foundation is a private foundation based in Louisville, Kentucky. Its 2024 filing reports $55,000 in grants to 17 organizations, with awards to recipients in Kentucky, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Texas.
Tarver Foundation at a glance
In short: Tarver Foundation gave $55K across 17 grants in 2024 (avg $3K), top state Kentucky. 6% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $55,000
- +3.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 17
- +13.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $3,235
- -8.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $849,854
- +7.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 6% first-time grantees (1 of 17, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Kentucky (45% 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 Tarver Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2300 Long Run Road, Louisville, KY 40245
Phone: (502) 439-1118
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Tarver Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Shelbyville First Baptist Church ($15K). Together the top 10 received $50K.
Grant Size Distribution
78 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 78 grants of 78 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars were distributed among recipients in Kentucky (45%), Mississippi (34%), Arkansas (9%), Tennessee (9%), and Texas (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Tarver Foundation open to new grantees?
6%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 17 grantees (6%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 82% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+15%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 92% 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 (2020–2024). 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 $40K (2020) to $55K (2024). In 2024 it made 17 grants totaling $55K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Shelbyville First Baptist Church Shelbyville, KY | Support of Charitable Operations | $15,000 |
| Delta State Foundation Cleveland, MS | Support of Charitable Operations | $6,000 |
| Eudora Baptist Church Eudora, AR | Support of Charitable Operations | $5,000 |
| Kid's Ctr for Pediatric Therapies Louisville, KY | Support of Charitable Operations | $5,000 |
| St Jude Childrens Hospital Memphis, TN | Support of Charitable Organization | $5,000 |
| Baptist Childrens Village Clinton, MS | Support of Charitable Operations | $3,000 |
| Canopy Children Solutions Jackson, MS | Support of Charitable Operations | $3,000 |
| Mississippi Food Network Jackson, MS | Support of Charitable Operations | $3,000 |
| Christian Student Fellowship Lexington, KY | Support of Charitable Organization | $2,500 |
| ALC Pregnancy Resource Ctr Shelbyville, KY | Support of Charitable Operations | $2,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Tarver 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 | $849,854 | $115,811 | $56,073 | $55,000 | 17 | $55,000 | $116,246 | $59,780 |
| 2023 | $790,116 | $42,913 | $54,609 | $53,000 | 15 | $53,000 | $42,677 | $54,359 |
| 2022 | $801,812 | $67,003 | $57,339 | $55,000 | 16 | $55,000 | $66,710 | $53,598 |
| 2021 | $792,148 | $67,634 | $48,317 | $48,000 | 15 | $48,000 | $67,431 | $56,257 |
| 2020 | $772,831 | $49,571 | $41,457 | $39,500 | 15 | — | $49,571 | $46,696 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Tarver Foundation reported a distributable amount of $60K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2024 grants went to organizations including churches, charitable organizations, a children’s hospital, and organizations addressing food access and other needs.
The Mississippi Food Network describes its mission as relieving poverty-related hunger through food distribution, nutrition education, and advocacy. The American Heart Association says its mission is to promote longer, healthier lives. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 17 grants totaling $55,000. Grants ranged from $500 to $15,000, with a median of $2,500. Notable awards included $15,000 to Shelbyville First Baptist Church in Kentucky; $6,000 to Delta State Foundation in Mississippi; $5,000 each to Eudora Baptist Church in Arkansas, Kid’s Center for Pediatric Therapies in Kentucky, and St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Tennessee; and $3,000 each to Baptist Children’s Village, Canopy Children Solutions, and Mississippi Food Network in Mississippi. Mississippi Food Network’s award supported the organization, which says it works to relieve poverty-related hunger.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Tracy Tarver Donahou and James A. Donahou as trustees.
Tarver Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
James A. Donahou
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Tracy Tarver Donahou
Trustee
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 Tarver Foundation
How much does Tarver Foundation give each year?
Tarver Foundation gave $55K across 17 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $53K across 15 grants.
What is Tarver Foundation's typical grant size?
Tarver Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $2,500, and its average grant was $3,235, across 17 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Tarver Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does Tarver Foundation give grants?
Tarver Foundation's top state is Kentucky, with 45% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Mississippi (34%) and Arkansas (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Shelbyville, KY (2 grants), Jackson, MS (2 grants) and Greenville, MS (2 grants).
Does Tarver Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 17 grants with a stated purpose on Tarver Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support of Charitable Operations" (13 grants) and "Support of Charitable Organization" (3 grants).
Who are Tarver Foundation's largest grantees?
Tarver Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Shelbyville First Baptist Church ($15,000), Delta State Foundation ($6,000) and Eudora Baptist Church ($5,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 47% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Tarver Foundation?
Tarver Foundation reported $850K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $55K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $60K (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 Tarver Foundation fund?
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2024 grants went to organizations including churches, charitable organizations, a children’s hospital, and organizations addressing food access and other needs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Tarver Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Tarver Foundation's EIN?
Tarver Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 64-6218487. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Tarver 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Tarver Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Tarver Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Tarver Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/tarver-foundation-morg_ffbb5ec601ad4250a558cbddad1d15fc
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_646218487_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Tarver Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/tarver-foundation-morg_ffbb5ec601ad4250a558cbddad1d15fc},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 Tarver 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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