Taste of the South
Taste of the South is a Washington, D.C.-based public charity that raises funds through an annual gala celebrating Southern food, music, and hospitality and directs funds to charitable causes. Its 2025 filing describes an annual event in the Washington, D.C. area supporting charities in 13 Southern states and the District of Columbia.
Key facts about Taste of the South
In short: Taste of the South gave $691K across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $49K), mostly in North Carolina. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 52-1343458
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $691,097
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- Average grant
- $49,364
- Median grant
- $23,452
- Total assets
- $313,129
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (60% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The available information describes donations and gala sponsorships but does not state a process or materials for organizations seeking grants. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$313K
+67.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$691K
+22.5% YoY
Grant Count
14
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$49K
+22.5% YoY
How Taste of the South gives
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
Taste of the South states that it raises funds for charitable causes across 14 charities in the Southern United States by hosting an annual gala. Its website describes the 44th gala’s focus as STEM education and workforce development.
The 2025 grants included organizations whose stated missions address literacy and children’s learning. For example, Book Harvest says it provides books to children and engages families and communities to promote lifelong literacy and academic success. Ferst Readers says it provides books and literacy resources to prepare preschool children for reading and learning success. The Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation says it works to strengthen early literacy in Tennessee, while AR Kids Read describes a volunteer tutoring program for children who need to improve basic literacy skills.
Grantmaking
In 2025, Taste of the South reported 14 grants totaling $691,097. Grant amounts ranged from $7,412 to $413,156, with a median grant of $23,452.
The largest reported grant was $413,156 to Book Harvest in Durham, North Carolina. Other large grants included $46,525 to Ferst Readers; $37,560 to Everybody Wins in Washington, D.C.; $30,255 to the Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation in Nashville, Tennessee; $27,557 to Operation Shoestring in Jackson, Mississippi; and $25,847 to Literacy United in Fort Worth, Texas. The filing lists the purpose of these grants as general use by the exempt organization.
How to Apply
The available information describes donations and gala sponsorships but does not state a process or materials for organizations seeking grants.
Ready to take the next step with Taste of the South?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Taste of the South’s website identifies Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia as its member states. Its 2025 filing says the event raised funds for charities in those 13 states and the District of Columbia. In 2025, North Carolina received 60% of reported grant dollars; Georgia received 7%, the District of Columbia 5%, Tennessee 4%, and Mississippi 4%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $53K (2020) to $972K (2023). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $691K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Book Harvest Inc ($413K). Together the top 10 received $655K.
Grant Size Distribution
62 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 57 grants of 62 (92%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Book Harvest Inc Durham, NC | For General Use by the Exempt Organization | $413,156 |
| Ferst Readers Madison, GA | For General Use by the Exempt Organization | $46,525 |
| Everybody Wins Washington, DC | For General Use by the Exempt Organization | $37,560 |
| Governor's Early Literacy Foundation Nashville, TN | For General Use by the Exempt Organization | $30,255 |
| Operation Shoestring Jackson, MS | For General Use by the Exempt Organization | $27,557 |
| Literacy United Fort Worth, TX | For General Use by the Exempt Organization | $25,847 |
| Dyslexia Resource Center Columbia, SC | For General Use by the Exempt Organization | $24,995 |
| Small Magic Birmingham, AL | For General Use by the Exempt Organization | $21,908 |
| Ar Kids Read Little Rock, AR | For General Use by the Exempt Organization | $14,359 |
| Dr Kristin Droege Kansas City, MO | For General Use by the Exempt Organization | $12,625 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $313,129 | $1,356,424 | $1,230,493 | $691,097 |
| 2024 | $187,198 | $1,127,603 | $1,099,095 | $564,221 |
| 2023 | $158,690 | $1,058,102 | $1,467,407 | $971,938 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $313,129 | $187,198 | $158,690 |
| Revenue | $1,356,424 | $1,127,603 | $1,058,102 |
| Expenses | $1,230,493 | $1,099,095 | $1,467,407 |
| Net Investment Income | $515 | $1,349 | $3,128 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 26, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 18, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 11, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 21, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 10, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 10, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Mary Collins Howell as chairman, Anna Claire Stietenroth as vice chairman, Andres Bascumbe as treasurer, and Micki Werner as secretary.
Taste of the South is led by Mary Collins Howell, Chairman on the 2025 filing; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Mary Collins Howell
Chairman
New on the 2025 filing
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Anna Claire Stietenroth
Vice Chairman
Secretary → Vice Chairman, 2025
On filings since 2024
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andres Bascumbe
Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Micki Werner
Secretary
New on the 2025 filing
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (10)
- Former: Molly Vinesett (2021–2024) — Chairman
- Former: Mary Collins Atkinson (2023–2024) — Vice Chairman
- Former: Raley Wright (2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Natalie Yezbick (2019–2023) — Chairman
- Former: Lee Bonner (2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Chase Hieneman (2019–2022) — Chairman
- Former: Elizabeth Gibson (2021–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Mary Dee Beal (2019–2020) — Chairman
- Former: Shelby Balius (2019–2020) — Strategic Advisory
- Former: Paige Carmichael (2020) — Secretary
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.
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 2826, Washington, DC 20013
Phone: (202) 331-4452
Website: https://tasteofthesouth.org
Frequently asked questions about Taste of the South
How much does Taste of the South give each year?
Taste of the South gave $691K across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $564K across 14 grants.
What is Taste of the South's typical grant size?
Taste of the South's median grant in 2025 was $23,452, and its average grant was $49,364, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Taste of the South give grants?
Taste of the South gives mostly in North Carolina: 60% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were Georgia (7%) and District of Columbia (5%).
Does Taste of the South give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Taste of the South's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (14 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are Taste of the South's largest grantees?
Taste of the South's largest 2025 grantees include Book Harvest Inc ($413,156), Ferst Readers ($46,525) and Everybody Wins ($37,560), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 72% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Taste of the South?
Taste of the South reported $313K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.4M.
What does Taste of the South fund?
Taste of the South states that it raises funds for charitable causes across 14 charities in the Southern United States by hosting an annual gala. Its website describes the 44th gala’s focus as STEM education and workforce development. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Taste of the South?
The available information describes donations and gala sponsorships but does not state a process or materials for organizations seeking grants. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Taste of the South's EIN?
Taste of the South's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1343458. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Taste of the South by hand.
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