The Bower Foundation
The Bower Foundation is a private foundation based in Ridgeland, Mississippi. It supports innovative strategies to improve the health of Mississippians, with work directed toward sustainable, systemic improvements in the state’s health and education infrastructures.
The Bower Foundation at a glance
In short: The Bower Foundation gave $5.1M across 51 grants in 2025 (avg $101K), mostly in Mississippi. 11% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $5,146,136
- +16.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 51
- +37.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $100,905
- -15.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $134,189,284
- +12.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 11% first-time grantees (4 of 37, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Mississippi (99% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Bower Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Its website describes a Grant Concept Summary process, while its filing states that contributions are made only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligible organizations whose summaries are approved are invited to submit a full application.
- Contact
Mailing address: 578 Highland Colony Parkway Ste 120, Ridgeland, MS 39157
Phone: (601) 607-3163
Website: https://bowerfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Bower Foundation
Who The Bower Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Center for Mississippi Health Polic ($902K). Together the top 10 received $4.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
164 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 81 grants of 164 (49%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation supports organizations working primarily in Mississippi and projects focused on improving Mississippi health. In 2025, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Mississippi and 1% to recipients in Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 51 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Bower Foundation open to new grantees?
11%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 37 grantees (11%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $180K; repeat grants $134K. How we count
Medians: $175K first-time, $22K repeat.
- 86% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+1%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 96% 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 (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $4.4M (2020) to $5.1M (2025). In 2025 it made 51 grants totaling $5.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Center for Mississippi Health Polic Ridgeland, MS | Funding Grant 2024-2026 | $902,195 |
| Converge Ridgeland, MS | Birth Control Educat & Engagement | $500,000 |
| University of Mississippi University, MS | Enhance Access to Autism Disorder Ev | $449,947 |
| Mississippi State University Founda Starkville, MS | Accel Master of Science-Nursing | $345,000 |
| University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS | Accel Bachelor of Science in Nursing | $339,000 |
| Copiah-Lincoln Community College FN Wesson, MS | Modernizing Healthcare Training | $315,880 |
| MHA Health Research and Education Madison, MS | Ms Student Nurse Mentorship | $312,836 |
| Direct Grant Expenses - V Jackson, MS | Expenses Related to Direct Grants | $311,448 |
| Mississippi University for Women Columbus, MS | MUW Nurse Scholarships | $250,000 |
| Phi Theta Kappa Foundation Jackson, MS | TRNSF Schlrships Nursing Students-DS | $232,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Bower 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $134,189,284 | $12,871,695 | $13,862,772 | $5,146,136 | 51 | $5,798,205 | $12,243,309 | $6,052,463 |
| 2024 | $119,672,416 | $8,613,557 | $4,780,890 | $4,423,610 | 37 | $5,100,535 | $8,122,859 | $5,772,853 |
| 2023 | $113,197,337 | $2,618,167 | $6,747,013 | $4,609,193 | 37 | $5,296,779 | $2,209,329 | $5,162,697 |
| 2022 | $100,365,590 | $5,941,153 | $5,173,857 | $5,091,208 | 21 | $5,704,044 | $5,521,788 | $5,171,291 |
| 2021 | $125,695,872 | $14,332,617 | $4,478,663 | $4,593,313 | 18 | $5,148,842 | $13,836,194 | $5,825,274 |
| 2020 | $112,101,954 | $4,864,407 | $3,661,648 | $4,388,615 | 18 | — | $4,492,125 | $5,089,872 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Bower Foundation reported a distributable amount of $6.1M for 2025 — 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 Foundation says it works to improve Mississippians’ health through strategic initiatives and partnerships. It supports eligible tax-exempt organizations, exempt operating foundations, and certain government entities, as well as experienced, structured, innovative organizations clearly committed to improving Mississippi health and working primarily in the state.
Examples of grantees’ own stated purposes include CONVERGE’s work with health care providers, insurers, and community partners to build a health-center system focused on family-planning care; the University of Mississippi’s work to acquire, construct, maintain, and improve university facilities; and Boston Medical Center Corporation’s mission to provide accessible health services regardless of ability to pay. These are the grantees’ descriptions, not additional stated Foundation priorities.
The Foundation does not support individuals and scholarships, for-profit organizations, organizations outside the United States, organizations focused outside Mississippi, or organizations lacking a focus on Mississippi health.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the Foundation reported 51 grants totaling $5,146,136. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $902,195, with a median of $20,000. Notable awards included $902,195 to the Center for Mississippi Health Policy for “Funding Grant 2024-2026,” $500,000 to CONVERGE for birth-control education and engagement, and $449,947 to the University of Mississippi to enhance access to autism disorder evaluation. Other large awards supported nursing education, healthcare training, student nurse mentorship, and related initiatives.
The Foundation typically identifies almost all grantees through its own research and works with selected stakeholders and organizations on strategic initiatives and special projects. Its process begins with a Grant Concept Summary for Grant Committee consideration. The summary should be two pages or less and include the organization’s name, mission and purpose; the reason for the request; the amount requested and how it will be spent; sustainability plans, if applicable; and hoped-for outcomes. An approved concept summary leads to an invitation to submit a full application. The committee reviews summaries at its next regularly scheduled meeting and responds within 90 days. Review criteria include alignment with Foundation goals, likelihood of success, benefits relative to cost, and sustainability after Foundation funding ends. University of Mississippi Medical Center applicants need prior approval from the Vice Chancellor; Mississippi Department of Health proposals need prior approval from the State Health Officer.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Anne Travis as CEO/President and Teresa Lindsey as CFO. Directors listed are Ralph Didlake, M.D.; Walter Neely, Ph.D.; William S. Painter; and Cheryl Lee Sykes.
The Bower Foundation is led by Anne Travis, CEO & Board President since 2025 (on filings since 2020); all 6 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Anne Travis
CEO & Board President
CEO & Board Vi → CEO & Board President, 2025
On filings since 2020
25.2 hrs/week
$229K (2020) → $204K (2025)
Cheryl Lee Sykes
Director
On filings since 2020
2.1 hrs/week
$13K (2020) → $25K (2025)
Ralph Didlake MD
Director
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
$17K (2020) → $20K (2025)
Walter Neely PhD
Director
On filings since 2020
1.4 hrs/week
$15K (2020) → $19K (2025)
William S. Painter
Director
On filings since 2020
1.4 hrs/week
$12K (2020) → $18K (2025)
Teresa Lindsey
CFO
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$104K (2023) → $145K (2025)
Former officers (3)
- Former: John Bower MD (2020–2022) — Board President
- Former: Alan Hull MD (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: James F. Dorris (2020–2021) — Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $204K, to Anne Travis (CEO/BD Presi). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Bower Foundation
How much does The Bower Foundation give each year?
The Bower Foundation gave $5.1M across 51 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $4.4M across 37 grants.
What is The Bower Foundation's typical grant size?
The Bower Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $100,905, across 51 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Bower Foundation that year got $180K on average.
Where does The Bower Foundation give grants?
The Bower Foundation gives mostly in Mississippi: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Jackson, MS (7 grants), Ridgeland, MS (3 grants), Hattiesburg, MS (3 grants) and Wesson, MS (3 grants).
Does The Bower Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 2% of The Bower Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 51) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Advancing Ms Healthcare Workforce" (13 grants) and "Advancing Ms Healthcare Workforce 3." (12 grants).
Who are The Bower Foundation's largest grantees?
The Bower Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Center for Mississippi Health Polic ($902,195), Converge ($500,000) and University of Southern Mississippi ($484,243 across 3 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Bower Foundation?
The Bower Foundation reported $134.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $6.1M (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 The Bower Foundation fund?
The Foundation says it works to improve Mississippians’ health through strategic initiatives and partnerships. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Bower Foundation?
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Bower Foundation's EIN?
The Bower Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 64-0540635. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Bower Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 28, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 24, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 21, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 8, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 1, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Bower Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Bower Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-bower-foundation-morg_a806fefead0947f79d99b4c686b22600
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_640540635_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Bower Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-bower-foundation-morg_a806fefead0947f79d99b4c686b22600},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 The Bower 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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