The Columbus Phipps Foundation
The Columbus Phipps Foundation is a private foundation established in 1994 and designated as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. The foundation is located in Clintwood, Virginia, and maintains operations focused on educational grantmaking.
Key facts about The Columbus Phipps Foundation
- EIN
- 54-6338751
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,065,367
- Grants made (2025)
- 63
- Average grant
- $16,911
- Median grant
- $6,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (16 of 63, 2025)
- Total assets
- $18,322,899
- Primary geography
- Virginia (68% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who The Columbus Phipps Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Columbus Phipps Foundation's 63 itemized 2025 grants were Virginia (68%), Tennessee (12%) and Kentucky (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Clintwood, VA (15 grants), Wise, VA (3 grants), Pikeville, KY (2 grants) and Athens, GA (2 grants). 13% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Educational Grants" (30 grants) and "Education Grants" (3 grants).
Is The Columbus Phipps Foundation open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 16 of 63 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $20K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $6K repeat.
- 67% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−15%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 108% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The Columbus Phipps Foundation
- How to evaluate The Columbus Phipps Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$18.3M
+2.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.1M
+12.4% YoY
Grant Count
63
-10.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$17K
+24.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Columbus Phipps Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 66 grants in its most recent fiscal year (ending March 2024). Recent grants include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 63 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Fiscal Year Ending March 2024:
| Metric | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total Assets | $17,856,799 |
| Total Revenues | $2,013,733 |
| Total Expenses | $1,274,011 |
| Investment Income & Dividends | $503,059 |
| Total Liabilities | $0 |
The foundation operates with no paid staff. Investment income represents a significant revenue source, with a 34.5% increase in investment income and dividends compared to the prior fiscal year.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $18,322,899 | $17,856,799 | $17,052,409 |
| Revenue | $1,728,618 | $2,013,733 | $1,248,304 |
| Expenses | $1,335,427 | $1,274,011 | $1,457,188 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,170,019 | $1,076,955 | $1,225,790 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,582,592 | $1,848,214 | $1,033,439 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,081,890 | $1,206,059 | $1,199,038 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
344 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include Mountain Empire Community College ($193,750), University of Va College at Wise ($183,500), Appalachian School of Pharmacy ($60,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| MOUNTAIN EMPIRE COMMUNITY COLLEGE Big Stone Gap, VA | EDUCATIONAL GRANTS | $193,750 |
| UNIVERSITY OF VA COLLEGE AT WISE Wise, VA | EDUCATIONAL GRANTS | $183,500 |
| APPALACHIAN SCHOOL OF PHARMACY Oakwood, VA | EDUCATIONAL GRANTS | $60,000 |
| LINCOLN MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY Harrogate, TN | EDUCATIONAL GRANTS | $60,000 |
| EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY Johnson City, TN | EDUCATIONAL GRANTS | $44,500 |
| RIDGEVIEW HIGH SCHOOL Clintwood, VA | GRANT TO SUPPORT | $38,650 |
| ANTIGUA COLLEGE OF MEDICINE New York, NY | SCHOLARSHIPS | $30,000 |
| CAMPBELLSVILLE UNIVERSITY Campbellsville, KY | EDUCATIONAL GRANTS | $30,000 |
| KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY Pikeville, KY | EDUCATION GRANT | $30,000 |
| GALEN COLLEGE OF NURSING Richardson, TX | GRANT FOR SCHOLARSHIPS | $29,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Paul D Buchanan — Director (volunteer position, $0 compensation)
- Dr. Jewell Askins — Trustee
- Michael A Strough — Trustee
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2025 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul D Buchanan | Trustee/Director | 20 | — |
| Dr Jewell Askins | Trustee | — | — |
| Mr Michael a Strough | Trustee | — | — |
| Mr Jerry Artrip | Trustee | — | — |
| Mr Clarence Phillips | Trustee | — | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for a grant from The Columbus Phipps Foundation?
The foundation made 66 grants in its most recent fiscal year (ending March 2024). Recent grants include: • Lincoln Memorial University: $69,000 (Educational Grants) • University of Pikeville: $38,000 (Educational Grants) • Liberty University: $32,500 (Educational Grants) • University of Virginia College at Wise (among other grantees) The foundation distributed approximately $245,977 across its documented grants in the most recent reporting period.
What size grants does The Columbus Phipps Foundation award?
In 2025, The Columbus Phipps Foundation awarded 63 grants totaling $1.1M — an average of about $17K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Columbus Phipps Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, The Columbus Phipps Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Columbus Phipps Foundation's EIN?
The Columbus Phipps Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-6338751. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.