The Cullman Foundation
The Cullman Foundation is a private foundation based in Cullman, Alabama. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including educational, youth sports, disability-support, health, veterans’ assistance, and conservation organizations.
Key facts about The Cullman Foundation
In short: The Cullman Foundation gave $169K across 23 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in Alabama. 43% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 87-2645392
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $168,975
- Grants made (2025)
- 23
- Average grant
- $7,347
- Median grant
- $2,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 43% first-time grantees (10 of 23, 2025; small sample)
- Total assets
- $3,273,886
- Primary geography
- Alabama (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). 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-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.3M
+41.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$169K
-7.6% YoY
Grant Count
23
+15.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$7K
-19.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Cullman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $212K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Cullman Foundation open to new grantees?
43%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 23 grantees (43%) were first-time recipients. With only 23 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $9K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 43% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 298% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 80% 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 (2022–2025). 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for scholarship payments, educational projects, community youth sports, assistance for disabled children, wildlife conservation, and other charitable purposes.
The grantees describe their own work in varied terms. Hope Horses says it provides therapeutic and recreational horseback riding for people with disabilities in Cullman County and surrounding areas. Cullman Christian School describes its work as academic education from pre-k4 through grade 12, with extracurricular activities. The Alabama Wildlife Federation says it promotes conservation of Alabama’s wildlife and natural resources, while Wild Alabama says it works to inspire people to enjoy, value, and protect Alabama’s wild places. Victim Services of Cullman describes its work as shelter, support, and counseling for abuse victims.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 23 grants totaling $168,975. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $60,000, with a median grant of $2,500.
Among the largest reported grants were $60,000 to Wallace State Future Foundation for scholarship payments; $30,000 to City of Cullman Park and Rec Fund for community youth sports programs; and $30,000 to Cullman County Board of Education for educational projects assistance. Other grants included $9,000 to Hope Horses for assistance for disabled children; $5,000 each to Alabama Wildlife Federation for wildlife conservation, Cullman Christian School for community school programs, and Cullman Veterans of Foreign Wars for veteran family assistance; and $4,000 each to Cullman Regional Foundation for benevolent medical support and Fairview High School for athletic program support.
How to Apply
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Ready to take the next step with The Cullman Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Alabama.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 23 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $43K (2022) to $199K (2023). In 2025 it made 23 grants totaling $169K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Wallace State Future Foundation ($60K). Together the top 10 received $155K.
Grant Size Distribution
69 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 65 grants of 69 (94%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wallace State Future Foundation Hanceville, AL | Payment for Scholarship for Students | $60,000 |
| City of Cullman Park and Rec Fund Cullman, AL | Community Youth Sports Programs | $30,000 |
| Cullman County Board of Education Cullman, AL | Educational Projects Assistance | $30,000 |
| Hope Horses Cullman, AL | Assistance for Disabled Children | $9,000 |
| Alabama Wildlife Federation Millbrook, AL | Wildlife Conservation | $5,000 |
| Cullman Christian School Cullman, AL | Assist Community School Programs | $5,000 |
| Cullman Veterans of Foreign Wars Cullman, AL | Veteran Family Assistance | $5,000 |
| Cullman Regional Foundation Cullman, AL | Benevolent Medical Support | $4,000 |
| Fairview High School Cullman, AL | Athletic Program Support | $4,000 |
| Cullman County Bosom Buddies Founda Vinemont, AL | Support of Cancer Patients | $2,500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,273,886 | $1,127,841 | $174,535 | $168,975 | 23 |
| 2024 | $2,320,580 | $53,225 | $187,925 | $182,837 | 20 |
| 2023 | $2,455,280 | $44,520 | $207,093 | $198,772 | 19 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,273,886 | $2,320,580 | $2,455,280 |
| Revenue | $1,127,841 | $53,225 | $44,520 |
| Expenses | $174,535 | $187,925 | $207,093 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $168,975 | $182,837 | $198,772 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,077,841 | $53,225 | $44,520 |
| Distributable Amount | $212,474 | $163,925 | $183,061 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John A. Riley III, Nancy McClellan, and Greg Barksdale as members of the board of directors.
The Cullman Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Greg Barksdale
Board of Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
John A. Riley III
Board of Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Nancy McClellan
Board of Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: 316 Second Avenue Sw, Cullman, AL 35055
Phone: (256) 734-1740
Frequently asked questions about The Cullman Foundation
How much does The Cullman Foundation give each year?
The Cullman Foundation gave $169K across 23 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $183K across 20 grants.
What is The Cullman Foundation's typical grant size?
The Cullman Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $7,347, across 23 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Cullman Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does The Cullman Foundation give grants?
The Cullman Foundation gives mostly in Alabama: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Cullman, AL (17 grants) and Vinemont, AL (2 grants).
Does The Cullman Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 23 grants with a stated purpose on The Cullman Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Cullman Foundation's largest grantees?
The Cullman Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Wallace State Future Foundation ($60,000), City of Cullman Park and Rec Fund ($30,000) and Cullman County Board of Education ($30,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 71% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Cullman Foundation?
The Cullman Foundation reported $3.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $169K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $212K (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 Cullman Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for scholarship payments, educational projects, community youth sports, assistance for disabled children, wildlife conservation, and other charitable purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Cullman Foundation?
The foundation states that it 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 The Cullman Foundation's EIN?
The Cullman Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 87-2645392. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does The Cullman 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.
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