The E Merle & Ollie W Edwards Fou
The E Merle & Ollie W Edwards Fou is a private foundation, based in Kinston, NC. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $1.0M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 7 grants totaling $24K. Net investment income was $100.
The E Merle & Ollie W Edwards Fou at a glance
In short: The E Merle & Ollie W Edwards Fou gave $24K across 7 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in North Carolina. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $23,500
- -53.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 7
- -36.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,357
- -26.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $1,023,602
- -4.5% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who The E Merle & Ollie W Edwards Fou funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 7 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The NC Marine and Estuary Foundatio ($10K). Together the top 7 received $24K.
Grant Size Distribution
38 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 37 grants of 38 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 7 itemized grants.
Cities
How The E Merle & Ollie W Edwards Fou gives
- Giving fell 61% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 77% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $23K (2020) to $62K (2021). In 2025 it made 7 grants totaling $24K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The NC Marine and Estuary Foundatio Raleigh, NC | Charitable | $10,000 |
| ECU College of Fine Arts Greenville, NC | Charitable | $5,000 |
| Boy Scouts of America Raleigh, NC | Charitable | $3,500 |
| Helps Morehead City, NC | Charitable | $2,500 |
| Pinetops United Methodist Men Pinetops, NC | Charitable | $1,000 |
| ECU Health Foundation Greenville, NC | Charitable | $1,000 |
| Bladen We Care Elizabethtown, NC | Charitable | $500 |
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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 | $1,023,602 | $-20,052 | $28,562 | $23,500 | 7 | $23,500 | $100 | $30,611 |
| 2024 | $1,072,257 | $118 | $56,000 | $50,000 | 11 | $50,000 | $2,918 | $30,242 |
| 2023 | $1,128,139 | $14,998 | $73,500 | $51,000 | 6 | $51,000 | — | $28,619 |
| 2022 | $1,186,641 | $195,947 | $60,441 | $60,000 | 8 | $60,000 | $183,665 | $26,942 |
| 2021 | $1,051,614 | $91,157 | $72,797 | $61,500 | 6 | $61,500 | $31,037 | $50,324 |
| 2020 | $1,017,846 | $25,742 | $126,092 | $22,500 | 9 | — | — | $52,581 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The E Merle & Ollie W Edwards Fou reported a distributable amount of $31K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The E Merle & Ollie W Edwards Fou is led by Thomas L. Edwards, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Thomas L. Edwards
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Edwin M. Edwards
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Stuart M. Edwards
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
David C. Edwards
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Merle W. Edwards
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about The E Merle & Ollie W Edwards Fou
How much does The E Merle & Ollie W Edwards Fou give each year?
The E Merle & Ollie W Edwards Fou gave $24K across 7 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $50K across 11 grants.
What is The E Merle & Ollie W Edwards Fou's typical grant size?
The E Merle & Ollie W Edwards Fou's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $3,357, across 7 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The E Merle & Ollie W Edwards Fou give grants?
The E Merle & Ollie W Edwards Fou gives mostly in North Carolina: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Raleigh, NC (2 grants) and Greenville, NC (2 grants).
Does The E Merle & Ollie W Edwards Fou give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 7 grants with a stated purpose on The E Merle & Ollie W Edwards Fou's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (7 grants).
Who are The E Merle & Ollie W Edwards Fou's largest grantees?
The E Merle & Ollie W Edwards Fou's largest 2025 grantees include The NC Marine and Estuary Foundatio ($10,000), ECU College of Fine Arts ($5,000) and Boy Scouts of America ($3,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 79% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The E Merle & Ollie W Edwards Fou?
The E Merle & Ollie W Edwards Fou reported $1.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $24K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $31K (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 is The E Merle & Ollie W Edwards Fou's EIN?
The E Merle & Ollie W Edwards Fou's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-2166688. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 30, 2026)
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