The Ergon Foundation
The Ergon Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. Its 2024 grants included support for church planting, missionary work, and other religious organizations and projects.
The Ergon Foundation at a glance
In short: The Ergon Foundation gave $1.0M across 22 grants in 2024 (avg $47K), top state North Carolina. 20% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,039,500
- +11.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 22
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $47,250
- +11.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $26,500
- Total assets
- $20,562,945
- +2.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (2 of 10, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (33% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Ergon Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Foundation Source 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809-1377
Phone: (800) 839-1754
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Ergon Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Pillar Church Planting Network ($347K across 4 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
86 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 55 grants of 86 (64%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina (33%), Kentucky (28%), Virginia (14%), Florida (11%), and Texas (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Ergon Foundation open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 10 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $31K; repeat grants $122K. How we count
Medians: $31K first-time, $84K repeat.
- 80% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 31% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 85% 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 (2019–2024). 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 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $371K (2019) to $1.0M (2024). In 2024 it made 22 grants totaling $1.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Pillar Church Planting Network Wake Forest, NC | RTIM Missionaries | $132,000 |
| International Mission Board of the Southern Baptis Richmond, VA | Project | $120,000 |
| Grace Covenant Church of Bay County Panama City, FL | General & Unrestricted | $110,000 |
| Pillar Church Planting Network Wake Forest, NC | Residency Fund | $100,000 |
| Reaching and Teaching International Ministries Inc Louisville, KY | Trellis Project | $100,000 |
| Reaching and Teaching International Ministries Inc Louisville, KY | RTIM Missionary Support | $100,000 |
| Pillar Church Planting Network Wake Forest, NC | Colombia Ministry | $65,000 |
| Capitol Hill Baptist Church Washington, DC | International Projects | $50,000 |
| Pillar Church Planting Network Wake Forest, NC | Church Plant Startups | $50,000 |
| Cross Vision Missions Tyler, TX | General & Unrestricted | $45,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Ergon 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $20,562,945 | $1,849,735 | $1,223,127 | $1,039,500 | 22 | $1,115,906 | $582,480 | $1,312,902 |
| 2023 | $20,034,163 | $2,547,594 | $1,099,386 | $930,500 | 22 | $1,006,092 | $520,237 | $1,103,645 |
| 2022 | $18,478,680 | $2,520,709 | $1,056,976 | $881,270 | 16 | $956,305 | $454,528 | $1,015,524 |
| 2021 | $17,014,947 | $2,427,548 | $950,754 | $795,000 | 14 | $866,649 | $848,943 | $959,159 |
| 2020 | $15,576,328 | $-192,560 | $862,312 | $724,500 | 12 | — | $400,161 | $848,370 |
| 2019 | $16,618,787 | $1,428,729 | $489,371 | $371,000 | 9 | — | $405,843 | $837,058 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ergon Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No formal mission statement is provided in the available information. The foundation’s 2024 grants show support for church planting and missionary and ministry projects. Among its grantees, Pillar Church Planting Network says its mission is to support church plants and promote church planting efforts. Fellowship of Christian Athletes says its mission is to lead coaches and athletes into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and his church. Last Bell Ministries says it works to restore orphanage graduates toward life and community in Zhytomyr, Ukraine.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 22 grants totaling $1,039,500. Grants ranged from $6,000 to $132,000, with a median of $26,500.
Notable 2024 grants included $132,000 to Pillar Church Planting Network for RTIM Missionaries; $120,000 to the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention for a project; and $110,000 to Grace Covenant Church of Bay County for general and unrestricted purposes. Pillar Church Planting Network also received $100,000 for a Residency Fund, $65,000 for Colombia Ministry, and $50,000 for Church Plant Startups. Reaching and Teaching International Ministries received $100,000 for the Trellis Project and $100,000 for RTIM Missionary Support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists John Drummond Jr as president, director, and secretary; John Drummond Sr as director and vice president; and Ashley Glover as director and vice president.
The Ergon Foundation is led by John Drummond Jr., President, Director & Secretary on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
John Drummond Jr.
President, Director & Secretary
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ashley Glover
Director & Vice President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Drummond Sr.
Director & Vice President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "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 Ergon Foundation
How much does The Ergon Foundation give each year?
The Ergon Foundation gave $1.0M across 22 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $931K across 22 grants.
What is The Ergon Foundation's typical grant size?
The Ergon Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $26,500, and its average grant was $47,250, across 22 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Ergon Foundation that year got $31K on average.
Where does The Ergon Foundation give grants?
The Ergon Foundation's top state is North Carolina, with 33% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Kentucky (28%) and Virginia (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Louisville, KY (8 grants), Wake Forest, NC (4 grants), Richmond, VA (2 grants) and Tyler, TX (2 grants).
Does The Ergon Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 23% of The Ergon Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (5 of 22) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "RTIM Missionary Support" (3 grants).
Who are The Ergon Foundation's largest grantees?
The Ergon Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Pillar Church Planting Network ($347,000 across 4 grants), Reaching and Teaching International Ministries Inc ($290,500 across 8 grants) and International Mission Board of the Southern Baptis ($145,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 75% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Ergon Foundation?
The Ergon Foundation reported $20.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.3M (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 Ergon Foundation fund?
No formal mission statement is provided in the available information. The foundation’s 2024 grants show support for church planting and missionary and ministry projects. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Ergon Foundation?
The foundation 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 Ergon Foundation's EIN?
The Ergon Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-5017945. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Does The Ergon 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.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 21, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 29, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 30, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 29, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 19, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 2, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Ergon Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Ergon Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-ergon-foundation-morg_9a4ba8014bca4f5fbd890fed20fd3427
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_455017945_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Ergon Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-ergon-foundation-morg_9a4ba8014bca4f5fbd890fed20fd3427},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Ergon 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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