The Forman Foundation
The Forman Foundation is a private foundation based in Birmingham, Alabama. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, primarily in Alabama, including cultural, educational, community, and service organizations.
The Forman Foundation at a glance
In short: The Forman Foundation gave $27K across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in Alabama. 27% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $27,002
- +0.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- +37.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,455
- -27.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,585
- Total assets
- $480,160
- +0.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (3 of 11, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Alabama (98% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Forman Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states on its 2025 filing that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: 420 North 20Th Street Ste 3400, Birmingham, AL 35203
Phone: (205) 458-5270
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Forman Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Birmingham Botanical Gardens ($10K). Together the top 10 received $27K.
Grant Size Distribution
61 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 61 grants of 61 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars went primarily to Alabama recipients (98%), with 1% each going to recipients in North Carolina and Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Forman Foundation open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 11 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 45% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−12%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 89% 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 $27K (2024) to $31K (2022). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $27K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham Botanical Gardens Birmingham, AL | To support organization | $10,000 |
| Jubilee Center Montgomery, AL | To support organization | $5,667 |
| Rotary Club Foundation Birmingham, AL | To support organization | $2,500 |
| Mountain Brook Library Foundation Mountain Brook, AL | To support organization | $2,000 |
| St Philips Anglican Church Tuscaloosa, AL | To support organization | $2,000 |
| Mountain Brook City Schools Foundation Birmingham, AL | To support organization | $1,585 |
| YWCA Birmingham, AL | To support organization | $1,500 |
| Birmingham Museum of Art Birmingham, AL | To support organization | $1,000 |
| Glenville Cashiers Rescue Squad Glenville, NC | To support organization | $250 |
| Preschool Partners Birmingham, AL | To support organization | $250 |
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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 | $480,160 | $37,027 | $36,352 | $27,002 | 11 | $29,140 | $32,190 | $32,848 |
| 2024 | $479,485 | $48,889 | $34,467 | $26,980 | 8 | $26,980 | $82,957 | $29,109 |
| 2023 | $465,063 | $85,498 | $34,996 | $28,952 | 16 | $28,952 | $79,507 | $26,984 |
| 2022 | $414,561 | $11,346 | $39,449 | $30,858 | 15 | $30,858 | $3,793 | $29,699 |
| 2021 | $442,664 | $30,712 | $31,579 | $28,251 | 11 | $28,251 | $27,600 | $30,201 |
| 2020 | $443,531 | $20,822 | $37,391 | $30,001 | 15 | — | $15,528 | $28,176 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Forman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $33K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in varied areas. For example, Mountain Brook City Schools Foundation says its mission is to mobilize community support and resources for academic improvement in the Mountain Brook City School System. Preschool Partners says it provides an inclusive, diverse learning environment to prepare preschool children and their families for success. The Institute for Safer Trucking says its mission is to educate the public about solutions to make trucking safer and help survivors and families of truck-crash victims.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation gave $27,002 through 11 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $250 to $10,000, with a median of $1,585. Larger awards included $10,000 to Birmingham Botanical Gardens, $5,667 to Jubilee Center, and $2,500 to Rotary Club Foundation. Other recipients included Mountain Brook Library Foundation ($2,000), St Philips Anglican Church ($2,000), Mountain Brook City Schools Foundation ($1,585), YWCA ($1,500), and Birmingham Museum of Art ($1,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists J Ross Forman III, Dalton Forman Blankenship, and Elizabeth Forman Norwook as directors.
The Forman Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Dalton Forman Blankenship
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Forman Norwook
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
J Ross Forman III
Director
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 Forman Foundation
How much does The Forman Foundation give each year?
The Forman Foundation gave $27K across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $27K across 8 grants.
What is The Forman Foundation's typical grant size?
The Forman Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,585, and its average grant was $2,455, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Forman Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does The Forman Foundation give grants?
The Forman Foundation gives mostly in Alabama: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Birmingham, AL (6 grants).
Does The Forman Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on The Forman Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To support organization" (11 grants).
Who are The Forman Foundation's largest grantees?
The Forman Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Birmingham Botanical Gardens ($10,000), Jubilee Center ($5,667) and Rotary Club Foundation ($2,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 67% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Forman Foundation?
The Forman Foundation reported $480K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $29K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $33K (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 Forman Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in varied areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Forman Foundation?
The foundation states on its 2025 filing that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Forman Foundation's EIN?
The Forman Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-2045009. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Forman 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 7, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Figures come from The Forman 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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