The Good Shepherd Foundation
The Good Shepherd Foundation is a private foundation based in Birmingham, Alabama. Its 2025 filing lists contributions to charitable organizations, including churches, universities, and organizations serving veterans and military families.
The Good Shepherd Foundation at a glance
In short: The Good Shepherd Foundation gave $103K across 31 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), top state Alabama. 3% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $102,963
- -11.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 31
- -8.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,321
- -2.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $1,500,619
- +5.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 3% first-time grantees (1 of 31, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Alabama (39% 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 Good Shepherd 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: 1407 Avon Circle, Birmingham, AL 35213
Phone: (205) 323-7521
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Good Shepherd Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was South Highland Presbyterian Church ($24K). Together the top 10 received $88K.
Grant Size Distribution
137 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 137 grants of 137 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, grant dollars were distributed among recipients in multiple states. The largest shares went to Alabama (39%), Kentucky (23%), Virginia (10%), New York (8%), and Tennessee (7%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 31 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Good Shepherd Foundation open to new grantees?
3%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 31 grantees (3%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $500; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $1K repeat.
- 97% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 44% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 88% 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 $72K (2022) to $116K (2024). In 2025 it made 31 grants totaling $103K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| South Highland Presbyterian Church Birmingham, AL | Maintenance of Services | $24,232 |
| University of the Cumberlands Williamsburg, KY | Mountain outreach, scholarship program, workship program and christmas ministries | $24,000 |
| University of Mary Washington Fredericksburg, VA | Justin Arthur Steinburg Memorial Scholarship | $10,000 |
| God's Word for Warriors - Co Dr Tom Seales Nashville, TN | Ministry to provide moral and spiritual healing to assist veterans and their families in acclimating into society following deployments | $7,500 |
| Tunnel to Towers Foundation Staten Island, NY | Builds smart homes for catastophically injured veterans & first responders, mortgage free homes, assits vets in homelessness issues | $7,500 |
| Samford University Birmingham, AL | Hilda hicks scholarship in german studies & maintenance of services | $5,031 |
| Fisher House Foundation Rockville, MA | Provides housing and support for military, veterans, and their families when family members are hospitalized | $3,000 |
| Semper Fi & America's Fund Oceanside, CA | Service member & family support as well as transition programs for combat wounded & catastrophically injured service members | $2,500 |
| The Foundry Bessemer, AL | Alcohol and Addiction Recovery and Rehabilitation Center | $2,500 |
| Chimala Mission & Hospital Montgomery, AL | For Hospital & General Mission Maintenance | $2,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Good Shepherd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,500,619 | $194,383 | $115,465 | $102,963 | 31 | $102,963 | $93,816 | $117,576 |
| 2024 | $1,421,378 | $299,221 | $123,474 | $115,669 | 34 | $123,474 | $199,441 | $110,989 |
| 2023 | $1,245,631 | $140,792 | $122,494 | $115,630 | 32 | $122,494 | $60,738 | $99,367 |
| 2022 | $1,227,333 | $142,577 | $79,856 | $71,680 | 20 | $79,856 | $62,577 | $91,907 |
| 2021 | $1,164,647 | $146,809 | $92,795 | $86,002 | 20 | $92,795 | $65,854 | $78,580 |
| 2020 | $1,110,615 | $172,963 | $85,101 | $79,800 | 25 | — | $72,963 | $71,703 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Good Shepherd Foundation reported a distributable amount of $118K 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 included support for church services, scholarships and university programs, veterans’ services, addiction recovery, hospital and mission maintenance, and Bible distribution.
The grantees describe their work in varied terms. The University of the Cumberlands says its mission is to provide affordable education grounded in Christian principles and leadership through service. Samford University describes its mission as nurturing intellect, creativity, faith, and personhood, while fostering academic, career, and ethical competency. Semper Fi & America’s Fund says it provides case management, connection, and lifetime support to wounded, ill, or injured service members, veterans, and military families. Wounded Warrior Project describes its work as improving the well-being of post-9/11 wounded, ill, and injured veterans, service members, and their families.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 31 grants totaling $102,963. Grant amounts ranged from $200 to $24,232, with a median of $1,000. Among its largest grants were $24,232 to South Highland Presbyterian Church for maintenance of services; $24,000 to the University of the Cumberlands for mountain outreach, scholarship, workship, and Christmas ministries; and $10,000 to the University of Mary Washington for the Justin Arthur Steinburg Memorial Scholarship.
Other reported grants included $7,500 to God’s Word for Warriors for moral and spiritual support for veterans and their families, and $7,500 to Tunnel to Towers Foundation for programs including homes for injured veterans and first responders. The foundation also awarded $5,031 to Samford University, $3,000 to Fisher House Foundation, $2,500 to Semper Fi & America’s Fund, and $2,000 each to Chimala Mission & Hospital and Wounded Warrior Project.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Alton W. Baker as president/vice president, Mary L. Baker as secretary/treasurer, and Greg Hyde as director.
The Good Shepherd Foundation is led by Alton W. Baker, President & Vice President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Alton W. Baker
President & Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Greg Hyde
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Mary L. Baker
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
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 Good Shepherd Foundation
How much does The Good Shepherd Foundation give each year?
The Good Shepherd Foundation gave $103K across 31 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $116K across 34 grants.
What is The Good Shepherd Foundation's typical grant size?
The Good Shepherd Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $3,321, across 31 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Good Shepherd Foundation that year got $500 on average.
Where does The Good Shepherd Foundation give grants?
The Good Shepherd Foundation's top state is Alabama, with 39% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Kentucky (23%) and Virginia (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Birmingham, AL (11 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does The Good Shepherd Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 3% of The Good Shepherd Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 31) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Maintenance of Services" (7 grants).
Who are The Good Shepherd Foundation's largest grantees?
The Good Shepherd Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include South Highland Presbyterian Church ($24,232), University of the Cumberlands ($24,000) and University of Mary Washington ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 57% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Good Shepherd Foundation?
The Good Shepherd Foundation reported $1.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $103K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $118K (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 Good Shepherd Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for church services, scholarships and university programs, veterans’ services, addiction recovery, hospital and mission maintenance, and Bible distribution. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Good Shepherd 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 Good Shepherd Foundation's EIN?
The Good Shepherd Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 63-0871643. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Good Shepherd 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 May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Good Shepherd Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-good-shepherd-foundation-morg_b807c76dc2284037b9b3f6932d8d88e6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_630871643_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Good Shepherd Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-good-shepherd-foundation-morg_b807c76dc2284037b9b3f6932d8d88e6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Good Shepherd 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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