The Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc
The Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. In its 2024 filing, it reported 17 grants totaling $218,300 to charitable organizations.
The Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc gave $218K across 17 grants in 2024 (avg $13K), top state North Carolina. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $218,300
- -24.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 17
- -5.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $12,841
- -19.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $6,852,078
- -0.0% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (48% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc
- 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.
- 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 Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Mondays Hope ($75K). Together the top 10 received $196K.
Grant Size Distribution
43 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 36 grants of 43 (84%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina (48%), South Carolina (38%), Hawaii (9%), and Texas (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc gives
- 36% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+0%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 64% 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 (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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $69K (2020) to $287K (2023). In 2024 it made 17 grants totaling $218K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mondays Hope Columbus, NC | General & Unrestricted | $75,000 |
| We Must Protect Kapolei, HI | Hurricane Helene aid for Western North Carolina | $20,000 |
| Foothills Humane Society Inc Columbus, NC | General & Unrestricted | $15,000 |
| S C Bach Greenville, SC | S C Bach - B Minor Mass Performance | $10,800 |
| Landrum High Campobello, SC | Landrum XC Team | $10,000 |
| Landrum High Campobello, SC | Charitable Event | $10,000 |
| Spartanburg County Foundation Spartanburg, SC | Hand in Hand Ministries Fund | $10,000 |
| Spartanburg Humane Society Inc Spartanburg, SC | Spayghetti and No Balls - Spay and Neuter Event | $10,000 |
| Spartanburg Philharmonic Spartanburg, SC | General & Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry Columbus, NC | General & Unrestricted | $10,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $6,852,078 | $344,362 | $346,276 | $218,300 | 17 | $247,931 | $254,803 | $387,655 |
| 2023 | $6,853,992 | $363,101 | $406,587 | $287,461 | 18 | $316,551 | $280,929 | $359,486 |
| 2022 | $6,897,478 | $314,356 | $271,181 | $148,290 | 4 | $177,038 | $228,818 | $374,423 |
| 2021 | $6,854,303 | $488,950 | $336,010 | $217,408 | 3 | $243,407 | $407,529 | $375,883 |
| 2020 | $6,701,363 | $171,999 | $171,729 | $68,808 | 1 | — | $86,409 | $331,300 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $388K 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations whose stated missions span health and wellness, animal welfare, community assistance, music, and services for veterans. For example, Mondays Hope says its mission is to promote health and wellness through missions and training; Foothills Humane Society says it shelters and adopts animals and educates the public about responsible animal ownership; and the Spartanburg Philharmonic says it enriches, inspires, and educates the community through live music performances.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 17 grants totaling $218,300. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $75,000, with a median grant of $10,000. The largest award was $75,000 to Mondays Hope for general and unrestricted purposes. Other notable grants included $20,000 to We Must Protect for Hurricane Helene aid in Western North Carolina; $15,000 to Foothills Humane Society for general and unrestricted purposes; and $10,000 each to the Spartanburg Philharmonic for general and unrestricted purposes, the Spartanburg County Foundation for its Hand in Hand Ministries Fund, and Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry for general and unrestricted purposes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Sarah Gunn as secretary and trustee; Frank Phillips as vice president and trustee; Jennifer Phillips as president and trustee; Katie Fowler Phillips as trustee; and Bruce Schwartz as treasurer and trustee.
The Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc is led by Jennifer Phillips, Trustee & President on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jennifer Phillips
Trustee & President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bruce Schwartz
Trustee & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Gunn
Secretary & Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Frank Phillips
Vice President & Trustee
Trustee → Vice President & Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Katie Fowler Phillips
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Craig Kridel (2020) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc
How much does The Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc give each year?
The Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc gave $218K across 17 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $287K across 18 grants.
What is The Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $12,841, across 17 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc give grants?
The Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc's top state is North Carolina, with 48% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were South Carolina (38%) and Hawaii (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Spartanburg, SC (5 grants), Columbus, NC (4 grants) and Campobello, SC (4 grants).
Does The Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 53% of The Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (9 of 17) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Mondays Hope ($75,000), Landrum High ($25,000 across 3 grants) and We Must Protect ($20,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 55% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc?
The Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc reported $6.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $248K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $388K (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 Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations whose stated missions span health and wellness, animal welfare, community assistance, music, and services for veterans. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc?
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 Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 57-0974104. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 6, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-joe-r-and-joella-f-utley-foundation-inc-morg_acffdfbcf68c4fb0882d527fec3d9434
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_570974104_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Joe R \& Joella F Utley Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-joe-r-and-joella-f-utley-foundation-inc-morg_acffdfbcf68c4fb0882d527fec3d9434},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-06. 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 Joe R & Joella F Utley Foundation Inc'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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