The John and L a Spears Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker LAWRENCEVILLE, GA EIN: 58-2448721

The John and L a Spears Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in LAWRENCEVILLE, GA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $1.2M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 14 grants totaling $32K. Net investment income was $106K.

Key facts about The John and L a Spears Foundation

EIN: 58-2448721
Latest 990 filing: Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024): $32,022
Grants made (2024): 14
Average grant: $2,287
Median grant: $2,000
Total assets: $1,157,957
Primary geography: Georgia (91% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated April 2026.

Who The John and L a Spears Foundation funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The John and L a Spears Foundation's 14 itemized 2024 grants were Georgia (91%) and Louisiana (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Cumming, GA (3 grants) and Alpharetta, GA (2 grants). None of its 14 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (14 grants).

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$1.2M

+8.2% YoY

Annual Giving

$32K

-26.8% YoY

Grant Count

-6.7% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$2K

-21.6% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The John and L a Spears Foundation reported a distributable amount of $80K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

About The John and L a Spears Foundation

Based on IRS filings

Focus Areas

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

Georgia $175K (85%)

Louisiana $17K (8%)

Tennessee $12K (6%)

California $1K (0%)

Florida $919 (0%)

States

California Florida Georgia Louisiana Tennessee

Cities

AlpharettaCummingLawrencevilleBethlehemGainesvilleCantonAthensBufordHomerLulaShreveportBelcherBrentwoodClarksvilleDuluthFlowery BranchSnellvilleSocial CircleArcadiaAtlanta

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$1,157,957	$1,069,868	$1,078,170
Revenue	$161,883	$77,332	$120,878
Expenses	$73,794	$85,634	$88,355
Qualifying Distributions	—	$43,736	$41,224
Net Investment Income	$105,703	$77,332	$120,878
Distributable Amount	$79,598	$68,505	$49,910

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

74 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Alexa Shoop ($4,225), Georgia River Network ($4,000), Tori Totman ($3,966).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ALEXA SHOOP Social Circle, GA	SCHOLARSHIP	$4,225
GEORGIA RIVER NETWORK Athens, GA	SCHOLARSHIP	$4,000
TORI TOTMAN Bethlehem, GA	SCHOLARSHIP	$3,966
IAN TOOLE Buford, GA	SCHOLARSHIP	$3,125
CAMDEN SPENCER Cumming, GA	SCHOLARSHIP	$2,000
JOSHA DAVIS Alpharetta, GA	SCHOLARSHIP	$2,000
BELLA GIBBS Cumming, GA	SCHOLARSHIP	$2,000
GRANT SPENCER Cumming, GA	SCHOLARSHIP	$2,000
RACHAEL SORJONEN Alpharetta, GA	SCHOLARSHIP	$2,000
RIELY STROUD Canton, GA	SCHOLARSHIP	$1,966

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
VIRGINIA BARBER	DIRECTOR	0.1	—
RICHARD WHITE	DIRECTOR	0.1	—
MARION ALLEN	SECRETARY	0.1	—
Carolyn Yelton	DIRECTOR	0.1	—
DEBRA HUGHES	DIRECTOR	0.1	—
R TERRY PATE	PRESIDENT	2	—

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The John and L a Spears Foundation?

The John and L a Spears Foundation is a nonprofit organization focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in LAWRENCEVILLE, GA. It holds $1.2M in total assets as of 2024.

How large is The John and L a Spears Foundation?

As of 2024, The John and L a Spears Foundation holds $1.2M in total assets with $162K in annual revenue. It awarded 14 grants totaling $32K in 2024.

Where does The John and L a Spears Foundation operate?

The John and L a Spears Foundation has awarded grants in California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Tennessee.

What size grants does The John and L a Spears Foundation award?

In 2024, The John and L a Spears Foundation awarded 14 grants totaling $32K — an average of about $2K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The John and L a Spears Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The John and L a Spears Foundation reported a distributable amount of $80K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is The John and L a Spears Foundation's EIN?

The John and L a Spears Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-2448721. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.