The Kilrea Foundation
The Kilrea Foundation is a private foundation based in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. It made 18 grants totaling $257,900 in 2024, supporting charitable organizations in several states and the District of Columbia.
The Kilrea Foundation at a glance
In short: The Kilrea Foundation gave $258K across 18 grants in 2024 (avg $14K), mostly in Illinois. 28% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $257,900
- +51.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 18
- +63.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $14,328
- -7.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $7,500
- Total assets
- $3,315,429
- -4.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 28% first-time grantees (5 of 18, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (73% 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 Kilrea Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. It states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Written requests only; contact Scott Kilrea. The filing lists no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Scott Kilrea
Mailing address: 20 East Beach Lagoon, Hilton Head, SC 29928
Phone: (630) 215-7072
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Kilrea Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Marquette University ($85K). Together the top 10 received $233K.
Grant Size Distribution
79 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 73 grants of 79 (92%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 73% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 12% to South Carolina, 9% to the District of Columbia, 4% to Texas, and 2% to Indiana.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Kilrea Foundation open to new grantees?
28%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 18 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $19K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 56% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+13%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 114% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 $151K (2022) to $258K (2024). In 2024 it made 18 grants totaling $258K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Marquette University Carol Stream, IL | Charitable - General Support | $85,000 |
| Western Golf Association Evans Scholars Foundation Glenview, IL | Charitable - General Support | $50,000 |
| Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund Chicago, IL | Charitable - General Support | $25,000 |
| Heritage Classic Foundation Hilton Head Island, SC | Charitable - General Support | $18,400 |
| Cato Institute Washington, DC | Charitable - General Support | $10,000 |
| Congaree Foundation Houston, TX | Charitable - General Support | $10,000 |
| The Heritage Foundation Washington, DC | Charitable - General Support | $10,000 |
| The Nora Project Montgomery, IL | Charitable - General Support | $10,000 |
| The University of Chicago Booth School of Business Chicago, IL | Charitable - General Support | $10,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity Bluffton, SC | Charitable - General Support | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Kilrea 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 | $3,315,429 | $103,368 | $281,710 | $257,900 | 18 | $257,900 | $80,367 | $226,102 |
| 2023 | $3,465,406 | $1,541 | $253,554 | $170,500 | 11 | $173,375 | $29,528 | $217,735 |
| 2022 | $3,690,796 | $128,232 | $184,095 | $151,000 | 14 | $152,125 | $102,656 | $208,485 |
| 2021 | $3,758,333 | $398,866 | $260,326 | $229,000 | 19 | $229,000 | $347,048 | $202,005 |
| 2020 | $3,619,793 | $197,044 | $236,348 | $215,750 | 17 | — | $161,355 | $164,723 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Kilrea Foundation reported a distributable amount of $226K 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
The foundation’s own filing does not state a mission. Its 2024 grants went to organizations with varied missions. For example, the Heritage Classic Foundation says it distributes net profits from a PGA Tour event to local and statewide charities; the Nora Project says it promotes disability inclusion by empowering educators and engaging students and communities; and Congaree Foundation says it aims to positively impact young people through golf. Other recipients include Cato Institute and the Heritage Foundation, whose stated missions concern public policy.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 18 grants totaling $257,900. The grants ranged from $500 to $85,000, with a median grant of $7,500. Its largest reported awards included $85,000 to Marquette University, $50,000 to Western Golf Association Evans Scholars Foundation, $25,000 to Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund, and $18,400 to Heritage Classic Foundation. Each was listed as charitable general support.
The foundation made 14 grants totaling $151,000 in 2022. Its 2023 filing reports zero grants. Its 2024 filing, the latest on this page, reports 18 grants totaling $257,900.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Scott Kilrea as president and Mary Beth Kilrea as trustee.
The Kilrea Foundation is led by Scott Kilrea, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Scott Kilrea
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mary Beth Kilrea
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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 Kilrea Foundation
How much does The Kilrea Foundation give each year?
The Kilrea Foundation gave $258K across 18 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $171K across 11 grants.
What is The Kilrea Foundation's typical grant size?
The Kilrea Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $7,500, and its average grant was $14,328, across 18 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Kilrea Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does The Kilrea Foundation give grants?
The Kilrea Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 73% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were South Carolina (12%) and District of Columbia (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (3 grants), Washington, DC (3 grants), Hilton Head Island, SC (2 grants) and Bluffton, SC (2 grants).
Does The Kilrea Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Kilrea Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (18 of 18) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Kilrea Foundation's largest grantees?
The Kilrea Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Marquette University ($85,000), Western Golf Association Evans Scholars Foundation ($50,000) and Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 62% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Kilrea Foundation?
The Kilrea Foundation reported $3.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $258K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $226K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Kilrea Foundation fund?
The foundation’s own filing does not state a mission. Its 2024 grants went to organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Kilrea Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Kilrea Foundation's EIN?
The Kilrea Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-7339715. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Kilrea 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 19, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 23, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 26, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 10, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Kilrea Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Kilrea Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-kilrea-foundation-morg_9bc9ee8f864646b68898bad05de02c25
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_367339715_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Kilrea Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-kilrea-foundation-morg_9bc9ee8f864646b68898bad05de02c25},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Kilrea 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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