The Luckyday Foundation is a private foundation established in 1978 by the late Frank R. Day, a banking professional who served as chairman of the board and CEO of Trustmark National Bank. Based in Jackson, Mississippi, the foundation is headquartered in Ridgeland. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a primary focus on supporting higher education, human services, and religious organizations in Mississippi.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$146.6M
+4.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$6.4M
-2.0% YoY
Grant Count
12
-7.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$533K
+6.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Luckyday Foundation reported a distributable amount of $7.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on supporting educational initiatives and developing strong leadership skills and community service among students in Mississippi. The Luckyday Scholars Program creates a community of scholars who aspire to servant leadership, with core values emphasizing scholarship, community, service, and leadership.
Primary funding areas include:
- Education (94% of giving)
- Arts & Culture (2% of giving)
- Social & Human Services (1% of giving)
- Religion
The foundation also supports food assistance for the needy and care for the sick.
Grantmaking
The foundation limits grants to educational institutions, churches, and organizations serving the sick and needy.
Grant Range
s and Patterns:**
Average Grant
amount: approximately $362,000
Review Cycle
- Scholarship applications are available from the foundation office
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
100% of grants remain in Mississippi. The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated in Mississippi, with occasional support to organizations in Alabama and Tennessee.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets and Revenue (2024):
- Total Assets: $146,566,282
- Total Giving: $6,398,352
- Total Revenues: $13,173,858
- Total Expenses: $7,467,004
Assets and Revenue (2023):
- Total Assets: $140,859,397
- Total Revenues: $11,870,217
- Total Expenses: $7,439,871
Historical Growth:
- Total assets have grown from $90.1 million in 2011 to $146.6 million in 2024
- Annual giving has grown from $5.6 million in 2020 to $13.3 million in 2022
Staffing:
- 3 employees (as of 2024)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $146,566,282 | $140,859,397 | $136,429,051 |
| Revenue | $13,173,858 | $11,870,217 | $10,924,086 |
| Expenses | $7,467,004 | $7,439,871 | $7,749,496 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $6,740,972 | $6,860,593 | $7,022,738 |
| Net Investment Income | $12,391,402 | $11,070,243 | $9,894,632 |
| Distributable Amount | $7,269,341 | $6,722,578 | $6,917,061 |
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
76 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Usm Foundation- Lucky Day Scholars Program ($2,400,289), University of Mississippi Foundation ($2,247,500), Msu Foundation ($1,674,813).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| DIXIE NATIONAL RODEO MISSISSIPPI STATE, MS | TO PROVIDE FUNDS FOR CULTURAL PROGRAMS | $7,500 |
| HINDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION RAYMOND, MS | TO PROMOTE HIGHER EDUCATION | $15,000 |
| LAUREN ROGER'S MUSEUM OF ART LAUREL, MS | TO PROVIDE FUNDS FOR CULTURAL PROGRAMS | $250 |
| MISSISSIPPI FOOD NETWORK JACKSON, MS | PROVIDE FOOD FOR THE NEEDY | $6,000 |
| MS CHILDREN'S MUSEUM JACKSON, MS | TO PROVIDE FUNDS FOR CULTURAL PROGRAMS FOR KIDS | $7,500 |
| MSU FOUNDATION MISSISSIPPI STATE, MS | TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR HIGHER EDUCATION | $1,674,813 |
| ST JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH ABERDEEN, MS | PROVIDE FUNDS TO RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION | $5,000 |
| STEWPOT COMMUNITY SERVICES JACKSON, MS | PROVIDE FOOD FOR THE NEEDY | $12,000 |
| THE GLEANERS INC JACKSON, MS | PROVIDE FOOD FOR THE NEEDY | $15,000 |
| THE WILSON RESEARCH FOUNDATION JACKSON, MS | TO PROVIDE SUPPORT OF REHABILITATION CENTER CLINICAL RESEARCH AND THERAPY | $7,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Frank R. Day - Founder (deceased 1999); native of Aberdeen in Monroe County and alumnus of University of Mississippi
- Jamie G. Houston III - Chairman
- Gerard R. Host - Foundation Manager
- Granville Tate - Foundation Manager
- Kristin R. Merrell - Foundation Manager
- Holmes S. Adams - Former Chairman
Contact Information:
- Phone: 601-354-5869
- Address: Mr. Jamie Houston, Lucky Day Foundation, 1020 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 804, Ridgeland, Mississippi 39157
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JAMIE G HOUSTON III | CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD | 8 | $80,000 |
| GERARD R HOST | VICE CHAIRMAN | 4 | $20,000 |
| KRISTIN R MERRELL | SECRETARY | 4 | $20,000 |
| GRANVILLE TATE | FOUNDATION MANAGER | 4 | $20,000 |
| MARY PRESTON DUBBERLY | FOUNDATION MANAGER | 4 | $20,000 |
| TRUSTMARK NATIONAL BANK | TRUSTEE | 5 | $85,104 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation announced a $4 million gift to Mississippi State University for the new Azalea Hall complex (2023)
Luckyday Foundation announces $4 million for MSU's new Azalea ...The foundation significantly advanced scholarship support through 2025 at Mississippi State University (2022)
Luckyday Foundation significantly advances scholarship support through 2025The inaugural Luckyday Scholars Program at Mississippi State University launched in 2019
Luckyday Foundation significantly advances scholarship support through 2025The foundation provided a $9.6 million gift to University of Southern Mississippi (2022)
Luckyday Foundation announces $4 million for MSU's new Azalea ...Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Luckyday Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission centers on supporting educational initiatives and developing strong leadership skills and community service among students in Mississippi. The Luckyday Scholars Program creates a community of scholars who aspire to servant leadership, with core values emphasizing scholarship, community, service, and leadership. Primary funding areas include: • **Education** (94% of giving) • **Arts & Culture** (2% of giving) • **Social & Human Services** (1% of giving) • **Religion** Th…
How do I apply for a grant from The Luckyday Foundation?
**Grant Sizes and Patterns:** • Typical grant awards range from $250 to $2,420,000 • Average grant amount: approximately $362,000 • Median grant amount: $100,000 • Recent grants have included major commitments to university foundations and community organizations **Recent Grant Activity:** • $2,247,500 to University of Mississippi Foundation (2024) • $2,420,000 to University of Mississippi Foundation • $475,545 to Missouri State University Foundation • $300,000 to University of Mississippi Foun…
Where does The Luckyday Foundation make grants?
100% of grants remain in Mississippi. The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated in Mississippi, with occasional support to organizations in Alabama and Tennessee.
What size grants does The Luckyday Foundation award?
In 2024, The Luckyday Foundation awarded 12 grants totaling $6.4M — an average of about $533K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Luckyday Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Luckyday Foundation reported a distributable amount of $7.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Luckyday Foundation's EIN?
The Luckyday Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 64-0617746. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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