The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc
The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Charleston, South Carolina. Its planned grantmaking focuses on improving the health, education, and welfare of children and young adults in the Charleston community, with grants also possible outside the community.
The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc gave $200K across 47 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), mostly in South Carolina. 17% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $200,000
- +4.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 47
- +30.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,255
- -19.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $2,063,162
- -2.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (8 of 47, 2025)
- Primary geography
- South Carolina (93% 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 Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
Qualified charities should submit a proposal in letter form, including an organizational description, purpose, programs, staffing, governing board, latest financial statements, evidence of IRS tax-exempt status and…
Qualified charities should submit a proposal in letter form, including an organizational description, purpose, programs, staffing, governing board, latest financial statements, evidence of IRS tax-exempt status and that the applicant is not a private foundation, and a description and full justification of the proposed project with its projected budget and other funding sources. Two copies should be submitted. Grants are generally limited to tax-exempt charities and government agencies that have demonstrated a major impact on assisting children and young adults; the foundation makes no grants to individuals and envisions no loans to charities.
- Review Cycle
- Applications should generally be received by March 1.
- Deadline
- Applications should generally be received by March 1.
- Contact
Application contact: William E Craver Iii President
Mailing address: PO Box 1014, Charleston, SC 29402
Phone: (843) 577-7557
Website: https://motleyfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Charleston County Parks Foundation ($10K). Together the top 10 received $88K.
Grant Size Distribution
207 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 207 grants of 207 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s planned activity centers on the Charleston, South Carolina community, while its filing also states that grants may be made outside the community. In 2025, 93% of grant dollars went to recipients in South Carolina, 4% to California, 2% to Connecticut, and less than 1% to North Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 47 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 47 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 64% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+13%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 112% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $166K (2021) to $200K (2025). In 2025 it made 47 grants totaling $200K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston County Parks Foundation Charleston, SC | Kids Education Programs | $10,000 |
| Lowcountry Food Bank Charleston, SC | Provide Food to Families | $10,000 |
| Lowcountry Orphan Relief N Charleston, SC | Welfare Programs | $10,000 |
| Pattison's Academy Charleston, SC | Kids Education Program | $10,000 |
| Florence Crittenton Home Charleston, SC | Child Welfare Programs | $8,500 |
| Visions to Learn Los Angeles, CA | Kids Welfare Programs | $8,500 |
| Camp Rise Above Charleston, SC | Improve Disabled Adult and Children's Quality of Life | $8,000 |
| Camp Happy Days Inc Charleston, SC | Camp for Kids | $7,500 |
| Charleston Area Therapeutic Johns Island, SC | Therapy Center | $7,500 |
| Lifeline Children's Services Inc Mt Pleasant, SC | Child Welfare Programs | $7,500 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,063,162 | $169,115 | $216,779 | $200,000 | 47 | $200,000 | $156,994 | $179,283 |
| 2024 | $2,110,826 | $182,127 | $201,779 | $190,700 | 36 | $190,700 | $165,325 | $166,193 |
| 2023 | $2,130,478 | $-104,903 | $207,422 | $195,000 | 40 | $195,000 | $39,747 | $162,008 |
| 2022 | $2,442,828 | $152,950 | $202,600 | $177,200 | 42 | $177,200 | $138,515 | $191,595 |
| 2021 | $2,492,478 | $331,173 | $192,049 | $166,000 | 42 | — | $306,234 | $183,315 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $179K 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
The foundation’s stated planned activity is grantmaking to organizations focused on children’s and young adults’ health, education, and welfare. Its 2025 grants included support for education, food access, child welfare, disability services, and programs for children.
Among its 2025 grantees, Pattison’s Academy describes its mission as improving the quality of life for children with multiple disabilities through education and rehabilitation. Lowcountry Food Bank describes its mission as pursuing equitable, dignified, and consistent access to food. Lowcountry Orphan Relief says it provides basic necessities to children who have been abused or neglected. Camp Rise Above describes its programs as serving children and adults with serious illnesses, disabilities, and life challenges.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 47 grants totaling $200,000. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $10,000, with a median of $2,500.
Among the largest grants were $10,000 each to Charleston County Parks Foundation for kids’ education programs, Lowcountry Food Bank to provide food to families, Lowcountry Orphan Relief for welfare programs, and Pattison’s Academy for a kids’ education program. Other grants included $8,500 to Florence Crittenton Home for child welfare programs and $8,000 to Camp Rise Above to improve the quality of life of disabled adults and children.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jennifer M. Lee as chairman, William E. Craver III as president and treasurer, and Jennifer Alphonse as vice president and secretary. The application instructions identify William E. Craver III as the contact for proposals.
The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc is led by William E. Craver III, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2021; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
William E. Craver III
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer M. Lee
Chairman
On filings since 2021
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Alphonse
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc
How much does The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc give each year?
The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc gave $200K across 47 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $191K across 36 grants.
What is The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $4,255, across 47 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc that year got $2K on average.
Where does The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc give grants?
The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc gives mostly in South Carolina: 93% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Charleston, SC (22 grants), N Charleston, SC (7 grants), Mt Pleasant, SC (4 grants) and Johns Island, SC (2 grants).
Does The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 47 grants with a stated purpose on The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Kids Education Programs" (11 grants), "Kids Welfare Programs" (6 grants) and "Child Welfare Programs" (4 grants).
Who are The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Charleston County Parks Foundation ($10,000), Lowcountry Food Bank ($10,000) and Lowcountry Orphan Relief ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 15% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc?
The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc reported $2.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $200K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $179K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s stated planned activity is grantmaking to organizations focused on children’s and young adults’ health, education, and welfare. Its 2025 grants included support for education, food access, child welfare, disability services, and programs for children. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc?
Qualified charities should submit a proposal in letter form, including an organizational description, purpose, programs, staffing, governing board, latest financial statements, evidence of IRS tax-exempt status and… Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-0013752. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
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 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-mark-elliott-motley-foundation-inc-morg_99f7a7e4e59947c089516029669d73ad
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_270013752_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Mark Elliott Motley Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-mark-elliott-motley-foundation-inc-morg_99f7a7e4e59947c089516029669d73ad},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-21. 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 Mark Elliott Motley 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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