The Pelican Foundation
The Pelican Foundation is a private foundation based in Birmingham, Alabama. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including recipients in Alabama, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, and Illinois.
The Pelican Foundation at a glance
In short: The Pelican Foundation gave $340K across 20 grants in 2024 (avg $17K), mostly in Alabama. 45% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $339,750
- +74.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 20
- +81.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $16,988
- -4.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $1,328,283
- +43.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 45% first-time grantees (9 of 20, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Alabama (77% 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 Pelican Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. No application materials or other application process are specified.
- Contact
Mailing address: Two Metroplex Drive 400, Birmingham, AL 35223
Phone: (205) 803-2121
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Pelican Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was St Bernard Abbey ($150K). Together the top 10 received $324K.
Grant Size Distribution
82 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 75 grants of 82 (91%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 77% of grant dollars went to recipients in Alabama, 10% to West Virginia, 7% to Virginia, 3% to Tennessee, and 1% to Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Pelican Foundation open to new grantees?
45%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 20 grantees (45%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $26K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 20% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 40% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 752% 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 $195K (2023) to $340K (2024). In 2024 it made 20 grants totaling $340K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| St Bernard Abbey Cullman, AL | To Further the Exempt Purpose of the Organization | $150,000 |
| Tumtum Tree Foundation Birmingham, AL | To Further the Exempt Purpose of the Organization | $75,000 |
| UVA Law School Foundation Morgantown, WV | To Further the Exempt Purpose of the Organization | $34,000 |
| Va Athletics Foundation Charlottesville, VA | To Further the Exempt Purpose of the Organization | $25,000 |
| Dominican Sisters of St Cecilia Nashville, TN | To Further the Exempt Purpose of the Organization | $10,000 |
| Red Barn Foundation Leeds, AL | To Further the Exempt Purpose of the Organization | $10,000 |
| Alabama Symphony Orchestra Birmingham, AL | To Further the Exempt Purpose of the Organization | $7,500 |
| Catholic Charities Birmingham, AL | To Further the Exempt Purpose of the Organization | $5,000 |
| Word on Fire Catholic Ministries Park Ridge, IL | To Further the Exempt Purpose of the Organization | $5,000 |
| Children's Harbor Birmingham, AL | To Further the Exempt Purpose of the Organization | $2,500 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,328,283 | $748,557 | $348,369 | $339,750 | 20 | $342,117 | $39,301 | $45,506 |
| 2023 | $929,080 | $115,785 | $203,087 | $195,000 | 11 | $196,444 | $40,054 | $48,922 |
| 2022 | $1,016,715 | $52,042 | $215,305 | $205,530 | 17 | $205,530 | $42,937 | $57,225 |
| 2021 | $1,181,146 | $272,834 | $249,703 | $242,750 | 18 | $242,750 | $138,493 | $66,865 |
| 2020 | $1,158,015 | $82,066 | $241,113 | $232,000 | 16 | — | $39,905 | $68,745 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Pelican Foundation reported a distributable amount of $46K 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 include support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Word on Fire Catholic Ministries describes itself as a global media apostolate supporting the work of Bishop Robert Barron and seeking to draw people to the Catholic faith. Children’s Harbor says it provides refuge, respite, and resources to families with children who have experienced a life-altering medical diagnosis. Young Catholic Professionals describes its mission as challenging, training, and inspiring young adults in the workplace to “Work in Witness for Christ.”
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 20 grants totaling $339,750. Grant amounts ranged from $250 to $150,000, with a median grant of $2,500. Notable grants included $150,000 to St. Bernard Abbey, $75,000 to TumTum Tree Foundation, $34,000 to UVA Law School Foundation, and $25,000 to VA Athletics Foundation. Other reported grants included $10,000 each to Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia and Red Barn Foundation, and $7,500 to Alabama Symphony Orchestra. The listed grant purposes were to further each recipient organization’s exempt purpose.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Douglas E. Eckert, Kathryn H. Eckert, and Mary Olivia Eckert as directors.
The Pelican Foundation's 2024 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Douglas E. Eckert
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Kathryn H. Eckert
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Mary Olivia Eckert
Director
On filings since 2020
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 Pelican Foundation
How much does The Pelican Foundation give each year?
The Pelican Foundation gave $340K across 20 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $195K across 11 grants.
What is The Pelican Foundation's typical grant size?
The Pelican Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $2,500, and its average grant was $16,988, across 20 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Pelican Foundation that year got $6K on average.
Where does The Pelican Foundation give grants?
The Pelican Foundation gives mostly in Alabama: 77% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were West Virginia (10%) and Virginia (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Birmingham, AL (10 grants).
Who are The Pelican Foundation's largest grantees?
The Pelican Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include St Bernard Abbey ($150,000), Tumtum Tree Foundation ($75,000) and UVA Law School Foundation ($34,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 76% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Pelican Foundation?
The Pelican Foundation reported $1.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $342K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $46K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Pelican Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Pelican Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Pelican Foundation's EIN?
The Pelican Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-0905978. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Pelican 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
(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 Pelican Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-pelican-foundation-morg_75a3c36850a94afabdce7b5ec3b6da17
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_810905978_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Pelican Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-pelican-foundation-morg_75a3c36850a94afabdce7b5ec3b6da17},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Pelican 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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