The Pelican Foundation
The Pelican Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Birmingham, AL. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $1.3M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 20 grants totaling $340K. Net investment income was $39K.
Key facts about The Pelican Foundation
- EIN
- 81-0905978
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $339,750
- Grants made (2024)
- 20
- Average grant
- $16,988
- Median grant
- $2,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 45% first-time grantees (9 of 20, 2024)
- Total assets
- $1,328,283
- Primary geography
- Alabama (77% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who The Pelican Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Pelican Foundation's 20 itemized 2024 grants were Alabama (77%), West Virginia (10%) and Virginia (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Birmingham, AL (10 grants). None of its 20 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Further the Exempt Purpose of the Organization" (20 grants).
Is The Pelican Foundation open to new grantees?
45%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 20 grantees (45%) were first-time recipients. 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 IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The Pelican Foundation
- How to evaluate The Pelican Foundation as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.3M
+43.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$340K
+74.2% YoY
Grant Count
20
+81.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$17K
-4.2% YoY
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.
About The Pelican Foundation
Based on IRS filings
The Pelican Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Birmingham, AL. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $1.3M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 20 grants totaling $340K. Net investment income was $39K.
Focus Areas
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 20 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,328,283 | $929,080 | $1,016,715 |
| Revenue | $748,557 | $115,785 | $52,042 |
| Expenses | $348,369 | $203,087 | $215,305 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $342,117 | $196,444 | $205,530 |
| Net Investment Income | $39,301 | $40,054 | $42,937 |
| Distributable Amount | $45,506 | $48,922 | $57,225 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
82 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include St Bernard Abbey ($150,000), Tumtum Tree Foundation ($75,000), Uva Law School Foundation ($34,000).
| 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 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas E Eckert | Director | — | — |
| Kathryn H Eckert | Director | — | — |
| Mary Olivia Eckert | Director | — | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Pelican Foundation?
The Pelican Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Birmingham, AL. It holds $1.3M in total assets as of 2024.
How large is The Pelican Foundation?
As of 2024, The Pelican Foundation holds $1.3M in total assets with $749K in annual revenue. It awarded 20 grants totaling $340K in 2024.
Where does The Pelican Foundation operate?
The Pelican Foundation has awarded grants in Alabama, California, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, North Carolina, New York, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia.
What size grants does The Pelican Foundation award?
In 2024, The Pelican Foundation awarded 20 grants totaling $340K — an average of about $17K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Pelican Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Pelican Foundation reported a distributable amount of $46K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.