The Ra Bowen Trust
The RA Bowen Trust is a private foundation based in Macon, Georgia, that awards scholarships to undergraduate students pursuing higher education. It also makes grants to organizations, including educational institutions and local nonprofits.
The Ra Bowen Trust at a glance
In short: The Ra Bowen Trust gave $421K across 67 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in Georgia. 8% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $421,250
- +6.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 67
- +6.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,287
- -0.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $2,303,757
- +18.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (5 of 63, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Georgia (92% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Ra Bowen Trust
- How to Apply
-
Scholarship applicants can apply online or submit a printed application. Applications and instructions are available on the Trust’s website. Applicants must be full-time undergraduate students at an accredited four-year college or university and be from Bibb County or contiguous counties, according to the filing. The website also allows applicants from Georgia or out of state who plan to attend Mercer University, Wesleyan College, or an individual recipient State University’s Macon campus. Scholarships may be renewed for up to four years, subject to continuation requirements.
- Review Cycle
- May 1. The website says all parts of the scholarship application must be received by that date.
- Deadline
- May 1.
- Contact
Application contact: Paul Hart
Mailing address: 5064 Wesleyan Woods, Macon, GA 31210
Phone: (478) 719-2639
Website: https://rabowentrust.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Ra Bowen Trust
Who The Ra Bowen Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Wesleyan College ($59K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $228K.
Organizations only. It also paid 3 individual scholarships ($13,750), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
329 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 328 grants of 329 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Trust is based in Macon, Georgia. Its website identifies residents of Bibb, Crawford, Houston, Jones, Monroe, Peach, and Twiggs counties as eligible for scholarships, with an additional route for applicants from Georgia or out of state who plan to attend Mercer University, Wesleyan College, or an individual recipient State University’s Macon campus. In 2025, 92% of grant dollars went to recipients in Georgia, 5% to Alabama, and 1% each to South Carolina, Tennessee, and Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 67 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Ra Bowen Trust open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 63 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 89% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 25% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 97% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $283K (2020) to $421K (2025). In 2025 it made 67 grants totaling $421K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mercer University Macon, GA | Scholarship | $31,250 |
| University of Georgia Athens, GA | Scholarship | $30,000 |
| Stratford Academy Macon, GA | General Fund | $30,000 |
| Wesleyan College Macon, GA | General Fund | $29,750 |
| Wesleyan College Macon, GA | Scholarship | $28,750 |
| Goodwill Works Foundation Macon, GA | General Fund | $18,000 |
| Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA | Scholarship | $15,000 |
| Samford University Homewood, AL | Scholarship | $12,500 |
| University of North Georgia Dahlonega, GA | Scholarship | $12,500 |
| Macon Little Theatre Macon, GA | General Fund | $10,000 |
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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 | $2,303,757 | $818,808 | $461,319 | $421,250 | 67 | $436,373 | $801,828 | $451,196 |
| 2024 | $1,946,268 | $659,910 | $429,114 | $397,250 | 63 | $410,648 | $629,797 | $426,561 |
| 2023 | $1,493,840 | $329,514 | $406,512 | $381,000 | 66 | $391,535 | $318,778 | $405,489 |
| 2022 | $1,568,417 | $316,645 | $370,566 | $337,000 | 65 | $348,117 | $305,528 | $391,461 |
| 2021 | $1,623,698 | $549,218 | $337,596 | $312,500 | 68 | $323,761 | $537,455 | $348,585 |
| 2020 | $1,406,986 | $625,145 | $297,252 | $283,000 | 61 | — | $618,018 | $318,282 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ra Bowen Trust reported a distributable amount of $451K 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 Trust’s stated purpose is to award scholarships to deserving students. Its scholarship program serves full-time undergraduates attending accredited four-year colleges or universities, subject to the Trust’s eligibility guidelines. Its website describes scholarships of up to $10,000, paid at $2,500 per academic year.
Its 2025 grants also supported organizations with varied activities. For example, Stratford Academy describes itself as a college-preparatory school serving students from pre-kindergarten through grade twelve; Goodwill Works Foundation says it supports the mission of Goodwill Industries of an individual recipient; and the Museum of Arts & Sciences describes its work as promoting curiosity and lifelong learning through arts and sciences experiences. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
The Trust awarded 67 grants totaling $421,250 in 2025. Grants ranged from $500 to $31,250, with a median of $2,500. The largest listed grants included $31,250 to Mercer University for scholarships, $30,000 to the University of Georgia for scholarships, $30,000 to Stratford Academy for its general fund, and two grants to Wesleyan College: $29,750 for its general fund and $28,750 for scholarships.
Other notable 2025 awards included $18,000 to Goodwill Works Foundation for its general fund, $15,000 to Georgia Southern University for scholarships, $12,500 each to Samford University and the University of an individual recipient for scholarships, and $10,000 each to Macon Little Theatre, Meals on Wheels of an individual recipient, and the Museum of Arts & Sciences for their general funds.
The Trust’s scholarship application is available online or in a printed version. Applicants must meet the stated student and residency or institution requirements.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Leslie Bowen Bean, Charlotte Bowen Bogle, and Paul Hart as trustees. The filing names Paul Hart as the contact for scholarship applications.
The Ra Bowen Trust's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Charlotte Bowen Bogle
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paul Hart
Trustee
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Leslie Bowen Bean
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Leslie Walton Bowen (2020–2023) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Ra Bowen Trust
How much does The Ra Bowen Trust give each year?
The Ra Bowen Trust gave $421K across 67 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $397K across 63 grants.
What is The Ra Bowen Trust's typical grant size?
The Ra Bowen Trust's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $6,287, across 67 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Ra Bowen Trust that year got $2K on average.
Where does The Ra Bowen Trust give grants?
The Ra Bowen Trust gives mostly in Georgia: 92% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Macon, GA (35 grants) and Atlanta, GA (5 grants).
Does The Ra Bowen Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 63% of The Ra Bowen Trust's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (42 of 67) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (24 grants).
Who are The Ra Bowen Trust's largest grantees?
The Ra Bowen Trust's largest 2025 grantees include Wesleyan College ($58,500 across 2 grants), Mercer University ($31,250) and University of Georgia ($30,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 3 individual scholarships ($13,750), which are not listed by name. Together they received 28% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Ra Bowen Trust?
The Ra Bowen Trust reported $2.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $436K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $451K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Ra Bowen Trust fund?
The Trust’s stated purpose is to award scholarships to deserving students. Its scholarship program serves full-time undergraduates attending accredited four-year colleges or universities, subject to the Trust’s eligibility guidelines. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Ra Bowen Trust?
Scholarship applicants can apply online or submit a printed application. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Ra Bowen Trust's EIN?
The Ra Bowen Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-6032145. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 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 November 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 1, 2026)
Explore Open Grants
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Ra Bowen Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-ra-bowen-trust-morg_b0d17f79ac02496686cb8ec1c78d018d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_586032145_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Ra Bowen Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-ra-bowen-trust-morg_b0d17f79ac02496686cb8ec1c78d018d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Ra Bowen Trust'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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