The Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area
The Robert E. Frazier Tri-City Area is a private foundation based in Lexington, Kentucky, that makes grants benefiting Cumberland and the tri-city area of Cumberland, Benham, and Lynch, Kentucky. Its website describes the charitable foundation as established in 2011 to support domestic 501(c)(3) organizations primarily benefiting those communities.
The Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area at a glance
In short: The Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area gave $303K across 22 grants in 2025 (avg $14K), mostly in Kentucky. 18% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $302,655
- -24.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 22
- -26.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $13,757
- +2.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $6,703,614
- -2.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (4 of 22, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Kentucky (100% 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 Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s filing says grant requests must follow its application process. Applicants are asked to provide information about the organization, its charitable status, mission and services; a detailed project description; and project budget information. The website’s application instructions also request information about the project’s geographic scope, timeline, evaluation, and other funding sources. A grant agreement is required for each approved application. The filing states that grants are for qualifying charitable purposes and must primarily benefit Cumberland or the tri-city area. It excludes, among other things, grants to individuals, religious organizations for religious purposes, private foundations other than operating foundations, endowments or discretionary funding pools, ticketed events, political purposes, and lobbying activities. It gives preference to grants subject to matching awards.
- Review Cycle
- The filing lists April 30 and October 31 deadlines for consideration at semi-annual meetings in May and November. The website lists April 30, 2026, as the deadline for spring 2026 grant applications.
- Deadline
- The filing lists April 30 and October 31 deadlines for consideration at semi-annual meetings in May and November.
- Contact
Application contact: Erica L Eldridge
Mailing address: 506 West Main Street, Cumberland, KY 40823
Phone: (606) 589-5151
Website: https://robertefrazierfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was City of Cumberland Kentucky (#2) ($26K). Together the top 10 received $200K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($1,716), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
131 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 129 grants of 131 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s stated geographic focus is Cumberland, Benham, and Lynch, Kentucky, with grants intended primarily to benefit Cumberland and the tri-city area. All reported 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in Kentucky.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 22 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $14K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 64% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−18%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 91% 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 (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $301K (2023) to $401K (2024). In 2025 it made 22 grants totaling $303K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| City of Cumberland Kentucky (#2) Cumberland, KY | Partial Funding for Construction of Maintenance Building. | $25,577 |
| City of Benham Kentucky (#2) Benham, KY | Roof Improvement for Municipally Owned Historic Building. | $25,000 |
| Merdizo Center Ministries Inc (#1) Lynch, KY | Grantee Awarded Post-Secondary Scholarships to "Tri-City" Area Students. | $25,000 |
| City of Cumberland Kentucky (#1) Cumberland, KY | Partial funding of perimeter fencing for municipal maintenance area. | $20,000 |
| Heritage Ministries Inc Lynch, KY | Contribution to tri-city empty stocking fund for economically disadvantaged persons. | $20,000 |
| Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College Cumberland, KY | Repairs to Kentucky Coal Museum. | $20,000 |
| Harlan County Kentucky Fiscal Court (#1) Harlan, KY | Hvac Units for Government Owned Benham Inn Facility. | $18,450 |
| Harlan County Kentucky Fiscal Court (#2) Harlan, KY | Door Locks for Government Owned Benham Inn Facility. | $16,000 |
| Tri-City Little League Inc Benham, KY | League charter, player sponsorships, equipment, field upgrades, maintenance, and all-star uniforms. | $15,304 |
| City of Benham Kentucky (#1) Benham, KY | Partial Funding for Utility Services Department Maintenance Vehicle. | $15,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area?
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 | $6,703,614 | $261,771 | $419,432 | $302,655 | 22 | $368,938 | $226,913 | $404,232 |
| 2024 | $6,861,289 | $1,042,254 | $502,143 | $401,097 | 30 | $464,061 | $1,007,714 | $370,624 |
| 2023 | $6,321,290 | $211,803 | $403,910 | $301,399 | 25 | $367,666 | $176,646 | $346,095 |
| 2022 | $6,511,425 | $215,078 | $485,584 | $368,302 | 29 | $439,997 | $180,175 | $370,289 |
| 2021 | $6,763,633 | $535,208 | $489,632 | $379,618 | 25 | $450,685 | $498,360 | $483,762 |
| 2020 | $6,626,228 | $171,952 | $439,464 | $331,305 | 27 | — | $135,163 | $353,326 |
| 2019 | $6,888,480 | $268,574 | $408,255 | $308,776 | 24 | — | $231,642 | $368,779 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area reported a distributable amount of $404K 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 purpose is to make grants that primarily benefit Cumberland and the tri-city area. Its 2025 grants show support for local facilities and infrastructure, education and post-secondary scholarships, youth athletics, and assistance for economically disadvantaged people. These are examples of funded projects, not a separate published list of funding priorities.
The foundation’s application instructions seek information about an applicant’s mission, services, proposed project, people served, outcomes, implementation, and budget. Its 2025 grantees included municipalities, a county fiscal court, a school, a college, and charitable organizations. For example, Meridzo Center Ministries reported that it awarded post-secondary scholarships to Tri-City-area students; Heritage Ministries received support for an empty-stocking fund serving economically disadvantaged people; and Tri-City Little League received support for league operations, equipment, field improvements, and uniforms.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 22 grants totaling $302,655. Individual grants ranged from $1,716 to $25,577, with a median of $15,000. The largest awards included $25,577 to the City of Cumberland for partial funding of a maintenance-building construction project; $25,000 to the City of Benham for improvements to a municipally owned historic building; and $25,000 to Meridzo Center Ministries for scholarships awarded to Tri-City-area students.
Other 2025 awards included $20,000 to Heritage Ministries for the Tri-City Empty Stocking Fund, $20,000 to Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College for repairs to the Kentucky Coal Museum, and $15,304 to Tri-City Little League for league-related costs and improvements. The foundation also reported 30 grants totaling $401,097 in 2024 and 25 grants totaling $301,399 in 2023.
The foundation also offers a separate Tri-City Scholarship for eligible graduating seniors. Its 2026 scholarship information says selected recipients receive at least $1,000, with funds paid directly to the college, technical, or trade school they attend.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Charles D. Cole as president and director; Alma Cornett as secretary and director; and Christopher B. Hogue, Roger M. Roper, and Shelia J. Dixon as directors. The foundation’s website lists Charles D. Cole as president, Alma Cornett as secretary, and Roger Roper as treasurer.
The Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area is led by Charles D. Cole, President & Director on every filing since 2019; 1 of 5 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Charles D. Cole
President & Director
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
$8K (2019) → $12K (2025)
Alma Cornett
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christopher B. Hogue
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Roger M. Roper
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shelia J. Dixon
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Roberta G. Gothard (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Vera Ison (2019–2020) — Treasurer & Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $12K, to Charles D Cole (President/Director).
Frequently asked questions about The Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area
How much does The Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area give each year?
The Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area gave $303K across 22 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $401K across 30 grants.
What is The Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area's typical grant size?
The Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $13,757, across 22 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area that year got $11K on average.
Where does The Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area give grants?
The Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area gives mostly in Kentucky: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Cumberland, KY (11 grants), Lynch, KY (5 grants), Benham, KY (3 grants) and Harlan, KY (2 grants).
Does The Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 22 grants with a stated purpose on The Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area's largest grantees?
The Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area's largest 2025 grantees include City of Cumberland Kentucky (#2) ($25,577), City of Benham Kentucky (#2) ($25,000) and Merdizo Center Ministries Inc (#1) ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($1,716), which are not listed by name. Together they received 25% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area?
The Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area reported $6.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $369K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $404K (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 Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area fund?
The foundation’s stated purpose is to make grants that primarily benefit Cumberland and the tri-city area. Its 2025 grants show support for local facilities and infrastructure, education and post-secondary scholarships, youth athletics, and assistance for economically disadvantaged people. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area?
The foundation’s filing says grant requests must follow its application process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area's EIN?
The Robert E Frazier Tri-City Area's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-3278636. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 13, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 6, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 4, 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 9, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 26, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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