The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation
The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation is a private foundation based in Birmingham, Alabama. It supports solutions that empower vulnerable, at-risk, and defenseless people toward a flourishing future, with giving shown in Alabama and in places the foundation identifies as areas where it works, including Washington state, Hawaii’s Big Island, and internationally.
The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation at a glance
In short: The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation gave $710K across 41 grants in 2026 (avg $17K), mostly in Alabama. 27% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $710,419
- +13.2% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 41
- -2.4% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $17,327
- +15.9% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $13,105,680
- +4.7% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (11 of 41, 2026)
- Primary geography
- Alabama (99% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. It makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations. For invited proposals, the executive director or board members may ask questions, request documents, or request a site visit before deciding.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2000 Morris Avenue Suite 1500, Birmingham, AL 35203-4178
Phone: (205) 323-8560
Website: https://jerniganfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Ducks Unlimited ($111K). Together the top 10 received $469K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($3,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
198 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 181 grants of 198 (91%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2026 filing shows that 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Alabama, 1% to Florida, and a reported less than 1% to Texas. The foundation’s website also identifies Washington state, Hawaii’s Big Island, and international work in South Africa, India, and Uganda as places where it invests.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 41 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 11 of 41 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $19K; repeat grants $17K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $11K repeat.
- 61% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2023 to 2026 (−9%). Method
- In 2026 it paid out 95% 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 (2020–2026). 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 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $601K (2024) to $783K (2023). In 2026 it made 41 grants totaling $710K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ducks Unlimited Birmingham, AL | General Fund | $110,879 |
| Crimson Tide Foundation Tuscaloosa, AL | General Fund | $100,000 |
| Nicaraguan Health Inc Birmingham, AL | General Fund | $50,000 |
| University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL | Ka Building Fund | $50,000 |
| St Luke's Episcopal Church Mountain Brook, AL | General Fund | $28,000 |
| St Mary's on the Highlands Episcopal Church Birmingham, AL | General Fund | $28,000 |
| American Cancer Society Birmingham, AL | Fund Cancer Research | $27,500 |
| Kings Home Chelsea, AL | General Fund | $25,000 |
| Robert E Reed Foundation Birmingham, AL | General Fund | $25,000 |
| O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center Birmingham, AL | General Fund | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The filing type is Form 990-PF.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $13,105,680 | $1,724,870 | $1,150,360 | $710,419 | 41 | $846,434 | $1,440,257 | $895,691 |
| 2025 | $12,520,345 | $1,370,554 | $995,992 | $627,797 | 42 | $742,925 | $1,118,735 | $824,501 |
| 2024 | $12,140,959 | $589,823 | $943,324 | $600,720 | 34 | $712,311 | $358,810 | $738,831 |
| 2023 | $12,490,630 | $425,203 | $1,126,885 | $782,999 | 41 | $889,787 | $200,637 | $732,133 |
| 2022 | $13,191,076 | $1,269,393 | $1,042,850 | $670,600 | 40 | $776,908 | $1,026,124 | $864,944 |
| 2021 | $12,969,149 | $1,138,357 | $971,127 | $647,651 | 47 | — | $921,069 | $777,632 |
| 2020 | $12,801,317 | $292,705 | $947,110 | $628,900 | 42 | — | $219,266 | $754,676 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation reported a distributable amount of $896K for 2026 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to invest in solutions that empower vulnerable, at-risk, and defenseless people toward a flourishing future. Its website says it works in places it loves, lives, and works, including Washington state, Hawaii’s Big Island, and South Africa, India, and Uganda. It may occasionally consider organizations in other international countries when their mission and work fit its mission.
Examples of grantees’ work include Kings Home, which says it provides Christ-centered homes and services for women, children, and families escaping domestic violence and other abusive conditions; Bridgeways, which says it provides youth programs focused on character, leadership, and healthy choices; and the Alabama Wildlife Federation, which says it promotes conservation of Alabama’s wildlife and related natural resources. Other 2026 recipients include Birmingham Zoo, which describes its work as animal exhibits, conservation, research, and community education, and Mitchell’s Place, which says it provides research-based services for children and families affected by autism and other developmental disabilities.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the foundation reported 41 grants totaling $710,419. Grant amounts ranged from $640 to $110,879, with a median of $10,000. Among its largest grants were $110,879 to Ducks Unlimited, $100,000 to Crimson Tide Foundation, $50,000 to Nicaraguan Health Inc, and $50,000 to the University of Alabama. Other notable awards included $28,000 each to St Luke’s Episcopal Church and St Mary’s on the Highlands Episcopal Church, and $27,500 to the American Cancer Society.
The foundation says it favors prevention or upstream solutions, invests in proven solutions, and primarily grants to smaller organizations. It considers project and program funding, capital projects, and general operating support, but is not inclined to fund organizational effectiveness work. It generally does not fund more than 50% of a project or program, does not make multi-year grants, and requires grantees to report on use of funds and impact. Grant agreements specify reporting requirements and timing; reports must be current before future grants will be considered.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Lisa R Jernigan is listed as president on the 2026 filing.
The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation is led by Lisa R. Jernigan, President on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Lisa R. Jernigan
President
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2026. "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 Thomas E Jernigan Foundation
How much does The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation give each year?
The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation gave $710K across 41 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $628K across 42 grants.
What is The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation's typical grant size?
The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation's median grant in 2026 was $10,000, and its average grant was $17,327, across 41 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation that year got $19K on average.
Where does The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation give grants?
The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation gives mostly in Alabama: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Birmingham, AL (20 grants), Tuscaloosa, AL (2 grants) and Mobile, AL (2 grants).
Does The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 93% of The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation's 2026 grants with a stated purpose (38 of 41) were for general or operating support, per its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation's largest grantees?
The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation's largest 2026 grantees include Ducks Unlimited ($110,879), Crimson Tide Foundation ($100,000) and Nicaraguan Health Inc ($50,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($3,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation?
The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation reported $13.1M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $846K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $896K (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 Thomas E Jernigan Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to invest in solutions that empower vulnerable, at-risk, and defenseless people toward a flourishing future. Its website says it works in places it loves, lives, and works, including Washington state, Hawaii’s Big Island, and South Africa, India, and Uganda. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation's EIN?
The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 63-0935852. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2026.
Does The Thomas E Jernigan 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS June 29, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-thomas-e-jernigan-foundation-morg_4e016989c8734106872f55ea90cf4cd7
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_630935852_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Thomas E Jernigan Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-thomas-e-jernigan-foundation-morg_4e016989c8734106872f55ea90cf4cd7},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Thomas E Jernigan 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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