Tillotson-menlo Charitable Foundation
The Tillotson-Menlo Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Menlo, Georgia. Established in 2005, the foundation was created with an initial $1 million donation from the Tillotson Corporation, followed by an additional $9 million contribution over the subsequent five years. The foundation makes grants to support health, education, economic development, and cultural initiatives in its service region.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$10.7M
+3.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$538K
+9.0% YoY
Grant Count
44
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$12K
+9.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Tillotson-menlo Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $528K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
According to the foundation's mission statement, it "shall seek to support, promote, improve and maintain the health, educational and cultural institutions serving the citizens of Menlo and Chattooga County and some surrounding areas."
The foundation awards financial assistance grants in the following areas:
- Educational and individual skills improvement
- Healthcare
- Economic development
- Community enhancement
- Individual and human development
- The arts, culture and social welfare
- Environmental improvement
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invitation-only basis. Grant applications are accepted during specific periods each year, with the foundation announcing application windows seasonally.
Grant Range
$10,000
Review Cycle
, 14 Cherokee County, Alabama organizations received funding totaling $154,200. Notable 2024 grantees included Animal Advocates of Chattooga County ($15,000 for animal rescue) and Chattooga County Extension - 4-H.
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's service area includes:
- Menlo, Georgia
- Chattooga County, Georgia
- Surrounding communities in Georgia and Alabama
- Communities within a 30-mile radius of Menlo, which includes Cherokee County, Alabama
To date, the foundation has awarded nearly $1.5 million to Cherokee County organizations alone.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Giving (2024):
- Total assets: $10,701,259
- Total giving: $537,548
- Total revenues: $719,484
- Total expenses: $596,107
Historical Giving: Over the past nineteen years (as of 2025), the foundation has awarded a total of $7,918,139 to fund 869 worthwhile projects.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $10,701,259 | $10,326,691 | $9,712,881 |
| Revenue | $719,484 | $325,271 | $572,245 |
| Expenses | $596,107 | $545,998 | $591,346 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $537,548 | $492,994 | $503,631 |
| Net Investment Income | $675,121 | $283,588 | $521,049 |
| Distributable Amount | $527,862 | $496,585 | $497,975 |
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
234 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include City of Menlo ($50,000), City of Menlo (administrative) ($39,561), Conservation Fund ($36,800).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ANIMAL ADVOCATES OF CHATTOOGA COUNTY SUMMERVILLE, GA | ANIMAL RESCUE | $15,000 |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB CHATTOOGA COUNTY UNIT SUMMERVILLE, GA | CHATTOOGA UNIT | $15,000 |
| CANCER NAVIGATORS ROME, GA | TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE | $2,500 |
| CEDAR BLUFF SCHOOL CEDAR BLUFF, AL | RESTROOM RENOVATIONS | $25,000 |
| CHATTOOGA COUNTY 4-H SUMMERVILLE, GA | PROJECT ACHIEVEMENT/TABLES AND CHAIRS | $10,500 |
| CHATTOOGA COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM SUMMERVILLE, GA | LIBRARY PROGRAMS, SUMMER READING & IMPROVEMENTS | $13,300 |
| CHATTOOGA COUNTY LITERACY COUNCIL SUMMERVILLE, GA | CHATTOOGA COUNTY EDUCATION PROGRAMS | $7,000 |
| CHATTOOGA COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT SUMMERVILLE, GA | WORDS ON WHEELS | $10,000 |
| CHATTOOGA HIGH SCHOOL SUMMERVILLE, GA | CTAE CAREERS ON WHEELS | $20,000 |
| CHEROKEE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY CENTRE, AL | CHILDREN'S LIBRARY REIMAGINE & TECH-SAVVY ADULTS | $8,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board Members:
- Gary Woods, Summerville (President; Chattooga County Probate Judge)
- Eddie Robertson, Centre, Alabama (Vice President)
- Jeffrey Richardson, Cedar Bluff, Alabama (Treasurer)
- Arch Farrar, Summerville (Secretary)
- Paula Buice, Menlo (Director; Menlo School Principal)
- Bill Alico, Buffalo, New York (Director; Menlo Mayor)
- Robert McWhorter, Summerville (Director)
- Giuseppe Tambasco, Atlanta, Georgia (Director)
- Allen Keen, Menlo (Director)
- Heather Stokes, Greensboro, Georgia (Director)
Staff:
- Carol Mitchell, Menlo (Administrative Coordinator)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| GARY WOODS | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| PAULA BUICE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ARCH FARRAR | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| EDDIE ROBERTSON | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| BILL ALICO | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ROBERT MCWHORTER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| GIUSEPPE TAMBASCO | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JEFFREY RICHARDSON | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| ALLEN KEEN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| HEATHER STOKES | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In December 2025, the foundation held a grant-signing ceremony at the Cherokee County Public Library to recognize recipients of the 2025 Tillotson-Menlo Charitable Foundation awards. Vice-President Eddie Robertson attended and explained how the foundation's service area was determined, noting that the 30-mile radius criterion from Menlo brought Cherokee County, Alabama into the eligible region.
Grant Signing Held at Cherokee County Public Library for 2025 ...The foundation regularly announces grant application periods, with calls for applications typically occurring in September for the following year's grant cycle.
Grant Signing Held at Cherokee County Public Library for 2025 ...Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Tillotson-menlo Charitable Foundation fund?
According to the foundation's mission statement, it "shall seek to support, promote, improve and maintain the health, educational and cultural institutions serving the citizens of Menlo and Chattooga County and some surrounding areas." The foundation awards financial assistance grants in the following areas: • Educational and individual skills improvement • Healthcare • Economic development • Community enhancement • Individual and human development • The arts, culture and social welfare • Envir…
How do I apply for a grant from Tillotson-menlo Charitable Foundation?
**Grant Amounts & Distribution:** • Typical grant awards range from $500 to $75,000 • Median grant size: $10,000 • The foundation made 57 grants in 2024 and 44 grants in the most recent tax year • Grant funding is generally determined by the amount of interest accrued annually on the principal amount in the foundation account **Application Process:** The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invitation-only basis. Grant applications are accepted during specific …
Where does Tillotson-menlo Charitable Foundation make grants?
The foundation's service area includes: • Menlo, Georgia • Chattooga County, Georgia • Surrounding communities in Georgia and Alabama • Communities within a 30-mile radius of Menlo, which includes Cherokee County, Alabama To date, the foundation has awarded nearly $1.5 million to Cherokee County organizations alone.
What size grants does Tillotson-menlo Charitable Foundation award?
In 2024, Tillotson-menlo Charitable Foundation awarded 44 grants totaling $538K — an average of about $12K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Tillotson-menlo Charitable Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Tillotson-menlo Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $528K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Tillotson-menlo Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Tillotson-menlo Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-3918578. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Tillotson-menlo Charitable Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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