Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation
The Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation is a private foundation established in 1989 and headquartered in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and has been tax-exempt since August 1990. As a grantmaking foundation, it distributes funds to carefully selected nonprofit organizations across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$9.6M
+6.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$595K
-37.2% YoY
Grant Count
17
-22.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$35K
-18.7% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation does not maintain a publicly stated mission statement. However, based on its grantmaking history, the foundation supports:
- Christian agencies and churches
- Community and economic development
- Education
- Health organizations and medical services
- Higher education
- Historical activities and cultural organizations
- Human services
- Native American/American Indian organizations
Grantmaking
The foundation contributes only to pre-selected organizations and does not accept unsolicited applications. No grants are made to individuals.
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Oklahoma, with a service area centered in that state. However, historical grants indicate some national reach, with past support for organizations in California, Colorado, South Dakota, and Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $8,961,879
- Total Revenues: $1,464,567
- Total Expenses: $1,098,897
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Investment Income and Dividends: $426,798
- Net Gain from Sale of Non-Inventory Assets: $1,036,274
Historical Assets:
- 2024: $9,553,034 (total assets reported)
The foundation maintains a strong financial position with no liabilities and generates revenue primarily through investment income and asset sales.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $9,553,034 | $8,961,879 | $9,453,785 |
| Revenue | $836,925 | $1,464,567 | $1,675,034 |
| Expenses | $684,098 | $1,098,897 | $1,585,145 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $594,525 | $946,900 | $1,368,187 |
| Net Investment Income | $777,735 | $1,366,835 | $1,566,357 |
| Distributable Amount | $629,838 | $878,301 | $899,833 |
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
95 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Donors & Trustees:
- Tom J. Carson (Donor, Trustee)
- Mary Carson (Donor)
- Drew T. Carson (Trustee)
- James F. Carson (Trustee)
- Rita Kay Fowlkes (Trustee)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
No officer/director data available.
Contact Information
Address: 5000 Rogers Ave., Suite 700 Fort Smith, AR 72903-2079
EIN: 58-1880469
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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