Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation
The Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation is a private foundation based in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, primarily in Oklahoma, including schools, community organizations, and scholarship programs.
Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation at a glance
In short: Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation gave $595K across 17 grants in 2024 (avg $35K), mostly in Oklahoma. 41% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $594,525
- -37.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 17
- -22.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $34,972
- -18.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $9,553,034
- +6.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 41% first-time grantees (7 of 17, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Oklahoma (96% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 5000 Rogers Avenue 700, Fort Smith, AR 72903-2079
Phone: (918) 696-2222
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Westville Public Schools ($251K). Together the top 10 received $554K.
Grant Size Distribution
95 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 76 grants of 95 (80%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 96% of grant dollars went to recipients in Oklahoma and 4% to recipients in Arkansas. Listed recipients include organizations in Stilwell, Westville, Tahlequah, and other Oklahoma communities, as well as Cave Springs School in Bunch, Arkansas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation open to new grantees?
41%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 7 of 17 grantees (41%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $21K; repeat grants $45K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $22K repeat.
- 41% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−19%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 94% 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 (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $595K (2024) to $1.4M (2022). In 2024 it made 17 grants totaling $595K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Westville Public Schools Westville, OK | General Support | $250,825 |
| Northeastern University Tahlequah, OK | Scholarships | $75,000 |
| Orchard Road Community Outreach Stilwell, OK | General Support | $48,000 |
| Jermiah 29 Foundation Stilwell, OK | General Support | $41,000 |
| Adair County Junior Livestock Stilwell, OK | General Support | $40,950 |
| Stilwell Youth League Stilwell, OK | General Support | $22,000 |
| Stilwell Public Schools Stilwell, OK | General Support | $21,000 |
| Adair County Resouce Center Stilwell, OK | General Support | $20,000 |
| Communities Foundation of Oklahoma Oklahoma City, OK | General Support | $20,000 |
| Cave Springs School Bunch, AR | General Support | $15,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $9,553,034 | $836,925 | $684,098 | $594,525 | 17 | $594,525 | $777,735 | $629,838 |
| 2023 | $8,961,879 | $1,464,567 | $1,098,897 | $946,900 | 22 | $946,900 | $1,366,835 | $878,301 |
| 2022 | $9,453,785 | $1,675,034 | $1,585,145 | $1,368,187 | 18 | $1,368,187 | $1,566,357 | $899,833 |
| 2021 | $9,565,929 | $1,812,005 | $918,171 | $737,534 | 16 | $737,534 | $1,638,118 | $735,289 |
| 2020 | $9,259,495 | $935,954 | $968,978 | $787,816 | 22 | — | $770,454 | $852,202 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $630K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include general support for schools and community organizations, as well as scholarships. Orchard Road Community Outreach, a 2024 grantee, describes its mission as improving individuals’ quality of life through education, life-skills training, and humanitarian relief. Communities Foundation of Oklahoma, another 2024 grantee, says it serves the philanthropic needs of all of Oklahoma. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 17 grants totaling $594,525. Grant amounts ranged from $450 to $250,825, with a median of $20,000. Its largest reported grants included $250,825 to Westville Public Schools for general support, $75,000 to Northeastern University for scholarships, $48,000 to Orchard Road Community Outreach for general support, and $41,000 to Jermiah 29 Foundation for general support. Other grants included $40,950 to Adair County Junior Livestock, $22,000 to Stilwell Youth League, and $21,000 to Stilwell Public Schools, each for general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists James F. Carson and Drew T. Carson as trustees.
Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Drew T. Carson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James F. Carson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation
How much does Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation give each year?
Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation gave $595K across 17 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $947K across 22 grants.
What is Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation's typical grant size?
Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $34,972, across 17 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation that year got $21K on average.
Where does Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation give grants?
Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation gives mostly in Oklahoma: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Stilwell, OK (7 grants), Westville, OK (3 grants) and Fort Smith, AR (2 grants).
Does Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 82% of Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (14 of 17) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Scholarships" (3 grants).
Who are Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation's largest grantees?
Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Westville Public Schools ($250,825), Northeastern University ($75,000) and Orchard Road Community Outreach ($48,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 63% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation?
Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation reported $9.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $595K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $630K (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 Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include general support for schools and community organizations, as well as scholarships. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation's EIN?
Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-1880469. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Tom J & Edna Mae Carson 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Arkansas
Tulsa Community Foundation
Tulsa, OK
Tulsa Community Foundation supports charitable causes through donor-advised grants and selected funds, including scholarships, emergency assistance, disaster relief, arts and humanities, healthcare, and financial literacy, primarily in the Tulsa metro area and eastern Oklahoma, with some giving elsewhere in the United States. Its 2024 median grant was $18,560; selected field-of-interest funds have application cycles, but the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests generally.
Assets
$1.1B
Grants
1,066
Total Given
$158.6M
Arvest Foundation
Bentonville, AR
Arvest Foundation funds economic development, community programs, arts, nonprofit capacity, scholarships, and construction projects, primarily in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. In 2024, grants ranged from $1,000 to $75,000, with a median of $5,000. It gives only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$21.0M
Grants
562
Total Given
$4.3M
President and Fellows of Harvard College
Cambridge, MA
Harvard’s grantmaking primarily supports research and education, including research awards and sub-awards to universities, hospitals, and research institutes. In 2025, it reported 352 grants ranging from $5,002 to $27.4 million, with a median of $123,018; recipients were concentrated in Massachusetts, which received 64% of grant dollars. The profile does not state whether Harvard accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$79.9B
Grants
352
Total Given
$273.3M
Deloitte Foundation
Stamford, CT
The Deloitte Foundation funds U.S. education initiatives, including scholarships, curriculum and faculty support, mentoring, and grants to education nonprofits and universities, particularly through local programs in about 30 selected locations. Its 2025 grants had a median of $50,000, and it does not accept unsolicited requests for its Local Impact Grant Program.
Assets
$51.4M
Grants
121
Total Given
$32.5M
Walton Family Foundation Inc
Bentonville, AR
The Walton Family Foundation funds K–12 education, river and ocean conservation, and quality-of-life initiatives in Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta; its grants also support organizations and projects elsewhere in the U.S. Its 2024 grants had a median of $200,000, with awards ranging from $1,000 to $35.6 million. It does not accept unsolicited requests except from eligible public charter school developers applying to its startup grant program; other organizations must first submit a letter of inquiry and await an invitation.
Assets
$6.1B
Grants
1,020
Total Given
$562.3M
Arkansas Community Foundation Inc
Little Rock, AR
Arkansas Community Foundation funds charitable work in education, community life, family services and health, including programs for food security, early literacy and the arts, primarily across Arkansas through statewide and local grant programs. Its 2025 grants had a median award of $17,000, though amounts varied widely; it accepts applications through specific competitive programs, but the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests generally.
Assets
$895.9M
Grants
827
Total Given
$58.7M
More similar funders
More Funders in Arkansas
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/tom-j-and-edna-mae-carson-foundation-morg_8f34c5384780477c882bc380d8bf4340
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_581880469_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Tom J \& Edna Mae Carson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/tom-j-and-edna-mae-carson-foundation-morg_8f34c5384780477c882bc380d8bf4340},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Tom J & Edna Mae Carson 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.
Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?