Womens Independence Scholarship
Womens Independence Scholarship is a private foundation focused on Education, based in Wilmington, NC. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $25.6M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 1 grant totaling $1.2M. Net investment income was $1.3M.
Womens Independence Scholarship at a glance
In short: Womens Independence Scholarship gave $1.2M across 1 grant in 2025 (avg $1.2M), mostly in North Carolina. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,245,536
- -1.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 1
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,245,536
- -1.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,245,536
- Total assets
- $25,552,826
- +3.1% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (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.
Who Womens Independence Scholarship funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Scholarships Grants ($1.2M).
Grant Size Distribution
5 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $1–5M range: 5 grants of 5 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of the 2025 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.
States
How Womens Independence Scholarship gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+9%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 154% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.1M (2022) to $1.8M (2019). In 2025 it made 1 grant totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Scholarships Grants See PDF Statement, NC | Scholarships & Grants | $1,245,536 |
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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 | $25,552,826 | $1,285,738 | $1,853,894 | $1,245,536 | 1 | $1,828,918 | $1,278,890 | $1,190,715 |
| 2024 | $24,783,152 | $1,639,755 | $1,871,615 | $1,269,158 | 1 | $1,870,090 | $1,633,276 | $1,049,828 |
| 2023 | $21,403,813 | $1,582,154 | $1,822,275 | $1,334,906 | 1 | $1,786,469 | $1,579,572 | $970,048 |
| 2022 | $20,222,860 | $1,042,658 | $1,665,892 | $1,140,510 | 1 | $1,643,877 | $1,041,291 | $1,005,807 |
| 2021 | $21,073,207 | $1,440,619 | $1,960,429 | $1,386,850 | 1 | $1,958,904 | $1,439,276 | $862,382 |
| 2020 | $18,093,977 | $1,342,862 | $2,344,035 | $1,761,646 | 1 | — | $1,301,922 | $942,163 |
| 2019 | $20,207,030 | $1,355,136 | $2,445,273 | $1,831,834 | 1 | — | $1,354,266 | $980,964 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Womens Independence Scholarship reported a distributable amount of $1.2M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Womens Independence Scholarship is led by Tammy Simmons, Executive Director on every filing since 2022; 1 of 6 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Tammy Simmons
Executive Director
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$103K (2022) → $132K (2025)
Teresa Fountain
Chair
Director → Chair, 2020
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
JC Graham
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nancy Soward
Secretary
Secretary & Executive Director → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
$109K (2019) → $0 (2025)
Ellen Kiernan
Vice Chair
President & Chair → Vice Chair, 2020
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nanci McGregor
Treasurer
Vice President & Treasurer → Treasurer, 2020
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Diane Grimsley (2019) — 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 $132K, to Tammy Simmons (Executive Dir.).
Frequently asked questions about Womens Independence Scholarship
How much does Womens Independence Scholarship give each year?
Womens Independence Scholarship gave $1.2M across 1 grant in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.3M across 1 grant.
How large is Womens Independence Scholarship?
Womens Independence Scholarship reported $25.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.2M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What is Womens Independence Scholarship?
Womens Independence Scholarship is a private foundation focused on Education, based in Wilmington, NC. It holds $25.6M in total assets as of 2025.
Where does Womens Independence Scholarship operate?
Womens Independence Scholarship has awarded grants in North Carolina.
What is Womens Independence Scholarship's EIN?
Womens Independence Scholarship's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-1956643. 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.
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 20, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 25, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 31, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 11, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 7, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 17, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Womens Independence Scholarship's focus areas in our free grants database
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