J. L. Bedsole Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 23-7225708 · since 1972jlbedsolefoundation.org·Baldwin County, Clarke County, Mobile County, Monroe County, Washington County·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$3.3M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$5,000 to $100k

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$12,000

Typical grant (median)

68 grants in the latest filing

Open to applications

Rolling, no deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

If your organisation is a qualifying nonprofit public charity or governmental unit, and your project fits one of its named areas (education, arts and culture, health and human services, or economic and community development) in its stated geographic focus of Mobile, Baldwin, Clarke, Monroe and Washington, it is worth approaching.
It does not fund work outside Alabama, grants to individuals, multiple-year pledges, political activity, or endowment funds of other organisations, so those requests should not be made.
Typical grants fall between $5,000 and $100,000, and the median was about $15,000, so a modest request near that size fits best.
Applications are rolling through the online portal, and the Distribution Committee meets in February, April, June, September and December, so plan around those meetings and the due dates the portal gives.
In its latest filing, 56% of grant dollars to organisations went to repeat grantees, so building a relationship and showing collaboration, multiple funding sources and sound fiscal management will help.

Overview

J. L. Bedsole Foundation is a US private foundation administered by its trustee, Regions Bank, in Mobile, AL.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The Foundation's organisational grant programme supports qualifying nonprofit public charities and governmental units working to improve quality of life in Southwest Alabama. It considers projects in education, arts and culture, health and human services, and economic and community development, with grants to hospitals, schools, universities, colleges, research institutions, welfare agencies and other human-benefit institutions. It favours projects with enduring community benefits, collaboration, sound fiscal management and multiple sources of support, particularly where they address underserved people, economically disadvantaged residents or rural communities. Its separate Scholars Program provides scholarships to high school graduates from five southwest Alabama counties, with leadership, community service, academic commitment and financial need among its stated selection considerations.

Themes

Education
Arts and culture
Health and human services
Economic and community development

Geographic Focus

Mobile; Baldwin; Clarke; Monroe; Washington.

What They Don't Fund

Grants that support political activities or attempts to influence action on specific legislation
Multiple year pledges nor make grants beyond the current year
Grants to endowment funds of other organizations
Grants are not made directly to individuals
Grants are not made to organizations, programs or projects outside of the State of Alabama
J. L. Bedsole Scholars Program only: those who have little or no financial need

How to apply

Qualifying nonprofit public charities and governmental units submit grant applications through the online grant application portal. The portal provides procedural details and the applicable due date. The Distribution Committee meets in February, April, June, September and December.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 56% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 196 grants to organisations were about $15,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

The project should address at least one of the Foundation's named areas: education, arts and culture, health and human services, or economic and community development.
The project should offer permanent, enduring benefits for the community and Southwest Alabama residents.
The Foundation values collaboration among diverse groups to achieve common goals.
The organisation and project should demonstrate sound fiscal management and accountability.
The organisation should attract multiple sources of support for the project.
The project should address underserved people, economically disadvantaged people or citizens of rural communities.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

Alabama100%

Mississippi<1%

Florida<1%

The largest single recipient received 12% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 56% of grant dollars went to organisations J. L. Bedsole Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

68 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $12,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 68 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$2.5k–$5k1%

$5k–$10k24%

$10k–$25k40%

$25k–$50k19%

$50k–$100k6%

$100k–$250k6%

$250k–$500k1%

$500k–$1M3%

Median $12,000 (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

University of South Alabama · Grant - capital campaign whiddon college of med
$500,0002024 tax year
Bayside Academy · Capital project
$500,0002024 tax year
Saint Paul's Episcopal School · Capital project
$250,0002024 tax year
Mobile Area Education Foundation · Program support
$150,0002024 tax year
Covenant Academy of Mobile · Special projects
$104,0002024 tax year
Innovation Portal · Program support
$100,0002024 tax year
Coastal Alabama Partnership · Program support
$100,0002024 tax year
Dumas Wesley Community Center · Capital repairs
$82,3052024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

T Bestor Ward IV — Member, Distribution Committee
Winthrop M Hallett III — Member, Distribution Committee
T Bestor Ward III — Chair, Distribution Committee & Trustee
Travis M Bedsole Jr — Member, Distribution Committee & Trustee

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$3,616,024	$2,739,024	$61,426,070	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$4,799,350	$3,776,490	$69,792,114	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$4,382,381	$3,280,727	$82,357,427	Filing for 2024 tax year

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.