The A.S. Mitchell Foundation directs its philanthropic dollars almost exclusively to support the Gulf Coast Exploreum in Mobile, AL, with multi-grant funding aimed at preserving and restoring the institution's historic facilities. Its giving is place-based and institution-focused, prioritizing capital/historic restoration of a regional cultural/science venue rather than broad programmatic support across many organizations.
As Mitchell Foundation Inc. centers its philanthropy on preserving and restoring the Gulf Coast Exploreum in Mobile, with three consecutive grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025 totaling $295,014. That repeated support makes the Exploreum the clearest window into how the foundation gives: institutionally, place-based, and focused on capital and historic restoration rather than broad thematic dispersion. The foundation’s other recent grants show the same pattern of sustained support for local institutions in Mobile and nearby communities, including Ums-Wright Preparatory School and Dumas Wesley Community Center. It also backs related needs at faith-based, educational, and community-serving organizations, often in amounts that sit in the middle of its usual giving range. Across the recent grants list, the emphasis is on maintaining facilities, supporting program costs, and helping longstanding local organizations carry out their missions. This is a funder whose identity is tied closely to a small set of recurring recipients and to the upkeep of public-facing community assets in Alabama and the broader Gulf Coast region.
Historic preservation is a core thread in the foundation’s grantmaking. It gave $20,000 to St Francis Street Church for historic restoration and $17,500 to Friends of Magnolia Cemetery for historic restoration, alongside support to Bellingrath Gardens & Home for historical restoration. Capital support is another consistent category: Dauphin Way Umc received $20,000 for capital needs in 2025 and $18,500 for capital needs in 2024, while Infirmary Foundation received $16,000 for capital needs. The foundation also backs education-related needs, including $61,000 to Ums-Wright Preparatory School for tuition assistance and capital improvements. Beyond that, it has supported community services such as $35,000 to Dumas Wesley Community Ctr for program costs and $20,500 to Child Advocacy Center for program costs.
Typical grant size sits at $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $7,500 at the median, and $13,000 at the 75th percentile, with many awards landing modestly above that band. The foundation’s recent record also shows repeated awards to the same organizations across multiple years, especially the Gulf Coast Exploreum, Ums-Wright Preparatory School, Dumas Wesley Community Ctr, Dauphin Way Umc, and The Piney Woods School. That pattern points to ongoing, relationship-based support rather than one-off awards. It appears to give through a private foundation structure and also funds individuals, including tuition assistance and scholarships in the recipient mix.
$637K
$17.4M
$1.1M
$1.1M
Most grants fall between $5K and $13K, with a median of $8K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$8K
75th Percentile
$13K
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Highly concentrated: repeated grants to a single local grantee totaling the foundation's recorded giving; large, capital-focused gifts aimed at facility restoration rather than dispersed small grants.
Notable grantees: Gulf Coast Exploreum
Giving is heavily concentrated in Alabama, where 65% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state and where Mobile appears most often. Mobile recipients include Gulf Coast Exploreum, Ums-Wright Preparatory School, Dumas Wesley Community Ctr, Child Advocacy Center, Wilmer Hall, and Dauphin Way Umc. Outside Alabama, the foundation has also made grants in Georgia and Mississippi, including recipients in Greensboro, Dallas, Mableton, and Piney Woods. All recent grants listed were made to U.S. recipients.
Its recent grants focus on historic restoration and preservation, especially for public-facing institutions in Mobile. The largest repeated recipient is Gulf Coast Exploreum, which received $108,500 in 2025, $105,000 in 2024, and $81,514 in 2023 for historic restoration.
The foundation’s typical grant size is $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $7,500 at the median, and $13,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards also include larger, recurring commitments such as $61,000 to Ums-Wright Preparatory School and $35,000 to Dumas Wesley Community Ctr.
Recurring grants are common in the recent record. Gulf Coast Exploreum, Ums-Wright Preparatory School, Dumas Wesley Community Ctr, Dauphin Way Umc, and The Piney Woods School each appear across multiple years, with some supported in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The recent grants include museums and historic sites, schools, community centers, churches, and human services groups. Examples include Gulf Coast Exploreum for historic restoration, Ums-Wright Preparatory School for tuition assistance and capital improvements, and Dumas Wesley Community Ctr for program costs.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GULF COAST EXPLOREUM | MOBILE, AL | $130,000 | 2026 | HISTORIC RESTORATION |
| UMS-WRIGHT PREPARATORY SCHOOL | MOBILE, AL | $50,000 | 2026 | TUITION ASSISTANCE & CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS |
| LAKE OCONEE ACADEMY | GREENSBORO, GA | $33,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM COSTS |
| WILMER HALL | MOBILE, AL | $32,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM COSTS AND CAPITAL NEEDS |
| DUMAS WESLEY COMMUNITY CTR | MOBILE, AL | $30,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM COSTS |
| DAUPHIN WAY UMC | MOBILE, AL | $26,000 | 2026 | CAPITAL NEEDS |
| THE PINEY WOODS SCHOOL | PINEY WOODS, MS | $18,000 | 2026 | TUITION ASSISTANCE |
| BELLINGRATH GARDENS & HOME | THEODORE, AL | $17,500 | 2026 | CAPITAL NEEDS |
| FRIENDS OF MAGNOLIA CEMETERY | MOBILE, AL | $16,000 | 2026 | CAPITAL NEEDS |
| YOUNG LIFE - MOBILE | MOBILE, AL | $15,000 | 2026 | MINISTRY PROGRAMS |
| LAURENS WILDLIFE RESCUE | GLENWOOD, GA | $15,000 | 2026 | OPERATING EXPENSES |
| MOBILE CARNIVAL ASSOCIATION | MOBILE, AL | $15,000 | 2026 | CAPITAL NEEDS |
| MOBILE BAYKEEPER | MOBILE, AL | $12,500 | 2026 | PROGRAM COSTS |
| TULANE UNIVERSITY | NEW ORLEANS, LA | $12,000 | 2026 | RESEARCH PROGRAM & CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS |
| GULF QUEST MUSEUM | MOBILE, AL | $10,500 | 2026 | CAPITAL NEEDS |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTER OF S AL | MOBILE, AL | $10,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM COSTS |
| CENTRE OF THE LIVING ARTS | MOBILE, AL | $10,000 | 2026 | CAPITAL NEEDS |
| HISTORIC RESTORATION SOCIETY | MOBILE, AL | $10,000 | 2026 | HISTORIC RESTORATION |
| MULHERIN HOME | MOBILE, AL | $10,000 | 2026 | OPERATING EXPENSES |
| USA HEALTH | MOBILE, AL | $10,000 | 2026 | CAPITAL NEEDS |
| INFIRMARY FOUNDATION | MOBILE, AL | $10,000 | 2026 | CAPITAL NEEDS |
| MOBILE CARNIVAL MUSEUM | MOBILE, AL | $10,000 | 2026 | RESTORATION PROJECT |
| FRIENDS OF MOBILE ANIMAL SHELTER | MOBILE, AL | $9,500 | 2026 | SPAY/NEUTER FUND |
| SENIORS CITZENS SERVICES (VIA) | MOBILE, AL | $9,500 | 2026 | PROGRAM COSTS |
| ANIMAL MEDICAL CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $8,000 | 2026 | LLOYD FUND FOR GUIDE DOGS |
| ONE SIMON TWO RUBYS & A HAMP | MOBILE, AL | $7,500 | 2026 | HISTORIC RESTORATION |
| DALLAS WOMAN'S CLUB | DALLAS, GA | $7,000 | 2026 | CAPITAL NEEDS |
| CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL | MOBILE, AL | $7,000 | 2026 | OUTREACH MINISTRY |
| ANIMAL RESCUE FOUNDATION | MILLEDGEVILLE, GA | $6,000 | 2026 | OPERATING EXPENSES |
| LAKESIDE CHURCH | GREENSBORO, GA | $6,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM COSTS |
| ST PAUL'S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL | MOBILE, AL | $6,000 | 2026 | CAPITAL NEEDS |
| RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE - CLT | CHARLOTTE, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | CAPITAL NEEDS |
| FUSE PROJECT | MOBILE, AL | $5,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM COSTS |
| OCONEE PERFORMING ARTS SOCIETY | GREENSBORO, GA | $5,000 | 2026 | OPERATING EXPENSES |
| ST FRANCIS STREET CHURCH | MOBILE, AL | $5,000 | 2026 | HISTORIC RESTORATION |
| RUFF WILSON YOUTH ORGANIZATION | DAPHNE, AL | $5,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM COSTS |
| PRICHARD PREPARATORY SCHOOL | WHISTLER, AL | $5,000 | 2026 | TUITION ASSISTANCE |
| MOBILE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | MOBILE, AL | $5,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM COSTS |
| UGA FOUNDATION | ATHENS, GA | $5,000 | 2026 | PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC MATERIALS AT THE LAW SCHOOL LIBRARY |
| MOBILE MUSEUM OF ART | MOBILE, AL | $5,000 | 2026 | EXHIBIT COSTS |
| COMMUNITY OF MOBILE | MOBILE, AL | $5,000 | 2026 | CAPITAL NEEDS |
| HISTORIC MOBILE PRESERVATION SOCIETY | MOBILE, AL | $4,000 | 2026 | CAPITAL NEEDS |
| THOMAS HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | FAIRHOPE, AL | $3,500 | 2026 | CAPITAL NEEDS |
| CASA OF MOBILE | MOBILE, AL | $3,000 | 2026 | VOLUNTEER PROGRAM |
| COMMUNITY SVC FOR VISION REHAB | MOBILE, AL | $2,500 | 2026 | PROGRAM COSTS |
| GATEWAY TO VICTORY | DALLAS, GA | $2,000 | 2026 | CAPITAL NEEDS |
| NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS | GREENSBORO, GA | $1,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM COSTS |
| THE LAKE COUNTRY PLAYERS | GREENSBORO, GA | $1,000 | 2026 | OPERATING EXPENSES |
| ST MARY'S GOOD SAMARITAN FDN | ATHENS, GA | $1,000 | 2026 | EVENT SPONSORSHIP |
| GULF COAST EXPLOREUM | MOBILE, AL | $108,500 | 2025 | HISTORIC RESTORATION |
GULF COAST EXPLOREUM
$130,000HISTORIC RESTORATION
LAKE OCONEE ACADEMY
$33,000PROGRAM COSTS
WILMER HALL
$32,000PROGRAM COSTS AND CAPITAL NEEDS
DAUPHIN WAY UMC
$26,000CAPITAL NEEDS
FRIENDS OF MAGNOLIA CEMETERY
$16,000CAPITAL NEEDS
YOUNG LIFE - MOBILE
$15,000MINISTRY PROGRAMS
LAURENS WILDLIFE RESCUE
$15,000OPERATING EXPENSES
MOBILE BAYKEEPER
$12,500PROGRAM COSTS
TULANE UNIVERSITY
$12,000RESEARCH PROGRAM & CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS
GULF QUEST MUSEUM
$10,500CAPITAL NEEDS
CENTRE OF THE LIVING ARTS
$10,000CAPITAL NEEDS
MULHERIN HOME
$10,000OPERATING EXPENSES
USA HEALTH
$10,000CAPITAL NEEDS
INFIRMARY FOUNDATION
$10,000CAPITAL NEEDS
MOBILE CARNIVAL MUSEUM
$10,000RESTORATION PROJECT
FRIENDS OF MOBILE ANIMAL SHELTER
$9,500SPAY/NEUTER FUND
SENIORS CITZENS SERVICES (VIA)
$9,500PROGRAM COSTS
ONE SIMON TWO RUBYS & A HAMP
$7,500HISTORIC RESTORATION
DALLAS WOMAN'S CLUB
$7,000CAPITAL NEEDS
CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL
$7,000OUTREACH MINISTRY
ANIMAL RESCUE FOUNDATION
$6,000OPERATING EXPENSES
LAKESIDE CHURCH
$6,000PROGRAM COSTS
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE - CLT
$5,000CAPITAL NEEDS
FUSE PROJECT
$5,000PROGRAM COSTS
OCONEE PERFORMING ARTS SOCIETY
$5,000OPERATING EXPENSES
ST FRANCIS STREET CHURCH
$5,000HISTORIC RESTORATION
RUFF WILSON YOUTH ORGANIZATION
$5,000PROGRAM COSTS
MOBILE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
$5,000PROGRAM COSTS
UGA FOUNDATION
$5,000PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC MATERIALS AT THE LAW SCHOOL LIBRARY
MOBILE MUSEUM OF ART
$5,000EXHIBIT COSTS
COMMUNITY OF MOBILE
$5,000CAPITAL NEEDS
HISTORIC MOBILE PRESERVATION SOCIETY
$4,000CAPITAL NEEDS
CASA OF MOBILE
$3,000VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
COMMUNITY SVC FOR VISION REHAB
$2,500PROGRAM COSTS
GATEWAY TO VICTORY
$2,000CAPITAL NEEDS
NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS
$1,000PROGRAM COSTS
THE LAKE COUNTRY PLAYERS
$1,000OPERATING EXPENSES
ST MARY'S GOOD SAMARITAN FDN
$1,000EVENT SPONSORSHIP
GULF COAST EXPLOREUM
$108,500HISTORIC RESTORATION