About Carson-Myre Charitable Foundation
The Carson-Myre Charitable Foundation concentrates its giving locally in Paducah, KY, with large, targeted gifts to sustain civic cultural institutions and health services. The foundation makes multi-year, substantial grants to a small number of repeat recipients—primarily supporting a regional performing arts/cultural center and hospital capital projects such as a new heart center. Its funding pattern emphasizes place-based investment in community quality-of-life and critical medical infrastructure.
Focus Areas
Regional performing arts and cultural programming (Luther F. Carson Four Rivers Center)Capital and program support for local hospital services, especially cardiac care (Baptist Health Paducah Foundation)Paducah/Pittsburgh-area civic cultural infrastructure and eventsCommunity health facility expansion and specialty clinical centers
Who They Fund
low-income / needy individuals and familiespregnant women in crisisincarcerated people and returning citizens (prison population)people with substance use disorders (men and women in residential programs)
About Carson-Myre Charitable Foundation
Carson-myre Charitable Foundation’s recent giving is defined by repeat, large-scale support for a small set of Paducah institutions. The clearest example is Luther F Carson Four Rivers Center Inc, which received multiple seven-figure grants across 2023, 2024, and 2025 to sponsor and support cultural events. Another major line of support goes to Baptist Health Paducah Foundation, including repeated gifts for a new heart center. Those two recipients, together with several other recurring local grantees, show a funder that uses substantial grants to reinforce community anchors rather than spread funds broadly. The foundation also backs faith-based and social-service organizations with project-specific grants. First Baptist Church received repeated support for Christian ministry, while French Africian Christian Education Foundation Inc received multiple grants for aid and gospel outreach to the needy. Mercy Health Foundation-lourdes appears in the recent list with chaplain support for palliative care, and Community Kitchen received funding for Christian outreach to poor people. The pattern is concentrated, recurring, and place-based, with Kentucky organizations receiving most of the giving and some awards extending to nonprofits outside the state.
What Carson-Myre Charitable Foundation Funds
Cultural programming is a clear priority. Luther F Carson Four Rivers Center Inc received $1,947,000 in 2023 and $1,270,000 in both 2024 and 2025 for sponsor-and-support cultural events, and the Paducah Symphony Orchestra received repeated six-figure support for the same general purpose. Health infrastructure is another visible line of giving. Baptist Health Paducah Foundation received $1,100,000 in 2024 and 2025, plus $600,000 in 2023 and 2025, all for support of a new heart center. The foundation also funds faith-based outreach. First Baptist Church received repeated grants for Christian ministry, and Community Kitchen was awarded $200,000 in 2025 for Christian outreach to poor people. French Africian Christian Education Foundation Inc also appears multiple times for aid and gospel message to the needy.
How Carson-Myre Charitable Foundation Gives
Typical grant size sits at $15,000 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $50,000 at the 75th percentile, but the recent-grants list shows the foundation also makes much larger awards when it backs a recurring institutional project. The same recipients appear across multiple years, including 2023, 2024, and 2025, which points to ongoing support rather than one-off gifts. The foundation operates through competitive general grant programs, but since July 2021 it has not considered unsolicited requests from organizations that have not previously received a Carson-Myre grant. The latest 990 year on file is 2025, and the foundation is described as sunsetting.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$8.9M
Total Assets
$54.7M
Total Revenue
$8.6M
Total Expenses
$9.7M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $15K and $50K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$15K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$50K
Geographic Reach
Regional25 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Unlock Deep Analysis
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeSee Similar Funders
Free Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeExplore related grant guides
Want a Personalized Pitch for Carson-Myre Charitable Foundation?
Sign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Free plan available
No contracts
Cancel anytime