The Terry Foundation concentrates almost all of its giving on faith-based causes, with a strong emphasis on supporting a single local evangelical congregation and conservative Christian organizations. Most grants are unrestricted/general purpose, indicating trust in recipient leadership rather than project-specific funding. Their giving mixes local parish support with occasional donations to national conservative and faith-based relief groups.
Highly concentrated and selective: a small number of grants with a majority of funds going to one repeat local grantee, supplemented by one-off gifts to nationally prominent conservative and faith-based organizations. Grants are general-purpose and modest in number and size.
Notable grantees: Bethany Baptist Church, Family Research Council, Samaritan's Purse
A single Cape Girardeau congregation anchors the James W and Norma Eloise Terry Foundation’s giving. Bethany Baptist Church received the largest recent grants, including $17,400 in 2025, $14,600 in 2024, and $16,000 in 2023, all marked for general purpose support. That pattern shows a funder comfortable making unrestricted gifts to a known local institution, rather than tying most awards to narrowly defined projects. Beyond that church, the foundation also directs money to a small set of conservative Christian, evangelical, and faith-based relief organizations. Recent examples include Family Research Council, Samaritan’s Purse, Leadership Institute, Wycliffeorg, Judicial Watch, Grace to You, and Prison Fellowship. The giving pattern suggests a blend of local parish support and nationally oriented faith-based grantmaking. The recent grants list also includes general-purpose support for organizations with direct service missions, such as the Salvation Army, World Vision, St Jude Childrens Research Hospital, the American Red Cross, Operation Smile, and Southeast Missouri Food Bank. Across these awards, the foundation appears to favor flexible-use funding and repeated support for organizations it already knows, with many gifts appearing as standard general grants rather than project-restricted awards.
The foundation’s clearest theme is support for faith-based institutions and Christian advocacy groups. In 2025, it gave $6,500 to Family Research Council for general purpose support, and it also funded Judicial Watch and the Leadership Institute with $2,000 grants each for general purpose use. Those awards place public-policy and advocacy organizations alongside church support in the same grant pattern. International Christian relief and mission work is another visible thread. Samaritan’s Purse received $6,000 in 2025 and $1,600 in 2023, both for general purpose support, while Wycliffeorg and Jaars each appear in the recent grants list as well. The foundation also backed Grace to You multiple times, including $1,500 in 2025 and $1,000 in 2024, again on a general-purpose basis. A third cluster covers direct service and humanitarian aid. Operation Smile, the American Red Cross, Mission Dignity, and Prison Fellowship each received general-purpose grants, showing that the foundation’s religious orientation sits alongside support for health, relief, and prison-ministry work.
$102K
$0
-$2K
$50K
Most grants fall between $500 and $1K, with a median of $600.
25th Percentile
$500
Median
$600
75th Percentile
$1K
About 20% of grants go to recipients in NC.
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Typical grants are small: the 25th percentile is $500, the median is $600, and the 75th percentile is $1,000. Even with a few larger awards, most recent gifts sit in that low-thousands range, which points to many modest unrestricted grants rather than a few large awards. The list shows repeat support across years for several recipients, including Bethany Baptist Church, Samaritan’s Purse, Grace to You, Leadership Institute, Salvation Army, St Jude Childrens Research Hospital, and Southeast Missouri Food Bank. The foundation does not make program-related investments and does not fund individuals, and the grants shown are all general-purpose or unrestricted.
Giving is national, but the recipient map is heavily concentrated in the United States, which accounts for 59 grants and 100.0% of the listed country distribution. North Carolina is the top state by grant count, reflecting repeated awards to recipients there, including Samaritan’s Purse in Boone and Jaars in Waxhaw. Missouri also appears frequently through Cape Girardeau and Sikeston. Other recurring recipient cities include Washington, DC; Arlington, VA; Memphis, TN; and Panorama, CA.
The recent grants list centers on faith-based causes, especially a local evangelical church and national Christian organizations. Bethany Baptist Church appears repeatedly, and other recipients include Family Research Council, Samaritan’s Purse, Leadership Institute, Wycliffeorg, Grace to You, Prison Fellowship, and the American Family Association.
Most listed awards are for general purpose support. That wording appears across the recent grants list for Bethany Baptist Church, Family Research Council, Samaritan’s Purse, Judicial Watch, Grace to You, the Salvation Army, St Jude Childrens Research Hospital, and others, indicating flexible-use funding is common.
The grant-size distribution is small: p25 is $500, median is $600, and p75 is $1,000. The recent grant list fits that pattern, with many awards at or below $1,000 and only a few larger gifts above $2,000.
Yes. Bethany Baptist Church appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Samaritan’s Purse appears in 2023 and 2025; Grace to You appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and several other recipients, including the Salvation Army and St Jude Childrens Research Hospital, also recur across years.
The foundation gives nationally, but the recipient distribution is entirely U.S.-based in the provided data. North Carolina is the top state by grant count, while Missouri recipients also appear frequently, including Cape Girardeau and Sikeston.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BETHANY BAPTIST CHURCH | CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO | $17,400 | 2025 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL | WASHINGTON, DC | $6,500 | 2025 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| SAMARTIAN PURSE | BOONE, NC | $6,000 | 2025 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| WYCLIFFEORG | ORLANDO, FL | $2,000 | 2025 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| JUDICIAL WATCH | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,000 | 2025 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE | ARLINGTON, VA | $2,000 | 2025 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| SALVATION ARMY | CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO | $2,000 | 2025 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| GRACE TO YOU | PANORAMA, CA | $1,500 | 2025 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| PRISON FELLOWSHIP | MERRIFIELD, VA | $1,000 | 2025 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIP OF C&J | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,000 | 2025 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MISSION DIGNITY | DALLAS, TX | $1,000 | 2025 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| AMERICAN FAMILY ASSOCIATION | TUPELO, MS | $1,000 | 2025 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| ST JUDE CHILDRENS RESEARCH HOSPITAL | MEMPHIS, TN | $1,000 | 2025 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| OPERATION SMILE | TOPEKA, KS | $1,000 | 2025 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,000 | 2025 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| WORLD VISION | TACOMA, WA | $525 | 2025 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| SOUTHEAST MISSOURI FOOD BANK | SIKESTON, MO | $500 | 2025 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| ANGEL TREE | MERRIFIELD, VA | $500 | 2025 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| USO | WASHINGTON, DC | $500 | 2025 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| BETHANY BAPTIST CHURCH | CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO | $14,600 | 2024 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| GRACE TO YOU | PANORAMA, CA | $1,000 | 2024 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| ST JUDE CHILDRENS RESEARCH HOSPITAL | MEMPHIS, TN | $750 | 2024 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| SALVATION ARMY | CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO | $700 | 2024 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIP OF C&J | WASHINGTON, DC | $600 | 2024 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| SOUTHEAST MISSOURI FOOD BANK | SIKESTON, MO | $600 | 2024 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| PRISON FELLOWSHIP | MERRIFIELD, VA | $550 | 2024 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| WORLD VISION | TACOMA, WA | $525 | 2024 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| JAARS | WAXHAW, NC | $500 | 2024 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| WYCLIFFEORG | ORLANDO, FL | $500 | 2024 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| LIBERTY COUNSEL | ORLANDO, FL | $500 | 2024 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| SAMARTIAN PURSE | BOONE, NC | $500 | 2024 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| AMERICAN VALUES | ARLINGTON, VA | $500 | 2024 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| ANGEL TREE | MERRIFIELD, VA | $500 | 2024 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| OPERATION SMILE | TOPEKA, KS | $500 | 2024 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL | WASHINGTON, DC | $500 | 2024 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE | ARLINGTON, VA | $500 | 2024 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| USO | WASHINGTON, DC | $250 | 2024 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| TURNING POINT | SAN DIEGO, CA | $120 | 2024 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| LIFEWISE | ST LOUIS, MO | $100 | 2024 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| BETHANY BAPTIST CHURCH | CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO | $16,000 | 2023 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| SAMARTIAN PURSE | BOONE, NC | $1,600 | 2023 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| SOUTHEAST MISSOURI FOOD BANK | SIKESTON, MO | $1,000 | 2023 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| SALVATION ARMY | CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO | $1,000 | 2023 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| ST JUDE CHILDRENS RESEARCH HOSPITAL | MEMPHIS, TN | $1,000 | 2023 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| JAARS | WAXHAW, NC | $1,000 | 2023 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| WORLD VISION | TACOMA, WA | $1,000 | 2023 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| GRACE TO YOU | PANORAMA, CA | $800 | 2023 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE | ARLINGTON, VA | $800 | 2023 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| AMERICAN VALUES | ARLINGTON, VA | $800 | 2023 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| WYCLIFFEORG | ORLANDO, FL | $500 | 2023 | FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE |
BETHANY BAPTIST CHURCH
$17,400FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL
$6,500FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
SAMARTIAN PURSE
$6,000FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
WYCLIFFEORG
$2,000FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
JUDICIAL WATCH
$2,000FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
$2,000FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
SALVATION ARMY
$2,000FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
GRACE TO YOU
$1,500FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
PRISON FELLOWSHIP
$1,000FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIP OF C&J
$1,000FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
MISSION DIGNITY
$1,000FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
AMERICAN FAMILY ASSOCIATION
$1,000FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
ST JUDE CHILDRENS RESEARCH HOSPITAL
$1,000FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
OPERATION SMILE
$1,000FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
AMERICAN RED CROSS
$1,000FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
WORLD VISION
$525FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI FOOD BANK
$500FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
ANGEL TREE
$500FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
USO
$500FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
BETHANY BAPTIST CHURCH
$14,600FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
GRACE TO YOU
$1,000FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
ST JUDE CHILDRENS RESEARCH HOSPITAL
$750FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
SALVATION ARMY
$700FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIP OF C&J
$600FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI FOOD BANK
$600FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
PRISON FELLOWSHIP
$550FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
WORLD VISION
$525FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
JAARS
$500FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
WYCLIFFEORG
$500FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
LIBERTY COUNSEL
$500FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
SAMARTIAN PURSE
$500FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
AMERICAN VALUES
$500FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
ANGEL TREE
$500FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
OPERATION SMILE
$500FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL
$500FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
$500FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
USO
$250FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
TURNING POINT
$120FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
LIFEWISE
$100FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
BETHANY BAPTIST CHURCH
$16,000FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
SAMARTIAN PURSE
$1,600FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI FOOD BANK
$1,000FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
SALVATION ARMY
$1,000FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
ST JUDE CHILDRENS RESEARCH HOSPITAL
$1,000FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
JAARS
$1,000FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
WORLD VISION
$1,000FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
GRACE TO YOU
$800FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
$800FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
AMERICAN VALUES
$800FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE
WYCLIFFEORG
$500FOR THEIR GENERAL PURPOSE