The Strain Foundation concentrates its giving in Alabama, funding a mix of direct-service organizations and policy/advocacy groups that advance secure housing, local food and farming, and opportunity for low-income families. Grants are sizable and strategic — often multi-year or repeated — supporting both project delivery (Habitat, child/family services) and systems-change work (legal advocacy, rural higher education and sustainable agriculture). The portfolio reflects a preference for place-based investments that combine practical assistance with civic and policy engagement to improve economic stability in Alabama communities.
A defining feature of Strain Foundation’s recent giving is its repeated support for Alabama housing, food systems, and public-interest advocacy. The largest recent grant in the data is $155,000 to The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, alongside a steady pattern of Alabama-based awards that connect direct services with longer-term community capacity. In housing, the foundation has backed Habitat for Humanity of Autaugachi more than once, including grants of $70,000 in 2024 and $50,000 in 2025, showing continued attention to affordable homeownership and repair. Its portfolio also reaches into agriculture and local food, with grants to Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Net in Birmingham. Beyond service delivery, Strain Foundation has funded policy and legal advocacy through groups such as Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Alabama Arise, indicating an interest in both immediate assistance and structural change. The overall picture is of a local funder that concentrates resources in Alabama while supporting a mix of charities, schools, conservation groups, and advocacy organizations.
Housing is one of the clearest themes in the portfolio. The foundation gave $70,000 in 2024 and $50,000 in 2025 to Habitat for Humanity of Autaugachi in Prattville for housing assistance, and also granted $20,000 to Low Income Housing Initiative in Huntsville for housing services. Food and farming is another recurring area: Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Net in Birmingham received $100,000 in 2024 and $50,000 in 2025 for promoting agriculture. Child and family support also appears in the record, including a $50,000 grant to Embrace Alabama Kids in Montgomery. The foundation also funds civic and policy work, such as $35,000 to Alabama Arise in Montgomery to improve lives marginalized by poverty and $10,000 to Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice for racial justice.
Typical grants cluster around $7,250 at the 25th percentile, a median of $10,000, and $20,000 at the 75th percentile, with larger awards going to a smaller set of recurring partners. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including Habitat for Humanity of Autaugachi, Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Net, Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, and Crisis Center of Birmingham, which points to repeat support rather than one-time gifts. The foundation is structured as a private foundation and funds individuals. No application process is stated in the data.
$692K
$5.1M
$271K
$747K
Most grants fall between $7K and $20K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$7K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$20K
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Concentrated, mid-to-large grants with repeat funding to a handful of Alabama-focused organizations; combines program delivery grants with funding for policy/advocacy groups rather than many small or national grants.
Notable grantees: Habitat for Humanity of Autauga/Chilton, The University of the South, Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Network, Alabama Arise, Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice
Grants are overwhelmingly local and concentrated in Alabama: 85% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s headquarters state. Birmingham appears frequently in the recent-gifts list, along with Montgomery, Prattville, Tuscaloosa, Huntsville, and Mobile. Outside Alabama, the only recipient country shown is the United States, and the data includes one Tennessee grantee in Sewanee. The giving footprint is therefore heavily centered on Alabama communities, with a small number of awards elsewhere in the U.S.
The recent grants point to housing, agriculture, family services, and advocacy. Examples include Habitat for Humanity of Autaugachi for housing assistance, Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Net for promoting agriculture, Embrace Alabama Kids for children and family support, and Alabama Arise and Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice for poverty and racial-justice work.
Yes. Several organizations appear in multiple years, including Habitat for Humanity of Autaugachi, Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Net, Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, and Crisis Center of Birmingham. That pattern suggests ongoing support for selected partners rather than only one-time awards.
The grant-size distribution centers on smaller awards: the 25th percentile is $7,250, the median is $10,000, and the 75th percentile is $20,000. Larger grants do appear, but most awards in the data sit in that range.
Yes. Alabama is the top state by grant count, and 85% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Recent Alabama recipients include organizations in Birmingham, Montgomery, Prattville, Tuscaloosa, Huntsville, and Mobile.
Yes. The foundation is marked as funding individuals, alongside its grants to organizations across housing, food systems, education, conservation, and advocacy.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH | SEWANEE, TN | $155,000 | 2025 | HIGHER EDUCATION |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF AUTAUGACHI | PRATTVILLE, AL | $50,000 | 2025 | HOUSING ASSISTANCE |
| ALABAMA SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE NET | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $50,000 | 2025 | PROMOTING AGRICULTURE |
| EMBRACE ALABAMA KIDS | MONTGOMERY, AL | $50,000 | 2025 | CHILDREN AND FAMILY SUPPORT |
| ALABAMA ARISE | MONTGOMERY, AL | $35,000 | 2025 | IMPROVE LIVES MARGINALIZED BY POVERT |
| ALABAMA APPLESEED CENTER FOR LAW AN | MONTGOMERY, AL | $35,000 | 2025 | RACIAL JUSTICE |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY IN ALABAMA | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $25,000 | 2025 | CONSERVATION AND CLIMATE CONTROL |
| ALZHEIMER'S OF CENTRAL AL | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $25,000 | 2025 | ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH AND SERVICES |
| ALABAMA INSTITUTE FOR DEAF AND BLIN | TALLADEGA, AL | $20,000 | 2025 | ENCOURAGE SUPPORT FOR AIDB PROGRAMS |
| LOW INCOME HOUSING INITIATIVE | HUNTSVILLE, AL | $20,000 | 2025 | HOUSING SERVICES |
| YOUTH LEADERSHIP FORUM | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $20,000 | 2025 | COMMUNITY SUPPORT |
| INDIAN SPRINGS SCHOOL | INDIAN SPRINGS, AL | $20,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| GIRLS INC OF CENTRAL ALABAMA | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $15,000 | 2025 | MENTORING OF GIRLS |
| CAHABA RIVER SOCIETY | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $15,000 | 2025 | RESTORING AND PROTECTING WATERSHED |
| WEST ALABAMA FOOD BANK | TUSCALOOSA, AL | $15,000 | 2025 | FOOD BANK |
| VESTAVIA HILLS METHODIST CHURCH | VESTAVIA HILLS, AL | $15,000 | 2025 | CHURCH |
| THE KNIGHTS AND ORCHIDS SOCIETY | SELMA, AL | $10,000 | 2025 | BLACK TRANS SUPPORT |
| KID ONE TRANSPORT | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $10,000 | 2025 | MEDICAL TRANSPORT |
| ALABAMA RIVERS ALLIANCE | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $10,000 | 2025 | CONSERVATION WORK |
| MOBILE BAYKEEPER | MOBILE, AL | $10,000 | 2025 | DEFEND AND REVIVE WATER HEALTH |
| NORTHWEST ALABAMA REGIONAL MENTAL H | JASPER, AL | $10,000 | 2025 | MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES |
| MAGIC CITY ACCEPTANCE CENTER | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $10,000 | 2025 | SOCIAL SERVICES |
| VOICES FOR ALABAMAS CHILDREN | MONTGOMERY, AL | $10,000 | 2025 | COMMUNITY OUTREACH |
| CASA OF JEFFERSON COUNTY | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $10,000 | 2025 | PROVIDE COURT APPOINTED ADVOCATES |
| PRISM UNITED | MOBILE, AL | $10,000 | 2025 | LGBTQ SUPPORT |
| BOYS GIRLS CLUB OF NORTH ALABAMA | ATHENS, AL | $7,000 | 2025 | MENTOR SUPPORT |
| CAHABA RIVERKEEPER | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $5,000 | 2025 | CAHABA RIVER PRESERVATION |
| COOSA RIVERKEEPER | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $5,000 | 2025 | PROTECT AND RESTORE COOSA RIVER |
| GREATER BIRMINGHAM HUMANE SOCIETY | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $5,000 | 2025 | PROMOTE HUMANE TREATMENT OF ANIMALS |
| SOUTHEAST NONPROFIT HOUSING | RALEIGH, NC | $5,000 | 2025 | AFFORDABLE HOUSING SERVICES |
| BLACK WARRIOR RIVERKEEPER INC | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $5,000 | 2025 | PROTECT AND RESTORE BLACK WARRIOR RI |
| ALABAMA NONPROFIT HOUSING INC | ONEONTA, AL | $5,000 | 2025 | PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO FARMWO |
| ALABAMA SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE NET | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $100,000 | 2024 | PROMOTING AGRICULTURE |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF AUTAUGACHI | PRATTVILLE, AL | $70,000 | 2024 | HOUSING ASSISTANCE |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2024 | HOUSING ASSISTANCE |
| WOMEN'S FOUNDATION OF ALABAMA | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $20,000 | 2024 | ACCELERATING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY |
| CRISIS CENTER OF BIRMINGHAM | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $20,000 | 2024 | COMMUNITY SERVICE |
| LEARNING EXCELLENCE THROUGH TENNIS | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $11,000 | 2024 | TENNIS PROMOTION |
| ALABAMA APPLESEED CENTER FOR LAW AN | MONTGOMERY, AL | $10,000 | 2024 | RACIAL JUSTICE |
| VILLAGE OF PROMISE | HUNTSVILLE, AL | $10,000 | 2024 | FAMILY ADVANCEMENT CENTER |
| VOICES FOR ALABAMA'S CHILDREN | MONTGOMERY, AL | $10,000 | 2024 | COMMUNITY OUTREACH |
| SERVICE DOGS OF ALABAMA | HOPE HULL, AL | $10,000 | 2024 | COMMUNITY SERVICE |
| FIREHOUSE MINISTRIES | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $7,000 | 2024 | HOMELESS SHELTER |
| ALABAMA PUBLIC RADIO | TUSCALOOSA, AL | $5,000 | 2024 | UNBIASED NEWS |
| ALABAMA COALITION FOR IMMIGRANT JUS | IRONDALE, AL | $5,000 | 2024 | COMMUNITY SERVICE |
| FIRST LIGHT SHELTER | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $5,000 | 2024 | HOMELESS SHELTER |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF AUTAUGACHI | PRATTVILLE, AL | $50,000 | 2023 | HOUSING ASSISTANCE |
| THE WOMEN'S FUND OF GREATER B'HAM | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $20,000 | 2023 | COMMUNITY OUTREACH |
| CRISIS CENTER OF BIRMINGHAM | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $20,000 | 2023 | COMMUNITY SERVICE |
| COMMUNITY FOOD BANK OF CENTRAL ALAB | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $15,000 | 2023 | COMMUNITY SERVICE |
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF AUTAUGACHI
$50,000HOUSING ASSISTANCE
ALABAMA SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE NET
$50,000PROMOTING AGRICULTURE
EMBRACE ALABAMA KIDS
$50,000CHILDREN AND FAMILY SUPPORT
RACIAL JUSTICE
THE NATURE CONSERVANCY IN ALABAMA
$25,000CONSERVATION AND CLIMATE CONTROL
ALABAMA INSTITUTE FOR DEAF AND BLIN
$20,000ENCOURAGE SUPPORT FOR AIDB PROGRAMS
LOW INCOME HOUSING INITIATIVE
$20,000HOUSING SERVICES
YOUTH LEADERSHIP FORUM
$20,000COMMUNITY SUPPORT
CAHABA RIVER SOCIETY
$15,000RESTORING AND PROTECTING WATERSHED
VESTAVIA HILLS METHODIST CHURCH
$15,000CHURCH
THE KNIGHTS AND ORCHIDS SOCIETY
$10,000BLACK TRANS SUPPORT
KID ONE TRANSPORT
$10,000MEDICAL TRANSPORT
MOBILE BAYKEEPER
$10,000DEFEND AND REVIVE WATER HEALTH
NORTHWEST ALABAMA REGIONAL MENTAL H
$10,000MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
MAGIC CITY ACCEPTANCE CENTER
$10,000SOCIAL SERVICES
CASA OF JEFFERSON COUNTY
$10,000PROVIDE COURT APPOINTED ADVOCATES
PRISM UNITED
$10,000LGBTQ SUPPORT
BOYS GIRLS CLUB OF NORTH ALABAMA
$7,000MENTOR SUPPORT
CAHABA RIVERKEEPER
$5,000CAHABA RIVER PRESERVATION
COOSA RIVERKEEPER
$5,000PROTECT AND RESTORE COOSA RIVER
SOUTHEAST NONPROFIT HOUSING
$5,000AFFORDABLE HOUSING SERVICES
BLACK WARRIOR RIVERKEEPER INC
$5,000PROTECT AND RESTORE BLACK WARRIOR RI
ALABAMA NONPROFIT HOUSING INC
$5,000PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO FARMWO
ALABAMA SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE NET
$100,000PROMOTING AGRICULTURE
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF AUTAUGACHI
$70,000HOUSING ASSISTANCE
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL
$25,000HOUSING ASSISTANCE
CRISIS CENTER OF BIRMINGHAM
$20,000COMMUNITY SERVICE
LEARNING EXCELLENCE THROUGH TENNIS
$11,000TENNIS PROMOTION
VILLAGE OF PROMISE
$10,000FAMILY ADVANCEMENT CENTER
FIREHOUSE MINISTRIES
$7,000HOMELESS SHELTER
ALABAMA PUBLIC RADIO
$5,000UNBIASED NEWS
FIRST LIGHT SHELTER
$5,000HOMELESS SHELTER
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF AUTAUGACHI
$50,000HOUSING ASSISTANCE
THE WOMEN'S FUND OF GREATER B'HAM
$20,000COMMUNITY OUTREACH
CRISIS CENTER OF BIRMINGHAM
$20,000COMMUNITY SERVICE