The Comer Foundation concentrates its philanthropy on higher education and student financial aid, primarily supporting public universities in Alabama through scholarships and institutional support. Grants are directed toward a small set of repeat grantees, indicating a focused strategy to bolster access to postsecondary education in the state.
Concentrated giving: relatively few, sizable grants committed to a small number of repeat grantees; majority of funding goes to three Alabama public universities and one national scholarship organization.
The Comer Foundation c/o 1919 Investment Counsel has a clear pattern of backing Alabama higher education through repeated scholarship and operating support grants. Auburn University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and the University of Alabama each appear multiple times in the recent grant list, usually with the same purpose: to support organization and provide scholarships. That recurring structure points to a funder that combines institutional support with direct aid for students rather than making scattered one-off awards. Its grantmaking also reaches beyond major universities into cultural and educational organizations in Birmingham and other Alabama communities. Recent recipients include the Birmingham Museum of Art, Alabama Ballet, Alabama Archives & History, Better Basics, Stair, BB Comer Memorial Library, and Sidewalk Film Center. The presence of both scholarship partners and community institutions suggests a broad but still tightly Alabama-focused education portfolio. Scholarship America appears as a partner grantee as well, indicating that the foundation uses an intermediary to help distribute scholarship support. Across the recent grants, the funder supports colleges, school-linked programs, and nonprofit institutions that serve students and educational access in the state.
In higher education, the foundation supports large public universities with grants tied to both institutional needs and student aid. Auburn University received recurring awards, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of Alabama also appear repeatedly with the same support language. Scholarship administration is a separate thread in the portfolio. Scholarship America received multiple grants, including $85,900 in 2023, $48,079 in 2024, and $40,810 in 2025, showing use of a third-party administrator for scholarship delivery. The foundation also funds cultural and educational institutions. Recent grants went to the Birmingham Museum of Art, Alabama Ballet, Alabama Archives & History, Better Basics, Stair, BB Comer Memorial Library, and Sidewalk Film Center, all with general organizational support. These awards extend the foundation’s education-related giving into museums, arts education, literacy, and community learning.
$976K
$13.9M
$865K
$1.2M
Most grants fall between $5K and $26K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$26K
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Notable grantees: Auburn University, University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of Alabama, Scholarship America
Typical grants sit at a $5,000 p25, $10,000 median, and $26,250 p75, while the recent list also shows much larger institutional awards to universities and scholarship partners. The pattern is repeat-oriented: Auburn University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the University of Alabama, Scholarship America, Alabama Ballet, Better Basics, and Stair all appear across multiple years. That consistency suggests ongoing support rather than a one-time project approach. The foundation is a grantmaker only; it does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. The presence of both unsolicited and institutionally routed scholarship programs indicates multiple entry points, including some competitive educational grant requests.
The Comer Foundation c/o 1919 Investment Counsel gives overwhelmingly in Alabama, with 93% of grants to recipients in its headquarters state and Alabama as the top state by grant count. Birmingham appears often, including grants to the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the Birmingham Museum of Art, Alabama Ballet, Better Basics, Stair, and Sidewalk Film Center. Other Alabama recipients include Auburn in Lee County, Tuscaloosa, Montgomery, and Sylacauga. Outside Alabama, the recent grant list includes Scholarship America in Saint Peter, Minnesota, but the recipient-country distribution is otherwise entirely U.S.-based.
The foundation supports Alabama colleges and universities, scholarship administrators, and educational and cultural nonprofits. Recent recipients include Auburn University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the University of Alabama, Scholarship America, the Birmingham Museum of Art, Alabama Ballet, Alabama Archives & History, Better Basics, Stair, BB Comer Memorial Library, and Sidewalk Film Center.
Yes. Scholarships are a major part of its giving, often paired with institutional support. Recent university grants to Auburn University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and the University of Alabama were each described as support for the organization and scholarships, and Scholarship America also received repeated grants for scholarship support.
Typical grants are modest, with a p25 of $5,000, a median of $10,000, and a p75 of $26,250. The recent grant list also includes much larger awards for university and scholarship-related support, showing a wide range within a scholarship-centered portfolio.
It gives most often in Alabama. The data shows 93% of grants to recipients in the headquarters state, and the recent grants are concentrated in Alabama cities such as Auburn, Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Montgomery, and Sylacauga.
Yes. Scholarship America appears in the recent grants list multiple times, including awards of $85,900 in 2023, $48,079 in 2024, and $40,810 in 2025. That pattern shows the foundation uses a scholarship intermediary alongside direct institutional giving.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Comer Foundation C/O 1919 Investment Counsel that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Applicants must provide their organization's IRS tax-exempt letter. Proposals should address alignment with The Comer Foundation's mission and include organizational, project, financial, board, and evaluation information. The Foundation primarily supports needs in Alabama, particularly Jefferson, Talladega, and Barbour counties.
Deadline: November 1 annually.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn University | Auburn, AL | $228,000 | 2026 | To support organization and provide scholarships |
| University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL | $155,000 | 2026 | To support organization and provide scholarships |
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | Birmingham, AL | $147,000 | 2026 | To support organization and provide scholarships |
| Scholarship America | Saint Peter, MN | $61,840 | 2026 | To support organization and provide scholarships |
| Wallace State Community College | Hanceville, AL | $43,874 | 2026 | To support organization |
| Alabama Ballet | Birmingham, AL | $37,500 | 2026 | To support organization |
| Birmingham Musuem of Art | Birmingham, AL | $37,500 | 2026 | To support organization |
| Alabama Archives & History | Montgomery, AL | $35,000 | 2026 | To support organization |
| Alabama Symphony | Birmingham, AL | $29,500 | 2026 | To support organization |
| BB Comer Memorial Library | Sylacauga, AL | $26,000 | 2026 | To support organization |
| Better Basics | Birmingham, AL | $20,000 | 2026 | To support organization |
| Sidewalk Film Center | Birmingham, AL | $15,000 | 2026 | To support organization |
| STAIR | Birmingham, AL | $15,000 | 2026 | To support organization |
| I3 Academy | Birmingham, AL | $12,000 | 2026 | To support the organization |
| Alabama Public Television | Birmingham, AL | $10,000 | 2026 | To support organization |
| Maranatha FLC and Academy | Homewood, AL | $10,000 | 2026 | To support organization |
| Cahaba Foundation | Selma, AL | $10,000 | 2026 | To support organization |
| Alabama Wildlife Federation | Millbrook, AL | $7,500 | 2026 | To support organization |
| First Light | Birmingham, AL | $7,000 | 2026 | To support organization |
| Vulcan Park Foundation | Birmingham, AL | $5,000 | 2026 | To support organization |
| Special Equestrians Inc | Pelham, AL | $5,000 | 2026 | To support organization |
| Ronald McDonald House Charities | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | To support organization |
| Boy Scouts of America | Birmingham, AL | $5,000 | 2026 | To support organization |
| Jones Valley Teaching Farm | Birmingham, AL | $5,000 | 2026 | To support organization |
| Exceptional Foundation | Birmingham, AL | $5,000 | 2026 | To support the organization |
| Red Mountain Theatre | Birmingham, AL | $5,000 | 2026 | To support organization |
| Teach For America | Birmingham, AL | $5,000 | 2026 | To support organization |
| Preschool Partners | Birmingham, AL | $5,000 | 2026 | To support organization |
| Birmingham Zoo | Birmingham, AL | $5,000 | 2026 | To support organization |
| Portraits for Hope | Birmingham, AL | $4,500 | 2026 | To support organization |
| City of Mountain Brook | Mountain Brook, AL | $3,500 | 2026 | To support community |
| Bluff City Arts Alliance | Eufaula, AL | $2,500 | 2026 | To support organization |
| Mountain Brook City Schools | Birmingham, AL | $2,500 | 2026 | To support organization |
| Breakthrough Birmingham | Birmingham, AL | $2,500 | 2026 | To support organization |
| American Chestnut Society | Asheville, NC | $1,000 | 2026 | To support organization |
| Girlspring | Birmingham, AL | $1,000 | 2026 | To support organization |
| Cahaba River Society | Birmingham, AL | $1,000 | 2026 | To support organization |
| Auburn University | Auburn, AL | $132,000 | 2025 | To support organization and provide scholarships |
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | Birmingham, AL | $90,000 | 2025 | To support organization and provide scholarships |
| University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL | $72,000 | 2025 | To support organization and provide scholarships |
| Scholarship America | Saint Peter, MN | $40,810 | 2025 | To support organization and provide scholarships |
| Alabama Ballet | Birmingham, AL | $35,000 | 2025 | To support organization |
| Birmingham Musuem of Art | Birmingham, AL | $35,000 | 2025 | To support organization |
| Alabama Archives & History | Montgomery, AL | $30,000 | 2025 | To support organization |
| BB Comer Memorial Library | Sylacauga, AL | $20,000 | 2025 | To support organization |
| Better Basics | Birmingham, AL | $20,000 | 2025 | To support organization |
| Alabama Symphony | Birmingham, AL | $15,000 | 2025 | To support organization |
| STAIR | Birmingham, AL | $15,000 | 2025 | To support organization |
| Sidewalk Film Center | Birmingham, AL | $15,000 | 2025 | To support organization |
| I3 Academy | Birmingham, AL | $12,000 | 2025 | To support the organization |
Auburn University
$228,000To support organization and provide scholarships
University of Alabama
$155,000To support organization and provide scholarships
University of Alabama at Birmingham
$147,000To support organization and provide scholarships
Scholarship America
$61,840To support organization and provide scholarships
Wallace State Community College
$43,874To support organization
Alabama Ballet
$37,500To support organization
Birmingham Musuem of Art
$37,500To support organization
Alabama Archives & History
$35,000To support organization
Alabama Symphony
$29,500To support organization
BB Comer Memorial Library
$26,000To support organization
Sidewalk Film Center
$15,000To support organization
STAIR
$15,000To support organization
Alabama Public Television
$10,000To support organization
Maranatha FLC and Academy
$10,000To support organization
Cahaba Foundation
$10,000To support organization
First Light
$7,000To support organization
Special Equestrians Inc
$5,000To support organization
Boy Scouts of America
$5,000To support organization
Jones Valley Teaching Farm
$5,000To support organization
Teach For America
$5,000To support organization
Portraits for Hope
$4,500To support organization
City of Mountain Brook
$3,500To support community
Bluff City Arts Alliance
$2,500To support organization
Mountain Brook City Schools
$2,500To support organization
American Chestnut Society
$1,000To support organization
Girlspring
$1,000To support organization
Cahaba River Society
$1,000To support organization
University of Alabama at Birmingham
$90,000To support organization and provide scholarships
University of Alabama
$72,000To support organization and provide scholarships
Scholarship America
$40,810To support organization and provide scholarships
Birmingham Musuem of Art
$35,000To support organization
Alabama Archives & History
$30,000To support organization
BB Comer Memorial Library
$20,000To support organization
Sidewalk Film Center
$15,000To support organization