The Deacon Fund concentrates its giving on local faith-based organizations in the Birmingham area, providing large unrestricted grants to support general operations and ministry activities. Its funding appears targeted and relationship-driven, with repeat multi-hundred-thousand-dollar awards to a very small number of recipients that focus on congregational life and religious/music programming.
Highly concentrated giving: very few grants (4 total) with large amounts, repeat funding to the same two organizations, focused on general operating support rather than many small or diverse grantees.
Deacon Fund’s recent giving is defined by large, unrestricted support to a small set of faith-based organizations, with repeat awards reaching Sacred Selections and Vestavia Church of Christ. The foundation’s pattern centers on general support and ministry activities rather than a broad portfolio of issue-specific project grants. Its largest recent grant was $500,000 to Sacred Selections for general support, followed by a $335,000 grant to Vestavia Church of Christ for general purposes. Another $250,000 award to Sacred Selections and a $125,000 award to Vestavia Church of Christ show that the same recipients can receive multiple sizeable grants across years. A smaller $50,000 grant to Indian Christian Evangelization Fund Inc for general support adds another religious organization to the mix, but the overall profile remains tightly concentrated. The result is a funder profile built around church operations, ministry support, and religious programming, with a strong emphasis on sustained relationships rather than a wide spread of grantees.
Deacon Fund supports congregational life through unrestricted church funding. Vestavia Church of Church received $335,000 in 2023 for general purposes and $125,000 in 2025 for general support, indicating repeated backing for church operations. The foundation also supports religious music and ministry work: Sacred Selections received $250,000 in 2023 for general support and $500,000 in 2025 for general support, making it one of the clearest examples of the funder’s interest in religious programming. A separate $50,000 grant to Indian Christian Evangelization Fund Inc for general support extends that pattern to another faith-based organization. Across these awards, the grant purposes remain broad rather than project-specific, with general support and ministry funding recurring in the recent record.
Deacon Fund gives in large amounts, with a typical grant size of $271,250 at the 25th percentile, $292,500 at the median, and $313,750 at the 75th percentile. The recent record shows repeated awards to the same recipients across multiple years, pointing to ongoing relationships rather than one-off gifts. Its funding is concentrated and regional, with grants tied to a small number of faith-based organizations. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. The pattern visible in the recent grants is straightforward general support, often at multi-hundred-thousand-dollar levels.
$1.3M
$4M
$799K
$704K
Most grants fall between $271K and $314K, with a median of $293K.
25th Percentile
$271K
Median
$293K
75th Percentile
$314K
About 50% of grants go to recipients in AL.
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Notable grantees: Sacred Selections, Vestavia Church of Christ
Deacon Fund’s grantmaking lands entirely in the United States. Alabama is the top state by grant count and also receives 50% of grants, which aligns with the foundation’s Birmingham base and its support for Vestavia Hills organizations. Recent recipients include Vestavia Hills, AL; Folsom, CA; and Ponte Vedra, FL. The geographic spread is regional rather than national, but the recipient list still includes organizations outside Alabama, including Sacred Selections in California and Indian Christian Evangelization Fund Inc in Florida.
The recent grants point to faith-based organizations, especially congregations and religious ministries. Examples include general support for church operations, religious music or ministry programming, and support for another Christian evangelization organization.
Yes. Sacred Selections received $250,000 in 2023 and $500,000 in 2025, while Vestavia Church of Christ received $335,000 in 2023 and $125,000 in 2025. That pattern suggests sustained relationships with a small number of recipients.
The typical grant size is large: $271,250 at the 25th percentile, $292,500 at the median, and $313,750 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards also include a $500,000 grant and several other six-figure grants.
Alabama receives 50% of the grants and is the top state by grant count. Recent recipients also appear in California and Florida, but the overall pattern is concentrated in the Birmingham-area faith-based ecosystem.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals; its recent record is entirely made up of grants to organizations.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SACRED SELECTIONS | FOLSOM, CA | $500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| VESTAVIA CHURCH OF CHRIST | VESTAVIA HILLS, AL | $125,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| INDIAN CHRISTIAN EVANGELIZATION FUND INC | PONTE VEDRA, FL | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| VESTAVIA CHURCH OF CHRIST | VESTAVIA HILLS, AL | $335,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| SACRED SELECTIONS | FOLSOM, CA | $250,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
SACRED SELECTIONS
$500,000GENERAL SUPPORT
VESTAVIA CHURCH OF CHRIST
$125,000GENERAL
INDIAN CHRISTIAN EVANGELIZATION FUND INC
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
VESTAVIA CHURCH OF CHRIST
$335,000GENERAL
SACRED SELECTIONS
$250,000GENERAL