This organization files Form 990, which has no section for application policy. Its filings cannot say either way.
The latest filing we hold carries no statement about applications. That is not the same as closed: public-charity Form 990s have no field for it, and many foundations leave the section blank.
Grants paid by year
Total assets by year
Where the money went · FY2025
Form 990 splits expenses into program services, management and fundraising. The split is self-reported, and a grantmaker, a research institute and a direct-service nonprofit book the same work differently. A line the return does not carry reads "not available"; it is never counted as zero.
| Year | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | 990 | $27,673,521 | $14,922,122 | $10,872,479 | $214,494,117 | $213,632,735 |
| FY2024 | 990 | $26,790,188 | $12,071,547 | $9,174,632 | $194,257,683 | $193,519,603 |
| FY2023 | 990 | $17,712,238 | $12,862,991 | $8,889,935 | $165,505,905 | $164,615,582 |
| FY2022 | 990 | $19,113,544 | $14,010,726 | $10,189,671 | $151,472,857 | $150,350,550 |
| FY2021 | 990 | $22,965,216 | $10,497,672 | $7,440,930 | $175,992,217 | $174,857,012 |
Figures are as reported on the e-filed return, with no restatement. Fiscal years are the funder's own tax year, labelled by the calendar year the period ends in. A blank line means the return does not carry that figure; a real zero shows as $0. When an amended return replaces an original, every figure here uses the amended return. The original is not shown. Giving is what the funder actually paid out toward its charitable purpose in the year (qualifying distributions on Form 990-PF, charitable disbursements otherwise). Assets are what it holds; giving is what moves.
Recipient focus areas
Where recipients are
Based on the 100% of grant rows we could match to an organization record. The rest stay as reported. The IRS assigns the NTEE category when it grants exemption. It often reflects the original filing, not today's giving.
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPIHATTIESBURG, MS | USM PROGRAMS | $10,795,808 | 2025 | |
Recipients are shown as the funder wrote them on the return. A recipient with a link was matched to an organization record; the rest stay as reported and are never guessed.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stace Mercier | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/SECRETARY | 40.00 | $142,034 |
| Elissa Ernst | CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER | 40.00 | $104,572 |
| Leslee Smith | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER | 40.00 | $87,337 |
| Chris Anderson | PRESIDENT |
From the officer list on the latest e-filed return. Compensation is as reported there; a blank means the return carries no figure.
| USM PROGRAMS |
| $10,126,584 |
| 2022 |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPIHATTIESBURG, MS | USM PROGRAMS | $9,064,109 | 2024 |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPIHATTIESBURG, MS | USM PROGRAMS | $8,560,792 | 2023 |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPIHATTIESBURG, MS | USM PROGRAMS | $7,391,834 | 2021 |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONHATTIESBURG, MS | USM ALUMNI PROGRAMS | $43,100 | 2024 |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONHATTIESBURG, MS | USM ALUMNI PROGRAMS | $37,659 | 2023 |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONHATTIESBURG, MS | USM ALUMNI PROGRAMS | $25,360 | 2022 |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONHATTIESBURG, MS | USM ALUMNI PROGRAMS | $18,792 | 2021 |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MS ATHLETIC FOUNDATIONHATTIESBURG, MS | USM ATHLETICS | $11,467 | 2022 |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MS ATHLETIC FOUNDATIONHATTIESBURG, MS | USM ATHLETICS | $11,085 | 2023 |
| UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONHATTIESBURG, MS | USM ALUMNI PROGRAMS | $9,310 | 2025 |
| UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI RESEARCH FOUNDATIONHATTIESBURG, MS | USM RESEARCH ACTIVITIES | $9,000 | 2024 |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MS ATHLETIC FOUNDATIONHATTIESBURG, MS | USM ATHLETICS | $8,803 | 2024 |
| UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MS ATHLETIC FOUNDATIONHATTIESBURG, MS | USM ATHLETICS | $8,762 | 2025 |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MS ATHLETIC FOUNDATIONHATTIESBURG, MS | USM ATHLETICS | $5,425 | 2021 |
| 0.52 |
| $0 |
| Omar Nelson | VICE PRESIDENT | 0.54 | $0 |
| Wade Howk Treasurer | AND FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIR | 0.23 | $0 |
| Joe Quinlan | IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT | 0.52 | $0 |
| Rebecca Boudreaux | BOARD MEMBER | 0.27 | $0 |
| Carlen Chestang | BOARD MEMBER | 0.38 | $0 |
| Alan Coats | BOARD MEMBER | 1.83 | $0 |
| Lisa Conn | BOARD MEMBER | 0.42 | $0 |
| Beverly Dale | BOARD MEMBER | 1.96 | $0 |
| Robert Donnell | BOARD MEMBER | 0.46 | $0 |
| Cindy Gaddis | MEMBER-AT-LARGE | 0.60 | $0 |
| Tom Gibbens | BOARD MEMBER | 0.35 | $0 |
| Kevin Gilbert | BOARD MEMBER | 0.29 | $0 |
| Carol Jones-Russell | POLICY AND BYLAWS COMMITTEE CHAIR | 0.29 | $0 |
| Scott Lanehart | BOARD MEMBER | 0.44 | $0 |
| Joy Lightsey | BOARD MEMBER | 0.40 | $0 |
| Vickie Lock | BOARD MEMBER | 0.40 | $0 |
| Adele Lyons | BOARD MEMBER | 0.46 | $0 |
| Keith Mooney | BOARD MEMBER | 0.54 | $0 |
| Gerald Mumford | BOARD MEMBER | 1.62 | $0 |
| Jennifer Payne | BOARD MEMBER | 0.33 | $0 |
| Rhonda Phillips | BOARD MEMBER | 0.15 | $0 |
| Roderick Posey | BOARD MEMBER | 0.52 | $0 |
| Tracy Powell | RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE CHAIR | 0.60 | $0 |
| Chuck Scianna | BOARD MEMBER - THRU 1/14/2025 | 0.29 | $0 |
| Demario Smith | BOARD MEMBER | 0.35 | $0 |
| Steve Strickland | INVESTMENT COMMITTEE CHAIR | 0.65 | $0 |
| Edward Taylor | BOARD MEMBER | 0.13 | $0 |
| Adalius Thomas | BOARD MEMBER | 0.21 | $0 |
| Susan Williams | BOARD MEMBER | 0.25 | $0 |
| Alvis Wright | BOARD MEMBER | 0.37 | $0 |