The Curtis Foundation
Raleigh, NC · EIN 56-1257146. Reported 249 grants totalling $5,230,905 to 84 recipients across tax years 2021-2025. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. The Curtis Foundation did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $5,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $2,500 and $5,000; the smallest was $50 and the largest $2,915,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill, NC | $2,936,100 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Unc Educational Foundation Inc | Chapel Hill, NC | $1,140,250 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| American Red Cross | Raleigh, NC | $67,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| First United Methodist Church Bessemer | Bessemer City, NC | $59,600 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Durham Rescue Mission | Durham, NC | $50,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Edenton Street United Methodist Church | Raleigh, NC | $46,300 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Raleigh Rescue Mission | Raleigh, NC | $45,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Carolina Women's Leadership Council | Chapel Hill, NC | $40,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| The University of Georgia Foundation | Athens, GA | $40,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Methodist Home for Children | Goldsboro, NC | $39,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Duke Health Development & Alumni Affairs | Durham, NC | $35,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Unc Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center | Chapel Hill, NC | $33,100 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| North Carolina Broadcast Museum | Washington, NC | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Wakemed Foundation | Raleigh, NC | $30,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Unc Health Foundation | Chapel Hill, NC | $27,500 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Broadcasters Foundation of America | New York, NY | $25,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Food Bank of Central & Eastern Nc | Raleigh, NC | $25,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Guilford College | Greensboro, NC | $25,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Inter-Faith Food Shuttle | Raleigh, NC | $25,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| One More Refuge | Wake Forest, NC | $25,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Salvation Army | Raleigh, NC | $25,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| SPCA of Wake County | Raleigh, NC | $25,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Tammy Lynn Center | Raleigh, NC | $25,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Transitions Lifecare | Raleigh, NC | $25,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| United Way of the Greater Triangle | Durham, NC | $25,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| William Peace University | Raleigh, NC | $25,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Green Chair Project | Raleigh, NC | $22,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Jdrf | Raleigh, NC | $20,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Urban Ministries of the Greater Triangle | Raleigh, NC | $20,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Dix Park Conservancy | Raleigh, NC | $15,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Institute for Responsible Citizenship | Washington, DC | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Meals on Wheels | Raleigh, NC | $15,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Alliance Medicial Ministry | Raleigh, NC | $12,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Family Promise of Wake County | Raleigh, NC | $12,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Higher Education Works Foundation | Raleigh, NC | $12,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Journey Mates | Raleigh, NC | $12,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Safe Child | Raleigh, NC | $12,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Young Life | Colorado Springs, CO | $12,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Best Nc | Cary, NC | $10,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Rex Healthcare Foundation | Raleigh, NC | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Scotland Memorial Foundation | Laurinburg, NC | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Unc Women's Leadership Council | Chapel Hill, NC | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Bessemer City History and Arts Society | Bessemer City, NC | $9,500 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Focus | Golden, CO | $8,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Boys and Girls Club of Coastal Carolina | Morehead City, NC | $6,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Nc Conference of the United Methodist Church | Garner, NC | $6,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Leukemia & Lymphoma Society | Charlotte, NC | $5,500 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Breakthrough T1D | Raleigh, NC | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| My Kid's Club | Selma, NC | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Occoneechee Council | Raleigh, NC | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Prevent Blindness Nc | Raleigh, NC | $5,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Unc Tv | Durham, NC | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| North Caroliniana Society | Raleigh, NC | $4,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Shepherd's Table | Raleigh, NC | $4,500 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Page Alumni and Friends Association | Greensboro, NC | $4,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Mount Pleasant Baptist Church | Belmont, NC | $3,550 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| North Carolina State University | Raleigh, NC | $3,545 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Ruth Sheets Adult Day Care Center | Raleigh, NC | $3,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Unc Wesley Campus Ministry | Chapel Hill, NC | $3,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Fitch Pediatric Rehab | Chapel Hill, NC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Iglesia Nueva Esperanza | Raleigh, NC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Saint Saviour's Center | Raleigh, NC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| St Mark's United Methodist Church | Raleigh, NC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Laurinburg-Scotland County Chamber of Commerce | Laurinburg, NC | $2,210 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| St John's Lutheran Lcms | Glen Arm, MD | $2,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Appalachian State University | Boone, NC | $1,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Pancreatic Cancer Action Network | Manhattan Beach, CA | $1,250 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Broughton High School Caps Club | Raleigh, NC | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Church Community Services of Scotland County | Laurinburg, NC | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Jan & Lucy Caddell Legacy Scholarship Fund | West Jefferson, NC | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Kappa Delta | Chapel Hill, NC | $1,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Nc Botanical Garden | Chapel Hill, NC | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Pittsboro United Methodist Church | Pittsboro, NC | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| St Michael's Episcopal Church | Raleigh, NC | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Stone Soup | Seabrook, NH | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Tis the Season | Laurinburg, NC | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Carolina Alumni | Chapel Hill, NC | $300 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Habitat for Humanity of Scotland County | Laurinburg, NC | $250 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| First United Methodist Church Laurinburg | Laurinburg, NC | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Lancaster SPCA | Lancaster, PA | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Uttermost Ministries | Wake Forest, NC | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Calvary Chapel Chine Hill | Chino, CA | $50 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Compassionate Care Western Nc | Burnsville, NC | $50 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Home Moravian Church | Winstonsalem, NC | $50 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
54 of 84 (64%) received money in more than one year over the 5 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 79%, across 4 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is unusually consistent. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 81 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 51 | $3,121,850 | $2,500 |
| 2022 | 47 | $204,505 | $5,000 |
| 2023 | 48 | $1,314,900 | $5,000 |
| 2024 | 47 | $201,850 | $3,500 |
| 2025 | 56 | $387,800 | $5,000 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Where its money goes
98% of its giving went to organizations in North Carolina. If your organization is based elsewhere, look in the recipient list for grants to your area before writing.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $5,000. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in North Carolina.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from The Curtis Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 5 returns (tax years 2021-2025). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.
Address of record on the latest return: 3012 Highwoods Blvd Suite 201, Raleigh, NC, 27604. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 56-1257146 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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