Bell Cook Family Foundation
Bell Cook Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Its 2025 filing lists 66 grants totaling $321,500, with 98% of grant dollars going to recipients in North Carolina.
Bell Cook Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Bell Cook Family Foundation gave $322K across 66 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in North Carolina. 30% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $321,500
- +42.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 66
- +22.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,871
- +16.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,500
- Total assets
- $7,955,767
- +3.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 30% first-time grantees (20 of 66, 2025)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (98% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Bell Cook Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2105 Cook Ridge Ct, Raleigh, NC 27615
Phone: (919) 787-7585
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Bell Cook Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Appalachian State Univ Found ($57K). Together the top 10 received $197K.
Grant Size Distribution
232 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 230 grants of 232 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 98% of grant dollars went to organizations in North Carolina. The remaining amounts went to recipients in Maryland (1%) and the District of Columbia, Virginia, and South Carolina (each reported as 0%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 66 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Bell Cook Family Foundation open to new grantees?
30%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 20 of 66 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 56% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 97% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 90% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2022–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $148K (2023) to $322K (2025). In 2025 it made 66 grants totaling $322K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Appalachian State Univ Found Boone, NC | General Support | $57,000 |
| NC Musuem of Art Foundation Raleigh, NC | General Support | $26,250 |
| Yates Mill Associates Inc Raleigh, NC | General Support | $25,000 |
| Saint Andrews Presbyterian Church Raleigh, NC | General Support | $22,290 |
| NSCDA-NC Wilmington, NC | General Support | $12,825 |
| NCSU Foundation Inc Raleigh, NC | General Support | $12,500 |
| NC Musuem of History Foundation Raleigh, NC | General Support | $11,250 |
| Foundation of Hope Raleigh, NC | General Support | $10,150 |
| North Raleigh Ministries Raleigh, NC | General Support | $10,000 |
| Transitions Lifecare Raleigh, NC | General Support | $10,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $7,955,767 | $503,748 | $343,557 | $321,500 | 66 | $321,500 | $96,044 | $355,920 |
| 2024 | $7,699,683 | $899,680 | $232,882 | $225,081 | 54 | $225,081 | $492,277 | $321,286 |
| 2023 | $5,332,779 | $14,625 | $155,082 | $148,275 | 56 | $148,275 | $12,220 | $223,820 |
| 2022 | $3,019,315 | $158,164 | $169,157 | $163,525 | 56 | $163,525 | $6,118 | $149,034 |
| 2021 | $3,325,810 | $19,564 | $44 | — | — | — | $19,520 | $163,525 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Bell Cook Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $356K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation has not provided a mission statement in the available information. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose missions span historic preservation, arts, food access, housing, and services for families and individuals in crisis. For example, Yates Mill Associates says it works to restore and preserve a historic gristmill through education and tours; A Place at the Table says it provides community and good food regardless of means; and North Raleigh Ministries says it equips families and individuals in crisis with resources and skills to achieve stability.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 66 grants totaling $321,500. Grant amounts ranged from $50 to $57,000, with a median grant of $1,500. Its largest grants included $57,000 to Appalachian State University Foundation, $26,250 to NC Museum of Art Foundation, $25,000 to Yates Mill Associates, and $22,290 to Saint Andrews Presbyterian Church. Each was listed for general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Fairley Bell Cook is listed as President and Treasurer.
Bell Cook Family Foundation is led by Fairley Bell Cook, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2021 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Fairley Bell Cook
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Daniel L. Cook (2021–2024) — Vice President & Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Bell Cook Family Foundation
How much does Bell Cook Family Foundation give each year?
Bell Cook Family Foundation gave $322K across 66 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $225K across 54 grants.
What is Bell Cook Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Bell Cook Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,500, and its average grant was $4,871, across 66 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Bell Cook Family Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does Bell Cook Family Foundation give grants?
Bell Cook Family Foundation gives mostly in North Carolina: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Raleigh, NC (38 grants), Montreat, NC (5 grants), Charlotte, NC (4 grants) and Boone, NC (3 grants).
Does Bell Cook Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Bell Cook Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (66 of 66) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Bell Cook Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Bell Cook Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Appalachian State Univ Found ($57,000), NC Musuem of Art Foundation ($26,250) and Yates Mill Associates Inc ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Bell Cook Family Foundation?
Bell Cook Family Foundation reported $8.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $322K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $356K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Bell Cook Family Foundation fund?
The foundation has not provided a mission statement in the available information. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose missions span historic preservation, arts, food access, housing, and services for families and individuals in crisis. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Bell Cook Family Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Bell Cook Family Foundation's EIN?
Bell Cook Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-3979061. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Bell Cook Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Live grants for the work Bell Cook Family Foundation funds
Human Services Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Bell Cook Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Bell Cook Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/bell-cook-family-foundation-morg_bad8ce03eb564216a6514a33860f31da
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_853979061_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Bell Cook Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/bell-cook-family-foundation-morg_bad8ce03eb564216a6514a33860f31da},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Bell Cook Family Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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