Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation
The Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation is a private foundation based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, all of them in North Carolina, including support for a church, schools, cultural organizations, and community organizations.
Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation at a glance
In short: Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation gave $345K across 51 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in North Carolina. 20% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $345,000
- +52.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 51
- +13.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,765
- +34.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $9,054,148
- +12.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (10 of 51, 2025)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (100% 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 Koonce Burnette Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 17003, Raleigh, NC 27619-7003
Phone: (919) 787-7585
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was White Memorial Presbyterian Church ($200K). Together the top 10 received $305K.
Grant Size Distribution
291 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 288 grants of 291 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in North Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 51 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 51 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $750 first-time, $1K repeat.
- 69% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 113% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 92% 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 (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $150K (2023) to $345K (2025). In 2025 it made 51 grants totaling $345K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| White Memorial Presbyterian Church Raleigh, NC | Capital Campaign, Disaster Relief, & General Support | $200,000 |
| Saint Mary's School Raleigh, NC | Endowments | $21,325 |
| YMCA of the Triangle Area Inc Raleigh, NC | Endowment & General Support | $16,000 |
| NC Museum of History Foundation Raleigh, NC | Capital Campaign, Endowment, & General Support | $13,500 |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC | Endowments & Cancer Center | $11,500 |
| Ravenscroft School Raleigh, NC | Endowments & General Support | $10,500 |
| DIX Park Conservancy Raleigh, NC | Capital Campaign | $10,010 |
| Step up Ministry Raleigh, NC | Capital Campaign | $10,000 |
| Yates Mill Associates Raleigh, NC | Capital Campaign | $7,500 |
| YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly Black Mountain, NC | General Support | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation?
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 | $9,054,148 | $1,253,560 | $351,256 | $345,000 | 51 | $345,000 | $47,304 | $375,592 |
| 2024 | $8,067,667 | $456,144 | $233,008 | $226,500 | 45 | $226,500 | $34,636 | $342,293 |
| 2023 | $5,553,875 | $237,664 | $155,906 | $149,650 | 42 | $149,650 | $14,210 | $224,391 |
| 2022 | $3,016,442 | $173,233 | $170,117 | $162,000 | 34 | $162,000 | $17,912 | $148,745 |
| 2021 | $3,327,339 | $153,715 | $287,697 | $270,975 | 119 | $270,975 | $137,824 | $162,196 |
| 2020 | $7,413,828 | $89,230 | $332,133 | $316,500 | 148 | — | $74,155 | $271,459 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation reported a distributable amount of $376K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support designated for capital campaigns, endowments, general support, disaster relief, and a cancer center.
Among the recipients, Saint Mary’s School describes itself as an independent college-preparatory girls’ boarding and day school serving grades 9–12. Ravenscroft School describes its work as operating a nonprofit school from preschool through grade 12. Yates Mill Associates says it restores and preserves a historic gristmill through education and tours. The North Carolina Museum of Art Foundation describes its work as stewarding and sharing the state’s art collection and connecting communities to cultural and natural resources.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 51 grants totaling $345,000. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $200,000, with a median of $1,000. Its largest grants included $200,000 to White Memorial Presbyterian Church for a capital campaign, disaster relief, and general support; $21,325 to Saint Mary’s School for endowments; $16,000 to YMCA of the Triangle Area for endowment and general support; $13,500 to the NC Museum of History Foundation for a capital campaign, endowment, and general support; and $11,500 to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for endowments and a cancer center.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Victor E. Bell III as chair, vice-president, and secretary, and Mary Grady Koonce Bell as vice chair, president, and treasurer.
Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation is led by Mary Grady Koonce Bell, Vice Chair, President & Treasurer since 2022 (on filings since 2020); none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Mary Grady Koonce Bell
Vice Chair, President & Treasurer
Assistant Treasurer → Vice Chair, President & Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Victor E. Bell III
Chair, Vice President & Secretary
Chairman → Chair, Vice President & Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Daniel L. Cook (2020–2021) — Assistant Vice President
- Former: Fairley Bell Cook (2020–2021) — President & Treasurer
- Former: John McNair Bell (2020–2021) — Vice President & Secretary
- Former: Laura Schaefer Bell (2020–2021) — Assistant Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Koonce Burnette Foundation
How much does Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation give each year?
Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation gave $345K across 51 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $227K across 45 grants.
What is Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation's typical grant size?
Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $6,765, across 51 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation that year got $1K on average.
Where does Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation give grants?
Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation gives mostly in North Carolina: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Raleigh, NC (31 grants), Beaufort, NC (3 grants), Chapel Hill, NC (2 grants) and Montreat, NC (2 grants).
Does Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 86% of Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (44 of 51) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Capital Campaign" (3 grants).
Who are Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation's largest grantees?
Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include White Memorial Presbyterian Church ($200,000), Saint Mary's School ($21,325) and YMCA of the Triangle Area Inc ($16,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 69% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation?
Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation reported $9.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $345K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $376K (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 Koonce Burnette Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support designated for capital campaigns, endowments, general support, disaster relief, and a cancer center. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation?
The foundation states that it 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 Koonce Burnette Foundation's EIN?
Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-2019191. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Bell Koonce Burnette 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 7, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in North Carolina
Duke Energy Foundation
Charlotte, NC
The Duke Energy Foundation funds workforce and local economic development, disaster resilience, conservation, clean water, and economic opportunity in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Its 2024 grants had a median of $25,000; applications for grants of $20,000 or less are accepted year-round, after applicants discuss proposals with a state representative.
Assets
$1.9M
Grants
41
Total Given
$25.6M
Triangle Community Foundation Inc
Durham, NC
The foundation supports nonprofits in cultural arts, education and youth, nonprofit capacity building, and sustainable communities, with grants also benefiting fields such as health, conservation, and human services. Its 2025 grants had a median of $20,000 and ranged from about $5,000 to $1.39 million; it primarily serves Durham, Orange, Wake, and Chatham Counties in North Carolina. It accepts applications for competitive discretionary programs during open grant cycles; donor-advised fund grants are also made.
Assets
$335.8M
Grants
599
Total Given
$26.7M
North Carolina Community Foundation Inc
Raleigh, NC
The North Carolina Community Foundation supports charitable organizations and community programs in areas such as human services, education, youth development, health, food and nutrition, and the arts. Its typical grant was $15,000 in 2025; it serves communities statewide, with an emphasis on rural North Carolina, and accepts applications through specific affiliate, giving-circle, and other grant programs.
Assets
$569.1M
Grants
732
Total Given
$30.6M
State Employees Credit Union Foundation
Raleigh, NC
The foundation funds capital projects, regional or statewide programs, and organizational capacity building that strengthen North Carolina communities; it favors projects with broad or replicable impact and does not fund operating budgets or shortfalls. Its 2025 grants ranged from $1,250 to $1 million, with a median of $2,500. Applications are accepted at any time and typically reviewed semiannually.
Assets
$61.0M
Grants
1,806
Total Given
$17.4M
Foundation for the Carolinas
Charlotte, NC
Foundation For The Carolinas funds education and youth development, environmental and wildlife work, health and human services, and animal welfare, with a reported median grant of $25,000 in 2024. Its competitive programs focus on Charlotte-Mecklenburg, the Carolinas, and specific local communities, while donor-advised funds may support eligible nonprofits more broadly; it accepts applications for some competitive grants, but most grants are recommended by fund advisors and have no application process.
Assets
$3.9B
Grants
1,605
Total Given
$609.1M
Dogwood Health Trust
Asheville, NC
Dogwood Health Trust funds work in housing, education, economic opportunity, and health and wellness that improves wellbeing in Western North Carolina, including its 18 counties and the Qualla Boundary. Its 2024 grants ranged from $2,000 to $21 million, with a median of $37,500; application requirements vary by funding opportunity.
Assets
$2.0B
Grants
835
Total Given
$148.2M
More similar funders
More Funders in North Carolina
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/bell-koonce-burnette-foundation-morg_b7731ae013c14c94930ed7b5d295dcb2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_562019191_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/bell-koonce-burnette-foundation-morg_b7731ae013c14c94930ed7b5d295dcb2},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Koonce Burnette 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.
Bell Koonce Burnette Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?