Bell Schaefer Family Foundation
Bell Schaefer Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including organizations working in health, arts and culture, community services, and education-related areas.
Bell Schaefer Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Bell Schaefer Family Foundation gave $319K across 60 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in North Carolina. 23% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $318,625
- +47.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 60
- +13.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,310
- +30.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $6,984,118
- -4.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (14 of 60, 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 September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Bell Schaefer 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: 4804 Westgreen Ct, Raleigh, NC 27612
Phone: (919) 787-7585
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Bell Schaefer Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was UNC Health Foundation ($112K). Together the top 10 received $278K.
Grant Size Distribution
206 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 203 grants of 206 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina and 1% to recipients in California. The listed recipients include organizations in Raleigh and Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 60 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Bell Schaefer Family Foundation open to new grantees?
23%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 14 of 60 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $1K repeat.
- 72% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 95% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 97% 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 $150K (2023) to $319K (2025). In 2025 it made 60 grants totaling $319K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UNC Health Foundation Chapel Hill, NC | Endowments and Cancer Center | $112,000 |
| North Carolina Art Museum Raleigh, NC | General Support | $50,000 |
| White Memorial Presbyterian Church Raleigh, NC | General Support | $35,000 |
| NCSU Foundation Raleigh, NC | General Support | $28,000 |
| North Carolina Museum of History Raleigh, NC | General Support | $25,000 |
| The Great Raleigh Cleanup Raleigh, NC | General Support | $10,000 |
| Haven House Services Raleigh, NC | General Support | $6,000 |
| DIX Park Conservancy Raleigh, NC | General Support | $5,000 |
| YMCA of the Triangle Raleigh, NC | General Support | $3,550 |
| Wolfpack Investors Network Raleigh, NC | General Support | $3,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Bell Schaefer Family 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 | $6,984,118 | $304,200 | $328,820 | $318,625 | 60 | $318,625 | $298,619 | $328,067 |
| 2024 | $7,271,871 | $201,498 | $224,426 | $216,580 | 53 | $216,580 | $195,883 | $319,210 |
| 2023 | $5,186,475 | $85,663 | $155,859 | $149,676 | 51 | $149,676 | $79,565 | $215,971 |
| 2022 | $2,870,552 | $8,176 | $169,191 | $163,495 | 42 | $163,495 | $6,098 | $149,676 |
| 2021 | $3,325,808 | $21,683 | $44 | — | — | — | $21,639 | $163,495 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Bell Schaefer Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $328K 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 include general support for organizations such as the North Carolina Art Museum and White Memorial Presbyterian Church, as well as support for UNC Health Foundation’s endowments and cancer center.
The grantees describe their own work in varied terms. UNC Health Foundation says it inspires philanthropic support for UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine to transform healthcare. The North Carolina Museum of History says it raises and manages resources for the state history museum and regional museums. Healing Transitions describes peer-based recovery services for underserved people with substance-use disorders, while the Helene Foundation says it assists women recovering from cancer treatments. Other supported organizations include Alliance Medical Ministry, which provides medical services to uninsured low-income individuals, and Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, which works to feed neighbors, teach self-sufficiency, and grow healthy foods.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 60 grants totaling $318,625. Grants ranged from $50 to $112,000, with a median of $1,000. Among the largest were $112,000 to UNC Health Foundation for endowments and a cancer center; $50,000 to the North Carolina Art Museum for general support; $35,000 to White Memorial Presbyterian Church for general support; and $28,000 to NCSU Foundation for general support. Other grants included $25,000 to the North Carolina Museum of History and $10,000 to The Great Raleigh Cleanup.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John McNair Bell as president and treasurer and Laura Schaefer Bell as vice president and secretary.
Bell Schaefer Family Foundation is led by John McNair Bell, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2021; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John McNair Bell
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Laura Schaefer Bell
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
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 Schaefer Family Foundation
How much does Bell Schaefer Family Foundation give each year?
Bell Schaefer Family Foundation gave $319K across 60 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $217K across 53 grants.
What is Bell Schaefer Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Bell Schaefer Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $5,310, across 60 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Bell Schaefer Family Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does Bell Schaefer Family Foundation give grants?
Bell Schaefer 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 (46 grants), Durham, NC (2 grants) and Minneapolis, MN (2 grants).
Does Bell Schaefer Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 98% of Bell Schaefer Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (59 of 60) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Bell Schaefer Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Bell Schaefer Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include UNC Health Foundation ($112,000), North Carolina Art Museum ($50,000) and White Memorial Presbyterian Church ($35,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 62% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Bell Schaefer Family Foundation?
Bell Schaefer Family Foundation reported $7.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $319K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $328K (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 Schaefer Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include general support for organizations such as the North Carolina Art Museum and White Memorial Presbyterian Church, as well as support for UNC Health Foundation’s endowments and cancer center. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Bell Schaefer 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 Schaefer Family Foundation's EIN?
Bell Schaefer Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-3979193. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Bell Schaefer Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 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 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 10, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 28, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 7, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Bell Schaefer Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Bell Schaefer Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/bell-schaefer-family-foundation-morg_07b519f5df67499e88d33e36f8c17a4c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_853979193_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Bell Schaefer Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/bell-schaefer-family-foundation-morg_07b519f5df67499e88d33e36f8c17a4c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Schaefer 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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