Bill and Sharon Allen Family Foundation
The Bill and Sharon Allen Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Its 2024 grants supported charitable organizations working in areas including arts education, cosmetology education, youth programs, health and fitness, disability services, and community support.
Key facts about Bill and Sharon Allen Family Foundation
In short: Bill and Sharon Allen Family Foundation gave $1.1M across 29 grants in 2024 (avg $37K), mostly in North Carolina. 7% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 20-5854617
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,070,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 29
- Average grant
- $36,897
- Median grant
- $20,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 7% first-time grantees (2 of 29, 2024)
- Total assets
- $22,132,258
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (93% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- 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. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$22.1M
+7.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.1M
+0.3% YoY
Grant Count
29
-3.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$37K
+3.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Bill and Sharon Allen Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Bill and Sharon Allen Family Foundation open to new grantees?
7%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 29 grantees (7%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $101K; repeat grants $32K. How we count
Medians: $101K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 93% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 30% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 88% 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 (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations and activities. For example, Arts Plus is described in the grant filing as an arts education organization, while the Knothole Foundation says its mission is to promote baseball in underserved communities and create opportunities for underserved youth. Right Moves for Youth says it helps students graduate from high school with a plan for future success. Other 2024 recipients include a school serving students with learning and cognitive disabilities, a trail organization, and a provider of shelter and support services for people experiencing homelessness.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 29 grants totaling $1,070,000. Awards ranged from $1,000 to $270,000, with a median of $20,000.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 93% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina. The remaining grant dollars went to Pennsylvania (3%), Vermont (3%), and South Carolina (1%). Listed recipients include organizations in the Charlotte area and elsewhere in North Carolina, as well as recipients in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Barre, Vermont.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $823K (2021) to $1.1M (2022). In 2024 it made 29 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Arts Plus ($270K). Together the top 10 received $786K.
Grant Size Distribution
150 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 135 grants of 150 (90%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Arts Plus Charlotte, NC | Arts Education Organization | $270,000 |
| Paramount Institute of Cosmetic Arts Gastonia, NC | Operational Support | $200,000 |
| Knothole Foundation Charlotte, NC | Promote baseball in underserved communities | $100,000 |
| Carolina Thread Trail CharLOTTE, NC | assist communities plan and develop connecting trails in a 15 county area surrounding Charlotte | $35,500 |
| Pirates Charities Pittsburgh, PA | Youth Health, Fitness, and Education Programs | $30,000 |
| Right Moves for Youth Inc Charlotte, NC | Work with students to improve school attendance, improve behavior, and engage in education. | $30,000 |
| YMCA of Greater Charlotte Charlotte, NC | Health, Fitness, and Education Programs | $30,000 |
| Philips Academy of North Carolina Inc Charlotte, NC | School for Students with Learning Disabilities and Autism | $30,000 |
| Charlotte Knights Charities Charlotte, NC | Health, Fitness, and Education Programs | $30,000 |
| Good Samaritan Haven Barre, VT | Operational Support | $30,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $22,132,258 | $3,444,830 | $1,332,568 | $1,070,000 | 29 |
| 2023 | $20,585,001 | $2,042,958 | $1,300,291 | $1,067,000 | 30 |
| 2022 | $19,983,632 | $2,013,539 | $1,408,947 | $1,107,000 | 32 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $22,132,258 | $20,585,001 | $19,983,632 |
| Revenue | $3,444,830 | $2,042,958 | $2,013,539 |
| Expenses | $1,332,568 | $1,300,291 | $1,408,947 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,084,250 | $1,069,200 | $1,109,125 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,422,391 | $1,311,673 | $1,387,951 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,235,470 | $1,076,495 | $1,069,545 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Bill and Sharon Allen Family Foundation is led by Bill Allen, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Bill Allen
President & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Jeffrey Scribner
Trust Officer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: 810 Colville Road, Charlotte, NC 28207
Phone: (704) 375-5937
Frequently asked questions about Bill and Sharon Allen Family Foundation
How much does Bill and Sharon Allen Family Foundation give each year?
Bill and Sharon Allen Family Foundation gave $1.1M across 29 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.1M across 30 grants.
What is Bill and Sharon Allen Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Bill and Sharon Allen Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $36,897, across 29 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Bill and Sharon Allen Family Foundation that year got $101K on average.
Where does Bill and Sharon Allen Family Foundation give grants?
Bill and Sharon Allen Family Foundation gives mostly in North Carolina: 93% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Charlotte, NC (19 grants), Pittsburgh, PA (3 grants) and Gastonia, NC (2 grants).
Does Bill and Sharon Allen Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 34% of Bill and Sharon Allen Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 29) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Bill and Sharon Allen Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Bill and Sharon Allen Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Arts Plus ($270,000), Paramount Institute of Cosmetic Arts ($200,000) and Knothole Foundation ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 53% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Bill and Sharon Allen Family Foundation?
Bill and Sharon Allen Family Foundation reported $22.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.2M (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 Bill and Sharon Allen Family Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations and activities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Bill and Sharon Allen Family 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 Bill and Sharon Allen Family Foundation's EIN?
Bill and Sharon Allen Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-5854617. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Bill and Sharon Allen 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.
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