Brinkley Family Foundation
The Brinkley Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. It provides financial resources to qualified Section 501(c)(3) organizations in the greater Kings Mountain, Cleveland County, and western areas of North Carolina.
Key facts about Brinkley Family Foundation
In short: Brinkley Family Foundation gave $395K across 11 grants in 2024 (avg $36K), mostly in North Carolina. 45% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 27-5012532
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $395,025
- Grants made (2024)
- 11
- Average grant
- $35,911
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 45% first-time grantees (5 of 11, 2024)
- Total assets
- $331,696
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (97% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 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
$332K
-12.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$395K
+8.8% YoY
Grant Count
11
-21.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$36K
+38.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Brinkley Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $15K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Brinkley Family Foundation open to new grantees?
45%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 11 grantees (45%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $59K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $19K repeat.
- 45% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 38% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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
The foundation states that its charitable activity is to provide financial resources for qualified Section 501(c)(3) organizations in the greater Kings Mountain, Cleveland County, and western areas of North Carolina.
Its grantees include organizations with varied missions. Kings Mountain Touchdown Club says it supports athletic programs at Kings Mountain Senior High School. Community Math Academy says it serves underserved youth in grades three through six with an intensive math curriculum. 4 Paws for Ability says it trains service dogs to assist people with physical and hidden disabilities, including children with autism and seizures.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 11 grants totaling $395,025. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $175,000, with a median of $10,000. Its largest awards included $175,000 to Gardner-Webb University and $132,000 to Kings Mountain Touchdown Club. Other notable grants were $28,525 to Cleveland County Schools, $12,500 to Rotary Club of Valdese, and $10,000 each to 4 Paws for Ability, Northview Church, the Optimist Club of Kings Mountain, and Valdese Parks Recreation.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation states that it supports qualified organizations in the greater Kings Mountain, Cleveland County, and western areas of North Carolina. In 2024, 97% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina and 3% to recipients in Ohio.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $363K (2023) to $897K (2022). In 2024 it made 11 grants totaling $395K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Gardner Webb University ($175K). Together the top 10 received $394K.
Grant Size Distribution
72 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 57 grants of 72 (79%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Gardner Webb University Boiling Springs, NC | Charitable | $175,000 |
| Kings Mountain Touchdown Club Kings Mountain, NC | Charitable | $132,000 |
| Cleveland County Schools Shelby, NC | Charitable | $28,525 |
| Rotary Club of Valdese Valdese, NC | Charitable | $12,500 |
| 4 Paws for Ability Xenia, OH | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Northview Church Fletcher, NC | Charitable | $10,000 |
| The Optimist Club of Kings Mountain Kings Mountain, NC | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Valdese Parks Recreation Valdese, NC | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Community Math Academy Shelby, NC | Charitable | $5,000 |
| Cleveland Community College Shelby, NC | Charitable | $1,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $331,696 | $350,029 | $395,375 | $395,025 | 11 |
| 2023 | $377,042 | $556,448 | $363,371 | $362,985 | 14 |
| 2022 | $183,965 | $822,071 | $906,165 | $896,839 | 15 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $331,696 | $377,042 | $183,965 |
| Revenue | $350,029 | $556,448 | $822,071 |
| Expenses | $395,375 | $363,371 | $906,165 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $395,025 | $362,985 | $896,839 |
| Net Investment Income | $29 | $25 | $71 |
| Distributable Amount | $14,835 | $12,124 | $12,805 |
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
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists David C. Brinkley as President/Director and Marie M. Brinkley as Secretary/Director.
Brinkley Family Foundation is led by David C. Brinkley, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
David C. Brinkley
President & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Marie M. Brinkley
Secretary & Director
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: 413 Country Club Acres, Kings Mountain, NC 28086
Phone: (704) 739-4689
Frequently asked questions about Brinkley Family Foundation
How much does Brinkley Family Foundation give each year?
Brinkley Family Foundation gave $395K across 11 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $363K across 14 grants.
What is Brinkley Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Brinkley Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $35,911, across 11 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Brinkley Family Foundation that year got $9K on average.
Where does Brinkley Family Foundation give grants?
Brinkley Family Foundation gives mostly in North Carolina: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Shelby, NC (3 grants), Kings Mountain, NC (2 grants) and Valdese, NC (2 grants).
Does Brinkley Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on Brinkley Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (11 grants).
Who are Brinkley Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Brinkley Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Gardner Webb University ($175,000), Kings Mountain Touchdown Club ($132,000) and Cleveland County Schools ($28,525), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 85% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Brinkley Family Foundation?
Brinkley Family Foundation reported $332K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $395K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $15K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Brinkley Family Foundation fund?
The foundation states that its charitable activity is to provide financial resources for qualified Section 501(c)(3) organizations in the greater Kings Mountain, Cleveland County, and western areas of North Carolina. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Brinkley Family Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Brinkley Family Foundation's EIN?
Brinkley Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-5012532. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Brinkley 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.
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