Bryson Foundation Limited
Bryson Foundation Limited is a private foundation based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Its 2024 filing reports contributions to various charitable organizations and states that it gives only to preselected charitable organizations.
Bryson Foundation Limited at a glance
In short: Bryson Foundation Limited gave $2.1M across 30 grants in 2024 (avg $71K), top state North Carolina. 7% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,127,000
- +220.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 30
- -3.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $70,900
- +230.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $10,294,897
- -2.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 7% first-time grantees (2 of 30, 2024)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (49% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Bryson Foundation Limited
- 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: 7923 Morrow Mill Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27516
Phone: (310) 592-2382
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Bryson Foundation Limited funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Berry College ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $2.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
150 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 134 grants of 150 (89%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars were distributed to recipients in North Carolina (49%), Georgia (47%), and Florida (4%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Bryson Foundation Limited open to new grantees?
7%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 30 grantees (7%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $503K; repeat grants $40K. How we count
Medians: $503K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 93% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 89% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 122% of 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $665K (2023) to $2.1M (2024). In 2024 it made 30 grants totaling $2.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Berry College Mount Berry, GA | Unrestricted | $1,000,000 |
| UNC Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC | Unrestricted | $1,000,000 |
| Alachua Conservation Trust Gainesville, FL | Unrestricted | $15,000 |
| Higher Ed Works Raleigh, NC | Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| MPS Society Durham, NC | Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| No 9 Productions Gainesville, FL | Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Carolina for Kibera Chapel Hill, NC | Unrestricted | $6,000 |
| Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation Winston-Salem, NC | Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Constellation Charter Waldo, FL | Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Friends of St Joseph State Parks Port St Joe, FL | Unrestricted | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Bryson Foundation Limited?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $10,294,897 | $2,017,878 | $2,282,937 | $2,127,000 | 30 | $2,135,250 | $1,870,191 | $1,751,857 |
| 2023 | $10,559,956 | $482,099 | $854,913 | $664,500 | 31 | $671,780 | $298,966 | $1,291,055 |
| 2022 | $10,932,770 | $384,515 | $1,333,702 | $1,151,300 | 29 | $1,158,230 | $218,877 | $1,110,245 |
| 2021 | $11,887,607 | $273,118 | $1,356,469 | $1,127,500 | 29 | $1,133,020 | $255,338 | $1,042,110 |
| 2020 | $12,956,739 | $3,107,184 | $1,287,551 | $1,153,000 | 31 | — | $2,587,957 | $818,158 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Bryson Foundation Limited reported a distributable amount of $1.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations whose own missions span several areas. Berry College describes its work as combining liberal arts education with meaningful work, spiritual and moral growth, and service. Alachua Conservation Trust says it protects natural, historic, scenic, and recreational resources. Higher Ed Works aims to encourage citizen support for public education. Carolina for Kibera describes work with communities in Kenya and elsewhere on youth leadership, health-care access, and gender disparities. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not stated focus areas of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave $2,127,000 through 30 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $1,000,000, with a median grant of $5,000. Its two largest grants were $1,000,000 each to Berry College in Georgia and UNC Chapel Hill in North Carolina; both were listed as unrestricted. Other grants included $15,000 to Alachua Conservation Trust, $10,000 each to Higher Ed Works, MPS Society, and No 9 Productions, and $6,000 to Carolina for Kibera. The filing lists the named grants as unrestricted.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists N. Catherine Bryson as president; Vaughn D. Bryson as treasurer; Nancy F. Bryson as secretary; and William D. Bryson and Jeffrey H. Thomasson as directors.
Bryson Foundation Limited is led by N. Catherine Bryson, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
N. Catherine Bryson
President
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeffrey H. Thomasson
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
William D. Bryson
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Nancy F. Bryson
Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Vaughn D. Bryson
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
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.
Frequently asked questions about Bryson Foundation Limited
How much does Bryson Foundation Limited give each year?
Bryson Foundation Limited gave $2.1M across 30 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $665K across 31 grants.
What is Bryson Foundation Limited's typical grant size?
Bryson Foundation Limited's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $70,900, across 30 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Bryson Foundation Limited that year got $503K on average.
Where does Bryson Foundation Limited give grants?
Bryson Foundation Limited's top state is North Carolina, with 49% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest state was Georgia (47%). The most frequent recipient cities were Gainesville, FL (16 grants) and Chapel Hill, NC (7 grants).
Does Bryson Foundation Limited give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Bryson Foundation Limited's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (30 of 30) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Bryson Foundation Limited's largest grantees?
Bryson Foundation Limited's largest 2024 grantees include Berry College ($1,000,000), UNC Chapel Hill ($1,000,000) and Alachua Conservation Trust ($15,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 95% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Bryson Foundation Limited?
Bryson Foundation Limited reported $10.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Bryson Foundation Limited fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations whose own missions span several areas. Berry College describes its work as combining liberal arts education with meaningful work, spiritual and moral growth, and service. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Bryson Foundation Limited?
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 Bryson Foundation Limited's EIN?
Bryson Foundation Limited's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-1854017. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Bryson Foundation Limited 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Bryson Foundation Limited's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in North Carolina
United Way of North Central Florida Inc
Gainesville, FL
United Way of North Central Florida funds local nonprofits and community programs focused on health, education, financial stability, immediate needs, youth opportunity, and community resilience in Alachua, Bradford, Dixie, Gilchrist, Levy, and Union counties. Recent reported grants ranged from a single $10,000 award in 2025 to an average of about $49,000 per grant in 2023; a 2026 opportunity offered $40,000 total. It accepts applications through specific funding opportunities, including a stated application portal.
Assets
$2.7M
Grants
1
Total Given
$10K
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
Bailey Family Foundation Inc
Vero Beach, FL
The Bailey Family Foundation supports preselected charitable organizations represented in education, faith-based work, health care, services for children and families, and conservation; its grants are mainly in Florida and North Carolina. In 2025, grants ranged from $100 to $35,000, with a median of $2,500. It does not accept unsolicited funding requests.
Assets
$2.9M
Grants
143
Total Given
$488K
TD Charitable Foundation
Portland, ME
TD Charitable Foundation funds education, human services, housing and eviction prevention, nonprofit training, and community initiatives, with emphasis on inclusion and underserved and low-to-moderate-income communities. Its 2025 grants ranged from $300 to $250,000, with a median of $10,000; its filing lists a typical award range of $135–$475,000. It focuses primarily on Florida, New Jersey, and New York, and its 2023 filing says applications are available online; applicants must be eligible 501(c)(3) public charities in states with a TD Bank branch.
Assets
$9.1M
Grants
1,003
Total Given
$24.9M
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
Saint Louis, MO
The Enterprise Holdings Foundation supports charitable and educational nonprofits in communities where Enterprise Mobility operates, focusing on health, education, arts, and disaster relief; applicants must be actively supported by an Enterprise Mobility team member, spouse, or domestic partner. Giving varies widely: it reported 9,499 grants in 2024, but its 2025 filing showed one grant of $101.4 million, so that amount is not a typical award. Applications are accepted at any time through eligible Enterprise-affiliated applicants; the Foundation does not limit giving to preselected organizations.
Assets
$594.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$101.4M
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
More similar funders
More Funders in North Carolina
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Bryson Foundation Limited funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/bryson-foundation-limited-morg_9fdc1a9b21c94520a6deb570120645c3
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_351854017_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Bryson Foundation Limited funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/bryson-foundation-limited-morg_9fdc1a9b21c94520a6deb570120645c3},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Bryson Foundation Limited'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.
Bryson Foundation Limited down — hundreds of funders to go?