Carlson Family Foundation
The Carlson Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It made 100 grants totaling $1,142,206 in filing year 2025, supporting charitable organizations in North Carolina and other states.
Carlson Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Carlson Family Foundation gave $1.1M across 100 grants in 2025 (avg $11K), top state North Carolina. 26% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,142,206
- +0.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 100
- -9.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $11,422
- +10.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $18,955,751
- +1.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 26% first-time grantees (26 of 100, 2025)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (31% 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 Carlson Family 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: 1610 Skye Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27516
Phone: (919) 604-0842
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Carlson Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Brooke's House LLC ($79K). Together the top 10 received $344K.
Grant Size Distribution
588 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 578 grants of 588 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in North Carolina. In 2025, 31% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina, followed by Connecticut (14%), Maryland (8%), Michigan (7%), and Virginia (7%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 100 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Carlson Family Foundation open to new grantees?
26%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 26 of 100 grantees (26%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 68% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 20% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 89% 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 $951K (2022) to $1.3M (2020). In 2025 it made 100 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Brooke's House LLC Hagerstown, MD | Major Grant, Matching Grant | $78,568 |
| Sound Waters Inc Stamford, CT | Major Grant | $50,000 |
| Give a Leg up (Galup) Boca Raton, FL | Major Grant, Discretionary Grant | $35,000 |
| Detroit Achievement Academy Foundation Detroit, MI | Major Grant | $30,000 |
| Amandla Inc Philadelphia, PA | Major Grant | $25,000 |
| Blood Cancer United Washington, DC | Major Grant | $25,000 |
| Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Seattle, WA | Major Grant | $25,000 |
| League to Save Lake Tahoe South Lake Tahoe, CA | Major Grant | $25,000 |
| STXBP1 Foundation Holly Springs, NC | Major Grant | $25,000 |
| Waterside School Inc Stamford, CT | Major Grant | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Carlson 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 | $18,955,751 | $2,339,271 | $2,176,155 | $1,142,206 | 100 | $1,385,889 | $1,570,840 | $1,548,815 |
| 2024 | $18,767,698 | $1,950,587 | $2,173,759 | $1,134,527 | 110 | $1,388,447 | $1,186,130 | $1,438,459 |
| 2023 | $19,217,386 | $2,050,526 | $2,006,509 | $964,350 | 108 | $1,212,158 | $1,272,655 | $1,275,828 |
| 2022 | $18,781,340 | $1,628,927 | $1,807,686 | $951,434 | 123 | $1,125,270 | $955,791 | $1,143,635 |
| 2021 | $18,562,081 | $1,116,272 | $1,772,190 | $1,133,416 | 147 | $1,313,293 | $666,641 | $1,231,003 |
| 2020 | $18,992,447 | $998,199 | $1,759,558 | $1,252,209 | 143 | — | $642,757 | $1,057,904 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Carlson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.5M for 2025 — 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 foundation mission is stated in the available information. Its 2025 grants went to organizations working in areas including addiction recovery, environmental education, public-school support, early education, cancer research and support, and rare-disease research and family advocacy.
For example, Brookes House Inc. describes its mission as providing a safe, supportive transitional living environment for women in early recovery from addiction. SoundWaters Inc. says it combines environmental education, job and skills training, and public engagement to enrich its community and protect the environment. Detroit Achievement Academy Foundation says it supports children at Detroit Achievement Academy and other Detroit public and charter schools. STXBP1 Foundation describes work to raise awareness, drive research, support families, advocate for early detection, and improve the lives of people and families affected by STXBP1 disorders.
Waterside School Inc. describes its mission as providing an early educational foundation for disadvantaged children from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center says its research spans foundational biology to population-level health, with the goal of a world free of cancer and related diseases. Blood Cancer United says it works to cure blood cancers and improve patients’ and families’ quality of life. Amandla Inc. describes a model combining sport and education to create safe spaces and support youth in underserved communities.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 100 grants totaling $1,142,206. Grant amounts ranged from $30 to $78,568, with a median of $10,000.
The largest reported awards included $78,568 to Brookes House LLC, $50,000 to Sound Waters Inc, $35,000 to Give a Leg Up (GALUP), and $30,000 to Detroit Achievement Academy Foundation. Other notable grants were $25,000 each to Amandla Inc, Blood Cancer United, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, League to Save Lake Tahoe, STXBP1 Foundation, and Waterside School Inc. Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina Inc received $22,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ann E. Jacobs as president; Mary N. Owen as secretary; Paul S. Norton as treasurer; and John A. Norton, Michael A. Norton, James M. Norton, Christina N. Wincek, Kyle P. Norton, Joseph F. Norton, and Lauren C. Norton as directors.
Carlson Family Foundation is led by Ann E. Jacobs, President since 2024 (on filings since 2020); all 12 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ann E. Jacobs
President
Director → President, 2024
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$1K (2020) → $16K (2025)
Christina N. Wincek
Director
Director → Secretary, 2024
Secretary → Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$1K (2020) → $16K (2025)
James M. Norton
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$25K (2020) → $27K (2025)
John A. Norton
Director
President → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$13K (2020) → $27K (2025)
Joseph F. Norton
Director
Director → Vice President & Treasurer, 2021
Vice President & Treasurer → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$1K (2020) → $16K (2025)
Kaitlyn Norton
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$1K (2020) → $16K (2025)
Kyle P. Norton
Director
Director → President, 2022
President → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$1K (2020) → $16K (2025)
Lauren C. Norton
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$1K (2020) → $16K (2025)
Michael A. Norton
Director
Vice President & Treasurer → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$25K (2020) → $27K (2025)
Trilby F. Norton
Director
Secretary → Vice President, 2024
Vice President → Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$1K (2020) → $16K (2025)
Mary N. Owen
Secretary
President → Director, 2022
Director → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$25K (2020) → $27K (2025)
Paul S. Norton
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$25K (2020) → $27K (2025)
Former officers (2)
- Former: Lenore Trilby Norton (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Malcolm A. Norton (2020–2022) — Director
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $27K, to John a Norton (Director). 12 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Carlson Family Foundation
How much does Carlson Family Foundation give each year?
Carlson Family Foundation gave $1.1M across 100 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.1M across 110 grants.
What is Carlson Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Carlson Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $11,422, across 100 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Carlson Family Foundation that year got $8K on average.
Where does Carlson Family Foundation give grants?
Carlson Family Foundation's top state is North Carolina, with 31% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Connecticut (14%) and Maryland (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Durham, NC (9 grants), Chapel Hill, NC (9 grants), Washington, DC (8 grants) and Raleigh, NC (7 grants).
Does Carlson Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 100 grants with a stated purpose on Carlson Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Major Grant" (49 grants), "Discretionary Grant" (31 grants) and "Matching Grant" (9 grants).
Who are Carlson Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Carlson Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Brooke's House LLC ($78,568), Sound Waters Inc ($50,000) and Give a Leg up (Galup) ($35,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 14% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Carlson Family Foundation?
Carlson Family Foundation reported $19.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.5M (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 Carlson Family Foundation fund?
No foundation mission is stated in the available information. Its 2025 grants went to organizations working in areas including addiction recovery, environmental education, public-school support, early education, cancer research and support, and rare-disease research and family advocacy. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Carlson 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 Carlson Family Foundation's EIN?
Carlson Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1678303. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Carlson 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 October 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 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 16, 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 April 10, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Carlson Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/carlson-family-foundation-morg_316968e130774cbfb75fa92779e4eba2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_311678303_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Carlson Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/carlson-family-foundation-morg_316968e130774cbfb75fa92779e4eba2},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Carlson 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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