Carter Family Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker PARKERSBURG, WV EIN: 55-0606479 Website

The Carter Family Foundation is a 501(c)(3) private foundation established in 1981 and based in Parkersburg, West Virginia. The foundation was founded by Duane and Lynn Carter in 2019 with the original purpose of establishing a legacy of generosity and Christian charity within the Carter family. The foundation operates with no paid staff—all corporate officers, directors, and ambassadors serve on a voluntary basis, with each adult member of the Carter family contributing annually to cover operating expenses. One hundred percent of all charitable donations are distributed to mission fields.

Key facts about Carter Family Foundation

EIN: 55-0606479
Latest 990 filing: Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025): $581,065
Grants made (2025): 50
Average grant: $11,621
Median grant: $5,000
Total assets: $13,143,943
Primary geography: West Virginia (97% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
How to apply: Applicants should submit a letter and resume.

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated June 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Carter Family Foundation funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Carter Family Foundation's 50 itemized 2025 grants were West Virginia (97%). The most frequent recipient cities were Beckley, WV (30 grants), Charleston, WV (9 grants), Mount Hope, WV (2 grants) and Crab Orchard, WV (2 grants). 4% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Operations" (31 grants) and "Scholarship" (6 grants).

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$13.1M

-1.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$581K

-6.9% YoY

Grant Count

-7.4% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$12K

+0.6% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Carter Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $926K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

Vision: Live as ambassadors of God's grace in local communities, America and the world for His glory.

Mission: Preserve and promote every person's God-given right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness through education, rescue and rehabilitation, child protection, evangelism and missions.

Primary funding focus areas include:

Education
Rescue & Rehabilitation
Child Protection
Evangelism & Missions
Higher Education
Community Development
Community Service Projects

The foundation also provides scholarships and student loans to individuals willing to continue their education and teaching profession within West Virginia.

Grantmaking

Grant Range

** Typical awards range from $1,000 to $105,776, with a median grant of approximately $5,000 and an average award of $10,000.

How to Apply

** Applicants should submit a letter and resume. The foundation prioritizes applications from Raleigh County residents who demonstrate a desire to become qualified in a selected area of educational pursuit and perform those skills for a period of time in the local community.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation concentrates its grantmaking in West Virginia, with particular emphasis on Raleigh County. Grants have also been distributed to organizations in the District of Columbia.

Grant Distribution by State

West Virginia $3.0M (97%)

District of Columbia $90K (3%)

States

District of Columbia West Virginia

Cities

BeckleyCharlestonMount HopeMorgantownAthensCrab OrchardBeaverFairmontWashingtonPhilippiBuchannonBuckhannonHintonEcclesLewisburg

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets: $13,143,943

Annual Giving: $581,065 (most recent filing)

Total Revenues: $571,151 (FYE 06/2025)

Total Expenses: $745,019 (FYE 06/2025)

Investment Income: $486,916 (FYE 06/2025)

Annual Distribution: The foundation has distributed between $494,000 and $572,000 annually from 2021 to 2023.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2025	2024	2023
Total Assets	$13,143,943	$13,319,114	$13,404,295
Revenue	$571,151	$695,856	$360,661
Expenses	$745,019	$779,951	$715,980
Qualifying Distributions	$690,914	$725,542	$666,712
Net Investment Income	$517,046	$644,412	$350,463
Distributable Amount	$925,902	$850,816	$779,844

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Grant Size Distribution

252 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include University of Charleston ($75,000), Beckley Convention Center ($67,320), Raleigh County Veterans Association ($51,050).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
UNIVERSITY OF CHARLESTON CHARLESTON, WV	BECKLEY EXTENSION PROGRAM	$75,000
BECKLEY CONVENTION CENTER BECKLEY, WV	CONSTRUCTION	$67,320
RALEIGH COUNTY VETERANS ASSOCIATION BECKLEY, WV	OPERATIONS	$51,050
WV PROFESSIONAL DANCE COMPANY BECKLEY, WV	OPERATIONS	$42,000
HOSPICE OF SOUTHERN WV BECKLEY, WV	OPERATIONS	$25,300
APPALACHIAN BIBLE COLLEGE MOUNT HOPE, WV	SCHOLARSHIP	$25,000
BECKLEY AREA FOUNDATION BECKLEY, WV	FOUNDATION GRANT	$25,000
CONCORD UNIVERSITY ATHENS, WV	SCHOLARSHIP	$25,000
NEW RIVER CTC BEAVER, WV	SCHOLARSHIP	$25,000
UNIVERSITY OF CHARLESTON- BECKLEY BECKLEY, WV	SCHOLARSHIP	$25,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Duane Carter - Founder and patriarch of the Carter family
Lynn Carter - Founder and matriarch of the Carter family
Chris Kyser - Principal Officer (United Wealth Management)

The foundation is governed by one officer or trustee and includes three sons, two daughters-in-law, and six grandchildren as part of the Carter family structure.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

From 2025 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
UNITED BANK	TRUSTEE	2	$143,183

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

The Carter Family Foundation has partnered with the Beckley Area Foundation to empower local students. The foundation continues to expand its reach by developing partnerships, recruiting ambassadors, and intentionally raising funds for targeted mission fields.

Carter Family Foundation partners with Beckley Area Foundation to empower

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Carter Family Foundation fund?

**Vision:** Live as ambassadors of God's grace in local communities, America and the world for His glory. **Mission:** Preserve and promote every person's God-given right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness through education, rescue and rehabilitation, child protection, evangelism and missions. **Primary funding focus areas include:** • Education • Rescue & Rehabilitation • Child Protection • Evangelism & Missions • Higher Education • Community Development • Community Service Projects…

How do I apply for a grant from Carter Family Foundation?

**Grant Size:** Typical awards range from $1,000 to $105,776, with a median grant of approximately $5,000 and an average award of $10,000. **Recent Grant Activity:** According to the most recent available records, the foundation has made 103 grants totaling $1.1 million. Recent grants include: • The University of Charleston: $75,000 (Beckley Extension Program) • Beckley Raleigh County Convention Center: $67,320 (Construction) • Raleigh County Veterans Association: $51,050 (Operations) **Applica…

Where does Carter Family Foundation make grants?

The foundation concentrates its grantmaking in West Virginia, with particular emphasis on Raleigh County. Grants have also been distributed to organizations in the District of Columbia.

What size grants does Carter Family Foundation award?

In 2025, Carter Family Foundation awarded 50 grants totaling $581K — an average of about $12K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Carter Family Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Carter Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $926K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.