Charles & Irene Nanney Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker RALEIGH, NC EIN: 56-6046763

The Charles & Irene Nanney Foundation is a private foundation based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Established in 1961, it operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and has been tax-exempt since April 1963. The foundation functions as an independent grantmaking entity focused on supporting charitable, educational, civic, religious, and medical organizations.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$2.9M

+0.1% YoY

Annual Giving

$156K

-2.3% YoY

Grant Count

-8.3% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$7K

+6.6% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Charles & Irene Nanney Foundation reported a distributable amount of $175K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation does not have a publicly stated mission statement on file. However, based on its grantmaking patterns, the foundation prioritizes:

Education
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
Human Services

Grantmaking

The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invite-only basis.

Grant Range

$2,000–$27,900

Average Grant

amount: approximately $7,200

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation restricts its grantmaking to North Carolina organizations only.

Grant Distribution by State

North Carolina $765K (99%)

Pennsylvania $5K (1%)

States

North Carolina Pennsylvania

Cities

BelmontBoiling SpringsBuies CreekCharlotteDallasGastoniaLewisburgLewisvilleMars HillRaleighWake ForestWinston SalemWinston Salme

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of 2023:

Total assets: $2,887,326
Total revenues: $110,641
Total expenses: $198,021
Total liabilities: $0
Giving rate: 5.5% of assets

Historical Assets:

2022: $3,000,000
2011: $3,427,362
2004: $4,099,267

The foundation's assets have declined over the long term, though giving levels have remained relatively consistent in recent years.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$2,890,439	$2,887,326	$2,974,706
Revenue	$201,349	$110,641	$71,850
Expenses	$198,236	$198,021	$216,651
Qualifying Distributions	$165,848	$168,540	$181,244
Net Investment Income	$169,485	$89,605	$77,576
Distributable Amount	$174,784	$163,857	$168,095

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 2024

Grant Size Distribution

108 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include The Salvation Army ($22,000), Mars Hill University ($18,750), Crisis Assistance Ministry ($17,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY LEWISBURG, PA	EDUCATION	$5,000
CAMPBELL UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL RALEIGH, NC	EDUCATION	$15,000
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION FOUNDATION RALEIGH, NC	EDUCATION	$2,500
CRISIS ASSISTANCE MINISTRY GASTONIA, NC	CHARITABLE	$17,000
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH GASTONIA, NC	RELIGIOUS	$500
GARDNER-WEBB UNIVERSITY BOILING SPRINGS, NC	EDUCATION	$15,000
GASTON ARTS COUNCIL GASTONIA, NC	EDUCATION	$250
GASTON COLLEGE FOUNDATION DALLAS, NC	CHARITABLE	$250
GASTON COUNTY CANCER SOCIETY GASTONIA, NC	CHARITABLE	$2,500
GASTON COUNTY FAMILY YMCA GASTONIA, NC	CIVIC	$10,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Key personnel identified in foundation records:

David P. Nanney Jr. – Trustee
Charles D. Gray III – Trustee
Mary Ellen Jennings – Trustee

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
CHARLES D GRAY III	TRUSTEE	2	$1,500
MARY ELLEN JENNINGS	TRUSTEE	2	$1,500
DAVID P NANNEY JR	TRUSTEE	2	$1,500

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Charles & Irene Nanney Foundation fund?

The foundation does not have a publicly stated mission statement on file. However, based on its grantmaking patterns, the foundation prioritizes: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services

How do I apply for a grant from Charles & Irene Nanney Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • The foundation made 24 grants in 2023 • Total giving in 2023: $159,630 • Average grant amount: approximately $7,200 • Median grant amount: $2,500–$3,000 • Grant range: $2,000–$27,900 **Recent Grantees (2023):** • Mars Hill University ($18,750) • Wake Forest University ($15,000) • Gardner-Webb University ($15,000) • Crisis Assistance Ministry **Application Policy:** The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invite-only basis.

Where does Charles & Irene Nanney Foundation make grants?

The foundation restricts its grantmaking to North Carolina organizations only.

What size grants does Charles & Irene Nanney Foundation award?

In 2024, Charles & Irene Nanney Foundation awarded 22 grants totaling $156K — an average of about $7K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Charles & Irene Nanney Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Charles & Irene Nanney Foundation reported a distributable amount of $175K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Charles & Irene Nanney Foundation's EIN?

Charles & Irene Nanney Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-6046763. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.