Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc
Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc is a public charity based in Charlotte, North Carolina. It supports nonprofit partners and community programs, with its stated priorities including education and literacy, military support, fitness and wellness, and hunger relief.
Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc gave $1.6M across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $111K), mostly in North Carolina. 64% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,552,000
- +36.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- -6.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $110,857
- +45.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $37,500
- Total assets
- $1,259,199
- -20.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 64% first-time grantees (9 of 14, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (52% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc
- Contact
Mailing address: 333 East Trade Street, Charlotte, NC 28202
Phone: (704) 688-9000
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Second Harvest Food Bank ($500K). Together the top 10 received $1.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
57 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 41 grants of 57 (72%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s mission statement identifies the Charlotte area, and its website describes its work as serving the Carolinas and the region. In 2025, 52% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina and 40% to recipients in Washington, DC. The remaining reported shares went to Texas (6%), Florida (1%) and Colorado (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
64%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 9 of 14 grantees (64%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $161K; repeat grants $21K. How we count
Medians: $100K first-time, $12K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $137K (2021) to $1.6M (2025). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $1.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Second Harvest Food Bank Charlotte, NC | HUNGER | $500,000 |
| American Red Cross Washington, DC | Medical Care | $500,000 |
| Soldier's Angels San Antonio, TX | Veterans | $100,000 |
| Renaissance West Community Initiative Charlotte, NC | Community | $100,000 |
| Generation Nation Washington, DC | Community | $100,000 |
| Hope Street Food Bank Charlotte, NC | HUNGER | $100,000 |
| Foundation for the Carolinas Charlotte, NC | Community | $50,000 |
| UNCF Washington, DC | Education | $25,000 |
| Boys and Girls Club of Charlotte Charlotte, NC | Community | $25,000 |
| Speedway Children's Charities Concord, NC | Children | $12,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,259,199 | $1,525,319 | $1,683,730 | $1,552,000 | 14 | $49,521 |
| 2024 | $1,592,532 | $655,249 | $1,266,658 | $1,140,247 | 15 | $75,561 |
| 2023 | $1,909,998 | $1,346,185 | $399,294 | $222,710 | 11 | $37,596 |
| 2022 | $931,076 | $410,729 | $276,833 | $186,336 | 9 | — |
| 2021 | $948,608 | $174,079 | $214,781 | $137,074 | 8 | — |
| 2020 | $562,011 | $327,400 | $443,809 | $295,500 | 11 | $15,527 |
| 2019 | $956,258 | $622,966 | $472,872 | $304,320 | 9 | $17,338 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated mission is to use its time, talents, and resources to support community efforts that improve quality of life for people in need, especially children and youth in the Charlotte area. Its filing says it supports eligible 501(c)(3) organizations whose programs address literacy and education, the military, fitness and wellness, and hunger.
The website’s pillars include youth reading, career readiness, mentorship and learning; small-business support, entrepreneurship, creativity and technology; economic mobility, equity and civic engagement; and physical, mental and emotional wellness, including access to housing, nutrition, healthcare and mental health services.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of work represented among grantees. Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina describes its mission as feeding people through partner agencies and educating the community about hunger. The American Red Cross says it works to prevent and alleviate suffering in emergencies by mobilizing volunteers and donors. Soldiers’ Angels says it provides aid, comfort and resources to military members, veterans and their families. Renaissance West Community Initiative describes its work as promoting a collaborative community centered on housing, education, health, wellness and opportunity.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation reported 14 grants totaling $1,552,000. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $500,000, with a median of $37,500.
The largest reported grants included $500,000 each to Second Harvest Food Bank in Charlotte for hunger relief and the American Red Cross in Washington, DC, for medical care. Other notable grants were $100,000 each to Soldiers’ Angels for veterans, Renaissance West Community Initiative for community work, Generation Nation for community work, and Hope Street Food Bank for hunger relief. The Foundation also gave $50,000 to Foundation for the Carolinas for community work and $25,000 to UNCF for education.
The Foundation’s website describes Pillar Grants as recognizing nonprofit partners whose work expands opportunity, strengthens communities and supports youth; the page lists the program as “Coming Soon.” The website also describes scholarships, including the Hornets Players Scholarship Fund, which supports students’ college expenses. These scholarships are for individual recipients, rather than grants to outside organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin as directors and co-chairpersons. Shelly Cayette-Weston is listed as director and president as of December 2024; James Jordan is listed as director and president through December 2024. Other listed directors are James H. Dunlevy, Amy Dawson, Damian Mills and MC Belk Pilon. Betsy Mack is listed as executive director, and Shannon Gilligan as secretary.
Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc is led by Betsy Mack, Executive Director on every filing since 2019; none of the 10 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Betsy Mack
Executive Director
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James Jordan
Director & President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shelly Cayette-Weston
Director & President
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gabe Plotkin
Director & Co-Chairperson
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rick Schnall
Director & Co-Chairperson
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James H. Dunlevy
Director & Treasurer
Treasurer → Director & Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amy Dawson
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Damian Mills
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mc Belk Pilon
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shannon Gilligan
Secretary
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Fred Whitfield (2019–2024) — Director & Vice Chairman
- Former: Michael Jordan (2019–2024) — Director & Chairman
- Former: Tamara Daniels (2021–2022) — Director & Secretary
- Former: Joe Pierce (2019–2021) — Director & Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc
How much does Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc give each year?
Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc gave $1.6M across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.1M across 15 grants.
What is Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $37,500, and its average grant was $110,857, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc that year got $161K on average.
Where does Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc give grants?
Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc gives mostly in North Carolina: 52% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were District of Columbia (40%) and Texas (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Charlotte, NC (7 grants) and Washington, DC (3 grants).
Does Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 14 grants with a stated purpose on Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Community" (7 grants).
Who are Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Second Harvest Food Bank ($500,000), American Red Cross ($500,000) and Soldier's Angels ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 71% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc?
Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc reported $1.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.5M.
What does Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission is to use its time, talents, and resources to support community efforts that improve quality of life for people in need, especially children and youth in the Charlotte area. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc?
Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc's EIN?
Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-0946449. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 6, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 31, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 5, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 26, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/charlotte-hornets-foundation-inc-morg_15241987fcb54602a108798d6090a416
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_200946449_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/charlotte-hornets-foundation-inc-morg_15241987fcb54602a108798d6090a416},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-24. 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 Charlotte Hornets Foundation Inc'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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