Earl and Kathryn Congdon Family Foundation
The Earl and Kathryn Congdon Family Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) grantmaking foundation established in 2015 by Earl and Kitty Congdon and their three children. Based in Wilmington, Delaware, with operational offices in High Point, North Carolina, the foundation builds on the legacy of Old Dominion Freight Line, which was founded with a $1,700 investment in 1934. The foundation operates as a family of "difference makers, builders, leaders who believe in the power of generosity to move the needle on our community needs."
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$6.0M
-28.3% YoY
Grant Count
244
+29.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$25K
-44.7% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to promote quality of life by reducing barriers to opportunity. The foundation invests in grants, qualified expenses, and charitable use assets across three primary focus areas:
- Community Development & Economic Opportunity
- Education & Youth Development
- Human Services & Community Health
The foundation operates a Community Good Podcast that highlights nonprofit organizations in the community and the good they are doing, available at no cost.
Grantmaking
The foundation offers The Earl and Kathryn Congdon Family Foundation Scholarship, providing renewable scholarships of up to $6,000 per year to eligible dependent children of full-time Old Dominion Freight Line employees (non-executive/director-level) with a minimum of three years of employment.
Grant Range
& Activity:**
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily focuses on the Greater High Point, North Carolina area, with some grantmaking activity in North Carolina, Texas, and Ohio.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Giving:
- Total foundation assets: $88.9 million to $95 million (2024)
- Total assets: $75.1 million (2023)
- Total funds invested since 2015: $127,877,937
- Total revenue: $21 million (2024); $13.7 million (2023)
- Total expenses: $7.83 million (2024); $10.5 million (2023)
- Total liabilities: $0 (2024)
Tax Status:
- EIN: 47-2962822
- Tax-exempt since October 2015
- Required to file Form 990-PF
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
191 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Rev. Dr. Joe Blosser - Chief Executive Officer
- Megan Oglesby - Former Executive Director (named a finalist for recognition in 2023)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audrey L Congdon | Dir, Sec | 1 | — |
| David S Congdon | Pres, Dir, Treas | 1 | — |
| Earl Congdon | Chair, Dir | 1 | — |
| Kathryn Congdon | Dir, VP | 1 | — |
| Karen C Pigman | Dir, VP | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has achieved significant community impact:
Helped reduce food insecurity in High Point from 28% to 21% in two years
Invested over $40 million in Congdon Yards, which catalyzed more than $300 million in private investment and created over 1,100 jobs
Awarded $25,000 to Junior Achievement of the Triad
The Earl and Kathryn Congdon Family Foundation awards $25,000 to Junior AchievementProvided matching gifts to the Sensory Garden Project
SENSORY GARDEN PROJECT RECEIVES MATCHING GIFT FROM CONGDON FAMILY FOUNDATIONSupported organizations including Open Door Ministries and D-UP, Inc.
The foundation publishes an annual report reflecting on its initiatives, collaborative partnerships, and positive changes in the lives of those served.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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