Ellen & Munroe Best Family Foundation
The Ellen & Munroe Best Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Goldsboro, North Carolina. In 2024, it reported 27 grants totaling $50,720 to charitable organizations, including recipients in North Carolina, Florida, and South Carolina. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 24 grants totaling $36,719.
Ellen & Munroe Best Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Ellen & Munroe Best Family Foundation gave $37K across 24 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in North Carolina. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $36,719
- -27.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 24
- -11.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,530
- -18.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $500
- Total assets
- $2,021,063
- +107.2% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (86% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated November 2026.
How to apply to Ellen & Munroe Best Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 809 Mill Road, Goldsboro, NC 27534
Phone: (919) 583-9290
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ellen & Munroe Best Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
145 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 145 grants of 145 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 87% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina, 10% to Florida, and 3% to South Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
Cities
How Ellen & Munroe Best Family Foundation gives
- Giving fell 67% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 21% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $37K (2025) to $128K (2019). In 2025 it made 24 grants totaling $37K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 24 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $36,719 |
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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 | $2,021,063 | $2,729,590 | $38,747 | $36,719 | 24 | $36,719 | $1,290,324 | $173,897 |
| 2024 | $975,316 | $390,975 | $52,131 | $50,720 | 27 | $50,720 | $39,452 | $108,658 |
| 2023 | $636,878 | $31,666 | $65,481 | $63,100 | 29 | $63,100 | $29,285 | $74,134 |
| 2022 | $671,109 | $132,490 | $111,756 | $111,700 | 30 | $111,700 | $29,041 | $70,253 |
| 2021 | $650,723 | $127,732 | $113,214 | $113,150 | 35 | $113,150 | $25,672 | $72,004 |
| 2020 | $636,408 | $37,044 | $62,520 | $61,580 | 28 | — | $31,104 | $51,362 |
| 2019 | $662,638 | $114,930 | $128,533 | $127,650 | 28 | — | $110,812 | $1,612 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ellen & Munroe Best Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $174K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grantees include organizations whose own missions involve education, youth services, the arts, and international medical work. For example, an individual recipient Day School says it aims to challenge and nurture students and prepare them for college and life beyond; the Arts Council of Wayne County says it promotes the arts in Wayne County; and Medical Missions Inc. says it works to build Presbyterian hospitals, churches, and schools in developing countries.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 27 grants totaling $50,720. Awards ranged from $150 to $11,500, with a median of $1,000. Among the largest reported grants were $11,500 to First Presbyterian Church in Goldsboro, $8,250 to East Carolina University, $5,000 to The Jane Family Foundation, and $4,000 to YMCA Raleigh Campership. Other recipients included Boys Scouts of Tuscorora ($2,500), Wayne Community College Foundation ($2,070), an individual recipient Day School ($2,000), and Medical Missions Inc. ($1,500). Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 24 grants totaling $36,719.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
C Monroe Best is listed as president on the 2024 filing.
Ellen & Munroe Best Family Foundation is led by Ellen D. Best, President on the 2025 filing — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ellen D. Best
President
New on the 2025 filing
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: C. Monroe Best (2019–2024) — President
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 Ellen & Munroe Best Family Foundation
How much does Ellen & Munroe Best Family Foundation give each year?
Ellen & Munroe Best Family Foundation gave $37K across 24 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $51K across 27 grants.
What is Ellen & Munroe Best Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Ellen & Munroe Best Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $500, and its average grant was $1,530, across 24 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Ellen & Munroe Best Family Foundation give grants?
Ellen & Munroe Best Family Foundation gives mostly in North Carolina: 86% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Florida (14%).
Does Ellen & Munroe Best Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 24 grants with a stated purpose on Ellen & Munroe Best Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Support the Mission of the Organization" (21 grants).
How large is Ellen & Munroe Best Family Foundation?
Ellen & Munroe Best Family Foundation reported $2.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $37K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $174K (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 Ellen & Munroe Best Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grantees include organizations whose own missions involve education, youth services, the arts, and international medical work. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ellen & Munroe Best Family Foundation?
The foundation 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 Ellen & Munroe Best Family Foundation's EIN?
Ellen & Munroe Best Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-1949712. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Ellen & Munroe Best Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 17, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 24, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 11, 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 July 22, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 10, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Ellen & Munroe Best Family Foundation funds
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Figures come from Ellen & Munroe Best 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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