George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation
The George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation is a private foundation based in Greensboro, North Carolina. It supports charitable organizations working in military services, special needs, at-risk youth, education, and faith-based initiatives.
George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation at a glance
In short: George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation gave $3.7M across 82 grants in 2025 (avg $45K), top state North Carolina. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $3,665,000
- +25.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 82
- +18.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $44,695
- +5.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $30,000
- Total assets
- $65,838,620
- -3.0% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (31% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Submit the foundation’s online application. The form says applicants must be 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations that are not private operating foundations. It requests the materials and project details described above.
- Review Cycle
- No deadline is listed.
- Deadline
- No deadline is listed.
- Contact
Application contact: George And Sarah Buchanan Foundatio
Mailing address: PO Box 38156, Greensboro, NC 27438
Phone: (336) 255-4142
Website: https://buchananfoundation.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation
Who George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Caldwell Academy ($150K). Together the top 10 received $1.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
215 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 153 grants of 215 (71%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, North Carolina accounted for 31% of grant dollars, followed by New York at 15%, Virginia at 14%, Tennessee at 6%, and Florida at 5%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 82 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation gives
- 83% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 1978% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 102% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $176K (2022) to $3.7M (2025). In 2025 it made 82 grants totaling $3.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Caldwell Academy Greensboro, NC | Scholarship Funding | $150,000 |
| Gary Sinese Foundation Nashville, TN | General Support | $150,000 |
| JDRF New York, NY | General Support | $150,000 |
| Tunnels to Towers Foundation Staten Island, NY | General Support | $150,000 |
| Wounded Warrior Project Fayetteville, NC | General Support | $150,000 |
| Samaritan's Purse Boone, NC | General Support | $125,000 |
| Danville Life Savings and First Aid Crew Danville, VA | General Support | $100,000 |
| Hope Academy Greensboro, NC | Scholarship Funding | $100,000 |
| Kids and Pros Buford, GA | General Support | $100,000 |
| Pre-Born Indianapolis, IN | General Support | $100,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The filing type is Form 990-PF (a private foundation).
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $65,838,620 | $1,864,161 | $3,893,889 | $3,665,000 | 82 | $3,665,000 | $1,033,656 | $3,610,794 |
| 2024 | $67,868,350 | $20,935,033 | $3,035,259 | $2,915,000 | 69 | $2,915,000 | $1,158,293 | $2,883,313 |
| 2023 | $49,968,575 | $30,311,460 | $1,109,442 | $1,008,500 | 47 | $1,008,500 | $235,633 | $1,021,470 |
| 2022 | $20,766,557 | $15,129,487 | $239,565 | $176,351 | 17 | $176,351 | $83,570 | $545,682 |
| 2021 | $5,876,635 | $4,924,607 | $66,215 | — | — | — | $4,356 | $157,139 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.6M 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
The foundation describes its mission as providing help and support to those in need across five focus areas: military, special needs, at-risk youth, education, and faith-based organizations. Its website describes support for military personnel, veterans, and their families; people with disabilities; young people facing challenges; educational access and vocational training; and faith-based groups providing spiritual guidance and community support.
Grantees’ stated missions illustrate the range of organizations supported. Wounded Warrior Project describes its work as improving the well-being of post-9/11 wounded, ill, and injured veterans, service members, and their families. Mount Jubilee Ministries says it provides Christ-centered programs and experiences for teens and adults with disabilities and their families. Caldwell Academy describes its mission as providing a classical and Christian education, while Samaritan’s Purse says it provides spiritual and physical aid to people affected by war, poverty, disasters, disease, and famine.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation awarded 82 grants totaling $3,665,000. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $150,000, with a median award of $30,000. Among the largest awards were $150,000 each to Caldwell Academy for scholarship funding, Gary Sinise Foundation for general support, JDRF for general support, Tunnels to Towers Foundation for general support, and Wounded Warrior Project for general support. Other large awards included $125,000 to Samaritan’s Purse and $100,000 each to Danville Life Saving and First Aid Crew, Hope Academy, Kids and Pros, and Pre-Born.
The foundation’s website provides a three-step application form. Applicants are asked for organizational information, a mission statement, the population served, and a board list. Required attachments include IRS documentation of 501(c)(3) status, the organization’s most recently filed Form 990, and its latest annual report. The project section requests a description and budget, funding sources, dates, and an explanation of how the grant would be used. The foundation’s 2024 filing lists application materials, deadlines, and award restrictions as not applicable.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists George Buchanan III as vice president, Robert Buchanan as president, and Sally Alexander as secretary/treasurer.
George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation is led by Robert Buchanan, President on every filing since 2021; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Robert Buchanan
President
On filings since 2021
6 hrs/week
No compensation reported
George Buchanan III
Vice President
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sally Alexander
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation
How much does George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation give each year?
George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation gave $3.7M across 82 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.9M across 69 grants.
What is George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation's typical grant size?
George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $30,000, and its average grant was $44,695, across 82 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation give grants?
George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation's top state is North Carolina, with 31% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (15%) and Virginia (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Greensboro, NC (10 grants), New York, NY (7 grants), Danville, VA (4 grants) and Tampa, FL (3 grants).
Does George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 98% of George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (80 of 82) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation's largest grantees?
George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Caldwell Academy ($150,000), Gary Sinese Foundation ($150,000) and JDRF ($150,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 12% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation?
George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation reported $65.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation fund?
The foundation describes its mission as providing help and support to those in need across five focus areas: military, special needs, at-risk youth, education, and faith-based organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation?
Submit the foundation’s online application. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation's EIN?
George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-4479813. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/george-and-sarah-buchanan-foundation-morg_0d80703afbe048a097bee4b628ee3d08
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_204479813_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/george-and-sarah-buchanan-foundation-morg_0d80703afbe048a097bee4b628ee3d08},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 George and Sarah Buchanan 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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