George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc
George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable and educational organizations, with most grant dollars going to recipients in North Carolina.
George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc gave $49K across 26 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in North Carolina. 27% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $48,600
- +3.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 26
- +4.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,869
- -0.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $767,685
- -0.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (7 of 26, 2025)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (90% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 4412 Delta Lake Drive, Raleigh, NC 27612
Phone: (919) 787-8830
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Kindred Spirits Foundation - a Jazz Nativity ($5K). Together the top 10 received $38K.
Grant Size Distribution
134 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 134 grants of 134 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 90% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina and 10% to recipients in New York. The filing reports 0% for Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 26 itemized grants.
Cities
Is George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 26 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $643; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $100 first-time, $1K repeat.
- 69% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−5%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 112% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $43K (2023) to $51K (2022). In 2025 it made 26 grants totaling $49K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Kindred Spirits Foundation - a Jazz Nativity New York, NY | Support Charitable Activities | $5,000 |
| Needham Broughton Alumni Association Inc Raleigh, NC | Educational Support | $5,000 |
| North Carolina State University Foundation Inc Raleigh, NC | Educational Support | $5,000 |
| North Carolina Symphony Raleigh, NC | Support Charitable Activities | $5,000 |
| North Carolina Acquarium Society Raleigh, NC | Support Charitable Activities | $4,000 |
| YMCA of the Triangle Raleigh, NC | Support Charitable Activities | $4,000 |
| North Carolina Marine and Estuary F Raleigh, NC | Support Charitable Activities | $3,000 |
| North Carolina Opera Raleigh, NC | Support Charitable Activities | $2,500 |
| Community Music School Raleigh, NC | Support Charitable Activities | $2,000 |
| Wake Relief Raleigh, NC | Support of Charitable Activities | $2,000 |
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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 | $767,685 | $58,318 | $63,015 | $48,600 | 26 | $58,210 | $52,013 | $51,878 |
| 2024 | $770,482 | $56,818 | $56,252 | $47,000 | 25 | $52,169 | $54,233 | $46,860 |
| 2023 | $770,132 | $56,824 | $54,514 | $42,800 | 30 | $50,251 | $53,098 | $40,528 |
| 2022 | $767,606 | $56,824 | $66,018 | $51,400 | 29 | $60,471 | $52,317 | $56,838 |
| 2021 | $776,800 | $58,468 | $54,224 | $46,000 | 24 | — | $54,233 | $52,082 |
| 2020 | $774,398 | $50,504 | $57,773 | $46,250 | 27 | — | $46,982 | $45,320 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $52K 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 grants include support for education and charitable activities. Examples of organizations it supported in 2024 show the range of grantee work: North Carolina Opera says its mission is to enhance the Triangle’s cultural life through professional opera and local artist development; Community Music School of Raleigh says it enriches children from low-income families through affordable music education. Urban Ministries of Wake County describes work serving people affected by poverty through food, health and wellness services, and support for homeless women.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 26 grants totaling $48,600. Grants ranged from $100 to $5,000, with a median grant of $1,000. Among the largest reported grants were $5,000 each to Kindred Spirits Foundation – A Jazz Nativity, Needham Broughton Alumni Association, North Carolina State University Foundation, and North Carolina Symphony. The foundation also awarded $4,000 each to North Carolina Aquarium Society and YMCA of the Triangle.
Other 2025 grants included $3,000 to North Carolina Marine and Estuary Foundation; $2,500 to North Carolina Opera; $2,000 each to Community Music School, Wake Relief, and Cape Lookout Foundation; and $1,000 to Downtown Morehead City.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists James M Poyner III as part-time president, Margaret S Poyner as part-time vice president, and Edythe M Poyner as part-time chairperson.
George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc is led by James M. Poyner III, President - Part Time on every filing since 2020; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
James M. Poyner III
President - Part Time
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Edythe M. Poyner
Chairperson - Part Time
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Margaret S. Poyner
Vice President - Part Time
On filings since 2020
6 hrs/week
$7K (2020) → $7K (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $7K, to Margaret S Poyner (Vice President - Part Time).
Frequently asked questions about George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc
How much does George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc give each year?
George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc gave $49K across 26 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $47K across 25 grants.
What is George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,869, across 26 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc that year got $643 on average.
Where does George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc give grants?
George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc gives mostly in North Carolina: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Raleigh, NC (20 grants) and Durham, NC (2 grants).
Does George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 26 grants with a stated purpose on George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support Charitable Activities" (15 grants), "Educational Support" (5 grants) and "Support of Charitable Activities" (5 grants).
Who are George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Kindred Spirits Foundation - a Jazz Nativity ($5,000), Needham Broughton Alumni Association Inc ($5,000) and North Carolina State University Foundation Inc ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc?
George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc reported $768K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $58K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $52K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants include support for education and charitable activities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc?
The foundation states that it 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 George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc's EIN?
George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-6061776. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does George Smedes Poyner Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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