Gipson Family Foundation
The Gipson Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Its 2025 filing reports 71 grants totaling $2,660,009, with 86% of grant dollars going to recipients in North Carolina. Listed recipients include organizations working in areas such as public space, housing, education, homelessness, recovery services, and food assistance.
Key facts about Gipson Family Foundation
In short: Gipson Family Foundation gave $2.7M across 71 grants in 2025 (avg $37K), mostly in North Carolina. 23% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 56-2001414
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,660,009
- Grants made (2025)
- 71
- Average grant
- $37,465
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (16 of 71, 2025)
- Total assets
- $83,026,982
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (86% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$83.0M
+46.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.7M
-1.7% YoY
Grant Count
71
+7.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$37K
-8.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gipson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.7M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Gipson Family Foundation open to new grantees?
23%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 16 of 71 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $89K; repeat grants $22K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 75% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 89% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 97% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations with varied missions. For example, the Dorothea Dix Park Conservancy describes its mission as ensuring the creation and long-term success of Dorothea Dix Park as a public space for community, health, and celebration. The Raleigh Area Land Trust says it creates permanently affordable homeownership opportunities for first-time buyers. The Hope Center at Pullen says it supports young adults transitioning out of foster care, while East Wake Education Foundation provides access to preschool and educational and developmental resources for young children and families.
Other 2025 recipients include Healing Transitions, which describes its work as peer-based recovery services for people experiencing homelessness, and Oak City Cares, which supports neighbors experiencing homelessness through coordinated services. The Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC states its mission is to nourish people, build solutions, and empower communities.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 71 grants totaling $2,660,009. Awards ranged from $1,000 to $1,000,000, with a median grant of $10,000. The largest listed grants were $1,000,000 to Wake Med Foundation, $250,000 to Dix Park Conservancy, $100,000 to Dorothea Dix Park Conservancy, and $100,000 to Southeast Raleigh Promise. Other listed awards included $90,000 to Raleigh Area Land Trust, $75,000 to The Hope Center at Pullen, and $60,000 each to Benjamin Franklin House and East Wake Education Foundation.
Review Cycle
, or award restrictions.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 86% of grant dollars went to North Carolina recipients, 4% each to Washington and New York, 2% to Maine, and 1% to Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 71 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $977K (2021) to $2.7M (2024). In 2025 it made 71 grants totaling $2.7M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Wake Med Foundation ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $1.8M.
Grant Size Distribution
322 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 293 grants of 322 (91%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wake Med Foundation Raleigh, NC | General Activies | $1,000,000 |
| DIX Park Conservancy Raleigh, NC | General Activities | $250,000 |
| Dorothea DIX Park Conservancy Raleigh, NC | General Activities | $100,000 |
| Southeast Raleigh Promise Raleigh, NC | General Activities | $100,000 |
| Raleigh Area Land Trust Raleigh, NC | General Activities | $90,000 |
| The Hope Center at Pullen Raleigh, NC | General Activities | $75,000 |
| Benjamin Franklin House London, NC | Genera Activities | $60,000 |
| East Wake Education Foundation Wendell, NC | General Activies | $60,000 |
| YMCA of Seattle Seattle, WA | General Activities | $50,000 |
| Konbit Sante Cap Falmouth, ME | General Activities | $45,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grant sum | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $83,026,982 | $773,972 | $2,674,534 | $2,660,009 | 71 |
| 2024 | $56,591,845 | $5,351,433 | $2,721,712 | $2,706,955 | 66 |
| 2023 | $50,017,273 | $3,534,036 | $2,177,715 | $2,156,000 | 68 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $83,026,982 | $56,591,845 | $50,017,273 |
| Revenue | $773,972 | $5,351,433 | $3,534,036 |
| Expenses | $2,674,534 | $2,721,712 | $2,177,715 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,660,009 | $2,706,955 | $2,151,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $759,447 | $888,662 | $942,561 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,736,260 | $2,612,898 | $2,331,616 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 13, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 13, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 27, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 17, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 29, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 10, 2024)
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Elizabeth Cheatham, Donald Gipson, Clay Gipson, Cary Gipson, and Patricia C. Gipson as trustees, and Thomas Gipson as director.
Gipson Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 6 officers; none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Cary Gipson
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Clay Gipson
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Donald Gipson
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Cheatham
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Patricia C. Gipson
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Thomas Gipson
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
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.
Contact
Application contact: Thomas Gipson
Mailing address: 609 Brookfield Road, Raleigh, NC 27615
Phone: (919) 847-8500
Frequently asked questions about Gipson Family Foundation
How much does Gipson Family Foundation give each year?
Gipson Family Foundation gave $2.7M across 71 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.7M across 66 grants.
What is Gipson Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Gipson Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $37,465, across 71 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Gipson Family Foundation that year got $89K on average.
Where does Gipson Family Foundation give grants?
Gipson 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 most frequent recipient cities were Raleigh, NC (31 grants), Seattle, WA (3 grants), New York, NY (3 grants) and Littleton, NC (3 grants).
Does Gipson Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 96% of Gipson Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (68 of 71) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Gipson Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Gipson Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Wake Med Foundation ($1,000,000), DIX Park Conservancy ($250,000) and Dorothea DIX Park Conservancy ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 51% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Gipson Family Foundation?
Gipson Family Foundation reported $83.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.7M (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 Gipson Family Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Gipson Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Gipson Family Foundation's EIN?
Gipson Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-2001414. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Gipson Family Foundation by hand.
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