Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc

Private foundation · Grantmaker Pennington, NJ EIN: 47-2352603

Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc is a private foundation based in Pennington, New Jersey. Its 2025 filing reports grants to universities and other organizations, with many listed grant purposes identifying scholarships.

Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc at a glance

In short: Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc gave $394K across 36 grants in 2025 (avg $11K), mostly in North Carolina. 37% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$394,450
+0.0% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
36
+16.1% vs 2024
Average grant
$10,957
-13.9% vs 2024
Median grant
$3,500
Total assets
$6,335,368
+4.2% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
37% first-time grantees (10 of 27, 2025)
Primary geography
North Carolina (81% 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 Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc

Contact

Application contact: Laura Dean Meissner
Mailing address: 1300 American Blvd, Pennington, NJ 08534
Phone: (919) 215-6973

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

UNC at Chapel Hill: $64KUNC at Chapel Hill$64KUNC at Charlotte: $47KUNC at Charlotte$47KNC State University: $44KNC State University$44KAppalachian State University: $26KAppalachian State University$26KCarolina Youth Coaltion: $25KCarolina Youth Coaltion$25KUNC at Greensboro: $22KUNC at Greensboro$22KWake Forest University: $14KWake Forest University$14KHoward University: $7KHoward University$7KEast Tennessee State University: $7KEast Tennessee StateUniversity$7KNC A&T State University Athletic Fdn: $7KNC A&T State UniversityAthletic Fdn$7K

The largest 2025 recipient was UNC at Chapel Hill ($64K). Together the top 10 received $263K.

Organizations only. It also paid 5 individual scholarships ($63,750), which are not listed by name.

Grant Size Distribution

155 grants across all recorded years

150<$50K5$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 150 grants of 155 (97%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation is based in Pennington, New Jersey. In 2025, an individual recipient recipients received 81% of grant dollars. The filing also lists Virginia, New York, Tennessee, and Texas at 2% each.

Grant Distribution by State

19states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 36 itemized grants.

Cities

CharlotteGreensboroNew YorkBooneRaleighAtlantaChapel HillDurhamJohnson CityGreenvillePhiladelphiaWinston-SalemHamptonLos AngelesWashingtonBereaDelandGrinnellMars HillProvidence

Is Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc open to new grantees?

37%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 10 of 27 grantees (37%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $8K. How we count

Medians: $3K first-time, $4K repeat.

  • 59% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+15%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 122% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$100K$200K$300K$400K21 grants2019 25 grants2020 25 grants2021 29 grants2022 34 grants2023 31 grants2024 36 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $232K (2019) to $394K (2025). In 2025 it made 36 grants totaling $394K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
UNC at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NCScholarships$64,000
UNC at Charlotte Charlotte, NCScholarships$47,000
NC State University Raleigh, NCUnrestricted General$44,000
5 individual scholarships Recipients not named —$63,750
Appalachian State University Boone, NCScholarships$25,500
Carolina Youth Coaltion Charlotte, NCScholarships$25,000
UNC at Greensboro Greensboro, NCScholarships$22,450
Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NCScholarships$14,250
Howard University Washington, DCScholarships$7,000
East Tennessee State University Johnson City, TNUnrestricted General$7,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$6,335,368$713,916$471,248$394,45036$424,704$540,733$347,930
2024$6,080,659$949,502$462,802$394,35031$424,254$724,618$314,772
2023$5,636,031$505,029$454,428$389,26734$417,266$306,505$293,902
2022$5,583,331$321,318$421,420$342,00029$370,139$140,829$326,258
2021$5,668,933$675,733$325,688$255,99425$288,522$528,593$302,851
2020$5,319,101$136,430$315,204$249,90025—$122,978$276,343
2019$5,512,964$2,137,498$307,595$231,50021—$1,193,140$257,788

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc reported a distributable amount of $348K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants include scholarship support for educational institutions, as well as a grant to NC State University designated for unrestricted general use.

Grantee organizations describe a range of educational purposes. The Appalachian State University Foundation says it supports university students, faculty, staff, and community through financial support, stewardship, resource growth, and advocacy. Wake Forest University describes its work as higher education across liberal arts and graduate and professional education. Howard University’s Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts describes its programs as undergraduate and graduate education in art, music, and theatre arts.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation reported 36 grants totaling $394,450. Grant amounts ranged from $1,500 to $64,000, with a median of $3,500. The largest awards included UNC at Chapel Hill ($64,000, scholarships), UNC at Charlotte ($47,000, scholarships), NC State University ($44,000, unrestricted general), Appalachian State University Foundation ($27,500, scholarships), Appalachian State University ($25,500, scholarships), and an individual recipient State University Foundation ($25,000, scholarships). Other listed recipients included Carolina Youth Coalition ($25,000, scholarships), UNC at Greensboro ($22,450, scholarships), and Wake Forest University ($14,250, scholarships).

The foundation’s filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It lists Laura Dean Meissner as the application contact and says to see attached materials, also noting that they are online at “www.TBD.com.” The filing refers applicants to attached information for restrictions. Deadline: The filing says to see attached; it does not provide a date in the available information.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Michael S. Goodwin as chairman, Laura D. Meissner as president, Todd Meissner as VP Operations, and Harrison Steel Meissner and Pierce Goodwin Meissner as board members.

Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc is led by Laura D. Meissner, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Laura D. Meissner

    President

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Michael S. Goodwin

    Chairman

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Todd Meissner

    Vice President Operations

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Harrison Steel Meissner

    Board Member

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Pierce Goodwin Meissner

    Board Member

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    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.

Frequently asked questions about Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc

How much does Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc give each year?

Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc gave $394K across 36 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $394K across 31 grants.

What is Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc's typical grant size?

Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc's median grant in 2025 was $3,500, and its average grant was $10,957, across 36 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc that year got $3K on average.

Where does Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc give grants?

Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc gives mostly in North Carolina: 81% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Charlotte, NC (3 grants), Greensboro, NC (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).

Does Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc give general operating support?

Yes: 19% of Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (7 of 36) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Scholarships" (29 grants).

Who are Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc's largest grantees?

Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc's largest 2025 grantees include UNC at Chapel Hill ($64,000), UNC at Charlotte ($47,000) and NC State University ($44,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 5 individual scholarships ($63,750), which are not listed by name. Together they received 39% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc?

Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc reported $6.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $425K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $348K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc fund?

The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants include scholarship support for educational institutions, as well as a grant to NC State University designated for unrestricted general use. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc?

Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.

What is Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc's EIN?

Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-2352603. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.

Data update history

(8)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 26, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 5, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 28, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 3, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 16, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 3, 2025)
  7. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 7, 2026)
  8. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/goodwin-meissner-fam-fdn-inc-morg_f2a027c02ed94293a53a35957911ea49

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_472352603_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/goodwin-meissner-fam-fdn-inc-morg_f2a027c02ed94293a53a35957911ea49},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-10. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}

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Figures come from Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc'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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