Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust
Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust is a public charity based in Charlotte, North Carolina, formed in 2002. Its 2024 IRS filing is marked as the organization’s final return, indicating that it has terminated or is winding down. The filing describes its role as managing endowments and providing investment and endowment services to cultural organizations; the 2025 filing-year data reports 16 grants totaling $9,071,150.
Key facts about Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust
In short: Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust gave $9.1M across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $567K), mostly in North Carolina. 6% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 82-0576292
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $9,071,150
- Grants made (2025)
- 16
- Average grant
- $566,947
- Median grant
- $358,423
- New grantees (estimate)
- 6% first-time grantees (1 of 16, 2025)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$9.1M
-25.1% YoY
Grant Count
16
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$567K
-25.1% YoY
Is Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust open to new grantees?
6%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 16 grantees (6%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $604K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $360K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Trust’s stated mission is “growing and sustaining a vibrant cultural community in Charlotte-Mecklenburg” by providing endowment management, oversight, and investment expertise to build and grow permanent funds for the area’s arts, science, and history organizations.
In its 2024 filing, the Trust says it oversees the cultural endowment to help sustain and grow the permanent funds of the Arts & Science Council of Charlotte/Mecklenburg and its cultural partners. It describes its services as administering, investing, and distributing funds to member organizations. The filing says that spendable income from endowed funds is used annually to support cultural organizations, either for designated programs or projects or as general operating support.
The 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied cultural and educational missions. For example, Discovery Place describes its work as bringing science, nature, and design together through community experiences; McColl Center describes its focus on contemporary artists and public engagement with art; and Charlotte Ballet says its mission centers on connections and educational opportunities through dance. These are the grantees’ own descriptions of their work.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Trust reported 16 grants totaling $9,071,150. Grant amounts ranged from $7,870 to $3,166,618, with a median of $358,422.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in North Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $4.8M (2022) to $13.6M (2020). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $9.1M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Mint Museum ($3.2M). Together the top 10 received $8.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
95 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 37 grants of 95 (39%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mint Museum Charlotte, NC | Arts & Culture | $3,166,618 |
| Discovery Place Inc Charlotte, NC | Arts & Culture | $1,223,406 |
| Bechtler Museum of Modern Art Charlotte, NC | Arts & Culture | $838,283 |
| Children's Theatre of Charlotte Charlotte, NC | Arts & Culture | $733,393 |
| Charlotte Symphony Orchestra Society Inc Charlotte, NC | Arts & Culture | $665,178 |
| North Carolina Performing Arts Center Foundation Charlotte, NC | Arts & Culture | $547,207 |
| Wing Haven Foundation Inc Charlotte, NC | Arts & Culture | $432,681 |
| McColl Center for Art Innovation Charlotte, NC | Arts & Culture | $360,157 |
| Levine Museum of the New South Charlotte, NC | Arts & Culture | $356,688 |
| Harvey B Gantt Center for African American Arts & Culture Charlotte, NC | Arts & Culture | $268,481 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | $4,272,816 | $10,287,810 | $9,071,150 |
| 2024 | $228,897,365 | $1,560,264 | $12,985,027 | $12,104,631 |
| 2023 | $213,907,642 | $1,358,257 | $8,415,178 | $7,533,849 |
The 2025 grant total covers 16 grants. Assets were not provided for filing year 2025.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | $228,897,365 | $213,907,642 |
| Revenue | $4,272,816 | $1,560,264 | $1,358,257 |
| Expenses | $10,287,810 | $12,985,027 | $8,415,178 |
| Net Investment Income | $-109 | $32 | $19 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 9, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Richard Nichols as chair and Doug Benson as secretary. Directors listed are Adam Santalla, Baker Burleson, Torrey Feimster, Kelly Lineberger, Joy Kenefick, Brad Kutrow, John Nurkin, and Dick Payne.
Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust is led by Richard Nichols, Chair since 2024 (on filings since 2021); none of the 11 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Richard Nichols
Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2023
Vice Chair → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Baker Burleson
Director
Director → Chair, 2023
Chair → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joy Kenefick
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brad Kutrow
Director
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eugene Young
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Torrey Feimster
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Adam Santalla
Director
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dick Payne
Director
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Nurkin
Director
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kelly Lineberger
Director
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Doug Benson
Secretary
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (11)
- Former: Jack Purcell (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Kelly Katterhagen (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Sam Bowles (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Krista Terrell (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Luther Lockwood (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Steve D. Boland (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Ronald Bryant (2022) — Director
- Former: Bob Lilien (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Holly Welch Stubbing (2020–2021) — Secretary
- Former: Jeep Bryant (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Michelle Thornhill (2020–2021) — Director
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.
Contact
Mailing address: 220 North Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC 28202
Phone: (704) 973-4500
Frequently asked questions about Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust
How much does Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust give each year?
Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust gave $9.1M across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $12.1M across 16 grants.
What is Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust's typical grant size?
Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust's median grant in 2025 was $358,423, and its average grant was $566,947, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust that year got $8K on average.
Where does Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust give grants?
Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust gives mostly in North Carolina: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Charlotte, NC (15 grants).
Does Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Arts & Culture" (16 grants).
Who are Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust's largest grantees?
Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust's largest 2025 grantees include Mint Museum ($3,166,618), Discovery Place Inc ($1,223,406) and Bechtler Museum of Modern Art ($838,283), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 58% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
What does Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust fund?
The Trust’s stated mission is “growing and sustaining a vibrant cultural community in Charlotte-Mecklenburg” by providing endowment management, oversight, and investment expertise to build and grow permanent funds for the area’s arts, science, and history organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust?
Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust's EIN?
Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-0576292. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust down — hundreds of funders to go?