Hope Through Life Foundation
Hope Through Life Foundation is a private foundation based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It made 10 grants totaling $66,000 in filing year 2025, supporting charitable organizations in North Carolina, Utah, Georgia, and Iowa.
Hope Through Life Foundation at a glance
In short: Hope Through Life Foundation gave $66K across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in North Carolina. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $66,000
- -22.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 10
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,600
- -22.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $1,758,963
- -2.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 10, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (55% 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 Hope Through Life Foundation
- 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: 100 Europa Drive 525, Chapel Hill, NC 27517
Phone: (919) 967-0618
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Hope Through Life Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Reality Ministries ($11K). Together the top 10 received $66K.
Grant Size Distribution
47 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 46 grants of 47 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars were distributed among recipients in North Carolina (55%), Utah (30%), Georgia (8%), and Iowa (8%), as reported in the filing.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Hope Through Life Foundation open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 10 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. How we count
- 100% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 35% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 94% 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 (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $66K (2025) to $110K (2021). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $66K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Reality Ministries Durham, NC | Operations | $11,000 |
| BRIDGE21 Park City Corp Park City, UT | Match - Promontory | $10,000 |
| Friends of Mukhanyo Durham, NC | Operations - Mukhanyo Christian Academy | $10,000 |
| Experience Reality Inc Durham, NC | Operations | $5,000 |
| Fuller Center Housing of Utah County Americus, GA | Bike Adventure | $5,000 |
| Maker Union Park City, UT | Operations | $5,000 |
| Miraclefeet Chapel Hill, NC | Operations | $5,000 |
| Mission Fiji Coalville, UT | Operations | $5,000 |
| SKJAJA Fundyouthworks on Main Carrboro, NC | Operations | $5,000 |
| Young Life Park City Harlan, IA | Operations | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Hope Through Life Foundation?
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 | $1,758,963 | $53,497 | $88,223 | $66,000 | 10 | $72,226 | $47,494 | $77,089 |
| 2024 | $1,795,150 | $62,508 | $110,933 | $85,000 | 10 | $93,073 | $54,063 | $76,026 |
| 2023 | $1,845,694 | $202,228 | $119,955 | $97,000 | 8 | $101,197 | $183,470 | $86,825 |
| 2022 | $1,781,807 | $42,412 | $128,519 | $102,000 | 8 | $106,231 | $20,486 | $102,031 |
| 2021 | $1,885,210 | $-182,421 | $136,713 | $110,000 | 11 | — | $13,673 | $107,108 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Hope Through Life Foundation reported a distributable amount of $77K 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 2025 grants included support for operations, a matching gift, and a bike adventure. Among its grantees, Reality Ministries describes itself as a local nonprofit serving people with developmental disabilities. Bridge21 says it creates affordable, cognitively accessible, long-term housing for neurodiverse adults. MiracleFeet says it increases access to clubfoot treatment for children in low- and middle-income countries through local healthcare partnerships. Experience Reality describes itself as a Christian conference, retreat, and study center.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation gave 10 grants totaling $66,000. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $11,000, with a median of $5,000.
The largest grants were $11,000 to Reality Ministries in Durham, North Carolina, for operations; $10,000 to Bridge21 Park City Corp in Park City, Utah, for “Match - Promontory”; and $10,000 to Friends of Mukhanyo in Durham, North Carolina, for operations at Mukhanyo Christian Academy. Other named 2025 grantees included Experience Reality Inc ($5,000), MiracleFeet ($5,000), Maker Union ($5,000), Mission Fiji ($5,000), Skjaja Fundyouthworks on Main ($5,000), Young Life Park City ($5,000), and Fuller Center Housing of Utah County ($5,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Dennis Andrew Howell as president, treasurer, and director, and Elizabeth Kenan Howell as vice-president, secretary, and director.
Hope Through Life Foundation is led by Dennis Andrew Howell, President, Treasurer & Director on every filing since 2021; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Dennis Andrew Howell
President, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Kenan Howell
Vice President, Secretary & Director
On filings since 2021
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 Hope Through Life Foundation
How much does Hope Through Life Foundation give each year?
Hope Through Life Foundation gave $66K across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $85K across 10 grants.
What is Hope Through Life Foundation's typical grant size?
Hope Through Life Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $6,600, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Hope Through Life Foundation give grants?
Hope Through Life Foundation gives mostly in North Carolina: 55% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Utah (30%) and Georgia (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Durham, NC (3 grants) and Park City, UT (2 grants).
Does Hope Through Life Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on Hope Through Life Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Operations" (7 grants).
Who are Hope Through Life Foundation's largest grantees?
Hope Through Life Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Reality Ministries ($11,000), BRIDGE21 Park City Corp ($10,000) and Friends of Mukhanyo ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 47% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Hope Through Life Foundation?
Hope Through Life Foundation reported $1.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $72K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $77K (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 Hope Through Life Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for operations, a matching gift, and a bike adventure. Among its grantees, Reality Ministries describes itself as a local nonprofit serving people with developmental disabilities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Hope Through Life Foundation?
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 Hope Through Life Foundation's EIN?
Hope Through Life Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-2114270. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Hope Through Life Foundation 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Live grants for the work Hope Through Life Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Hope Through Life Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in North Carolina
Columbus Foundation
Columbus, OH
The Columbus Foundation supports a broad range of nonprofit work, including arts, education, health, basic needs, neighborhoods, and capacity building, primarily in central Ohio. Its 2024 grants had a median of $21,471, though amounts varied widely. Most grants are directed by donors and aren’t made through an application process, but some specific programs accept applications.
Assets
$2.8B
Grants
1,747
Total Given
$242.7M
The Thomas S Kenan III Foundation
Chapel Hill, NC
The Thomas S Kenan III Foundation supports charitable organizations in education, the arts, health care, youth services, conservation, and other areas, with most funding going to North Carolina. Its 2025 grants ranged from $500 to $30,000, with a median of $3,000. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$2.2M
Grants
43
Total Given
$251K
Duke Energy Foundation
Charlotte, NC
The Duke Energy Foundation funds workforce and local economic development, disaster resilience, conservation, clean water, and economic opportunity in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Its 2024 grants had a median of $25,000; applications for grants of $20,000 or less are accepted year-round, after applicants discuss proposals with a state representative.
Assets
$1.9M
Grants
41
Total Given
$25.6M
The Kenan Family Foundation
Chapel Hill, NC
The Kenan Family Foundation supports charitable organizations, with recent grants spanning education, community services, arts, and disability programs. Its 2025 grants ranged from $2,500 to $50,000, with a median of $15,000; most funding went to North Carolina, followed by California and Utah. It gives only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$5.2M
Grants
22
Total Given
$395K
State Employees Credit Union Foundation
Raleigh, NC
The foundation funds capital projects, regional or statewide programs, and organizational capacity building that strengthen North Carolina communities; it favors projects with broad or replicable impact and does not fund operating budgets or shortfalls. Its 2025 grants ranged from $1,250 to $1 million, with a median of $2,500. Applications are accepted at any time and typically reviewed semiannually.
Assets
$61.0M
Grants
1,806
Total Given
$17.4M
Foundation for the Carolinas
Charlotte, NC
Foundation For The Carolinas funds education and youth development, environmental and wildlife work, health and human services, and animal welfare, with a reported median grant of $25,000 in 2024. Its competitive programs focus on Charlotte-Mecklenburg, the Carolinas, and specific local communities, while donor-advised funds may support eligible nonprofits more broadly; it accepts applications for some competitive grants, but most grants are recommended by fund advisors and have no application process.
Assets
$3.9B
Grants
1,605
Total Given
$609.1M
More similar funders
More Funders in North Carolina
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Hope Through Life Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/hope-through-life-foundation-morg_25132568ea514dcab660f6aa7c7e4770
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_562114270_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Hope Through Life Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/hope-through-life-foundation-morg_25132568ea514dcab660f6aa7c7e4770},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Hope Through Life 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.
Hope Through Life Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?