Jerry & Marilyn Cook Foundation Inc
Jerry & Marilyn Cook Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. In its 2025 filing, it reported 23 grants totaling $642,200, all to recipients in North Carolina.
Key facts about Jerry & Marilyn Cook Foundation Inc
In short: Jerry & Marilyn Cook Foundation Inc gave $642K across 23 grants in 2025 (avg $28K), mostly in North Carolina. 13% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 84-3940535
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $642,200
- Grants made (2025)
- 23
- Average grant
- $27,922
- Median grant
- $500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (3 of 23, 2025; small sample)
- Total assets
- $1,411,435
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- 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. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 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
$1.4M
-25.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$642K
+0.5% YoY
Grant Count
23
+9.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$28K
-8.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Jerry & Marilyn Cook Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $78K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Jerry & Marilyn Cook Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 23 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. With only 23 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $32K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $500 repeat.
- 78% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 1106% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 821% 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied activities. Cape Fear River Watch describes its mission as protecting and improving water quality in the Cape Fear River Basin through education, advocacy, and action. Cape Fear Community College says it provides scholarships and supports the college’s programs. Fellowship Hall says it helps people with substance use disorders by providing care while maintaining a twelve-step philosophy. Kids Making It says it teaches woodworking, vocational, and arts skills to empower youth.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 23 grants totaling $642,200. Grants ranged from $100 to $625,000, with a median of $500.
The largest reported grant was $625,000 to NC State School of Design for financial support. Other grants included $3,000 to Wilmington Symphony Orchestra, $2,500 to UNC Rex Cancer Center, $2,000 to Cape Fear River Watch, and $1,000 each to Cape Fear Community College and Wrightsville Beach History Museum.
How to Apply
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Ready to take the next step with Jerry & Marilyn Cook Foundation Inc?
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 23 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $19K (2020) to $764K (2023). In 2025 it made 23 grants totaling $642K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was NC State School of Design ($625K). Together the top 10 received $637K.
Grant Size Distribution
123 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 120 grants of 123 (98%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| NC State School of Design Raleigh, NC | Financial Support | $625,000 |
| Wilmington Symphony Orchestra Wilmington, NC | Financial Support | $3,000 |
| UNC Rex Cancer Center Chapel Hill, NC | Financial Support | $2,500 |
| Cape Fear River Watch Wilmington, NC | Financial Support | $2,000 |
| Cape Fear Community College Wilmington, NC | Financial Support | $1,000 |
| Wrightsville Beach History Museum Wrightsville Beach, NC | Financial Support | $1,000 |
| North Carolina Symphony Raleigh, NC | Financial Support | $1,000 |
| Allegany Junior Appalachian Musicians Sparta, NC | Financial Support | $500 |
| Fellowship Hall Grenesboro, NC | Financial Support | $500 |
| Food Bank of North Carolina Raleigh, NC | Financial Support | $500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,411,435 | $177,185 | $646,300 | $642,200 |
| 2024 | $1,881,892 | $747,332 | $641,578 | $638,950 |
| 2023 | $1,779,219 | $789,485 | $765,800 | $763,600 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,411,435 | $1,881,892 | $1,779,219 |
| Revenue | $177,185 | $747,332 | $789,485 |
| Expenses | $646,300 | $641,578 | $765,800 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $642,200 | $638,950 | $763,600 |
| Net Investment Income | $66,952 | $119,704 | $65,264 |
| Distributable Amount | $78,217 | $77,145 | $75,849 |
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 April 28, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 4, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 12, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 22, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 26, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 27, 2024)
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jerry A Cook as president and Marilyn S Cook as vice-president.
Jerry & Marilyn Cook Foundation Inc is led by Jerry A. Cook, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jerry A. Cook
President
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marilyn S. Cook
Vice President
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/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.
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 2, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480
Phone: (919) 880-2391
Frequently asked questions about Jerry & Marilyn Cook Foundation Inc
How much does Jerry & Marilyn Cook Foundation Inc give each year?
Jerry & Marilyn Cook Foundation Inc gave $642K across 23 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $639K across 21 grants.
What is Jerry & Marilyn Cook Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Jerry & Marilyn Cook Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $500, and its average grant was $27,922, across 23 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Jerry & Marilyn Cook Foundation Inc that year got $1K on average.
Where does Jerry & Marilyn Cook Foundation Inc give grants?
Jerry & Marilyn Cook Foundation Inc gives mostly in North Carolina: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Wilmington, NC (7 grants), Raleigh, NC (6 grants) and Chapel Hill, NC (2 grants).
Does Jerry & Marilyn Cook Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 23 grants with a stated purpose on Jerry & Marilyn Cook Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Financial Support" (23 grants).
Who are Jerry & Marilyn Cook Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Jerry & Marilyn Cook Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include NC State School of Design ($625,000), Wilmington Symphony Orchestra ($3,000) and UNC Rex Cancer Center ($2,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 98% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Jerry & Marilyn Cook Foundation Inc?
Jerry & Marilyn Cook Foundation Inc reported $1.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $642K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $78K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Jerry & Marilyn Cook Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied activities. Cape Fear River Watch describes its mission as protecting and improving water quality in the Cape Fear River Basin through education, advocacy, and action. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Jerry & Marilyn Cook 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 Jerry & Marilyn Cook Foundation Inc's EIN?
Jerry & Marilyn Cook Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-3940535. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Jerry & Marilyn Cook 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.
Here's the math on researching Jerry & Marilyn Cook Foundation Inc by hand.
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