John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray
John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray is a private foundation based in Lumberton, North Carolina. Its 2022 filing reports $270,000 in grants to charitable organizations, including organizations with charitable, educational, and religious purposes.
John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray at a glance
In short: John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray gave $270K across 24 grants in 2022 (avg $11K), mostly in North Carolina. 0% of 2022 grantees were new. Source: 2022 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2022)
- $270,000
- +0.0% vs 2021
- Grants made (2022)
- 24
- -17.2% vs 2021
- Average grant
- $11,250
- +20.8% vs 2021
- Median grant
- $3,500
- Total assets
- $3,027,528
- -3.7% vs 2021
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 23, 2022; small sample)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (92% of itemized 2022 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2022 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2022; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s 2022 filing stated that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. This is a statement from the 2022 filing, not a current application process.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 1368, Lumberton, NC 28359
Phone: (910) 739-3217
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2022
The largest 2022 recipient was United Way of Robeson ($105K). Together the top 10 received $156K.
Grant Size Distribution
82 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 76 grants of 82 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2022, 92% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina. The remaining reported shares went to Georgia (2%), Texas (2%), Oklahoma (1%), and Washington, DC (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2022 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
Cities
Is John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2022
In 2022, 0 of 23 grantees (0%) 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. How we count
- 100% of 2022 grantees were also funded in 2021. Method
- In 2022 it paid out 119% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2022). 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 2020 to 2022, annual grant giving ranged from $270K (2020) to $270K (2022). In 2022 it made 24 grants totaling $270K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| United Way of Robeson Lumberton, NC | Charitable | $105,000 |
| Various Lumberton, NC | Charitable | $84,550 |
| Empty Stocking Fund Lumberton, NC | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Communities in Schools Lumberton, NC | Educational | $7,500 |
| Cape Fear Council BSA Wilmington, NC | Charitable | $6,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity Atlanta, GA | Charitable | $5,250 |
| Exploration Station Lumberton, NC | Educational | $5,000 |
| Medical Benevolent Founda Stafford, TX | Charitable | $5,000 |
| RCC Foundation Lumberton, NC | Educational | $5,000 |
| First Presbyterian Church Lumberton, NC | Religious | $4,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $3,027,528 | $186,923 | $303,468 | $270,000 | 24 | $270,000 | $141,455 | $227,230 |
| 2021 | $3,144,813 | $392,563 | $303,370 | $270,000 | 29 | $270,000 | $347,193 | $234,831 |
| 2020 | $3,052,914 | $183,985 | $295,100 | $270,000 | 29 | — | $151,385 | $219,038 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray reported a distributable amount of $227K for 2022 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2022 grants included charitable, educational, and religious purposes. The grantees’ own descriptions illustrate some of the work represented: Habitat for Humanity–North Central Georgia describes its work as partnering with sponsors and volunteers to build homes with low-income families, while The Vital Ground Foundation describes efforts to protect and restore habitat for grizzly bears and other native species. Children’s Hope Alliance describes its mission as providing hope, health, and healing for generations.
Grantmaking
In 2022, the foundation gave $270,000 through 24 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $105,000, with a median grant of $3,500. Notable grants included $105,000 to United Way of Robeson in Lumberton, $84,550 to Various in Lumberton, $10,000 to Empty Stocking Fund in Lumberton, and $7,500 to Communities in Schools in Lumberton.
Other reported 2022 grants included $5,250 to Habitat for Humanity, $2,500 to The Vital Ground Foundation, and $1,000 each to Children’s Hope Alliance and Samaritan’s Purse. The Habitat for Humanity grantee describes itself as a Christian housing ministry serving low-income families; The Vital Ground Foundation describes its work as protecting and restoring wildlife habitat; Children’s Hope Alliance describes its mission as providing hope, health, and healing; and Samaritan’s Purse describes itself as an evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2022 filing lists John P McLean, Marianna G McLean, and Elisabeth McLean as trustees.
John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray's 2022 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2022 report compensation.
Officers on the 2022 filing
John P. McLean
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marianna G. McLean
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elisabeth McLean
Trustee
New on the 2022 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2022. "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 John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray
How much does John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray give each year?
John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray gave $270K across 24 grants in 2022, according to its 2022 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2021 it gave $270K across 29 grants.
What is John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray's typical grant size?
John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray's median grant in 2022 was $3,500, and its average grant was $11,250, across 24 grants on its 2022 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray give grants?
John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray gives mostly in North Carolina: 92% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2022 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Lumberton, NC (11 grants).
Does John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray give general operating support?
Not in 2022: none of the 24 grants with a stated purpose on John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray's 2022 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (18 grants) and "Educational" (3 grants).
Who are John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray's largest grantees?
John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray's largest 2022 grantees include United Way of Robeson ($105,000), Empty Stocking Fund ($10,000) and Communities in Schools ($7,500), according to its 2022 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 45% of its itemized 2022 grant dollars.
How large is John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray?
John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray reported $3.0M in total assets on its 2022 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $270K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $227K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2022 grants included charitable, educational, and religious purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray?
The foundation’s 2022 filing stated that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray's EIN?
John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-6065281. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2022.
Does John Luther McLean & Isabelle Gray 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2022
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