John Rex Endowment
John Rex Endowment is a private grantmaking and advocacy foundation based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Established in 2000 following the UNC Health Care System's acquisition of Rex Healthcare, the endowment was created to advance the health and well-being of residents in Wake County. The organization operates with a team of six full-time employees and functions as both a grant-making organization and an active advocate for community change.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$71.8M
+1.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.3M
-7.0% YoY
Grant Count
48
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$48K
-7.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John Rex Endowment reported a distributable amount of $4.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The John Rex Endowment's mission is to strengthen organizations that center racial equity and justice to improve the social and emotional health of children living in Wake County. The endowment's desired impact is that all children and their families are safe, healthy, and living to their full potential.
Primary funding areas include:
- Healthy weight and injury prevention for children
- Mental health and social and emotional well-being
- Nonprofit capacity building
- Racial equity and justice initiatives
- Support for Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and all children and families of color (BIPOC)
The endowment prioritizes strategies that work to improve outcomes for BIPOC children and families, and centers the wisdom and innovation of Wake County BIPOC residents in developing lasting responses.
Grantmaking
The foundation operates on a preselected basis, meaning it makes contributions only to organizations it has identified and invited to apply. The endowment is open to new applicants, with approximately 12% of new applicants receiving funding.
Grant Range
s & Activity:**
Average Grant
amount: $39,000–$197,000
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with John Rex Endowment?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The endowment primarily funds organizations in North Carolina, with particular emphasis on Wake County. Grantmaking also extends to Massachusetts, Georgia, Minnesota, Washington D.C., and other states, though North Carolina receives the majority of funding. The foundation supports projects in cities including Raleigh, Durham, and Atlanta.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $71.8 million
- Annual Income: $8.3 million
- Total Giving (2024): $2.3–$2.5 million
- Annual Expenses: approximately $4.9 million
- Annual Revenue: approximately $3.9 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $71,766,506 | $70,743,311 | $71,869,064 |
| Revenue | $6,469,814 | $3,911,317 | $5,709,181 |
| Expenses | $4,987,858 | $4,925,716 | $4,602,443 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $4,132,142 | $3,923,837 | $4,144,262 |
| Net Investment Income | $5,780,491 | $3,208,633 | $5,076,523 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,987,517 | $3,768,528 | $3,912,839 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
246 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from John Rex Endowment
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Wake County Smart Start ($254,100), Nc Counts Coalition ($175,000), 100 Black Men Triangle East Inc ($150,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| WAKE COUNTY SMART START RALEIGH, NC | THE KALEIDOSCOPE PROJECT EXPANSION II | $254,100 |
| NC COUNTS COALITION RALEIGH, NC | BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND WESTERN NC SUPPORT | $175,000 |
| 100 BLACK MEN TRIANGLE EAST INC RALEIGH, NC | SMALL GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANT | $150,000 |
| SMART BUS RALEIGH, NC | SMALL GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANT | $150,000 |
| THE RESILIENCY COLLABORATIVE RALEIGH, NC | SMALL GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANT | $150,000 |
| THE GIFTED ARTS INC RALEIGH, NC | SMALL GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANT | $150,000 |
| ARTS ACCESS INC RALEIGH, NC | RACIAL EQUITY AND DISABILITY | $75,000 |
| ARTSPACE RALEIGH, NC | IDEAS FOR INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, ACCESS, AND SUCESS IN THE WAKE COUNTY ARTS SECTOR | $75,000 |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF THE TRIANGLE MORRISVILLE, NC | BBBST RACIAL EQUITY CAPACITY BUILDING | $75,000 |
| EL PUEBLO INC RALEIGH, NC | COUNTERACTING THE NARRATIVE | $75,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Kellan Moore – President and CEO (compensated position)
- Matt Leatherman – Board Chair (volunteer)
- Latasha Winstead – Vice-Chair (volunteer)
The endowment is governed by 13 officers and trustees who serve on a volunteer basis, with the exception of the President/CEO.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRYAN LEWIS | CHAIR | 1 | — |
| DAVID BAKER SR | VICE-CHAIR | 1 | — |
| LIBBY GEORGE | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| MATT LEATHERMAN | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| ALMA BARNETT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| WILL CHAVIS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| RHETT RUSSELL | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LORETTA HARPER-ARNOLD | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| WARREN LUGWIG | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| KELLAN MOORE | PRESIDENT/CEO | 40 | $250,569 |
| JOHN RUSHER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DEREK WILDMAN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| BRENDA WILLIAMS-BROWN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LATASHA WINSTEAD | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The endowment continues to expand its capacity-building and advocacy work. Recent initiatives include:
**BREATHE Spring 2026 Cohort** – A capacity-building program launching in March 2026
**Equity-Centered Capacity Building Conversation** – Virtual discussion scheduled for March 2026
**Systems Thinking Lunch & Learn** – Educational session on systems thinking approaches
**Emerging Equity Partnership Grant** – An active grant opportunity available to eligible organizations
The foundation regularly publishes updates on nonprofit capacity building, coalition effectiveness, and racial equity work through its newsletter and news section.
John Rex Endowment Awards Next Cycle of Funding to Support Racial EquityFrequently Asked Questions
What does John Rex Endowment fund?
The John Rex Endowment's mission is to strengthen organizations that center racial equity and justice to improve the social and emotional health of children living in Wake County. The endowment's desired impact is that all children and their families are safe, healthy, and living to their full potential. Primary funding areas include: • Healthy weight and injury prevention for children • Mental health and social and emotional well-being • Nonprofit capacity building • Racial equity and justice …
How do I apply for a grant from John Rex Endowment?
**Grant Sizes & Activity:** • Total annual giving: approximately $2.3–$2.7 million • Average grant amount: $39,000–$197,000 • Median grant amount: $10,000 • Individual grants have ranged from $10,000 to $585,000 • The foundation has supported 79 unique organizations with 194 total grants **Application Process:** The foundation operates on a preselected basis, meaning it makes contributions only to organizations it has identified and invited to apply. The endowment is open to new applicants, wit…
Where does John Rex Endowment make grants?
The endowment primarily funds organizations in North Carolina, with particular emphasis on Wake County. Grantmaking also extends to Massachusetts, Georgia, Minnesota, Washington D.C., and other states, though North Carolina receives the majority of funding. The foundation supports projects in cities including Raleigh, Durham, and Atlanta.
What size grants does John Rex Endowment award?
In 2024, John Rex Endowment awarded 48 grants totaling $2.3M — an average of about $48K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is John Rex Endowment required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, John Rex Endowment reported a distributable amount of $4.0M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is John Rex Endowment's EIN?
John Rex Endowment's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1678223. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in John Rex Endowment's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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