John Rex Endowment
John Rex Endowment is a private foundation based in Raleigh, North Carolina. It supports organizations and efforts working to strengthen racial equity and justice and improve children’s social-emotional health, with a focus on Wake County and broader efforts across North Carolina that benefit children and families there.
John Rex Endowment at a glance
In short: John Rex Endowment gave $2.3M across 48 grants in 2024 (avg $48K), mostly in North Carolina. 37% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,316,024
- -7.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 48
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $48,251
- -7.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $71,766,506
- +1.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 37% first-time grantees (16 of 43, 2024)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (95% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to John Rex Endowment
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
Apply through an announced opportunity and follow its stated eligibility requirements and application steps. The Endowment does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. It may offer shorter applications, conversations, or other ways to share information, depending on the opportunity. It generally does not fund standalone direct program or service delivery.
- Contact
Mailing address: 832 Wake Forest Road, Raleigh, NC 27604-1220
Phone: (919) 838-1110
Website: https://johnrexendowment.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from John Rex Endowment
Who John Rex Endowment funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Wake County Smart Start ($255K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
312 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 215 grants of 312 (69%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Endowment considers work based in Wake County and broader efforts across North Carolina that affect children and families in Wake County. In 2024, 95% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina, 3% to Massachusetts, and 2% to the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 48 itemized grants.
Cities
Is John Rex Endowment open to new grantees?
37%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 16 of 43 grantees (37%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $21K; repeat grants $74K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $75K repeat.
- 44% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−3%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 104% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $2.3M (2020) to $2.7M (2022). In 2024 it made 48 grants totaling $2.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| 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 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $71,766,506 | $6,469,814 | $4,987,858 | $2,316,024 | 48 | $4,132,142 | $5,780,491 | $3,987,517 |
| 2023 | $70,743,311 | $3,911,317 | $4,925,716 | $2,491,325 | 48 | $3,923,837 | $3,208,633 | $3,768,528 |
| 2022 | $71,869,064 | $5,709,181 | $4,602,443 | $2,684,899 | 96 | $4,144,262 | $5,076,523 | $3,912,839 |
| 2021 | $72,005,406 | $10,264,844 | $4,021,833 | $2,396,157 | 50 | $3,672,377 | $10,135,228 | $4,069,595 |
| 2020 | $66,598,033 | $2,668,084 | $4,177,475 | $2,268,731 | 70 | — | $1,984,185 | $3,552,243 |
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.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Endowment’s mission is “to strengthen organizations that center racial equity and justice to improve the social emotional health of children living in Wake County.” Its stated funding interests include organizational capacity building, racial equity and justice, children’s social-emotional health, and systems change. It supports 501(c)(3) public charities and nonprofit organizations, programs, coalitions, and other efforts working with an eligible 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor.
Examples of 2024 grantees illustrate the range of organizations it supported. Wake County Smart Start describes its work as investing in young children, families, and an early-childhood system that supports children’s preparation for school and life. The Resiliency Collaborative says it partners with BIPOC youth and their communities to strengthen identity, belonging, and purpose. Learning Together describes its work as empowering children with and without developmental delays and their families. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Endowment awarded 48 grants totaling $2,316,024. Grant amounts ranged from $50 to $254,100, with a median of $25,000.
Among the largest awards were $254,100 to Wake County Smart Start for “The Kaleidoscope Project Expansion II” and $175,000 to NC Counts Coalition for “Behavioral Health and Western NC Support.” Five organizations received $150,000 each: 100 Black Men Triangle East, Smart Bus, The Resiliency Collaborative, and The Gifted Arts, each for a small grassroots organizational development grant, and one other organization listed in the filing. The Endowment also awarded $75,000 each to Arts Access, Artspace, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Triangle, El Pueblo, Haven House Services, and Learning Together for purposes including racial equity, inclusion and access, and capacity building.
The Endowment’s website says that each funding opportunity specifies eligibility, timelines, application steps, and decision-making. It does not accept unsolicited proposals outside announced opportunities. Its 2025 Partners in Capacity Building & Impact opportunity called for letters of intent through April 4, 2025; the Endowment’s funding-opportunities page states that it does not currently have an open funding opportunity.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Bryan Lewis as chair, David Baker Sr. as vice-chair, Libby George as treasurer, and Matt Leatherman as secretary. Directors listed are Alma Barnett, Will Chavis, Rhett Russell, Loretta Harper-Arnold, and Warren Lugwig. Kellan Moore is listed as president and CEO.
John Rex Endowment is led by Kellan Moore, President & CEO on every filing since 2020; 1 of 14 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Kellan Moore
President & CEO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$209K (2020) → $251K (2024)
Bryan Lewis
Chair
Director → Treasurer, 2023
Treasurer → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Rusher
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Warren Lugwig
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Latasha Winstead
Director
Vice Chair → Director, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Derek Wildman
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rhett Russell
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Will Chavis
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alma Barnett
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brenda Williams-Brown
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Loretta Harper-Arnold
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Libby George
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matt Leatherman
Secretary
Chair → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Baker Sr.
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (7)
- Former: Heather Denny (2020–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Kate Simpson (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Andy Zukowski (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Craig Croom (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Tyran Hill (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Latasha Bennett (2020–2021) — Vice Chair
- Former: Pablo Escobar (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $251K, to Kellan Moore (President/CEO).
Frequently asked questions about John Rex Endowment
How much does John Rex Endowment give each year?
John Rex Endowment gave $2.3M across 48 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.5M across 48 grants.
What is John Rex Endowment's typical grant size?
John Rex Endowment's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $48,251, across 48 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from John Rex Endowment that year got $21K on average.
Where does John Rex Endowment give grants?
John Rex Endowment gives mostly in North Carolina: 95% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Raleigh, NC (36 grants), Durham, NC (4 grants) and Morrisville, NC (3 grants).
Does John Rex Endowment give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 48 grants with a stated purpose on John Rex Endowment's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Small Grassroots Organizational Development Grant" (4 grants).
Who are John Rex Endowment's largest grantees?
John Rex Endowment's largest 2024 grantees include Wake County Smart Start ($254,600 across 2 grants), NC Counts Coalition ($230,000 across 3 grants) and 100 Black Men Triangle East Inc ($150,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 27% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is John Rex Endowment?
John Rex Endowment reported $71.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $4.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4.0M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does John Rex Endowment fund?
The Endowment’s mission is “to strengthen organizations that center racial equity and justice to improve the social emotional health of children living in Wake County.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from John Rex Endowment?
Apply through an announced opportunity and follow its stated eligibility requirements and application steps. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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.
Does John Rex Endowment 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 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). John Rex Endowment funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/john-rex-endowment-morg_b6b665e7a1674fd98bbba20e553935ee
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_311678223_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{John Rex Endowment funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/john-rex-endowment-morg_b6b665e7a1674fd98bbba20e553935ee},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 John Rex Endowment'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.
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