Laughing Gull Foundation
Laughing Gull Foundation is a progressive family foundation based in Durham, North Carolina, and committed to justice rooted in the South. It supports work in LGBTQ+ equality, higher education in prison, and climate and the environment.
Laughing Gull Foundation at a glance
In short: Laughing Gull Foundation gave $6.2M across 127 grants in 2024 (avg $49K), top state North Carolina. 36% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $6,231,370
- +4.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 127
- +3.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $49,066
- +0.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $53,381,249
- -9.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 36% first-time grantees (37 of 103, 2024)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (31% 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 Laughing Gull Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 505 S Duke St Ste 301, Durham, NC 27701-3259
Phone: (615) 419-3677
Website: https://laughinggull.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Laughing Gull Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Partnership for Southern Equity ($250K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
562 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 259 grants of 562 (46%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation prioritizes organizations rooted in the South and sometimes funds national organizations that support the U.S. Southeast. In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina (31%), Georgia (12%), Virginia (12%), South Carolina (6%), and Louisiana (5%). Its website states that it currently has 91 grantee partners in 11 states throughout the U.S. South.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 127 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Laughing Gull Foundation open to new grantees?
36%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 37 of 103 grantees (36%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $44K; repeat grants $70K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $60K repeat.
- 60% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 32% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 188% 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 $4.3M (2020) to $6.2M (2024). In 2024 it made 127 grants totaling $6.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Campaign for Southern Equality Asheville, NC | General Operating Support | $160,000 |
| Neighborhood Funders Group San Francisco, CA | Amplify Fund | $150,000 |
| Partnership for Southern Equity Atlanta, GA | Project Supp JUSTICE40 Accelerator | $150,000 |
| Equality NC Foundation Raleigh, NC | General Operating Support | $125,000 |
| Equality Virginia Richmond, VA | General Operating Support | $125,000 |
| University of Central Florida Orlando, FL | General Operating Support | $105,000 |
| Appalachian Voices Boone, NC | General Operating Support | $100,000 |
| Center for Heirs' Prop Preservatio North Carolina, SC | General Operating Support | $100,000 |
| Freedom Center for Social Justice Charlotte, NC | General Operating Support | $100,000 |
| Operation Restoration New Orleans, LA | Operation Restoration | $100,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Laughing Gull Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The foundation’s filing type is Form 990-PF (a private foundation).
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $53,381,249 | $1,894,874 | $7,738,218 | $6,231,370 | 127 | $6,567,684 | $1,650,134 | $3,493,633 |
| 2023 | $59,203,248 | $3,132,291 | $7,504,981 | $5,979,331 | 123 | $6,380,230 | $2,764,616 | $3,349,946 |
| 2022 | $63,881,583 | $45,759,421 | $7,041,218 | $5,658,500 | 109 | $6,025,983 | $746,192 | $3,438,092 |
| 2021 | $29,174,242 | $14,812,732 | $5,963,940 | $4,721,880 | 123 | $4,973,944 | $9,065,193 | $1,747,604 |
| 2020 | $25,825,634 | $8,448,702 | $5,324,772 | $4,350,000 | 80 | — | $4,822,552 | $1,562,557 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Laughing Gull Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.5M 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 foundation says it redistributes resources to repair, rehumanize, and transform relationships, institutions, and systems. Its three focus areas are LGBTQ+ equality, higher education in prison, and climate and the environment.
It supports multiple strategies, including direct service, policy advocacy, community organizing, and work to change hearts and minds. Its approach prioritizes organizations with BIPOC leadership and clear accountability to communities, and includes capacity-building support such as leadership coaching, board development, racial equity work, fundraising, and peer learning.
Examples of grantees illustrate the range of supported work. Campaign for Southern Equality says it works for full LGBTQ equality—legal and lived—across the South. Operation Restoration says it supports women and girls impacted by incarceration. Neighborhood Funders Group describes itself as a network that organizes philanthropy to support grassroots power building in communities of color and low-income communities.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 127 grants totaling $6,231,370. Grants ranged from $125 to $160,000, with a median of $50,000. Recent annual giving was $5,979,331 across 123 grants in 2023 and $5,658,500 across 109 grants in 2022.
Notable 2024 grants included $160,000 to Campaign for Southern Equality for general operating support; $150,000 to Neighborhood Funders Group for its Amplify Fund; and $150,000 to Partnership for Southern Equity for project support for the Justice40 Accelerator. Other awards included $125,000 each to Equality NC Foundation and Equality Virginia for general operating support, and $100,000 to Operation Restoration.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Marjorie Owen Baesmith as president, Emily Coward as secretary, Marjorie Williams Coward as chair, and Sarah Schwartz Baesmith as treasurer.
Laughing Gull Foundation is led by Marjorie Owen Baesmith, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Marjorie Owen Baesmith
President
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marjorie Williams Coward
Chair
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Emily Coward
Secretary
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Schwartz Baesmith
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Laughing Gull Foundation
How much does Laughing Gull Foundation give each year?
Laughing Gull Foundation gave $6.2M across 127 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $6.0M across 123 grants.
What is Laughing Gull Foundation's typical grant size?
Laughing Gull Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $49,066, across 127 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Laughing Gull Foundation that year got $44K on average.
Where does Laughing Gull Foundation give grants?
Laughing Gull Foundation's top state is North Carolina, with 31% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Georgia (12%) and Virginia (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Asheville, NC (12 grants), Durham, NC (11 grants), Richmond, VA (10 grants) and Raleigh, NC (9 grants).
Does Laughing Gull Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 44% of Laughing Gull Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (56 of 127) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Capacity Building" (4 grants) and "Rapid Response Funds" (3 grants).
Who are Laughing Gull Foundation's largest grantees?
Laughing Gull Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Partnership for Southern Equity ($250,000 across 2 grants), Campaign for Southern Equality ($218,925 across 5 grants) and Tennessee Higher Education Initiative ($160,000 across 3 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 10% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Laughing Gull Foundation?
Laughing Gull Foundation reported $53.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $6.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.5M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Laughing Gull Foundation fund?
The foundation says it redistributes resources to repair, rehumanize, and transform relationships, institutions, and systems. Its three focus areas are LGBTQ+ equality, higher education in prison, and climate and the environment. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Laughing Gull Foundation?
The foundation 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 Laughing Gull Foundation's EIN?
Laughing Gull Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4749289. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Laughing Gull 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Laughing Gull Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Laughing Gull Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/laughing-gull-foundation-morg_5780cf8ddab64151935706421b7ea223
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_364749289_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Laughing Gull Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/laughing-gull-foundation-morg_5780cf8ddab64151935706421b7ea223},
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 Laughing Gull 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.
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