Mebane Charitable Foundation Inc is a private foundation established in 1992 and located in Garden City, New York. The foundation is a family foundation dedicated to advancing educational excellence, with a particular emphasis on early childhood education and literacy initiatives.
Key facts about Mebane Charitable Foundation Inc
- EIN
- 56-1853390
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,519,777
- Grants made (2024)
- 38
- Average grant
- $39,994
- Median grant
- $5,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (12 of 38, 2024)
- Total assets
- $27,051,280
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (86% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Mebane Charitable Foundation Inc funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Mebane Charitable Foundation Inc's 38 itemized 2024 grants were North Carolina (86%) and New York (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Mocksville, NC (7 grants), Charlotte, NC (3 grants), Cashiers, NC (2 grants) and Durham, NC (2 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Mebane Charitable Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 12 of 38 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $55K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 58% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−5%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 126% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Mebane Charitable Foundation Inc
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$27.1M
+9.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.5M
-7.6% YoY
Grant Count
38
-9.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$40K
+2.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Mebane Charitable Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Preparing children for life through literacy.
Vision: A catalyst for literacy innovation in North Carolina and beyond.
Values: Passion. Agility. Impact.
The foundation's work is grounded in founder Allen Mebane's core convictions that:
- Top-tier education is essential for achieving the nation's greatest potential
- Educational opportunity and excellence must begin in the early grades, with reading skills as the foundation of all education
- Every child, regardless of race or socioeconomic background, deserves access to top-tier education that opens doors to extraordinary career opportunities and more fulfilling lives
The foundation operates as a catalyst for innovation and excellence in education by promoting collaborations and partnerships among educational professionals, business leaders, elected officials, and community members. It encourages bold innovation and creative solutions through new, outside-the-box models that enhance educational opportunities for all students.
Grantmaking
The foundation made $1,938,450 in annual grants in 2024. Recent grants include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports nonprofit initiatives in North Carolina, with particular emphasis on Davie and Yadkin counties. The foundation also supports initiatives beyond North Carolina as part of its vision to be a catalyst for literacy innovation.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 38 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $27,051,280
- Total Revenues: $4,607,056
- Total Expenses: $2,329,412
- Number of Employees: 2
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $27,051,280 | $24,738,001 | $26,479,789 |
| Revenue | $4,607,056 | $839,154 | $536,900 |
| Expenses | $2,329,412 | $2,444,783 | $1,971,206 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,151,934 | $2,273,593 | $1,751,502 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,448,418 | $663,981 | $385,720 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,708,854 | $1,652,788 | $1,721,001 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
212 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Mebane Charitable Foundation Inc
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include UNC Charlotte ($516,500), Summit Charter School ($165,000), NYU Langone Medical Center ($150,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UNC CHARLOTTE Charlotte, NC | GENERAL PURPOSE | $516,500 |
| SUMMIT CHARTER SCHOOL Cashiers, NC | GENERAL PURPOSE | $165,000 |
| NYU LANGONE MEDICAL CENTER New York City, NY | GENERAL PURPOSE | $150,000 |
| DAVIE COUNTY SCHOOLS Mocksville, NC | GENERAL PURPOSE | $103,500 |
| BROOKSTONE SCHOOLS Charlotte, NC | GENERAL PURPOSE | $81,500 |
| APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERSITY Boone, NC | GENERAL PURPOSE | $75,000 |
| CHRIST SCHOOL Arden, NC | GENERAL PURPOSE | $75,000 |
| ANIMAL MEDICAL CENTER New York, NY | GENERAL PURPOSE | $50,000 |
| AUGUSTINE LITERACY PROJECT Durham, NC | GENERAL PURPOSE | $50,000 |
| WINGATE UNIVERSITY Wingate, NC | GENERAL PURPOSE | $45,150 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Larry C. Colbourne – President
- Susan Domanski – Office Administrator
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larry C Colbourne | President & Director | 40 | $211,000 |
| Marianne C Mebane | Chairperson & Director | 2 | — |
| Paul H Livingston Jr | Secretary & Director | 2 | $4,000 |
| Susan Domanski | Assistant Secretary | 40 | $76,000 |
| William Mebane | Director | 2 | $4,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In May 2023, the Mebane Foundation selected UNC Charlotte's Cato College of Education as its partner institution to carry forward its long-standing commitment to innovative literacy education in North Carolina and beyond. This followed a competitive statewide search and resulted in a transformational gift of up to $23 million to the institution.
UNC Charlotte to Help Carry on Mebane Foundation Legacy Through Historic\The foundation maintains active partnerships with literacy-focused organizations, including Book Harvest, which has been building a culture of reading for children and families for 15 years through ensuring access to high-quality, age-appropriate books in the home.
UNC Charlotte to Help Carry on Mebane Foundation Legacy Through Historic\Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Mebane Charitable Foundation Inc fund?
**Mission:** Preparing children for life through literacy. **Vision:** A catalyst for literacy innovation in North Carolina and beyond. **Values:** Passion. Agility. Impact. The foundation's work is grounded in founder Allen Mebane's core convictions that: • Top-tier education is essential for achieving the nation's greatest potential • Educational opportunity and excellence must begin in the early grades, with reading skills as the foundation of all education • Every child, regardless of race …
How do I apply for a grant from Mebane Charitable Foundation Inc?
The foundation made $1,938,450 in annual grants in 2024. Recent grants include: • UNC Charlotte Student Legal Services: $516,500 (2024) • Brookstone Schools of Mecklenburg County: $81,500 (2024) • Christ School: $75,000 (2024) The foundation has also made a transformational gift of up to $23 million to UNC Charlotte's Cato College of Education to carry forward its commitment to innovative literacy education.
Where does Mebane Charitable Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation primarily supports nonprofit initiatives in North Carolina, with particular emphasis on Davie and Yadkin counties. The foundation also supports initiatives beyond North Carolina as part of its vision to be a catalyst for literacy innovation.
What size grants does Mebane Charitable Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, Mebane Charitable Foundation Inc awarded 38 grants totaling $1.5M — an average of about $40K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Mebane Charitable Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Mebane Charitable Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.7M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Mebane Charitable Foundation Inc's EIN?
Mebane Charitable Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-1853390. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.