Melton Foundation
The Melton Foundation is a private foundation based in Hays, North Carolina. In its 2025 filing, it reported 14 grants totaling $36,000, primarily to organizations in North Carolina.
Melton Foundation at a glance
In short: Melton Foundation gave $36K across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in North Carolina. 29% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $36,000
- -4.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,571
- -4.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,750
- Total assets
- $229,143
- -6.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (4 of 14, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (97% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Melton Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 4406 Rock Creek Road, Hays, NC 28635
Phone: (919) 755-1317
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Melton Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Rescue America ($6K). Together the top 10 received $32K.
Grant Size Distribution
67 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 67 grants of 67 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 97% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina and 3% to recipients in Georgia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Melton Foundation open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 14 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 71% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+13%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 107% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $27K (2020) to $38K (2024). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $36K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Rescue America Millers Creek, NC | Operating Fund | $6,000 |
| Samaritan Kitchen of Wilkes Wilkesboro, NC | Backpack Food Program for Kids | $6,000 |
| Walk by Faith Christian Camp Hays, NC | General Fund | $5,000 |
| Wilkes Cattlemen's Association Wilkesboro, NC | Memorial Agriculture Scholarship | $3,000 |
| The Gideons International North Wilkesboro, NC | Operating Fund | $3,000 |
| The Health Foundation North Wilkesboro, NC | Nursing Scholarship | $3,000 |
| Wilkes Pregnancy Care Center North Wilkesboro, NC | General Fund | $2,000 |
| MTN View Ruritan Hays, NC | Operating Fund | $1,500 |
| Wilkes Heritage Museum Wilkesboro, NC | General Fund | $1,500 |
| Hope Ministries North Wilkesboro, NC | General Fund | $1,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $229,143 | $11,138 | $38,772 | $36,000 | 14 | $38,400 | $11,138 | $36,019 |
| 2024 | $245,277 | $26,778 | $41,663 | $37,500 | 14 | $41,500 | $26,778 | $34,749 |
| 2023 | $269,662 | $11,615 | $34,449 | $32,000 | 13 | $34,300 | $11,718 | $30,587 |
| 2022 | $285,996 | $9,211 | $34,109 | $32,000 | 13 | $33,773 | $10,737 | $30,898 |
| 2021 | $310,894 | $126,234 | $33,361 | $32,000 | 13 | $33,100 | $24,175 | $30,003 |
| 2020 | $218,021 | $18,484 | $28,667 | $27,000 | 12 | — | $18,484 | $22,657 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Melton Foundation reported a distributable amount of $36K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included operating and general-fund support, food assistance, scholarships, and support for a camp and a museum.
Among its 2025 grantees, Samaritan Kitchen of Wilkes describes its mission as feeding people who are hungry or food-insecure through a food pantry and a backpack meal program for children. The Health Foundation says it works to improve community health and well-being. Wilkes Pregnancy Care Center describes its work as helping women and men make life-affirming choices concerning pregnancy, relationships, and sexual behavior. Wilkes Heritage Museum says it collects and preserves Wilkes County history through exhibits, educational programs, performances, and research. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave $36,000 through 14 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $6,000, with a median of $1,750.
Among the largest reported grants were $6,000 to Rescue America for operating funds, $6,000 to Samaritan Kitchen of Wilkes for its backpack food program for children, and $5,000 to Walk by Faith Christian Camp for its general fund. Other reported grants included $3,000 to Wilkes Cattlemen’s Association for a memorial agriculture scholarship, $3,000 to The Gideons International for operating funds, and $3,000 to The Health Foundation for a nursing scholarship.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Doris W. Melton as president, Randy L. Melton as vice president, and Steven E. Melton as secretary treasurer.
Melton Foundation is led by Doris W. Melton, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Doris W. Melton
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Randy L. Melton
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steven E. Melton
Secretary Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Melton Foundation
How much does Melton Foundation give each year?
Melton Foundation gave $36K across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $38K across 14 grants.
What is Melton Foundation's typical grant size?
Melton Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,750, and its average grant was $2,571, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Melton Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does Melton Foundation give grants?
Melton Foundation gives mostly in North Carolina: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were North Wilkesboro, NC (6 grants), Wilkesboro, NC (4 grants) and Hays, NC (2 grants).
Does Melton Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 64% of Melton Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (9 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Melton Foundation's largest grantees?
Melton Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Rescue America ($6,000), Samaritan Kitchen of Wilkes ($6,000) and Walk by Faith Christian Camp ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 47% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Melton Foundation?
Melton Foundation reported $229K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $38K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $36K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Melton Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included operating and general-fund support, food assistance, scholarships, and support for a camp and a museum. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Melton Foundation?
The foundation states that it 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 Melton Foundation's EIN?
Melton Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-2276922. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Melton 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 April 26, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 5, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 26, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 1, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 24, 2026)
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Figures come from Melton 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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