North Carolina Fenton Foundation
The North Carolina Fenton Foundation is a private foundation based in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. In filing year 2025, it reported giving $30,000 through 15 grants to charitable organizations, including schools, churches, and a volunteer fire department.
North Carolina Fenton Foundation at a glance
In short: North Carolina Fenton Foundation gave $30K across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in North Carolina. 13% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $30,000
- +20.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- +36.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,000
- -12.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $238,235
- +27.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (2 of 15, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (99% 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 North Carolina Fenton 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: 123 Newby Court, Rocky Mount, NC 27804-3322
Phone: (252) 972-8909
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who North Carolina Fenton Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was St Andrew's on-the-Sound ($6K). Together the top 10 received $28K.
Grant Size Distribution
57 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 57 grants of 57 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina and 1% went to recipients in Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is North Carolina Fenton Foundation open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 15 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $700; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $700 first-time, $3K repeat.
- 67% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+18%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 99% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $19K (2020) to $33K (2023). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $30K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| St Andrew's on-the-Sound Wilmington, NC | Religious | $6,000 |
| Cape Fear Academy Wilmingto N, NC | Educational | $3,500 |
| Rocky Mount Academy Rocky Mount, NC | Educational | $3,000 |
| Blue Ribbon Run Wilmington, NC | Educational | $3,000 |
| John H High Family Schlorship Trust Rocky Mount, NC | Educational | $2,500 |
| Caroline & John High Endowment Sch Rocky Mount, NC | Educational | $2,500 |
| Church of the Good Shepherd Rocky Mount, NC | Religious | $2,500 |
| Battelboro Volunteer Fire Dept Battleboro, NC | Civic Fundraising | $2,000 |
| St Andrews Episcopal Church Rocky Mount, NC | Religious | $1,500 |
| Wesleyan University Rocky Mount, NC | Educational | $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 | $238,235 | $85,186 | $33,173 | $30,000 | 15 | $30,000 | $9,061 | $30,408 |
| 2024 | $186,222 | $45,491 | $28,005 | $25,001 | 11 | $25,001 | $9,160 | $26,936 |
| 2023 | $168,736 | $7,630 | $35,388 | $33,000 | 14 | $33,000 | $8,154 | $23,781 |
| 2022 | $196,494 | $50,742 | $27,977 | $25,500 | 11 | $25,500 | $7,732 | $24,863 |
| 2021 | $173,729 | $7,380 | $24,834 | $22,200 | 6 | $22,200 | $7,105 | $25,491 |
| 2020 | $191,183 | $32,785 | $20,593 | $18,500 | 6 | — | $7,865 | $22,224 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, North Carolina Fenton Foundation reported a distributable amount of $30K 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 educational, religious, and civic-fundraising purposes. Among its grantees, Cape Fear Academy describes its mission as operating a private pre-kindergarten through grade 12 school in Wilmington; Rocky Mount Academy says it prepares students for life and college; and Elon University describes a mission centered on transforming mind, body, and spirit through undergraduate and graduate education. My Sister’s House describes its services as supporting abused women and their children, while Trinity Episcopal School describes its work as providing education, athletics, and social interaction for students in grades 8–12.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 15 grants totaling $30,000. Grant amounts ranged from $200 to $6,000, with a median of $2,000.
Among the reported grants were $6,000 to St. Andrew’s on-the-Sound, $3,500 to Cape Fear Academy, $3,000 each to Rocky Mount Academy and Blue Ribbon Run, and $2,500 each to the John H High Family Scholarship Trust, the Caroline & John High Endowment Scholarship, and Church of the Good Shepherd. Other reported grants included $2,000 to Battelboro Volunteer Fire Department, $1,500 to St Andrews Episcopal Church, and $1,000 each to Wesleyan University and Nash Community College. My Sister’s House received $400, and Trinity Episcopal School received $200.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Caroline H High as president, John H High Jr as trustee, and Robert M High as trustee.
North Carolina Fenton Foundation is led by Caroline H. High, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Caroline H. High
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
John H. High Jr.
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Robert M. High
Trustee
On filings since 2020
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 North Carolina Fenton Foundation
How much does North Carolina Fenton Foundation give each year?
North Carolina Fenton Foundation gave $30K across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $25K across 11 grants.
What is North Carolina Fenton Foundation's typical grant size?
North Carolina Fenton Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $2,000, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from North Carolina Fenton Foundation that year got $700 on average.
Where does North Carolina Fenton Foundation give grants?
North Carolina Fenton Foundation gives mostly in North Carolina: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Rocky Mount, NC (9 grants) and Wilmington, NC (3 grants).
Does North Carolina Fenton Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on North Carolina Fenton Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Educational" (9 grants) and "Religious" (3 grants).
Who are North Carolina Fenton Foundation's largest grantees?
North Carolina Fenton Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include St Andrew's on-the-Sound ($6,000), Cape Fear Academy ($3,500) and Rocky Mount Academy ($3,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is North Carolina Fenton Foundation?
North Carolina Fenton Foundation reported $238K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $30K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $30K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does North Carolina Fenton Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included educational, religious, and civic-fundraising purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from North Carolina Fenton 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 North Carolina Fenton Foundation's EIN?
North Carolina Fenton Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1468487. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does North Carolina Fenton 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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