The North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Founded in the early 20th century (incorporated in 1913), the NCHSAA provides governance and leadership for interscholastic athletic programs across the state. The organization administers the state's high school athletic program and serves as a voluntary membership association for eligible North Carolina public and non-boarding parochial high schools accredited by the State Department of Public Instruction.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$16.5M
-22.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$4.2M
-77.2% YoY
Grant Count
4
-84.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$1.1M
+42.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: The mission of the NCHSAA is to provide governance and leadership for interscholastic athletic programs in North Carolina that support and enrich the educational experience of students.
Primary Focus Areas:
The organization operates a Student Services Program with five core goals:
- Prepare student-athletes and coaches as mentors, role models, and leaders
- Offer prevention training in alcohol, tobacco, and drug resistance, academic failure, and teen pregnancy to students and adults
- Support improvement of student-athlete performance in academic achievement, school attendance, graduation rates, and peer relationships
- Teach positive values, respect, teamwork, and sportsmanship to student-athletes and adults associated with athletic programs
- Additional student support and development initiatives
Grantmaking
The NCHSAA operates grantmaking activities through the **NCHSAA Foundation, Inc.**, a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in May 2023. The Foundation was created to serve and protect the integrity of high school sports in North Carolina by providing funding opportunities for grants, scholarships, and program support.
Grant Range
** $5,080–$18,258,004 (based on recent award data)
Grant Types
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The NCHSAA's grantmaking and programming focus is statewide across North Carolina. Member schools span multiple counties throughout the state, and the organization's reach extends to over 200,000 student-athletes across 427 member institutions.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $16,546,076
- Total Revenue: $4,330,292
- Total Expenses: $8,915,785
- Total Giving: $4,360,107
Historical Data (2023):
- Revenue: $5.36M
- Expenses: $24M
- Total Assets: $21.2M
- Total Liabilities: $1.56M
Staffing: The organization employs 19 full-time staff members (as of 2024), with historical records indicating 15 full-time employees and 2 part-time staff members.
Tax-Exempt Status: The NCHSAA has maintained 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status since December 1978 (EIN: 56-0655425).
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $16,546,076 | $21,237,941 | $37,882,945 |
| Revenue | $4,330,292 | $5,355,706 | $5,726,168 |
| Expenses | $8,915,785 | $24,021,384 | $5,604,544 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $375,555 | $806,910 | $2,168,827 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 4 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
103 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from North Carolina High School Athletic
Charlie Adams Endowed Scholarship
NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Mark Dreibelbis Scholarship
NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC
Amount
$2,500
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Pat Gainey Student Award
NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC
Amount
$5,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Nchsaa Foundation ($4,155,855), Johnston County Schools ($40,000), Franklin High School ($5,400).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| NCHSAA FOUNDATION CHAPEL HILL, NC | SEE ADD'L DETAIL | $4,155,855 |
| JOHNSTON COUNTY SCHOOLS SMITHFIELD, NC | TO SUBSIDIZE COSTS | $40,000 |
| FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOL FRANKLIN, NC | TO SUBSIDIZE COSTS | $5,400 |
| TOPSAIL HIGH SCHOOL HAMPSTEAD, NC | TO SUBSIDIZE COSTS | $5,080 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Commissioner: Ms. Marilyn Tucker
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MARILYN TUCKER | COMMISSIONER | 40 | $167,082 |
| CHRIS BLANTON | PRESIDENT | 0.6 | — |
| STEPHEN GAINEY | VICE PRESIDE | 0.6 | — |
| ROB JACKSON | PAST PRESIDE | 0.6 | — |
| LARRY WILLIFORD | DIRECTOR | 0.6 | — |
| TOD MORGAN | DIRECTOR | 0.6 | — |
| JEROME LEATHERS | DIRECTOR | 0.6 | — |
| SAM JONES | DIRECTOR | 0.6 | — |
| MARK GARRETT | DIRECTOR | 0.6 | — |
| BRIAN CARVER | DIRECTOR | 0.6 | — |
| ANDY MCCORMICK | DIRECTOR | 0.6 | — |
| CHAD DUNCAN | DIRECTOR | 0.6 | — |
| TANYA TURNER | DIRECTOR | 0.6 | — |
| BRYAN TYSON | DIRECTOR | 0.6 | — |
| PAIGE BADGETT | DIRECTOR | 0.6 | — |
| JIM BUTLER | DIRECTOR | 0.6 | — |
| DON PHIPPS | DIRECTOR | 0.6 | — |
| ALAN PLASTER | DIRECTOR | 0.6 | — |
| HENRY RICE | DIRECTOR | 0.6 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**2024–2025 Education-Based Grant Recipients:** The NCHSAA Foundation announced recipients of education-based grants for the 2024–2025 school year
2024-2025 Education-Based Grant Recipients**2024–2025 Alford Family Golf Scholarship Winners:** Scholarships awarded to qualifying student-athletes
**2024–2025 Tony Cullen Memorial Scholarship Winners:** Four students received support through this memorial scholarship program
2024-2025 Jerry McGee Endowed Scholarship Winners - NCHSAA Foundation, Inc**2025 NCHSAA Annual Awards Celebration:** The organization held its annual awards celebration recognizing student-athletes, coaches, and administrators
2024-2025 Awards Archives - NCHSAAThe NCHSAA Foundation actively solicits donations to support its grant, scholarship, and program initiatives, positioning itself as a mechanism for stakeholders to "be a game changer" in supporting North Carolina high school athletics.
2024-2025 Jerry McGee Endowed Scholarship Winners - NCHSAA Foundation, IncSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does North Carolina High School Athletic fund?
**Mission Statement:** The mission of the NCHSAA is to provide governance and leadership for interscholastic athletic programs in North Carolina that support and enrich the educational experience of students. **Primary Focus Areas:** The organization operates a Student Services Program with five core goals: 1. Prepare student-athletes and coaches as mentors, role models, and leaders 2. Offer prevention training in alcohol, tobacco, and drug resistance, academic failure, and teen pregnancy to st…
How do I apply for a grant from North Carolina High School Athletic?
The NCHSAA operates grantmaking activities through the **NCHSAA Foundation, Inc.**, a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in May 2023. The Foundation was created to serve and protect the integrity of high school sports in North Carolina by providing funding opportunities for grants, scholarships, and program support. **Grant Types:** • **Education-Based Athletic Grants:** In the 2024–2025 cycle, 36 high schools (28 individual schools plus one school system with eight high schools) received…
Where does North Carolina High School Athletic make grants?
The NCHSAA's grantmaking and programming focus is statewide across North Carolina. Member schools span multiple counties throughout the state, and the organization's reach extends to over 200,000 student-athletes across 427 member institutions.
What size grants does North Carolina High School Athletic award?
In 2024, North Carolina High School Athletic awarded 4 grants totaling $4.2M — an average of about $1.1M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is North Carolina High School Athletic's EIN?
North Carolina High School Athletic's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-0655425. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in North Carolina High School Athletic's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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