RHI Legacy Foundation Inc
RHI Legacy Foundation Inc. is a private foundation based in Rutherfordton, North Carolina. It makes grants for health and wellness in Rutherford County, with a focus on chronic disease, healthy eating, and active living.
RHI Legacy Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: RHI Legacy Foundation Inc gave $1.2M across 54 grants in 2024 (avg $22K), mostly in North Carolina. 34% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,173,597
- -0.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 54
- +1.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $21,733
- -1.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,263
- Total assets
- $43,222,113
- +13.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 34% first-time grantees (18 of 53, 2024)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (99% 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 RHI Legacy Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The 2026 application cycle is scheduled to open online on June 15. Applicants should submit an online application and provide documentation of governing-body approval, recent financial statements, measurable benefits for Rutherford County residents, and a plan to sustain the project beyond Foundation funding. Applicants must address a focus area and meet the Foundation’s eligibility requirements. Former grantees with outstanding required progress or final reports are ineligible. The Foundation’s 2024 filing says it typically does not fund unrestricted endowments, debt retirement, or grants to individuals.
- Review Cycle
- July 31, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. The Foundation says grant decisions are made in mid-September, with approved organizations expected to receive funds in October.
- Deadline
- July 31, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.
- Contact
Application contact: Terry Hines
Mailing address: PO Box 352, Rutherfordton, NC 28139
Phone: (828) 202-4629
Website: https://rhilegacyfoundation.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from RHI Legacy Foundation Inc
Who RHI Legacy Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Isothermal Community College Foundation ($253K). Together the top 10 received $768K.
Grant Size Distribution
193 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 170 grants of 193 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s stated grant focus is Rutherford County, North Carolina. Its 2024 grant dollars went primarily to North Carolina recipients (99%), with 1% to South Carolina recipients and less than 1% to Georgia recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 54 itemized grants.
Cities
Is RHI Legacy Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
34%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 18 of 53 grantees (34%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $30K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 57% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 23% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 498% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2024). 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 2021 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $958K (2021) to $2.4M (2022). In 2024 it made 54 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Isothermal Community College Foundation Spindale, NC | Active Living | $252,500 |
| Kidsenses Inc Rutherfordton, NC | Healthy Eating | $175,000 |
| Chimney Rock Disaster Relief Chimney Rock, NC | Active Living | $50,000 |
| Town of Lake Lure Lake Lure, NC | Active Living | $50,000 |
| Town of Spindale Spindale, NC | Active Living | $50,000 |
| Rutherford Co Schools Edu Fnd Forest City, NC | Healthy Eating | $45,000 |
| Rutherford County Senior Center Spindale, NC | Healthy Eating | $41,000 |
| Basics Christian Ministries Inc Cliffside, NC | Healthy Eating | $35,000 |
| Blue Ridge Hope Rutherfordton, NC | Chronic Disease | $35,000 |
| Lake Lure Classical Academy Lake Lure, NC | Healthy Eating | $34,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $43,222,113 | $4,496,607 | $2,047,186 | $1,173,597 | 54 | $8,798,801 | $1,456,936 | $1,767,262 |
| 2023 | $38,040,265 | $3,921,371 | $1,755,905 | $1,173,858 | 53 | $1,616,252 | $3,688,574 | $1,693,964 |
| 2022 | $35,105,110 | $604,647 | $3,001,993 | $2,400,016 | 54 | $2,952,526 | $530,704 | $1,838,602 |
| 2021 | $43,971,783 | $2,010,609 | $1,522,350 | $957,682 | 32 | $1,638,194 | $1,750,874 | $2,054,687 |
| 2020 | $40,953,692 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, RHI Legacy Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.8M 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’s mission is to impact health and wellness in Rutherford County through grants to organizations and initiatives aligned with its focus areas. Its vision is better health and an improved quality of life for county residents.
Its focus areas are chronic disease—including prevention, screening, and health improvement; healthy eating—including access to sufficient, healthy food; and active living—including programs that encourage active lifestyles. The Foundation supports nonprofits and government service organizations, and its current grant information also identifies exempt governmental units, religious institutions, and nonprofit entities as eligible applicants.
Examples of grantees’ own missions illustrate the range of organizations receiving support: Blue Ridge Hope says it connects people with resources for emotional goals, personal loss, and health and wholeness; Rutherford Outdoor Coalition says it works to improve outdoor recreation in the county; and Family Resources of Rutherford describes its work as providing family resources through advocacy, education, prevention, and intervention.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Foundation reported 54 grants totaling $1,173,597. Grants ranged from $980 to $252,500, with a median of $10,262. The largest awards included $252,500 to Isothermal Community College for active living and $175,000 to Kidsenses Inc. for healthy eating. Other awards included $50,000 each to Chimney Rock Disaster Relief, the Town of Lake Lure, and the Town of Spindale, all for active living.
The Foundation’s 2024 filing also lists $35,000 to Blue Ridge Hope for chronic disease. Other examples include $23,000 to Rutherford Outdoor Coalition and $21,000 to Family Resources of Rutherford. The Foundation states that it makes grants to nonprofits and government service organizations in Rutherford County and that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Kerry Giles as chair, Jimmy Dancy as vice chair, and Paul Deck as secretary/treasurer. Trustees listed are Maggie Bell, Cindy Buck, Judy Bond, Matt Bright, John Condrey, David Eaker, and Jacqueline Hampton.
RHI Legacy Foundation Inc is led by Terry W. Hines, Executive Director since 2023 (on filings since 2021); 2 of 14 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Terry W. Hines
Executive Director
Executive Di → Executive Director, 2023
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$116K (2021) → $111K (2024)
Kerry Giles
Chair
Secretary → Vice Chair, 2022
Vice Chair → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dan Hegeman
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Eaker
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jacqueline Hampton
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Condrey
Trustee
Vice Chair → Chair, 2022
Chair → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Judy Bond
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maggie Bell
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matt Bright
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shirley Koone
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cindy Buck
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jill Miracle
Cmnty Impact
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$66K (2021) → $86K (2024)
Jimmy Dancy
Vice Chair
Secretary → Secretary & Treasurer, 2023
Secretary & Treasurer → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paul Deck
Secretary
Trustee → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Beth Miller (2021–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Joan King (2021–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Sumy Joseph (2021–2022) — Trustee Unt
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $111K, to Terry W Hines (Exec Directo). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about RHI Legacy Foundation Inc
How much does RHI Legacy Foundation Inc give each year?
RHI Legacy Foundation Inc gave $1.2M across 54 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.2M across 53 grants.
What is RHI Legacy Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
RHI Legacy Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $10,263, and its average grant was $21,733, across 54 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from RHI Legacy Foundation Inc that year got $7K on average.
Where does RHI Legacy Foundation Inc give grants?
RHI Legacy Foundation Inc gives mostly in North Carolina: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Forest City, NC (17 grants), Spindale, NC (8 grants), Rutherfordton, NC (7 grants) and Lake Lure, NC (4 grants).
Does RHI Legacy Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 54 grants with a stated purpose on RHI Legacy Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Active Living" (26 grants), "Healthy Eating" (18 grants) and "Chronic Disease" (10 grants).
Who are RHI Legacy Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
RHI Legacy Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Isothermal Community College Foundation ($252,500), Kidsenses Inc ($175,000) and Chimney Rock Disaster Relief ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 41% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is RHI Legacy Foundation Inc?
RHI Legacy Foundation Inc reported $43.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $8.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does RHI Legacy Foundation Inc fund?
The Foundation’s mission is to impact health and wellness in Rutherford County through grants to organizations and initiatives aligned with its focus areas. Its vision is better health and an improved quality of life for county residents. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from RHI Legacy Foundation Inc?
The 2026 application cycle is scheduled to open online on June 15. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is RHI Legacy Foundation Inc's EIN?
RHI Legacy Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-0619367. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 10, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in RHI Legacy Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). RHI Legacy Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/rhi-legacy-foundation-inc-morg_1eb2bc5e8d254eb4920796480f5bc470
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_560619367_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{RHI Legacy Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/rhi-legacy-foundation-inc-morg_1eb2bc5e8d254eb4920796480f5bc470},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 RHI Legacy Foundation Inc'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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