Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Morganton, NC EIN: 56-6566443

The Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Morganton, North Carolina. In 2025, it made 22 grants totaling $50,905, primarily to organizations in North Carolina.

Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation at a glance

In short: Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation gave $51K across 22 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in North Carolina. 55% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$50,905
+2.0% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
22
+214.3% vs 2024
Average grant
$2,314
-67.6% vs 2024
Median grant
$1,188
Total assets
$700,038
+5.2% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
55% first-time grantees (12 of 22, 2025; small sample)
Primary geography
North Carolina (90% 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 Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.

Contact

Mailing address: 106 Riverview Drive, Morganton, NC 28655
Phone: (828) 438-9520

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Amorem: $10KAmorem$10KCommunity Foundation of Burke CO: $8KCommunity Foundation of BurkeCO$8KMorris Animal Foundation: $5KMorris Animal Foundation$5KBurke United Christian Ministries: $4KBurke United ChristianMinistries$4KMorganton Parks and Recreation Foundation: $4KMorganton Parks and RecreationFoundation$4KGood Samaritan Clinic: $4KGood Samaritan Clinic$4KNC Veterinary Medical Foundation Inc: $3KNC Veterinary MedicalFoundation Inc$3KThe History Museum of Burke CO: $2KThe History Museum of Burke CO$2KOptions: $2KOptions$2KFirst United Methodist Church: $2KFirst United Methodist Church$2K

The largest 2025 recipient was Amorem ($10K). Together the top 10 received $44K.

Grant Size Distribution

110 grants across all recorded years

110<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 110 grants of 110 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, 90% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina and 10% to recipients in Colorado.

Grant Distribution by State

16states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.

Cities

MorgantonRaleighDurhamDenverFarmingtonLexingtonLynchburgWilmingtonHickoryLincolnMilesPortlandSan DiegoWinston-SalemAlexandriaArlingtonChapel HillCloverColumbiaDavidson

Is Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation open to new grantees?

55%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 12 of 22 grantees (55%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $1K. How we count

Medians: $2K first-time, $500 repeat.

  • 14% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+0%). 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

$0$20K$40K$60K23 grants2020 22 grants2021 25 grants2022 34 grants2023 7 grants2024 22 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $41K (2023) to $51K (2022). In 2025 it made 22 grants totaling $51K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Amorem Lenoir, NCGeneral Fund$10,000
Community Foundation of Burke CO Morganton, NCOperating Fund$8,000
Morris Animal Foundation Denver, COHealthy Animals Research$5,000
Burke United Christian Ministries Morganton, NCGeneral Fund$4,000
Morganton Parks and Recreation Foundation Morganton, NCGeneral Fund$4,000
Good Samaritan Clinic Morganton, NCGeneral Fund$4,000
NC Veterinary Medical Foundation Inc Raleigh, NCVeterinary Medicine Annual Fund$3,000
The History Museum of Burke CO Morganton, NCGeneral Fund$2,000
Options Morganton, NCGeneral Fund$2,000
First United Methodist Church Morganton, NCGeneral Fund$2,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$700,038$99,597$65,139$50,90522$50,905$86,928$47,796
2024$665,580$41,817$63,131$49,9277$49,927$40,567$44,740
2023$686,894$16,221$52,712$41,17534$41,175$19,698$41,000
2022$723,380$1,398$67,322$50,95025$50,950$16,006$43,560
2021$789,772$186,404$59,287$46,00022$46,000$175,129$45,827
2020$662,562$49,082$49,912$41,30023—$41,495$39,767

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $48K 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 support for community services, health care, animal welfare, history and culture, and recreation. For example, Burke United Christian Ministries says its mission is to restore resilience for people experiencing poverty or homelessness, while Good Samaritan Clinic says it provides free medical care, medications, and pastoral support to eligible Burke County residents. Morris Animal Foundation describes its mission as advancing animal health through science and resources. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation gave $50,905 across 22 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $50 to $10,000, with a median of $1,188. Its largest grants included $10,000 to AMOREM for its general fund; $8,000 to Community Foundation of Burke County for its operating fund; and $5,000 to Morris Animal Foundation for healthy animals research. It also gave $4,000 each to Burke United Christian Ministries, Morganton Parks and Recreation Foundation, and Good Samaritan Clinic.

Other listed grants included $3,000 to NC Veterinary Medical Foundation for its annual fund, $2,000 each to The History Museum of Burke County, Options, and First United Methodist Church, and $1,225 to Autism Society of NC. Blue Ridge Healthcare Foundation received $1,150 for Grace Ridge renovations and enhancement.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Ralph L Edwards Jr as president, William R Edwards as vice-president, Kylie G Harris as treasurer, Ralph L Edwards III as secretary, and Margaret M Edwards as director.

Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation is led by Ralph L. Edwards Jr., President on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Ralph L. Edwards Jr.

    President

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Margaret M. Edwards

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Kylie G. Harris

    Treasurer

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Ralph L. Edwards III

    Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • William R. Edwards

    Vice President

    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 Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation

How much does Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation give each year?

Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation gave $51K across 22 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $50K across 7 grants.

What is Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation's typical grant size?

Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,188, and its average grant was $2,314, across 22 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation that year got $3K on average.

Where does Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation give grants?

Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation gives mostly in North Carolina: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Colorado (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Morganton, NC (14 grants) and Raleigh, NC (3 grants).

Does Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 91% of Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (20 of 22) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation's largest grantees?

Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Amorem ($10,000), Community Foundation of Burke CO ($8,000) and Morris Animal Foundation ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 45% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation?

Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation reported $700K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $51K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $48K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for community services, health care, animal welfare, history and culture, and recreation. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation?

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation's EIN?

Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-6566443. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does Ruth Harbison Carr Family 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

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 13, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ruth-harbison-carr-family-foundation-morg_9059bfc0fa064135be74c53da5b21738

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_566566443_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Ruth Harbison Carr Family Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/ruth-harbison-carr-family-foundation-morg_9059bfc0fa064135be74c53da5b21738},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-05. 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 Ruth Harbison Carr Family 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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