Silverback Foundation Inc
Silverback Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Durham, North Carolina. In 2024, it made 35 grants totaling $133,200 to organizations including health, education, youth, and arts organizations.
Silverback Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Silverback Foundation Inc gave $133K across 35 grants in 2024 (avg $4K), mostly in North Carolina. 17% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $133,200
- +6.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 35
- +2.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $3,806
- +3.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $4,439,420
- -2.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (6 of 35, 2024)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (90% 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 Silverback Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. It lists Elliot Bossen as the contact, requires no specific form, and states that there are no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Elliot Bossen Silverback Foundation
Mailing address: 115 Morris Street Unit 2702, Durham, NC 27701
Phone: (919) 672-0909
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Silverback Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Duke Cancer Institute ($25K). Together the top 10 received $92K.
Grant Size Distribution
172 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 172 grants of 172 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 90% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina. The filing also reports shares for California (5%), Virginia (3%), Indiana (2%), and Florida (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 35 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Silverback Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 35 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 74% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−4%). Method
- In 2024 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 (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $121K (2020) to $138K (2021). In 2024 it made 35 grants totaling $133K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Duke Cancer Institute Durham, NC | General Support | $25,000 |
| Chatham County Literacy Council Inc Pittsboro, NC | General Support | $12,500 |
| Duke Children's Hospital Durham, NC | General Support | $10,000 |
| Folds of Honor Eastern NC Cary, NC | General Support | $10,000 |
| Duke University - Iron Dukes Fund Durham, NC | General Support | $9,000 |
| Volunteers for Youth Carrboro, NC | General Support | $5,500 |
| Happy Ditto Inc Santa Monica, CA | General Support | $5,000 |
| Jewish for Good Durham, NC | General Support | $5,000 |
| Museum of Life and Science Durham, NC | General Support | $5,000 |
| Jason Learning Ashburn, VA | General Support | $4,500 |
Ready to take the next step with Silverback Foundation Inc?
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 | $4,439,420 | $26,691 | $146,638 | $133,200 | 35 | $140,191 | $78,839 | $141,163 |
| 2023 | $4,559,367 | $93,269 | $146,974 | $125,000 | 34 | $131,974 | $88,469 | $141,772 |
| 2022 | $4,613,072 | $382,921 | $139,225 | $134,500 | 35 | $138,851 | $382,968 | $126,004 |
| 2021 | $4,369,376 | $56,791 | $144,643 | $138,250 | 33 | $142,330 | $54,830 | $138,803 |
| 2020 | $4,457,628 | $109,183 | $129,197 | $121,340 | 35 | — | — | $143,690 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Silverback Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $141K 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
No formal mission statement is provided. The 2024 grants show support for organizations working in several areas. For example, Chatham County Literacy Council says its mission is to help adults in Chatham County acquire literacy and educational skills, while Volunteers for Youth describes its work as building one-to-one relationships between adult volunteers and at-risk youth in Orange County. North Carolina Arts in Action says it uses performance-based dance activities to help children develop life skills and self-belief. Other 2024 recipients include health, science education, and community organizations.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 35 grants totaling $133,200. Grants ranged from $500 to $25,000, with a median of $2,000. The largest awards included Duke Cancer Institute ($25,000), Chatham County Literacy Council Inc ($12,500), Duke Children’s Hospital ($10,000), Folds of Honor Eastern NC ($10,000), and Duke University - Iron Dukes Fund ($9,000). Other recipients included Volunteers for Youth ($5,500), Happy Ditto Inc ($5,000), Jewish for Good ($5,000), Museum of Life and Science ($5,000), and Jason Learning ($4,500).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Connie Nickell Bossen as president and Elliot G. Bossen as vice president.
Silverback Foundation Inc is led by Connie Nickell Bossen, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Connie Nickell Bossen
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elliot G. Bossen
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Silverback Foundation Inc
How much does Silverback Foundation Inc give each year?
Silverback Foundation Inc gave $133K across 35 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $125K across 34 grants.
What is Silverback Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Silverback Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $2,000, and its average grant was $3,806, across 35 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Silverback Foundation Inc that year got $3K on average.
Where does Silverback Foundation Inc give grants?
Silverback Foundation Inc gives mostly in North Carolina: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Durham, NC (19 grants), Pittsboro, NC (4 grants), Cary, NC (3 grants) and Raleigh, NC (3 grants).
Does Silverback Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Silverback Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (35 of 35) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Silverback Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Silverback Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Duke Cancer Institute ($25,000), Chatham County Literacy Council Inc ($12,500) and Duke Children's Hospital ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Silverback Foundation Inc?
Silverback Foundation Inc reported $4.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $140K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $141K (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 Silverback Foundation Inc fund?
No formal mission statement is provided. The 2024 grants show support for organizations working in several areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Silverback Foundation Inc?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Silverback Foundation Inc's EIN?
Silverback Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 83-0380210. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Silverback Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Silverback Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/silverback-foundation-inc-morg_350ffed2107447d589969780525db160
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_830380210_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Silverback Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/silverback-foundation-inc-morg_350ffed2107447d589969780525db160},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Silverback 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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