The Bell Family Foundation
The Bell Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Highlands, North Carolina. Its recent grants support charitable organizations including conservation groups, animal-rescue organizations, community services, and public broadcasting.
Key facts about The Bell Family Foundation
In short: The Bell Family Foundation gave $66K across 25 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), top state Georgia. 44% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 58-6367642
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $65,500
- Grants made (2025)
- 25
- Average grant
- $2,620
- Median grant
- $2,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 44% first-time grantees (11 of 25, 2025)
- Total assets
- $1,148,328
- Primary geography
- Georgia (44% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.1M
-0.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$66K
+11.0% YoY
Grant Count
25
+19.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$3K
-6.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Bell Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $65K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Bell Family Foundation open to new grantees?
44%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 25 grantees (44%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 52% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 44% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 101% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2022–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants include support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Mainspring Conservation Trust says it works to conserve special places in the Southern Blue Ridge, while Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society says it rescues and cares for abandoned and neglected dogs and cats. Highlands Emergency Council describes its work as providing emergency help for community members with needs such as utilities, housing, medical expenses, and travel.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 25 grants totaling $65,500. Grants ranged from $500 to $10,000, with a median of $2,500. Notable recipients included Highlands Cashiers Land Trust and Mainspring Conservation Trust, each receiving $10,000; Basset Hound Rescue of Georgia, $5,000; and Aware Wildlife Center, $4,000. The listed purposes for these grants were unrestricted.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, Georgia received 44% of grant dollars and North Carolina received 43%. Florida received 6%, Virginia 4%, and Tennessee 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $46K (2022) to $66K (2025). In 2025 it made 25 grants totaling $66K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Highlands Cashiers Land Trust ($10K). Together the top 10 received $46K.
Grant Size Distribution
87 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 87 grants of 87 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Highlands Cashiers Land Trust Highlands, NC | Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Mainspring Conservation Trust Franklin, NC | Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Basset Hound Rescue of Georgia Fayettevelle, GA | Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Aware Wildlife Center Lithonia, GA | Unrestricted | $4,000 |
| Planed Parenthood Atlanta, GA | Unrestricted | $3,500 |
| Food for the Poor Coconut Creek, FL | Unrestricted | $3,000 |
| Reformed Univ Fellowship Lawrenceville, GA | Unrestricted | $2,500 |
| Mercer School of Law Macon, GA | Unrestrected | $2,500 |
| Young Life East Atlanta Avondale Estates, GA | Unrestricted | $2,500 |
| Dekalb Pro Bono Legal Services Tucker, GA | Unrestricted | $2,500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,148,328 | $68,016 | $67,727 | $65,500 |
| 2024 | $1,149,334 | $252,324 | $60,813 | $59,000 |
| 2023 | $1,220,921 | $435,524 | $54,750 | $54,750 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,148,328 | $1,149,334 | $1,220,921 |
| Revenue | $68,016 | $252,324 | $435,524 |
| Expenses | $67,727 | $60,813 | $54,750 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $65,500 | $59,000 | $54,750 |
| Net Investment Income | $68,016 | $37,790 | $40,856 |
| Distributable Amount | $64,947 | $67,466 | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2022–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Griffen Bell Jr is listed as president on the 2025 filing.
The Bell Family Foundation's only listed officer is Griffen Bell Jr., Prisident since 2023 (on filings since 2022) (uncompensated).
Officers on the 2025 filing
Griffen Bell Jr.
Prisident
President → Prisident, 2023
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: Christian McClure (2022) — Committee
- Former: Glenda M. Bell (2022) — Committee
- Former: Griffin B. Bell III (2022) — Vice Priside
- Former: Jessica Bell (2022) — Committee
- Former: Katherine McClure (2022) — Committee
- Former: Nancy K. Bell (2022) — Commiittee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2022–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 2467, Highlands, NC 28741
Phone: (828) 526-5667
Frequently asked questions about The Bell Family Foundation
How much does The Bell Family Foundation give each year?
The Bell Family Foundation gave $66K across 25 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $59K across 21 grants.
What is The Bell Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Bell Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $2,620, across 25 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Bell Family Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does The Bell Family Foundation give grants?
The Bell Family Foundation's top state is Georgia, with 44% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were North Carolina (43%) and Florida (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Highlands, NC (7 grants), Atlanta, GA (3 grants) and Tucker, GA (2 grants).
Does The Bell Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 84% of The Bell Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (21 of 25) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Unrestrected" (4 grants).
Who are The Bell Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Bell Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Highlands Cashiers Land Trust ($10,000), Mainspring Conservation Trust ($10,000) and Basset Hound Rescue of Georgia ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 38% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Bell Family Foundation?
The Bell Family Foundation reported $1.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $66K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $65K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Bell Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants include support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Bell Family Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Bell Family Foundation's EIN?
The Bell Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-6367642. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2022–2025.
Does The Bell Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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