The Bell Family Foundation
The Bell Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Goldsboro, North Carolina. In 2025, it gave $33,000 through 12 grants to charitable organizations, including organizations working in education, hunger relief, health, animal welfare, and community services.
The Bell Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Bell Family Foundation gave $33K across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in North Carolina. 50% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $33,000
- -5.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 12
- +100.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,750
- -52.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $354,105
- -0.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (6 of 12, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (73% 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 The Bell Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 408 Tryon Drive, Goldsboro, NC 27530
Phone: (919) 735-9100
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Bell Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Wayne Community College Foundation ($20K). Together the top 10 received $31K.
Grant Size Distribution
37 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 37 grants of 37 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 73% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina, 15% to Florida, 6% to New York, and 6% to Tennessee.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Bell Family Foundation open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 12 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 42% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 38% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 95% 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 (2020–2025). 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
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $22K (2020) to $35K (2024). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $33K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wayne Community College Foundation Goldsboro, NC | Contribution | $20,000 |
| Community Soup Kitchen Goldsboro, NC | Contribution | $2,000 |
| St Jude Childrens Research Hospital Memphis, TN | Contribution | $2,000 |
| ASPCA New York, NY | Contribution | $1,000 |
| American Red Cross Goldsboro, NC | Contribution | $1,000 |
| Boca Grande Womens Club Boca Grande, FL | Contribution | $1,000 |
| Friends of Boca Grande Boca Grande, FL | Contribution | $1,000 |
| Gicia Boca Grande, FL | Contribution | $1,000 |
| Johann Fust Community Library Boca Grande, FL | Contribution | $1,000 |
| Suncoast Humane Society Englewood, FL | Contribution | $1,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $354,105 | $41,643 | $41,713 | $33,000 | 12 | $34,180 | $34,110 | $36,081 |
| 2024 | $354,175 | $33,624 | $42,481 | $35,000 | 6 | $36,160 | $27,303 | $30,899 |
| 2023 | $363,032 | $26,052 | $30,240 | $22,500 | 5 | $22,500 | $21,237 | $24,144 |
| 2022 | $367,220 | $7,537 | $30,961 | $24,000 | 6 | $24,000 | $2,750 | $23,391 |
| 2021 | $390,644 | $114,609 | $31,058 | $26,000 | 8 | $26,000 | $109,551 | $21,800 |
| 2020 | $307,093 | $5,056 | $26,844 | $22,000 | 4 | — | $5,129 | $19,756 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Bell Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $36K 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 is provided. The 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied purposes. For example, Community Soup Kitchen says it serves hot weekday meals to people who are hungry and in need; St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital describes its mission as advancing cures and prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment; and UNC Health Foundation says it inspires philanthropic support for UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine. Suncoast Humane Society describes its work as supporting the human-animal bond through sheltering, prevention, and community outreach.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 12 grants totaling $33,000. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $20,000, with a median grant of $1,000. The largest grant was $20,000 to Wayne Community College Foundation. Other notable grants included $2,000 each to Community Soup Kitchen and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and $1,000 each to ASPCA, American Red Cross, Boca Grande Women’s Club, Friends of Boca Grande, GICIA, Johann Fust Community Library, Suncoast Humane Society, Tunnel to Towers Foundation, and UNC Health Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Thomas F. Bell as foundation manager, and Mary M. Bell, Thomas F. Bell Jr., and John Miller Bell as directors.
The Bell Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John Miller Bell
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Mary M. Bell
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
THOMAS F BELL Jr.
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Thomas F. Bell
Foundation Manager
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
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 The Bell Family Foundation
How much does The Bell Family Foundation give each year?
The Bell Family Foundation gave $33K across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $35K across 6 grants.
What is The Bell Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Bell Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $2,750, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Bell Family Foundation that year got $1K on average.
Where does The Bell Family Foundation give grants?
The Bell Family Foundation gives mostly in North Carolina: 73% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Florida (15%) and New York (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boca Grande, FL (4 grants) and Goldsboro, NC (3 grants).
Does The Bell Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 12 grants with a stated purpose on The Bell Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Contribution" (12 grants).
Who are The Bell Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Bell Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Wayne Community College Foundation ($20,000), Community Soup Kitchen ($2,000) and St Jude Childrens Research Hospital ($2,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 73% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Bell Family Foundation?
The Bell Family Foundation reported $354K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $34K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $36K (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 The Bell Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement is provided. The 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied purposes. For example, Community Soup Kitchen says it serves hot weekday meals to people who are hungry and in need; St. 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 for funds. 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 20-2057552. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
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 October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 2, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS December 5, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 6, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 11, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 30, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
Live grants for the work The Bell Family Foundation funds
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