The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc
The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Durham, North Carolina. It makes grants to charitable organizations selected in advance; its 2025 IRS filing states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc gave $2.9M across 27 grants in 2025 (avg $107K), top state Connecticut. 44% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,876,821
- +8.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 27
- -18.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $106,549
- +33.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $32,020,051
- +4.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 44% first-time grantees (12 of 27, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Connecticut (40% 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 Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 247 Rosemont Drive, Durham, NC 27713
Phone: (917) 509-9359
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Avon Old Farms ($1.1M). Together the top 10 received $2.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
150 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 105 grants of 150 (70%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in Connecticut (40%), New York (29%), and North Carolina (17%). Smaller shares went to recipients in Florida (4%) and Illinois (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 27 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
44%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 12 of 27 grantees (44%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $30K; repeat grants $168K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $40K repeat.
- 52% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 55% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 170% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.2M (2019) to $3.5M (2021). In 2025 it made 27 grants totaling $2.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Avon Old Farms Avon, CT | Unrestricted | $1,150,000 |
| Syracuse University Syracuse, NY | Unrestricted | $650,000 |
| Duke University Durham, NC | Unrestricted | $241,000 |
| Old Chatham Golf Club Durham, NC | Unrestricted | $150,000 |
| Durham Academy Durham, NC | Unrestricted | $110,000 |
| Ormcf Inc Key Largo, FL | Unrestricted | $101,600 |
| Kellogg School of Management Evanston, IL | Unrestricted | $100,000 |
| St Paul's School Valley Cottage, NY | Unrestricted | $100,000 |
| Headstrong Foundation Woodlyn, PA | Unrestricted | $50,000 |
| Team Impact Quincy, MA | Unrestricted | $40,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Catherine Jefferson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $32,020,051 | $8,476,305 | $7,039,372 | $2,876,821 | 27 | $2,876,821 | $4,205,258 | $1,695,908 |
| 2024 | $30,583,118 | $14,254,680 | $4,488,212 | $2,641,000 | 33 | $2,641,000 | $1,711,282 | $1,336,464 |
| 2023 | $20,816,650 | $5,780,506 | $2,682,799 | $2,003,352 | 37 | $2,003,352 | $2,101,059 | $902,182 |
| 2022 | $17,718,943 | $901,803 | $2,170,661 | $1,855,813 | 28 | $1,855,813 | $574,326 | $867,422 |
| 2021 | $18,987,801 | $13,741,460 | $3,577,356 | $3,475,360 | 25 | $3,475,360 | $2,598,069 | $644,710 |
| 2020 | $8,823,697 | $4,342,856 | $1,511,871 | $1,432,205 | 14 | — | $486,700 | $377,698 |
| 2019 | $5,992,712 | $2,521,983 | $1,201,881 | $1,159,783 | 26 | — | $493,854 | $290,444 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.7M 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 went to organizations with varied missions. For example, Syracuse University describes its work as supporting student success through global study, experiential learning, interdisciplinary scholarship, creativity, and entrepreneurial endeavors. Durham Academy says it aims to educate students to live moral, happy, and productive lives. Other recipients describe work in cancer awareness and family support (Headstrong Foundation), support for children facing serious or chronic illnesses through college athletic teams (Team IMPACT), and academic and sports-based youth development for underserved students in the Bronx (Bronx Lacrosse).
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 27 grants totaling $2,876,821. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $1,150,000, with a median grant of $25,000. The largest grants included $1,150,000 to Avon Old Farms, $650,000 to Syracuse University, $241,000 to Duke University, $150,000 to Old Chatham Golf Club, and $110,000 to Durham Academy. Each of these grants was listed as unrestricted.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Catherine Jefferson, Brett Jefferson, and Karen Carlisle as trustees.
The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Brett Jefferson
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Catherine Jefferson
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Karen Carlisle
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc
How much does The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc give each year?
The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc gave $2.9M across 27 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.6M across 33 grants.
What is The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $106,549, across 27 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc that year got $30K on average.
Where does The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc give grants?
The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc's top state is Connecticut, with 40% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (29%) and North Carolina (17%). The most frequent recipient cities were Durham, NC (3 grants), Key Largo, FL (2 grants), Purchase, NY (2 grants) and San Diego, CA (2 grants).
Does The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (27 of 27) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Avon Old Farms ($1,150,000), Syracuse University ($650,000) and Duke University ($241,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 71% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc?
The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc reported $32.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.7M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc?
The foundation states that it 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 Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-7004054. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc 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
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 15, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 29, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Live grants for the work The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-catherine-jefferson-foundation-inc-morg_642620186e254bfe99bf6920187da903
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_357004054_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-catherine-jefferson-foundation-inc-morg_642620186e254bfe99bf6920187da903},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 The Catherine Jefferson 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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