The Eleanor H Barnhardt Charitable
The Eleanor H Barnhardt Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Established in 1986, the trust operates as a family foundation with a focus on philanthropic giving across multiple states, primarily supporting education, religion, and community initiatives.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$472K
-7.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$111K
-11.6% YoY
Grant Count
65
+12.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$2K
-21.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Eleanor H Barnhardt Charitable reported a distributable amount of $118K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The trust's primary funding interests include:
- Education (34% of giving)
- Religion (12% of giving)
- Human Services
- Sports and Recreation
- Environment
- Christian agencies and churches
Grantmaking
Applicants must contact the foundation directly for the application process. There are no stated deadlines. The foundation is open to new applicants.
Grant Range
$1,000–$9,000
Review Cycle
. The foundation is open to new applicants.
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with The Eleanor H Barnhardt Charitable?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The trust primarily supports initiatives in North Carolina, with 86% of grants staying within the state. Additional funding extends to South Carolina, Texas, Arizona, Indiana, and Kentucky.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $471,627–$508,000 (varies by reporting source and year)
- Total Annual Giving: $105,000–$111,000
- Annual Expenses: $130,328
- Annual Revenue: $76,362
- Asset Growth: 2.6% increase from previous year
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $471,627 | $507,681 | $511,269 |
| Revenue | $127,755 | $76,362 | $74,397 |
| Expenses | $116,233 | $130,328 | $125,833 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $111,750 | $125,500 | $124,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $127,755 | $130,652 | $110,139 |
| Distributable Amount | $118,284 | $112,518 | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Winghaven ($9,000), Union Presbyterian Seminary-currie ($5,000), Sharon Tower ($5,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| HUNTSMAN CANCER FOUNDATION SALT LAKE CITY, UT | SUPPORT PROGRAM | $1,500 |
| SAMARIATINS HOUSE CHARLOTTE, NC | SUPPORT PROGRAM | $1,000 |
| WINGHAVEN CHARLOTTE, NC | SUPPORT PROGRAM | $9,000 |
| THE FINE ART CENTER GREENVILLE, SC | SUPPORT PROGRAM | $500 |
| UNION PRESBYTERIAN SEMINARY CHARLOTTE, NC | SUPPORT PROGRAM | $1,000 |
| FLORENCE CRITTENTON SERVICES CHARLOTTE, NC | SUPPORT PROGRAM | $1,000 |
| JR ACHIEVEMENT OF THE CENTRAL CARO CHARLOTTE, NC | SUPPORT PROGRAM | $1,000 |
| UNION PRESBYTERIAN SEMINARY-CURRIE CHARLOTTE, NC | SUPPORT PROGRAM | $5,000 |
| FLORENCE CRITTENDON-CAPITAL CHARLOTTE, NC | SUPPORT PROGRAM | $3,000 |
| SHARON TOWER CHARLOTTE, NC | SUPPORT PROGRAM | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The board of trustees consists primarily of members of the Barnhardt family:
- Deborah Barnhardt (Trustee)
- Dorothy Barnhardt (Trustee)
- Elizabeth K Barnhardt (Trustee)
- James H Barnhardt III (Trustee)
- James H Barnhardt Jr (Trustee)
- Kathryn Van Nort (Trustee)
- Kelly Barnhardt (Trustee)
- Niklass Van Nort (Trustee)
- Sadler H. Barnhardt (Donor)
Founders: James H. Barnhardt, Sr. and Eleanor Hayes Barnhardt
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DEBORAH BARNHARDT | TRUSTEE | — | $100 |
| SADLER H BARNHARDT | TRUSTEE | — | $100 |
| JAMES H BARNHARDT JR | TRUSTEE | — | $100 |
| DOROTHY BARNHARDT | TRUSTEE | — | $100 |
| ELIZABETH K BARNHARDT | TRUSTEE | — | $100 |
| JAMES H BARNHARDT III | TRUSTEE | — | $100 |
| KELLY BARNHARDT | TRUSTEE | — | $100 |
| NIKLASS VAN NORT | TRUSTEE | — | $100 |
| KATHRYN VAN NORT | TRUSTEE | — | $100 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
No recent grant announcements or news items were found in the available sources.
The Ellen Hermanson Foundation Grants $335,000 <br/>to Expand Breast Cancer\Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Eleanor H Barnhardt Charitable fund?
The trust's primary funding interests include: • **Education** (34% of giving) • **Religion** (12% of giving) • **Human Services** • **Sports and Recreation** • **Environment** • **Christian agencies and churches**
How do I apply for a grant from The Eleanor H Barnhardt Charitable?
**Grant Activity:** • Annual giving: approximately $105,000–$111,000 • Number of grants: 54–58 grants annually • Grant range: $1,000–$9,000 • Median grant size: $2,000 • Giving rate: 22.3% of assets **Recent Grant Examples:** • $9,000 to Wing Haven • $5,000 to Union Presbyterian Seminary-Currie • $3,000 to Duke University • $2,500 to Southern Methodist University • $2,000 to Library • $2,000 to NC Disaster Relief Fund • $1,500 to Presbyterian College **Application Process:** Applicants must con…
Where does The Eleanor H Barnhardt Charitable make grants?
The trust primarily supports initiatives in North Carolina, with 86% of grants staying within the state. Additional funding extends to South Carolina, Texas, Arizona, Indiana, and Kentucky.
What size grants does The Eleanor H Barnhardt Charitable award?
In 2024, The Eleanor H Barnhardt Charitable awarded 65 grants totaling $111K — an average of about $2K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Eleanor H Barnhardt Charitable required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Eleanor H Barnhardt Charitable reported a distributable amount of $118K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Eleanor H Barnhardt Charitable's EIN?
The Eleanor H Barnhardt Charitable's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-6269136. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.