The Empire Gives Back is a private foundation based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Its 2024 filing reports $181,733 in grants to 19 recipients, with most grant dollars going to organizations in North Carolina.
Key facts about The Empire Gives Back
In short: The Empire Gives Back gave $182K across 19 grants in 2024 (avg $10K), mostly in North Carolina. 37% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 84-2115194
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $181,733
- Grants made (2024)
- 19
- Average grant
- $9,565
- Median grant
- $2,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 37% first-time grantees (7 of 19, 2024)
- Total assets
- $41,281
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (92% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- 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. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; 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 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$41K
-38.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$182K
+77.3% YoY
Grant Count
19
+11.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$10K
+58.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Empire Gives Back reported a distributable amount of $3K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Empire Gives Back open to new grantees?
37%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 7 of 19 grantees (37%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $11K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 47% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 152% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations, including educational institutions, community organizations, public-safety-related work, and animal rescue. For example, the Raleigh Police Department Police Foundation describes its mission as advancing public-safety initiatives and promoting police support for a safe and thriving community. Freedom Ride Rescue says it works to save dogs from overcrowded shelters and place them in foster homes, while the Dereck Whittenburg Foundation describes its mission as providing financial assistance to students pursuing degrees.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 19 grants totaling $181,733. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $75,000, with a median of $2,500. Its largest awards included $75,000 to NC State Foundation, $25,000 to the Raleigh Police Department, $20,260 to SAFEchild, $15,300 to Occoneechee Council BSA, and $15,250 to American University.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 92% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina and 8% to recipients in Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $49K (2020) to $182K (2024). In 2024 it made 19 grants totaling $182K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was NC State Foundation ($75K). Together the top 10 received $174K.
Grant Size Distribution
72 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 71 grants of 72 (99%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| NC State Foundation Raleigh, NC | Donation | $75,000 |
| Raleigh Police Department Raleigh, NC | Raleigh Police Department Foundation | $25,000 |
| Safechild Raleigh, NC | Annual Appeal Contribution | $20,260 |
| Occoneechee Council BSA Raleigh, NC | Annual Appeal Contribution | $15,300 |
| American University Washington, DC | Donation | $15,250 |
| The Broughton High School Caps Club Raleigh, NC | Corporate Sponsorships | $8,575 |
| Catholic Diocese of Raleigh Raleigh, NC | Annual Appeal Contribution | $4,800 |
| NC State Student Aid Association Raleigh, NC | Student Aid Donation | $4,483 |
| Freedom Ride Rescue Raleigh, NC | Fundraiser | $3,302 |
| The Dereck Whittenburg Foundation Raleigh, NC | Donation | $2,500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $41,281 | $240,915 | $266,501 | $181,733 | 19 |
| 2023 | $66,867 | $191,522 | $207,812 | $102,493 | 17 |
| 2022 | $83,157 | $207,877 | $136,788 | $61,151 | 10 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $41,281 | $66,867 | $83,157 |
| Revenue | $240,915 | $191,522 | $207,877 |
| Expenses | $266,501 | $207,812 | $136,788 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $265,808 | $207,062 | $136,101 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,387 | $4,231 | $2,565 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Gregory P Hatem as president and Andrew M Stewart as secretary/treasurer.
The Empire Gives Back is led by Gregory P. Hatem, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Gregory P. Hatem
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrew M. Stewart
Secretary & Treasurer
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.
Contact
Mailing address: 133 Fayetteville St Fl 6Th, Raleigh, NC 27601
Phone: (919) 810-7486
Website: HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/THEEMPIREGIVESBACK/
Frequently asked questions about The Empire Gives Back
How much does The Empire Gives Back give each year?
The Empire Gives Back gave $182K across 19 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $102K across 17 grants.
What is The Empire Gives Back's typical grant size?
The Empire Gives Back's median grant in 2024 was $2,500, and its average grant was $9,565, across 19 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Empire Gives Back that year got $7K on average.
Where does The Empire Gives Back give grants?
The Empire Gives Back gives mostly in North Carolina: 92% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was District of Columbia (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Raleigh, NC (17 grants).
Does The Empire Gives Back give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 19 grants with a stated purpose on The Empire Gives Back's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Donation" (8 grants) and "Annual Appeal Contribution" (3 grants).
Who are The Empire Gives Back's largest grantees?
The Empire Gives Back's largest 2024 grantees include NC State Foundation ($75,000), Raleigh Police Department ($25,000) and Safechild ($20,260), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 66% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Empire Gives Back?
The Empire Gives Back reported $41K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $266K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Empire Gives Back fund?
No mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations, including educational institutions, community organizations, public-safety-related work, and animal rescue. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Empire Gives Back?
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 Empire Gives Back's EIN?
The Empire Gives Back's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-2115194. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Empire Gives Back 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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