The Eplee Foundation Inc
The Eplee Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Huntersville, North Carolina. Its 2024 grants supported organizations whose stated purposes included ministry, as well as organizations working in areas such as community well-being, humanitarian aid, and theological scholarship.
The Eplee Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Eplee Foundation Inc gave $232K across 13 grants in 2024 (avg $18K), top state North Carolina. 8% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $232,000
- -2.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 13
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $17,846
- -2.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $4,506,393
- -1.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (1 of 13, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (36% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Eplee Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 1004, Huntersville, NC 28070-1004
Phone: (704) 892-0210
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Eplee Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Ixtatan Foundation ($40K). Together the top 10 received $209K.
Grant Size Distribution
69 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 67 grants of 69 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina (36%), Virginia (28%), New York (13%), Kentucky (13%), and California (10%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Eplee Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 13 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $19K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $18K repeat.
- 69% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−2%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 94% 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 (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $203K (2020) to $254K (2022). In 2024 it made 13 grants totaling $232K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ixtatan Foundation Charlottesville, VA | Ministry | $40,000 |
| Calvary Baptist Church Charlotte, NC | Ministry | $30,000 |
| Doctor's Without Borders New York, NY | Ministry | $30,000 |
| New Vision Urban Impact San Diego, CA | Ministry | $24,000 |
| Building Goodness Foundation Charlottesville, VA | Ministry | $20,000 |
| Samaritan's Purse Boone, NC | Ministry | $20,000 |
| Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Charlotte, NC | Ministry | $15,000 |
| Baptist Children's Homes of North Carolina Thomasville, NC | Ministry | $10,000 |
| Louisville Seminary Louisville, KY | Ministry | $10,000 |
| The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Louisville, KY | Ministry | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Eplee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $4,506,393 | $216,183 | $278,259 | $232,000 | 13 | $232,000 | $178,524 | $246,687 |
| 2023 | $4,568,469 | $196,702 | $287,015 | $238,875 | 13 | $238,875 | $160,391 | $230,713 |
| 2022 | $4,658,782 | $342,755 | $301,826 | $254,000 | 20 | $254,000 | $307,130 | $240,287 |
| 2021 | $4,617,853 | $371,449 | $285,999 | $237,000 | 16 | $237,000 | $333,834 | $265,137 |
| 2020 | $4,532,403 | $239,636 | $243,463 | $203,000 | 7 | — | $206,608 | $231,002 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Eplee Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $247K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s own stated mission is not provided. Its 2024 filings list ministry as the purpose of its grants. Among the grantees, Ixtatan Foundation says its mission is to support Guatemalan youth in fostering participatory pathways to community well-being. Samaritan’s Purse describes itself as a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to people around the world. Theological Horizons says it works to foster and enhance theological scholarship and conversation in the church, academy, and wider community.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 13 grants totaling $232,000. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $40,000, with a median of $15,000. Larger awards included $40,000 to Ixtatan Foundation, $30,000 each to Calvary Baptist Church and Doctor’s Without Borders, $24,000 to New Vision Urban Impact, and $20,000 each to Building Goodness Foundation and Samaritan’s Purse.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Gordon Kelly Eplee as president; Shirley J Eplee as secretary; and Herbert W Eplee Jr and Melvin Glen Eplee as directors.
The Eplee Foundation Inc is led by Gordon Kelly Eplee, President since 2022 (on filings since 2020); none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Gordon Kelly Eplee
President
Director → President, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Herbert W. Eplee Jr.
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Melvin Glen Eplee
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Shirley J. Eplee
Secretary
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Herbert W. Eplee Sr. (2020–2021) — President
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Eplee Foundation Inc
How much does The Eplee Foundation Inc give each year?
The Eplee Foundation Inc gave $232K across 13 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $239K across 13 grants.
What is The Eplee Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Eplee Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $17,846, across 13 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Eplee Foundation Inc that year got $10K on average.
Where does The Eplee Foundation Inc give grants?
The Eplee Foundation Inc's top state is North Carolina, with 36% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Virginia (28%) and New York (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Charlottesville, VA (3 grants), Charlotte, NC (2 grants) and Louisville, KY (2 grants).
Does The Eplee Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 13 grants with a stated purpose on The Eplee Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Ministry" (13 grants).
Who are The Eplee Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Eplee Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Ixtatan Foundation ($40,000), Calvary Baptist Church ($30,000) and Doctor's Without Borders ($30,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Eplee Foundation Inc?
The Eplee Foundation Inc reported $4.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $232K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $247K (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 Eplee Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s own stated mission is not provided. Its 2024 filings list ministry as the purpose of its grants. Among the grantees, Ixtatan Foundation says its mission is to support Guatemalan youth in fostering participatory pathways to community well-being. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Eplee Foundation Inc?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Eplee Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Eplee Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-1761082. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Eplee 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Eplee Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-eplee-foundation-inc-morg_3eb77396574847129307784ffdde3770
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_561761082_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Eplee Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-eplee-foundation-inc-morg_3eb77396574847129307784ffdde3770},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 Eplee 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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