The Furr Foundation
The Furr Foundation is a private foundation based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Its 2022 filing reports 14 grants totaling $167,301, including a grant of $160,751 to the East Carolina University Foundation. The 2021 filing is marked as the organization’s final return; it states that on October 27, 2022, the William and Emily Furr Foundation sold its remaining assets and transferred the cash proceeds to the East Carolina University Foundation under its plan of dissolution. The foundation therefore appears to have wound down and stopped grantmaking.
The Furr Foundation at a glance
In short: The Furr Foundation gave $167K across 14 grants in 2022 (avg $12K), mostly in North Carolina. 79% of 2022 grantees were new. Source: 2022 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2022)
- $167,301
- +551.0% vs 2021
- Grants made (2022)
- 14
- -33.3% vs 2021
- Average grant
- $11,950
- +876.5% vs 2021
- Median grant
- $250
- New grantees (estimate)
- 79% first-time grantees (11 of 14, 2022; small sample)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (99% of itemized 2022 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2022 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2022; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Furr Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The filing states that the foundation made contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: 202 Cedar Meadows Lane, Chapel Hill, NC 27517
Phone: (704) 905-0111
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Furr Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2022
The largest 2022 recipient was ECU Eduction Foundation ($161K). Together the top 10 received $167K.
Grant Size Distribution
63 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 62 grants of 63 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2022 filing reports that 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina. It also lists recipients in New York, Massachusetts, and Illinois. The reported grants include organizations in Chapel Hill, Greenville, Blowing Rock, Durham, Boone, and Charlotte, North Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2022 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Furr Foundation open to new grantees?
79%
first-time grantees, 2022
In 2022, 11 of 14 grantees (79%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $15K; repeat grants $650. How we count
Medians: $250 first-time, $650 repeat.
- 14% of 2022 grantees were also funded in 2021. Method
- Giving grew 458% from 2019 to 2022. Method
- In 2022 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2022). 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 2022, annual grant giving ranged from $21K (2020) to $167K (2022). In 2022 it made 14 grants totaling $167K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ECU Eduction Foundation Greenville, NC | To further the mission of the tax exempt organization | $160,751 |
| Cedars Scholarship Fund Chapel Hill, NC | To further the mission of the tax exempt organization | $2,750 |
| St Marys of the Hills Blowing Rock, NC | To further the mission of the tax exempt organization | $1,100 |
| Chapel of the Cross Chapel Hill, NC | To further the mission of the tax exempt organization | $650 |
| Episcopal Relief & Development New York, NY | To further the mission of the tax exempt organization | $500 |
| Porch Chapel Hill, NC | To further the mission of the tax exempt organization | $300 |
| Actblue Somerville, MA | To further the mission of the tax exempt organization | $250 |
| Blowing Rock Art and History Museum Blowing Rock, NC | To further the mission of the tax exempt organization | $250 |
| Goodfellows Charlotte, NC | To further the mission of the tax exempt organization | $200 |
| Hunger & Health Coalition Boone, NC | To further the mission of the tax exempt organization | $200 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | — | $1,667 | $182,420 | $167,301 | 14 | $167,301 | — | $8,947 |
| 2021 | $180,753 | $23,258 | $28,327 | $25,700 | 21 | — | $21,218 | $9,871 |
| 2020 | $185,822 | $83,107 | $25,699 | $21,368 | 16 | — | $28,669 | $8,997 |
| 2019 | $128,414 | $2,935 | $33,847 | $29,960 | 12 | — | — | $7,153 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Furr Foundation reported a distributable amount of $9K for 2022 — 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 2022 grants went to organizations including educational, religious, arts and history, hunger relief, health, and charitable organizations. For example, PORCH describes its work as mobilizing local volunteers to create neighborhood-based hunger relief programs. The Hunger and Health Coalition says it relieves poverty and hunger among households experiencing economic hardship and food insecurity. UNC Health Foundation describes its role as inspiring philanthropic support for UNC Health and the UNC School of Medicine.
Grantmaking
In 2022, the foundation made 14 grants totaling $167,301. Grants ranged from $50 to $160,751, with a median grant of $250. The largest reported awards included $160,751 to ECU Eduction Foundation in Greenville, North Carolina; $2,750 to Cedars Scholarship Fund in Chapel Hill; and $1,100 to St Marys of the Hills in Blowing Rock. Other reported grants included $650 to Chapel of the Cross, $500 to Episcopal Relief & Development, and $300 to PORCH.
The 2021 filing states that the foundation made contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. This is a statement from the filing, not a current application opportunity.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2022 filing lists William P. Furr as president and treasurer; Emily R. Furr as executive vice president and secretary; and Thomas Furr and Laura Furr as vice presidents.
The Furr Foundation is led by William P. Furr, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2019; none of the 4 officers listed in 2022 report compensation.
Officers on the 2022 filing
William P. Furr
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Emily R. Furr
Executive Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Laura Furr
Vice President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Furr
Vice President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2022. "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 Furr Foundation
How much does The Furr Foundation give each year?
The Furr Foundation gave $167K across 14 grants in 2022, according to its 2022 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2021 it gave $26K across 21 grants.
What is The Furr Foundation's typical grant size?
The Furr Foundation's median grant in 2022 was $250, and its average grant was $11,950, across 14 grants on its 2022 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Furr Foundation that year got $15K on average.
Where does The Furr Foundation give grants?
The Furr Foundation gives mostly in North Carolina: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2022 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chapel Hill, NC (5 grants) and Blowing Rock, NC (2 grants).
Who are The Furr Foundation's largest grantees?
The Furr Foundation's largest 2022 grantees include ECU Eduction Foundation ($160,751), Cedars Scholarship Fund ($2,750) and St Marys of the Hills ($1,100), according to its 2022 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 98% of its itemized 2022 grant dollars.
What does The Furr Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2022 grants went to organizations including educational, religious, arts and history, hunger relief, health, and charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Furr Foundation?
The filing states that the foundation made contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
How much is The Furr Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2022, The Furr Foundation reported a distributable amount of $9K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Furr Foundation's EIN?
The Furr Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-2066688. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2022.
Does The Furr Foundation 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.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS January 16, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 18, 2021)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2022
Live grants for the work The Furr Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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The Furr Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?