The Joseph M Bryan Foundation
The Joseph M Bryan Foundation is a private foundation based in Greensboro, North Carolina. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, predominantly in North Carolina, including organizations working in education, community services, economic development, arts and culture, and sports.
The Joseph M Bryan Foundation at a glance
In short: The Joseph M Bryan Foundation gave $2.9M across 59 grants in 2024 (avg $48K), mostly in North Carolina. 33% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,859,563
- -67.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 59
- +7.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $48,467
- -69.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $48,373,230
- -6.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (18 of 54, 2024)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (99% 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 Joseph M Bryan Foundation
- 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: PO Box 14829, Greensboro, NC 27415
Phone: (336) 378-5396
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Joseph M Bryan Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Shifted ($400K). Together the top 10 received $2.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
248 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 186 grants of 248 (75%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing reports that 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina, with 0% each reported for Missouri and Georgia. The listed grants include recipients in Greensboro and other North Carolina communities.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 59 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Joseph M Bryan Foundation open to new grantees?
33%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 18 of 54 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $40K; repeat grants $60K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 63% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+20%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 114% of 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.7M (2022) to $8.7M (2023). In 2024 it made 59 grants totaling $2.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Shifted Greensboro, NC | High Dosage Tutoring Covid Learning Loss | $400,000 |
| Action Greensboro Greensboro, NC | Operations & yp support; boomerang greensboro support, impact luncheon 2024 sponsorship; 2024 sales tax campaign/public eduation | $355,000 |
| United Way of Greater Greensboro Greensboro, NC | Annual Support | $300,000 |
| Ready for School Ready for Life Greensboro, NC | Operational Support; EDI Grant | $250,274 |
| Wyndham Championship Greensboro, NC | Wyndham Championship Foundation | $250,000 |
| Piedmont Triad Partnership Greensboro, NC | Investment for Economic Development | $200,000 |
| Greensboro Chamber of Commerce Greensboro, NC | Membership Dues and General Support | $105,689 |
| NC A&T University Greensboro, NC | Harold l martin sr & davida wagner martin legacy endowed scholarship | $100,000 |
| Arts Council of Greater Greensboro Greensboro, NC | Annual Support | $75,000 |
| City of Greensboro Bryan Golf Course Browns Summit, NC | General Improvements | $69,393 |
Ready to take the next step with The Joseph M Bryan Foundation?
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 | $48,373,230 | $2,140,672 | $4,012,212 | $2,859,563 | 59 | $3,661,095 | $1,792,848 | $3,214,100 |
| 2023 | $51,925,665 | $2,815,281 | $9,870,964 | $8,653,739 | 55 | $9,551,765 | $2,497,310 | $2,925,443 |
| 2022 | $59,871,696 | $2,521,815 | $3,325,655 | $1,714,318 | 48 | $2,909,728 | $2,223,810 | $3,032,763 |
| 2021 | $62,998,122 | $6,248,055 | $3,669,415 | $2,388,362 | 49 | $3,335,414 | $5,970,053 | $3,303,510 |
| 2020 | $61,651,042 | $4,980,514 | $4,521,305 | $3,270,035 | 37 | — | $4,537,751 | $2,912,935 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Joseph M Bryan Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The available information does not state the foundation’s own mission. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with a range of purposes. For example, Action Greensboro says its mission is to improve urban livability, civic engagement, K–12 educational advancement, and initiatives to attract and retain college and young professional talent. Ready for School Ready for Life describes its work as creating a collaborative system of care for young children and families in Guilford County. Piedmont Triad Partnership says it promotes the region to enhance economic development opportunities.
Other 2024 grantees include United Way of Greater Greensboro, which says it works to improve lives and create thriving communities; Arts Council of Greater Greensboro; an individual recipient, which celebrates cultural traditions and folk arts; and Triangle Sports Commission, which promotes the Triangle as a sports destination.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 59 grants totaling $2,859,563. Grants ranged from $100 to $400,000, with a median of $15,000. The largest awards included $400,000 to SHIFTED for high-dosage tutoring related to COVID learning loss; $355,000 to Action Greensboro for operations and other listed support; $300,000 to United Way of Greater Greensboro for annual support; and $250,274 to Ready for School Ready for Life for operational support and an EDI grant. Other notable awards included $250,000 to Wyndham Championship and $200,000 to Piedmont Triad Partnership for economic development.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists E S Melvin as president and director; Carole W Simms as secretary-treasurer and director; Shirley T Frye as chairman of the board and director; J Edward Kitchen as vice president and director; and David G Altman, Robert E Long, and Louise F Brady as directors.
The Joseph M Bryan Foundation is led by E. S. Melvin, President & Director on every filing since 2020; 2 of 7 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
E. S. Melvin
President & Director
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$253K (2020) → $252K (2024)
Shirley T. Frye
Chairman of the Board & Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
J. Edward Kitchen
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$186K (2020) → $186K (2024)
Carole W. Simms
Sec-Treas & Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David G. Altman
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Louise F. Brady
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert E. Long
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $252K, to E S Melvin (President/Director). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Joseph M Bryan Foundation
How much does The Joseph M Bryan Foundation give each year?
The Joseph M Bryan Foundation gave $2.9M across 59 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $8.7M across 55 grants.
What is The Joseph M Bryan Foundation's typical grant size?
The Joseph M Bryan Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $48,467, across 59 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Joseph M Bryan Foundation that year got $40K on average.
Where does The Joseph M Bryan Foundation give grants?
The Joseph M Bryan Foundation gives mostly in North Carolina: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Greensboro, NC (42 grants), Browns Summit, NC (4 grants), Raleigh, NC (3 grants) and Cary, NC (2 grants).
Does The Joseph M Bryan Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 15% of The Joseph M Bryan Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (9 of 59) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Joseph M Bryan Foundation's largest grantees?
The Joseph M Bryan Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Shifted ($400,000), Action Greensboro ($355,000) and United Way of Greater Greensboro ($300,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Joseph M Bryan Foundation?
The Joseph M Bryan Foundation reported $48.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.2M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Joseph M Bryan Foundation fund?
The available information does not state the foundation’s own mission. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with a range of purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Joseph M Bryan Foundation?
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 Joseph M Bryan Foundation's EIN?
The Joseph M Bryan Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-1548051. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Joseph M Bryan Foundation 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Joseph M Bryan Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Joseph M Bryan Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-joseph-m-bryan-foundation-morg_a94f2d6ab9df48eda1d676fe9b7ef88d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_561548051_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Joseph M Bryan Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-joseph-m-bryan-foundation-morg_a94f2d6ab9df48eda1d676fe9b7ef88d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Joseph M Bryan Foundation'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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