The Katherine and Thomas Belk Foundation Inc logo

The Katherine and Thomas Belk Foundation Inc

Private foundation · Grantmaker Charlotte, NC EIN: 56-2220828 Website

The Katherine and Thomas Belk Foundation is a private foundation based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Its 2024 filing is marked as a final return: it states that by December 31, 2024, all assets had been redeemed, liquidated, and donated to qualified charitable organizations. The foundation therefore appears to have wound down and stopped grantmaking.

Key facts about The Katherine and Thomas Belk Foundation Inc

In short: The Katherine and Thomas Belk Foundation Inc gave $3.4M across 6 grants in 2024 (avg $567K), mostly in North Carolina. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
56-2220828
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$3,403,567
Grants made (2024)
6
Average grant
$567,261
Median grant
$350,000
Primary geography
North Carolina (60% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The 2024 filing states that the foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Full details ↓
Deadline
The website’s listed spring and fall cycles—applications due in March and September, with decisions in May and…

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. 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

—

-100.0% YoY

Annual Giving

$3.4M

+400.5% YoY

Grant Count

6

-50.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$567K

+901.0% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Katherine and Thomas Belk Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $88K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

How The Katherine and Thomas Belk Foundation Inc gives

  • Giving grew 188% from 2021 to 2024. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The Belk Foundation’s stated mission is to invest in public education, with particular attention to K–3 achievement and excellent teachers and leaders. Its website says its education work is focused locally in Charlotte-Mecklenburg and at the state level in North Carolina.

The 2024 filing lists grants to Foundation For The Carolinas, Myers Park Presbyterian Church, National Stewardship Foundation LLC, Via Health Partners, Good Fellows, and Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund. Foundation For The Carolinas describes its own mission as bringing people, ideas, and resources together to create impact across a 13-county Carolinas region, and as managing charitable funds and advancing community change.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2024, the foundation reported six grants totaling $3,403,567. The grants ranged from $10,000 to $1,422,675, with a median of $350,000. The largest were $1,422,675 to Foundation For The Carolinas, $1,255,892 to Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund, and $600,000 to Myers Park Presbyterian Church. The filing identifies the first and third as annual fund grants and the Fidelity grant as a charitable fund grant.

Review Cycle

The website’s listed spring and fall cycles—applications due in March and September, with decisions in May and November/December—are not current application opportunities.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation’s website describes its education work as focused in Charlotte-Mecklenburg and across North Carolina. In 2024, 60% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina, 37% to Massachusetts, and 3% to Maryland.

Grant Distribution by State

4states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 6 itemized grants.

Cities

CharlotteLinvilleMiddletownWilliamstownDavidsonBostonMontreatTowson

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$1M$2M$3M$4M13 grants2020 16 grants2021 12 grants2022 12 grants2023 6 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $680K (2023) to $3.4M (2024). In 2024 it made 6 grants totaling $3.4M.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 6 recipients in 2024

Foundation for the Carolinas: $1.4MFoundation for the Carolinas$1.4MFidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund: $1.3MFidelity InvestmentsCharitable Gift Fund$1.3MMyers Park Presbyterian Church: $600KMyers Park Presbyterian Church$600KNational Stewardship Foundation LLC: $100KNational StewardshipFoundation LLC$100KVia Health Partners: $15KVia Health Partners$15KGood Fellows: $10KGood Fellows$10K

The largest 2024 recipient was Foundation for the Carolinas ($1.4M). Together the top 6 received $3.4M.

Grant Size Distribution

59 grants across all recorded years

47<$50K$50–100K1$100–250K2$250–500K7$500K–1M2$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 47 grants of 59 (80%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Foundation for the Carolinas Charlotte, NCAnnual Fund$1,422,675
Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund Boston, MACharitable Fund$1,255,892
Myers Park Presbyterian Church Charlotte, NCAnnual Fund$600,000
National Stewardship Foundation LLC Towson, MDAnnual Fund$100,000
Via Health Partners Charlotte, NCAnnual Fund$15,000
Good Fellows Charlotte, NCAnnual Fund$10,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2024 — $1,305,276 $3,473,471 $3,403,567 (6 grants)
2023 $2,167,774 $16,321 $740,472 $680,000 (12 grants)
2022 $2,891,946 $45,666 $1,400,304 $1,338,000 (12 grants)

The 2024 filing states that all assets held by the foundation had been redeemed, liquidated, and donated to qualified charitable organizations by December 31, 2024.

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$1M$2M$3M$4M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets—$2,167,774$2,891,946
Revenue$1,305,276$16,321$45,666
Expenses$3,473,471$740,472$1,400,304
Qualifying Distributions$3,403,567$680,000$1,338,000
Net Investment Income$1,235,474$6,372$13,085
Distributable Amount$88,104$171,815$212,078

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Thomas M Belk Jr, Katherine M Belk, Katherine Belk Morris, HW McKay Belk, and John R Belk as directors, with roles of vice president, secretary, president, vice president, and treasurer, respectively. Edward M Lazar is listed as assistant secretary.

The Katherine and Thomas Belk Foundation Inc is led by Katherine Belk Morris, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Katherine Belk Morris

    President & Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Hw McKay Belk

    Vice President & Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • John R. Belk

    Treasurer & Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Katherine M. Belk

    Secretary & Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Thomas M. Belk Jr.

    Vice President & Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Edward M. Lazar

    Assistant Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    0.2 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.

Contact

Mailing address: 2701 Coltsgate Road 102, Charlotte, NC 28211-3594
Phone: (980) 256-4002
Website: https://belkfoundation.org

Frequently asked questions about The Katherine and Thomas Belk Foundation Inc

How much does The Katherine and Thomas Belk Foundation Inc give each year?

The Katherine and Thomas Belk Foundation Inc gave $3.4M across 6 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $680K across 12 grants.

What is The Katherine and Thomas Belk Foundation Inc's typical grant size?

The Katherine and Thomas Belk Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $350,000, and its average grant was $567,261, across 6 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does The Katherine and Thomas Belk Foundation Inc give grants?

The Katherine and Thomas Belk Foundation Inc gives mostly in North Carolina: 60% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Massachusetts (37%). The most frequent recipient cities were Charlotte, NC (4 grants).

Does The Katherine and Thomas Belk Foundation Inc give general operating support?

Yes: 83% of The Katherine and Thomas Belk Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (5 of 6) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are The Katherine and Thomas Belk Foundation Inc's largest grantees?

The Katherine and Thomas Belk Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Foundation for the Carolinas ($1,422,675), Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund ($1,255,892) and Myers Park Presbyterian Church ($600,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 96% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

What does The Katherine and Thomas Belk Foundation Inc fund?

The Belk Foundation’s stated mission is to invest in public education, with particular attention to K–3 achievement and excellent teachers and leaders. Its website says its education work is focused locally in Charlotte-Mecklenburg and at the state level in North Carolina. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from The Katherine and Thomas Belk Foundation Inc?

The 2024 filing states that the foundation makes 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 Katherine and Thomas Belk Foundation Inc required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Katherine and Thomas Belk Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $88K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is The Katherine and Thomas Belk Foundation Inc's EIN?

The Katherine and Thomas Belk Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-2220828. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Does The Katherine and Thomas Belk Foundation Inc 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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