The Paul and Margaret Porter
The Paul and Margaret Porter, also known as the Paul & Margaret Porter Foundation, is based in Fort Mill, South Carolina. It supports community well-being through grants for education, social services, and medical and palliative care.
Key facts about The Paul and Margaret Porter
In short: The Paul and Margaret Porter gave $308K across 37 grants in 2024 (avg $8K), mostly in North Carolina. 11% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 59-1750571
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $307,500
- Grants made (2024)
- 37
- Average grant
- $8,311
- Median grant
- $7,300
- New grantees (estimate)
- 11% first-time grantees (4 of 37, 2024)
- Total assets
- $7,319,158
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (75% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. 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
$7.3M
+19.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$308K
-3.9% YoY
Grant Count
37
-2.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$8K
-1.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Paul and Margaret Porter reported a distributable amount of $368K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Paul and Margaret Porter open to new grantees?
11%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 37 grantees (11%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $9K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 89% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−8%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 95% 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to partner with organizations providing education, social services, and medical and palliative care that support lifelong security and dignity. Its stated priorities include K–12 education, improving education quality, meeting basic humanitarian needs, and compassionate care for the elderly.
Grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the organizations and work supported. Brevard College describes its mission as providing an experiential liberal arts education that encourages personal growth and artistic, intellectual, and social action. The Life Enrichment Center of Cleveland County says it offers adult day care and support services for caregivers and their loved ones. Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry says it provides nourishing food to people seeking assistance, along with volunteer, partnership, and nutrition education opportunities. Other 2024 recipients include the Cleveland County Schools Educational Foundation, which supports the educational purposes of the county school system, and Community Math Academy, which provides intensive math instruction for underserved students in grades three through six.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 37 grants totaling $307,500. Awards ranged from $1,000 to $50,000, with a median grant of $7,300. Its largest reported grant was $50,000 to Brevard College for maintenance of the Porter Center endowment. Other notable awards included $20,000 to the Life Enrichment Center of Cleveland County for repairs to its patio and walkways; $15,000 each to the Boys & Girls Club of Cleveland County and Children’s Home of Cleveland County for general operations; and $15,000 to Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry to provide food to families in need.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation states that it focuses giving in Cleveland and Mecklenburg Counties in North Carolina, Central Kentucky, Baltimore and Central Maryland, and Central Virginia. In 2024, 75% of grant dollars went to North Carolina recipients and 16% to Virginia recipients; Kentucky and Georgia each received 4%, and Colorado received 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 37 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $301K (2020) to $333K (2021). In 2024 it made 37 grants totaling $308K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Brevard College ($50K). Together the top 10 received $177K.
Grant Size Distribution
175 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 171 grants of 175 (98%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Brevard College Brevard, NC | Maintenance Endowment for the Porter Center | $50,000 |
| Life Enrichment Center of Cleveland County Inc Shelby, NC | Repair of cracked and broken concrete patio and walkways | $20,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Cleveland County Shelby, NC | General Operations | $15,000 |
| Children's Home of Cleveland County Inc Shelby, NC | General Operations | $15,000 |
| Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry Charlottesville, VA | Providing Food to Families in Need | $15,000 |
| The Salvation Army - Cleveland County Shelby, NC | Rent and Utility Assistance for Families in Need | $15,000 |
| First United Methodist Church of Charlottesville Charlottesville, VA | Pre-school, weekly meals to needy, rise against hunger program, appalachian services project | $14,500 |
| Spread the Health Inc Richmond, VA | Funding a Clinical Nurse Midwife, | $12,000 |
| Blowing Rock Methodist Church Charlotte, NC | Assistance to Families in Need | $10,000 |
| Central United Methodist Church Shelby, NC | General Operations | $10,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $7,319,158 | $1,608,479 | $430,309 | $307,500 |
| 2023 | $6,133,157 | $433,106 | $452,003 | $320,000 |
| 2022 | $6,095,953 | $152,457 | $472,192 | $321,000 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,319,158 | $6,133,157 | $6,095,953 |
| Revenue | $1,608,479 | $433,106 | $152,457 |
| Expenses | $430,309 | $452,003 | $472,192 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $349,185 | $362,157 | $360,663 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,530,675 | $371,460 | $103,553 |
| Distributable Amount | $367,880 | $347,946 | $362,088 |
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
Officers and directors listed on the 2024 filing are Ellen Porter Warlick, president; Patricia Porter Taylor, vice president; Scott Porter, treasurer; and J William Porter, secretary.
The Paul and Margaret Porter is led by Ellen Porter Warlick, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Ellen Porter Warlick
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
J. William Porter
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patricia Porter Taylor
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott Porter
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: 611 Kingston Way, Fort Mill, SC 29715
Phone: (704) 756-2091
Website: https://porterfoundation.org
Frequently asked questions about The Paul and Margaret Porter
How much does The Paul and Margaret Porter give each year?
The Paul and Margaret Porter gave $308K across 37 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $320K across 38 grants.
What is The Paul and Margaret Porter's typical grant size?
The Paul and Margaret Porter's median grant in 2024 was $7,300, and its average grant was $8,311, across 37 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Paul and Margaret Porter that year got $1K on average.
Where does The Paul and Margaret Porter give grants?
The Paul and Margaret Porter gives mostly in North Carolina: 75% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Virginia (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Shelby, NC (11 grants), Charlotte, NC (8 grants) and Charlottesville, VA (5 grants).
Does The Paul and Margaret Porter give general operating support?
Yes: 30% of The Paul and Margaret Porter's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 37) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Paul and Margaret Porter's largest grantees?
The Paul and Margaret Porter's largest 2024 grantees include Brevard College ($50,000), Life Enrichment Center of Cleveland County Inc ($20,000) and Boys & Girls Club of Cleveland County ($15,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 28% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Paul and Margaret Porter?
The Paul and Margaret Porter reported $7.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $349K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $368K (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 Paul and Margaret Porter fund?
The foundation’s mission is to partner with organizations providing education, social services, and medical and palliative care that support lifelong security and dignity. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Paul and Margaret Porter?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Paul and Margaret Porter's EIN?
The Paul and Margaret Porter's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 59-1750571. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Paul and Margaret Porter 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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