The Stowe Foundation Inc
The Stowe Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Belmont, North Carolina. Its 2024 filing reports charitable grants primarily to organizations in North Carolina; the foundation says it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations.
The Stowe Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Stowe Foundation Inc gave $271K across 31 grants in 2024 (avg $9K), mostly in North Carolina. 39% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $271,360
- +2.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 31
- +24.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $8,754
- -17.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $1,276,968
- -15.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 39% first-time grantees (12 of 31, 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 Stowe Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. It states that requests should include a letter stating the organization’s tax-exempt status, the amount requested, and a detailed explanation. The donee must be a tax-exempt organization; the foundation says most funds go to tax-exempt organizations in the Charlotte and North Carolina areas.
- Review Cycle
- The foundation reports no deadlines, but says requests should be made before December of each year.
- Deadline
- The foundation reports no deadlines, but says requests should be made before December of each year.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 351, Belmont, NC 28012
Phone: (704) 825-5314
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Stowe Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens ($157K). Together the top 10 received $253K.
Grant Size Distribution
144 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 139 grants of 144 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina. The reported shares for Illinois, South Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee were 0% each. The foundation states that most of its funds go to tax-exempt organizations in the Charlotte and North Carolina areas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 31 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Stowe Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
39%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 12 of 31 grantees (39%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $12K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 52% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 97% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 455% 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 $138K (2021) to $315K (2022). In 2024 it made 31 grants totaling $271K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens Belmont, NC | Charitable | $157,000 |
| First Ar Presbyterian Church Gastonia, NC | Charitable | $51,500 |
| Put Tools in Schools Inc Charlotte, NC | Charitable | $20,000 |
| Animal League Gastonia, NC | Charitable | $5,000 |
| Holy Angles Inc Belmont, NC | Charitable | $5,000 |
| Belmont Abbey College Belmont, NC | Charitable | $3,000 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Gasto Gastonia, NC | Charitable | $3,000 |
| Cancer Services of Gaston County IN Gastonia, NC | Charitable | $3,000 |
| Back Creek Church Charlotte, NC | Charitable | $2,500 |
| Dahlia Grove Charlotte, NC | Charitable | $2,500 |
Ready to take the next step with The Stowe 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 | $1,276,968 | $78,710 | $317,107 | $271,360 | 31 | $275,851 | $74,219 | $60,578 |
| 2023 | $1,515,365 | $22,070 | $290,503 | $263,700 | 25 | $282,560 | $67,004 | $78,232 |
| 2022 | $1,795,298 | $68,038 | $340,196 | $314,950 | 25 | $326,700 | $61,009 | $87,919 |
| 2021 | $2,067,456 | $70,622 | $170,332 | $137,871 | 28 | $153,122 | $42,956 | $107,221 |
| 2020 | $2,151,891 | $64,884 | $181,884 | $149,893 | 35 | — | $25,811 | $107,429 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Stowe Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $61K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations working in areas including botanical gardens, education, animal welfare, health, youth services, literacy, and support for women. For example, Cancer Services of Gaston County says its mission includes cancer prevention, screening, and services for cancer patients; Gaston Literacy Council says it works to increase literacy through instruction and materials; and Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Gaston says it provides programs intended to help young people reach their potential.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 31 grants totaling $271,360. Grant amounts ranged from $150 to $157,000, with a median of $1,000. Its largest grants included $157,000 to Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens, $51,500 to First AR Presbyterian Church, and $20,000 to Put Tools in Schools Inc. Other reported awards included $5,000 each to Animal League and Holy Angles Inc., and $3,000 each to Belmont Abbey College, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Gaston, and Cancer Services of Gaston County.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Robert L. Stowe III as director, D. Harding Stowe as vice president, Richmond H. Stowe as secretary, and Jean H. Gibson as treasurer.
The Stowe Foundation Inc's 2024 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Robert L. Stowe III
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
D. Harding Stowe
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Jean H. Gibson
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Richmond H. Stowe
Secretary
On filings since 2020
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Stowe Foundation Inc
How much does The Stowe Foundation Inc give each year?
The Stowe Foundation Inc gave $271K across 31 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $264K across 25 grants.
What is The Stowe Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Stowe Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $8,754, across 31 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Stowe Foundation Inc that year got $3K on average.
Where does The Stowe Foundation Inc give grants?
The Stowe Foundation Inc 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 Charlotte, NC (14 grants), Gastonia, NC (5 grants) and Belmont, NC (4 grants).
Does The Stowe Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 31 grants with a stated purpose on The Stowe Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (31 grants).
Who are The Stowe Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Stowe Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens ($157,000), First Ar Presbyterian Church ($51,500) and Put Tools in Schools Inc ($20,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 84% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Stowe Foundation Inc?
The Stowe Foundation Inc reported $1.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $276K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $61K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Stowe Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations working in areas including botanical gardens, education, animal welfare, health, youth services, literacy, and support for women. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Stowe Foundation Inc?
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 Stowe Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Stowe Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-6034773. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Stowe 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 Stowe Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-stowe-foundation-inc-morg_22259fbaf3464c04a3f96e35aa8067e3
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_566034773_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Stowe Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-stowe-foundation-inc-morg_22259fbaf3464c04a3f96e35aa8067e3},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Stowe 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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