The Thomas S Kenan Iii Foundation
The Thomas S Kenan III Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1993 and based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The foundation focuses its philanthropic efforts on higher education, cultural and environmental institutes, and education foundations.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.2M
-6.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$251K
+15.1% YoY
Grant Count
43
+53.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$6K
-25.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Thomas S Kenan Iii Foundation reported a distributable amount of $275K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving priorities include:
- Higher education
- Cultural institutes
- Environmental institutes
- Education foundations
The foundation also supports work in Education, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, and Human Services, with a geographic emphasis on North Carolina, the District of Columbia, and Virginia.
Grantmaking
The foundation files IRS Form 990-PF annually. Recent 990 filings are available for 2025, 2024, 2023, and 2022.
Ready to take the next step with The Thomas S Kenan Iii Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- North Carolina
- District of Columbia
- Virginia
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $2,155,314
- Annual Giving: $250,600
- EIN: 56-1816652
- IRS Ruling Year: 1993
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,155,314 | $2,312,718 | $2,476,615 |
| Revenue | $144,835 | $106,125 | $199,341 |
| Expenses | $301,370 | $266,985 | $269,041 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $277,263 | $226,950 | $230,930 |
| Net Investment Income | $120,714 | $95,905 | $161,622 |
| Distributable Amount | $275,271 | $248,289 | $228,043 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
172 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Duplin County Education Foundation ($30,000), Kenan Center Lockport ($15,000), Duplin County Board of Education ($12,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN WILD HORSE PRESERVATION CAMPAIGN DAVIS, CA | OPERATIONS | $500 |
| BRIDGE21 PARK CITY PARK CITY, UT | GREATEST NEEDS | $1,000 |
| DUKE DIVINITY SCHOOL DURHAM, NC | UNDESIGNATED | $1,000 |
| DUKE UNIVERSITYALUMNI AND DEVELOPMENT RECORDS DURHAM, NC | THE THOMAS S. KENAN EDUCATIONAL FUND - SP DUKE GARDENS | $10,000 |
| DUPLIN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION KENANSVILLE, NC | JAMES KENAN HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS | $12,000 |
| DUPLIN COUNTY EDUCATION FOUNDATION KENANSVILLE, NC | LIBERTY HALL COMMISSION - REPAIRS | $30,000 |
| DURHAM NATIVITY SCHOOL DURHAM, NC | INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPLIES | $3,000 |
| FRANK H KENAN CHAPEL LANDFALL WILMINGTON, NC | UNCSA MUSIC STUDENT CONCERTS | $10,000 |
| CARING HOUSE INC DURHAM, NC | OPERATIONS - MEMORY FRANKIE DUBOSE | $3,000 |
| CFK AFRICA CHAPEL HILL, NC | UNDESIGNATED | $500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Thomas S. Kenan III is the principal figure associated with the foundation. He is a Chapel Hill resident with a B.A. in Economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Beyond his foundation work, Kenan serves as vice chairman and director of Flagler System, Inc., and was formerly chairman of the board of Kenan Transport Company (a petroleum transport business sold in 2001). He also serves as a trustee or officer for multiple related Kenan family philanthropic entities.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| THOMAS S KENAN III | DIRECTOR/PRESIDENT | — | — |
| STEVEN R ARMSTRONG | DIRECTOR/SEC/TREASURER | — | — |
| PHYLLIS P SNOW | ASSISTANT SECRETARY | — | — |
| CHRISTOPHER A SHUPING | DIRECTOR | — | — |
Contact Information
Address: 100 Europa Drive, Suite 525 Chapel Hill, NC 27517-2389
Telephone: 919-967-0618
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Thomas S Kenan Iii Foundation fund?
The foundation's giving priorities include: • Higher education • Cultural institutes • Environmental institutes • Education foundations The foundation also supports work in Education, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, and Human Services, with a geographic emphasis on North Carolina, the District of Columbia, and Virginia.
How do I apply for a grant from The Thomas S Kenan Iii Foundation?
**Financial Capacity:** • Total assets: $2,155,314 • Total annual giving: $250,600 • Typical grant awards range from $500 to $42,500 The foundation files IRS Form 990-PF annually. Recent 990 filings are available for 2025, 2024, 2023, and 2022.
Where does The Thomas S Kenan Iii Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • North Carolina • District of Columbia • Virginia
What size grants does The Thomas S Kenan Iii Foundation award?
In 2025, The Thomas S Kenan Iii Foundation awarded 43 grants totaling $251K — an average of about $6K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Thomas S Kenan Iii Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, The Thomas S Kenan Iii Foundation reported a distributable amount of $275K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Thomas S Kenan Iii Foundation's EIN?
The Thomas S Kenan Iii Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-1816652. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Thomas S Kenan Iii Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
The Hillbrook Gkp Iii Foundation Inc
GREENSBORO, NC
Assets
$32K
Grants
1
Total Given
$2K
Rotary Club of Salisbury Charities
SALISBURY, NC
Assets
$39K
Grants
1
Total Given
$50K
Ihope Foundation
GREENSBORO, NC
Assets
$10K
Grants
1
Total Given
$20K
Flow Foundation Inc
WINSTONSALEM, NC
Assets
$395K
Grants
53
Total Given
$1.5M
Orange County Partnership for Young
HILLSBOROUGH, NC
Assets
$477K
Grants
18
Total Given
$2.1M
North Carolina Baptist Hospital
WINSTONSALEM, NC
Assets
$2.8B
Grants
17
Total Given
$634K
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with The Thomas S Kenan Iii Foundation on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities
Go from researching The Thomas S Kenan Iii Foundation to a real strategy.