The True North Foundation
The True North Foundation is a private foundation based in Currie, North Carolina. Its 2024 filing lists 44 grants totaling $388,686 to charitable organizations.
The True North Foundation at a glance
In short: The True North Foundation gave $389K across 44 grants in 2024 (avg $9K), mostly in North Carolina. 32% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $388,686
- +4.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 44
- +7.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $8,834
- -2.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,215
- Total assets
- $1,505,516
- -0.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (14 of 44, 2024)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (79% 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 True North Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 18, Currie, NC 28435
Phone: (904) 283-5807
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The True North Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Harrelson Center ($26K). Together the top 10 received $191K.
Grant Size Distribution
186 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 183 grants of 186 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 79% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina. Other recipient states were Iowa (7%), the District of Columbia (6%), New York (3%), and Connecticut (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 44 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The True North Foundation open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 14 of 44 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $9K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 41% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 84% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 105% 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 $212K (2021) to $389K (2024). In 2024 it made 44 grants totaling $389K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Harrelson Center Wilmington, NC | General Fund | $25,907 |
| CFWNC Asheville, NC | General | $25,773 |
| American Red Cross Boone, IA | General | $25,625 |
| Hill School of Wilmington Wilmington, NC | General Fund | $21,407 |
| Lower Cape Fear Hospice Wilmington, NC | General Fund | $20,726 |
| Camp Spring Creek Bakersfield, NC | General Fund | $20,000 |
| Homes of Hope India US Wilmington, NC | General Fund | $20,000 |
| UNC TV Research Triangle PA, NC | General Fund | $10,500 |
| World Central Kitchen Washington, DC | General Fund | $10,444 |
| Environmental Defense Fund Raleigh, NC | General Fund | $10,417 |
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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 | $1,505,516 | $812,203 | $413,233 | $388,686 | 44 | $394,990 | $546,329 | $376,338 |
| 2023 | $1,515,010 | $521,170 | $382,028 | $372,299 | 41 | $373,532 | $265,690 | $382,552 |
| 2022 | $1,290,471 | $416,157 | $269,305 | $253,461 | 33 | $258,742 | $176,473 | $364,512 |
| 2021 | $1,391,477 | $457,892 | $225,845 | $211,513 | 32 | $218,427 | $197,905 | $314,886 |
| 2020 | $1,249,017 | $503,025 | $369,542 | $351,525 | 36 | — | $238,593 | $271,683 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The True North Foundation reported a distributable amount of $376K 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 include support for organizations working in areas such as hospice care, disaster response, environmental protection, housing, literacy, counseling, and youth development. For example, Lower Cape Fear Hospice describes its mission as providing hospice care for terminally ill patients; Literacy Together says it transforms lives and communities through literacy; and Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity says it brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 44 grants totaling $388,686. Grant amounts ranged from $900 to $25,907, with a median of $5,214.
Among its largest grants were $25,907 to Harrelson Center, $25,773 to CFWNC, $25,625 to the American Red Cross, $21,407 to Hill School of Wilmington, and $20,726 to Lower Cape Fear Hospice. Other 2024 grants included $20,000 to Camp Spring Creek and $20,000 to Homes of Hope India US.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2024 filing lists Amy Brown North and DeBernia Clinton North III as trustees.
The True North Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Amy Brown North
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Debernia Clinton North III
Trustee
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.
Frequently asked questions about The True North Foundation
How much does The True North Foundation give each year?
The True North Foundation gave $389K across 44 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $372K across 41 grants.
What is The True North Foundation's typical grant size?
The True North Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,215, and its average grant was $8,834, across 44 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The True North Foundation that year got $8K on average.
Where does The True North Foundation give grants?
The True North Foundation gives mostly in North Carolina: 79% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Iowa (7%) and District of Columbia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Wilmington, NC (22 grants), Washington, DC (4 grants), Asheville, NC (2 grants) and Raleigh, NC (2 grants).
Does The True North Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 95% of The True North Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (42 of 44) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The True North Foundation's largest grantees?
The True North Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Harrelson Center ($25,907), CFWNC ($25,773) and American Red Cross ($25,625), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 20% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The True North Foundation?
The True North Foundation reported $1.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $395K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $376K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The True North Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations working in areas such as hospice care, disaster response, environmental protection, housing, literacy, counseling, and youth development. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The True North Foundation?
The foundation 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 True North Foundation's EIN?
The True North Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-4877644. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The True North 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 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 True North Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-true-north-foundation-morg_91274a566da24b1e90481820686b6780
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_204877644_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The True North Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-true-north-foundation-morg_91274a566da24b1e90481820686b6780},
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 True North 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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