W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc

Private foundation · Grantmaker Southmont, NC EIN: 61-1383120

W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Southmont, North Carolina. Its 2025 filing reports 15 grants totaling $57,000, each listed for charitable/educational purposes.

W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc at a glance

In short: W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc gave $57K across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), top state North Carolina. 33% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$57,000
+18.1% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
15
+36.4% vs 2024
Average grant
$3,800
-13.4% vs 2024
Median grant
$4,000
Total assets
$680,280
+17.5% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
33% first-time grantees (5 of 15, 2025; small sample)
Primary geography
North Carolina (32% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

The foundation’s 2023 filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Contact

Mailing address: PO Box 470, Southmont, NC 27351
Phone: (305) 296-8877

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

First Baptist Church: $8KFirst Baptist Church$8KAlzheimer's Association: $5KAlzheimer's Association$5KCancer Research Institute: $5KCancer Research Institute$5KCanine Companions: $5KCanine Companions$5KDisabled American Veterans: $5KDisabled American Veterans$5KRonald McDonald House: $5KRonald McDonald House$5KWorld Central Kitchen: $5KWorld Central Kitchen$5KHospice of Davidson County: $4KHospice of Davidson County$4KHelen Keller National Center: $4KHelen Keller National Center$4KAddison Jo Blair Foundation: $4KAddison Jo Blair Foundation$4K

The largest 2025 recipient was First Baptist Church ($8K). Together the top 10 received $49K.

Grant Size Distribution

55 grants across all recorded years

55<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 55 grants of 55 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation’s 2025 grants went to recipients in multiple states. By grant dollars, the largest recipient-state shares were North Carolina (32%), Illinois (18%), New York (16%), California (9%), and the District of Columbia (9%).

Grant Distribution by State

11states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.

Cities

Key WestChicagoNew YorkAlexadriaRandlemanLexingtonTopekaOzarkRaleighSanta RosaWashingtonAlexandriaAmbridgeBrooklynElizabethtownRadcliffSalisburySt Augustine

Is W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc open to new grantees?

33%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 5 of 15 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $5K. How we count

Medians: $2K first-time, $5K repeat.

  • 67% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 38% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 99% 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 (2020–2025). 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

$0$20K$40K$60K9 grants2020 10 grants2021 10 grants2022 9 grants2023 11 grants2024 15 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $33K (2023) to $57K (2025). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $57K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
First Baptist Church Salisbury, NCCharitable/Educational$7,500
Alzheimer's Association Chicago, ILCharitable/Educational$5,000
Cancer Research Institute New York, NYCharitable/Educational$5,000
Canine Companions Santa Rosa, CACharitable/Educational$5,000
Disabled American Veterans Raleigh, NCCharitable/Educational$5,000
Ronald McDonald House Chicago, ILCharitable/Educational$5,000
World Central Kitchen Washington, DCCharitable/Educational$5,000
Hospice of Davidson County Lexington, NCCharitable/Educational$4,000
Helen Keller National Center Brooklyn, NYCharitable/Educational$4,000
Addison Jo Blair Foundation Elizabethtown, KYCharitable/Educational$3,500
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$680,280$161,149$59,911$57,00015$57,000$28,766$57,503
2024$579,042$62,633$51,408$48,24611$48,246$28,918$51,923
2023$567,817$57,945$32,775$32,7509$32,750$26,409$43,297
2022$542,647$49,540$44,102$41,35010$41,350$17,690$41,484
2021$537,209$15,605$44,153$44,00010—$15,605$42,674
2020$565,757$47,020$36,165$34,2009—$15,323$36,126

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $58K for 2025 — 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 2025 grants went to organizations including charities serving veterans and their families, people with serious illnesses and their families, and communities facing crises. For example, Disabled American Veterans describes its mission as providing services to veterans and their families; Hospice of Davidson County says it provides physical, psychological, social, and spiritual services to terminally ill people and their families; and World Central Kitchen says it provides meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. The Cancer Research Institute describes its work as advancing cancer immunotherapy through scientific discovery and global collaboration.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation reported 15 grants totaling $57,000. Grants ranged from $500 to $7,500, with a median of $4,000.

Notable 2025 grants included $7,500 to First Baptist Church in Salisbury, North Carolina; $5,000 each to Alzheimer’s Association, Cancer Research Institute, Canine Companions, Disabled American Veterans, Ronald McDonald House, and World Central Kitchen; and $4,000 each to Hospice of Davidson County and Helen Keller National Center.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists W Vaughan Spencer as president; Judith Spencer as vice president; Stacey Ogburn and Martin High as directors; and Roberta Spencer as secretary/treasurer.

W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc is led by W. Vaughan Spencer, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • W. Vaughan Spencer

    President

    On filings since 2020

    10 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Stacey Ogburn

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Martin High

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Roberta Spencer

    Secretary & Treasurer

    Director → Secretary & Treasurer, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Judith Spencer

    Vice President

    Director → Vice President, 2024

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (2)
  • Former: Bill Faison (2020) — Director
  • Former: Judith Blade (2020) — Director

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc

How much does W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc give each year?

W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc gave $57K across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $48K across 11 grants.

What is W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc's typical grant size?

W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $4,000, and its average grant was $3,800, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc that year got $2K on average.

Where does W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc give grants?

W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc's top state is North Carolina, with 32% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Illinois (18%) and New York (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (2 grants) and Lexington, NC (2 grants).

Does W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable/Educational" (15 grants).

Who are W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc's largest grantees?

W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include First Baptist Church ($7,500), Alzheimer's Association ($5,000) and Cancer Research Institute ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc?

W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc reported $680K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $57K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $58K (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 W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations including charities serving veterans and their families, people with serious illnesses and their families, and communities facing crises. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc?

The foundation’s 2023 filing states that it 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 W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc's EIN?

W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 61-1383120. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does W Vaughan Spencer 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

(7)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 19, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 13, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 13, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 30, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 4, 2025)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 1, 2026)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/w-vaughan-spencer-foundation-inc-morg_8e303c2e872443f5a797af7882927fa4

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_611383120_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{W Vaughan Spencer Foundation Inc funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/w-vaughan-spencer-foundation-inc-morg_8e303c2e872443f5a797af7882927fa4},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 W Vaughan Spencer 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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