Wilson Foundation
The Wilson Foundation is a private foundation based in Statesville, North Carolina. It says it has provided community and humanitarian support to more than 100 organizations since 1980, with support spanning social services, education, health, arts and humanities, and the environment.
Wilson Foundation at a glance
In short: Wilson Foundation gave $61K across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in North Carolina. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $60,800
- +111.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- +171.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,200
- -22.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $1,512,344
- -4.1% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (92% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Wilson Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Agencies should submit a written request by letter or email, using a letter or form of their choice, and include the agency’s IRS tax-exempt determination letter. The foundation does not fund proposals requiring multi-year obligations or continuing operating budgets.
- Review Cycle
- September 30 of each calendar year.
- Deadline
- September 30 of each calendar year.
- Contact
Application contact: The Wilson Foundation
Mailing address: 190 Wilson Park Road, Statesville, NC 28625
Phone: (704) 872-2411
Email: wilsonfoundation@glwilson.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Wilson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Broad Street United Methodist Churc ($15K). Together the top 10 received $55K.
Grant Size Distribution
32 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 32 grants of 32 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says most of its grants have gone to agencies in the Iredell County area and that it gives preference to North Carolina applicants. In 2025, 92% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina and 8% to recipients in Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
Cities
How Wilson Foundation gives
- 22% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 305% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 68% 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 (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
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $3K (2023) to $114K (2020). In 2025 it made 19 grants totaling $61K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Broad Street United Methodist Churc Statesville, NC | Local Community Support | $15,000 |
| Fifth Street Ministries Statesville, NC | Local Community Support | $10,000 |
| Iredell County Economic Development Statesville, NC | Local Community Support | $5,000 |
| Penland School of Craft Bakersville, NC | Support of School | $5,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of the Piedmont Statesville, NC | Local Community Support | $5,000 |
| American Heart Association Dallas, TX | Local Event Sponsorship | $5,000 |
| Mitchell Community College Statesville, NC | Local Community Support | $2,500 |
| Feed NC Mooresville, NC | Local Community Support | $2,500 |
| YMCA of Northwest NC Winston-Salem, NC | Local Community Support | $2,500 |
| Icare-Inc Statesville, NC | Local Community Support | $2,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Wilson Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,512,344 | $12,403 | $76,773 | $60,800 | 19 | $60,800 | $8,186 | $89,569 |
| 2024 | $1,576,714 | $187,746 | $41,419 | $28,800 | 7 | $28,800 | $125,233 | $80,209 |
| 2023 | $1,430,387 | $165,662 | $15,710 | $2,800 | 2 | $2,800 | $28,805 | $68,187 |
| 2022 | $1,280,435 | $543,797 | $26,241 | $15,000 | 1 | $15,000 | $18,043 | $44,462 |
| 2021 | $762,879 | $244,730 | $33,579 | $20,300 | 3 | $20,300 | $16,251 | $37,314 |
| 2020 | $551,728 | $115,496 | $142,626 | $114,000 | 58 | — | $92,207 | $86,158 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Wilson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $90K 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
The foundation identifies social services, education, health, arts and humanities, and the environment as areas it supports. Its 2025 grants include support for a craft school, local community organizations, a high-school scholarship, and an event sponsorship.
Grantee missions illustrate the kinds of organizations supported. For example, Penland School of Craft describes itself as an international center for craft education, while Boys & Girls Club of the Piedmont says it works to help young people reach their potential as responsible citizens. ICARE says it assists low-income individuals and families toward self-sufficiency and community revitalization. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own work, not statements of the foundation’s mission.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 19 grants totaling $60,800. Grants ranged from $250 to $15,000, with a median of $2,000. Among the largest were $15,000 to Broad Street United Methodist Church and $10,000 to Fifth Street Ministries, both for local community support; $5,000 each to Iredell County Economic Development, Boys & Girls Club of the Piedmont, and Penland School of Craft; and $5,000 to the American Heart Association for local event sponsorship.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Thomas L. Wilson Sr. as president; Julia L. Wilson as vice president and secretary; Leigh W. Dotson as vice president and treasurer; Thomas L. Wilson Jr. as vice president and assistant treasurer; Robert C. Palmes Jr. as vice president and assistant secretary; and Mary W. Palmes as vice president.
Wilson Foundation is led by Thomas L. Wilson Sr., President on every filing since 2024; none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Thomas L. Wilson Sr.
President
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Leigh W. Dotson
Vice President & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
$2K (2021) → $0 (2025)
Julia L. Wilson
Vice President & Secretary
Secretary → Vice President & Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Robert C. Palmes Jr.
Vice President & Assistant Se
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Thomas L. Wilson Jr.
Vice President & Assistant Tr
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Mary W. Palmes
Vice President
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Thomas L. Wilson (2020–2023) — President
- Former: Elizabeth Norton (2020) — Treasurer
- Former: James D. Wilson (2020) — Vice President
- Former: William W. Wilson (2020) — Vice President
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2021 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2021 filing was $2K, to Leigh W Dotson (VP & Treasur).
Frequently asked questions about Wilson Foundation
How much does Wilson Foundation give each year?
Wilson Foundation gave $61K across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $29K across 7 grants.
What is Wilson Foundation's typical grant size?
Wilson Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $3,200, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Wilson Foundation give grants?
Wilson Foundation gives mostly in North Carolina: 92% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Texas (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Statesville, NC (13 grants).
Does Wilson Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 19 grants with a stated purpose on Wilson Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Local Community Support" (12 grants).
Who are Wilson Foundation's largest grantees?
Wilson Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Broad Street United Methodist Churc ($15,000), Fifth Street Ministries ($10,000) and Iredell County Economic Development ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Wilson Foundation?
Wilson Foundation reported $1.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $61K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $90K (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 Wilson Foundation fund?
The foundation identifies social services, education, health, arts and humanities, and the environment as areas it supports. Its 2025 grants include support for a craft school, local community organizations, a high-school scholarship, and an event sponsorship. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Wilson Foundation?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Wilson Foundation's EIN?
Wilson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-1262432. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Wilson Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 27, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 1, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 30, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 5, 2026)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Wilson Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Wilson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/wilson-foundation-morg_696c50788c7845e68bdb15da9f40bec6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_561262432_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Wilson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/wilson-foundation-morg_696c50788c7845e68bdb15da9f40bec6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Wilson 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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