Wren Foundation Inc
Wren Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Siler City, North Carolina. Its 2025 giving included grants for education, general support, medical needs, and arts-related activities, with most grant dollars going to organizations in North Carolina and Virginia.
Wren Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Wren Foundation Inc gave $86K across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in North Carolina. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $86,200
- -48.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 16
- -42.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,388
- -9.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $558,345
- -2.6% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (56% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Wren Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
Applications should be made in writing and contain all information regarding the request. Awards must be for charitable, educational, religious, scientific, or artistic purposes. The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
- Contact
Application contact: Margaret W De St Aubin
Mailing address: PO Box 447, Siler City, NC 27344
Phone: (919) 663-3838
Website: https://wrenfoundation.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Wren Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Mary Baldwin University ($35K). Together the top 10 received $80K.
Grant Size Distribution
126 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 123 grants of 126 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 56% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina, 41% to Virginia, and 3% to Oregon; the reported share for Michigan was 0%. The recipient-state percentages may be rounded.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
Cities
How Wren Foundation Inc gives
- 94% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 45% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 59% 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $86K (2025) to $220K (2021). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $86K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mary Baldwin University Staunton, VA | Campus Repairs | $35,000 |
| Christ School Arden, NC | General Support | $12,500 |
| Independent College Fund of NC Raleigh, NC | Educational Scholarships | $9,500 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Central Carolina Siler City, NC | General Support | $5,000 |
| Chatham County Economic Development Corp Pittsboro, NC | General Support | $5,000 |
| Chatham County DSS Foster Children's Fund Pittsboro, NC | Medical | $3,000 |
| Jordan Matthews Arts Foundation Siler City, NC | Sponsor 3 Students for NY Arts Adventure | $2,750 |
| Salem Academy Salem, OR | General Support | $2,500 |
| UNC Health Foundation Chapel Hill, NC | Medical | $2,500 |
| Children's Home Society of NC Greensboro, NC | General Support | $2,400 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $558,345 | $116,361 | $131,091 | $86,200 | 16 | $86,450 | $83,750 | $145,919 |
| 2024 | $573,075 | $108,281 | $200,148 | $166,120 | 28 | $166,120 | $75,931 | $143,474 |
| 2023 | $664,942 | $130,615 | $203,270 | $165,220 | 27 | $172,184 | $99,529 | $136,907 |
| 2022 | $737,597 | $112,891 | $200,601 | $156,725 | 25 | $162,663 | $78,773 | $151,976 |
| 2021 | $825,307 | $193,895 | $260,908 | $220,075 | 30 | $226,019 | $159,731 | $158,974 |
| 2020 | $889,320 | $80,750 | $243,215 | $206,300 | 19 | — | $52,150 | $139,674 |
| 2019 | $1,051,785 | $100,011 | $253,589 | $217,030 | 1 | — | $63,009 | $144,027 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Wren Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $146K 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’s website says its funds support scholarship, innovations, events, and ideas that cross the boundaries of science, the arts, and humanities. It also describes public education about Christopher Wren’s life and achievements as part of its purpose.
Its 2025 grants included support for educational institutions and scholarships, medical purposes, general support, literacy, and an arts activity. The grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the variety of organizations supported: Mary Baldwin University says it provides undergraduate, graduate, and professional education to a diverse population; Chatham County Literacy Council says it helps adults acquire literacy and educational skills; and UNC Health Foundation says it raises philanthropic support for health care and medical education. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 16 grants totaling $86,200. The grants ranged from $250 to $35,000, with a median grant of $2,500. Notable awards included $35,000 to Mary Baldwin University for campus repairs, $12,500 to Christ School for general support, and $9,500 to Independent College Fund of NC for educational scholarships. Other awards included $5,000 each to Boys & Girls Club of Central Carolina and Chatham County Economic Development Corp for general support, and $3,000 to Chatham County DSS Foster Children’s Fund for medical purposes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Margaret W. de St Aubin as president; William G. Farrar as secretary/treasurer; and Denis R. de St Aubin and Sydney D. Farrar II as directors.
Wren Foundation Inc is led by Margaret W. De St Aubin, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Margaret W. De St Aubin
President
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
$167 (2023) → $0 (2025)
Denis R. De St Aubin
Director
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sydney D. Farrar II
Director
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William G. Farrar
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2023 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2023 filing was $167, to Margaret W de St Aubin (President).
Frequently asked questions about Wren Foundation Inc
How much does Wren Foundation Inc give each year?
Wren Foundation Inc gave $86K across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $166K across 28 grants.
What is Wren Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Wren Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $5,388, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Wren Foundation Inc give grants?
Wren Foundation Inc gives mostly in North Carolina: 56% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Virginia (41%). The most frequent recipient cities were Pittsboro, NC (3 grants), Siler City, NC (3 grants) and Greensboro, NC (2 grants).
Does Wren Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 38% of Wren Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (6 of 16) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Educational" (3 grants) and "Medical" (3 grants).
Who are Wren Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Wren Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Mary Baldwin University ($35,000), Christ School ($12,500) and Independent College Fund of NC ($9,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 66% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Wren Foundation Inc?
Wren Foundation Inc reported $558K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $86K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $146K (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 Wren Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s website says its funds support scholarship, innovations, events, and ideas that cross the boundaries of science, the arts, and humanities. It also describes public education about Christopher Wren’s life and achievements as part of its purpose. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Wren Foundation Inc?
Applications should be made in writing and contain all information regarding the request. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Wren Foundation Inc's EIN?
Wren Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-6063055. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 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
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 30, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 29, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 19, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 19, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 8, 2024)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Wren Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/wren-foundation-inc-morg_4c400c4d967f457f9fe166710cc767b2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_566063055_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Wren Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/wren-foundation-inc-morg_4c400c4d967f457f9fe166710cc767b2},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Wren 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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