Wren Foundation Inc

SILER CITY, NC EIN: 56-6063055 Website

Wren Foundation Inc is a private foundation established in 1963 and based in Siler City, North Carolina. The foundation was created by William (Billy) Wren, a successful entrepreneur in the family pet food and poultry business, and his wife Marion. The foundation operates as a family philanthropy dedicated to supporting worthy causes throughout North Carolina.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$573K

-13.8% YoY

Annual Giving

$166K

+0.5% YoY

Grant Count

+3.7% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$6K

-3.0% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Wren Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $143K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's mission centers on giving back to the community and supporting causes throughout North Carolina. The foundation has demonstrated a particular commitment to healthcare and cancer research, with a 40-year tradition of supporting medical institutions and patient care facilities.

Grantmaking

The foundation has a documented history of making grants to worthy causes throughout North Carolina. Notable recipients have included UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, where the foundation funded the Private Infusion Room dedicated to pediatric cancer patients.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations and causes throughout North Carolina, with a particular emphasis on supporting institutions within the state.

Grant Distribution by State

North Carolina $740K (81%)

Virginia $144K (16%)

North Dakota $20K (2%)

Oregon $5K (0%)

Iowa $2K (0%)

Michigan $2K (0%)

Georgia $1K (0%)

District of Columbia $1K (0%)

States

District of Columbia Georgia Iowa Michigan North Carolina North Dakota Oregon Virginia

Cities

ArdenAtlantaBonleeBooneBoxChapel HillCharlotteDr TriangleGreensboroHigh PointLelandMichigan CenterPinehurstPittsboroPittsboroughRaleighSalemSandfordSanfordSiler City

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$573,075	$664,942	$737,597
Revenue	$108,281	$130,615	$112,891
Expenses	$200,148	$203,270	$200,601
Qualifying Distributions	$166,120	$172,184	$162,663
Net Investment Income	$75,931	$99,529	$78,773
Distributable Amount	$143,474	$136,907	$151,976

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 2024

Grant Size Distribution

129 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Unc Health Foundation ($65,000), Mary Baldwin University ($20,000), Jordan Matthews High School - Ffa ($10,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
40 & 8 VOITURE - NURSES TRAINING SCHOLARS LELAND, NC	GENERAL SUPPORT	$100
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF CENTRAL CAROLINA SILER CITY, NC	GENERAL SUPPORT	$3,000
CARE ATLANTA, GA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$1,000
CHATHAM COUNTY DSS FOSTER CHILDREN'S FUND PITTSBORO, NC	MEDICAL	$3,000
CHATHAM COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP PITTSBORO, NC	GENERAL SUPPORT	$5,000
CHATHAM COUNTY LITERACY COUNCIL PITTSBORO, NC	EDUCATIONAL	$1,000
CHILDREN'S HOME SOCIETY OF NC GREENSBORO, NC	GENERAL SUPPORT	$5,000
CHRIST SCHOOL ARDEN, NC	GENERAL SUPPORT	$8,000
HIGH POINT UNIVERSITY HIGH POINT, NC	EDUCATIONAL	$1,500
HOPE FOR HEMIPLEGIA CHAPEL HILL, NC	GENERAL SUPPORT	$3,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Margaret de St. Aubin serves as the current operator of the foundation, continuing the family tradition of philanthropy established by her father, William (Billy) Wren. Margaret and her husband Denis have been actively involved in directing the foundation's giving, including decisions to support pediatric oncology programs.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
MARGARET W DE ST AUBIN	PRESIDENT	4	—
WILLIAM G FARRAR	SECRETARY/TREASURER	4	—
DENIS R DE ST AUBIN	DIRECTOR	4	—
SYDNEY D FARRAR II	DIRECTOR	4	—

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

The foundation continues its support of UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. Margaret de St. Aubin and her husband Denis visited the N.C. Cancer Hospital and were moved by the pediatric oncology clinic, leading them to fund and name the Private Infusion Room in honor of the foundation's legacy of supporting children with cancer.

Wren Foundation, Inc. - UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer ...

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Wren Foundation Inc fund?

How do I apply for a grant from Wren Foundation Inc?

Where does Wren Foundation Inc make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations and causes throughout North Carolina, with a particular emphasis on supporting institutions within the state.

What size grants does Wren Foundation Inc award?

In 2024, Wren Foundation Inc awarded 28 grants totaling $166K — an average of about $6K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Wren Foundation Inc required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Wren Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $143K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.