26 private foundations reported research & science grants in North Carolina on their IRS Form 990-PF filings for tax years 2023–2025. Historical giving records — not an open application portal.
Themes are derived from the free-text purpose each foundation wrote on its own Part XV filing, so a grant is classified by what the funder said it was for. Grants paid directly to named individuals are excluded from recipient counts and tables.
Across tax years 2023–2025, 26 private foundations reported 33 grants for research & science totaling $5,527,880 to 25 organizations in North Carolina. The most-funded North Carolina communities were Durham, Raleigh, Chapel Hill. The William R Kenan JR Fund for Engineering Technology and Science reported the most research & science giving — $1,880,000 across 1 grant. The median grant was $75,000.
Foundation filings are a record of past giving. The UseGrants eligibility check matches you to federal and state opportunities accepting applications today.
| Foundation | Grants | Total |
|---|---|---|
| The William R Kenan JR Fund for Engineering Technology and Science | 1 | $1,880,000 |
| Mead Family Foundation | 1 | $700,000 |
| Gates Foundation | 2 | $550,886 |
| Charles a Cannon Charitable Trust NO 3 | 2 | $469,000 |
| The G Harold & Leila Y Mathers Charitable Foundation | 2 | $460,796 |
| The Duke Endowment | 2 | $206,000 |
| Z Smith Reynolds Foundation Inc | 2 | $170,000 |
| The Kresge Foundation | 1 | $165,000 |
| Gustavus and Louise Pfeiffer Research Foundation | 1 | $150,000 |
| RMS Family Foundation Inc | 1 | $125,000 |
| William Randolph Hearst Foundation | 1 | $100,000 |
| Wanda and James M Moran JR Foundation Inc | 1 | $100,000 |
| Recipient | Grants | Total |
|---|---|---|
| North Carolina State University | 1 | $1,880,000 |
| Inter-faith Food Shuttle | 1 | $700,000 |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 3 | $610,834 |
| Duke University | 4 | $530,796 |
| Davidson College | 2 | $469,000 |
| Communities in Partnership | 2 | $215,000 |
| Wake Forest University Health Sciences | 2 | $206,000 |
| Pfeiffer University | 1 | $150,000 |
| Duke University Parkinsons Research Duke University Parkinsons Research | 1 | $125,000 |
| NC State University | 1 | $120,000 |
| Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation of the US | 1 | $100,000 |
| The Utopian Seed Project | 1 | $100,000 |
| Sanford School of Public Policy Duke University | 1 | $95,000 |
| Wake Forest University | 1 | $75,000 |
| MDC Inc | 1 | $50,000 |
26 private foundations reported research & science grants in North Carolina on their IRS Form 990-PF filings, totaling $5,527,880. The largest by reported dollars were The William R Kenan JR Fund for Engineering Technology and Science, Mead Family Foundation, Gates Foundation. These are historical filings, not open application portals — check each foundation's own guidelines before approaching them.
25 distinct organizations appear as recipients in North Carolina, led by North Carolina State University, Inter-faith Food Shuttle, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Grants paid directly to named individuals are excluded from these figures.
The median reported research & science grant in North Carolina was $75,000, and the largest single reported grant was $1,880,000. Amounts are as reported by the filing foundation for a historical tax year.
The UseGrants feed tracks federal and state opportunities that are open today, each with the eligibility explained in plain English.
Source: public IRS Form 990-PF Part XV filings (tax years 2023–2025). Theme classification is derived from the funder’s own purpose text and is a summary, not a legal categorization. UseGrants is an independent aggregator, not affiliated with any foundation listed.
