The Carlson Family Foundation funds a mix of place-based human services, education/literacy, water and watershed conservation, and health interventions, with a clear emphasis on sustaining local nonprofits in the Chapel Hill/Durham region while also supporting select national and international health and environmental causes. Grants are largely major gifts directed to direct-service organizations (homelessness/housing, youth services, literacy) and mission-driven environmental groups, often supporting program expansion and core operating needs.
Carlson Family Foundation C/o John a Norton makes repeated major grants to a small set of organizations across housing, education, environmental protection, and health. One striking pattern is its multi-year support for the University of Southern California, which received $63,000 in 2024, $52,000 in 2023, and $50,000 in 2025. Similar continuity appears in place-based service work: Brooke's House LLC received $60,000 in 2025, $42,800 in 2023, and $40,000 in 2024, signaling sustained support rather than isolated awards. The foundation also backs organizations serving people in transition or in crisis, including Humble Design Inc in Pontiac and Building One Community in Stamford. Alongside those social-service grants, it funds environmental groups such as Sound Waters Inc, Potomac Riverkeeper Inc, and League to Save Lake Tahoe, as well as health-focused organizations including Medicos Sin Fronteras Espana and Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The recent grants list shows a funder that combines recurring relationships with a broad mix of direct-service, education, watershed, and medical causes.
In housing and re-housing work, the foundation gave $60,000 to Brooke's House LLC for 2025 and $32,927 to Humble Design Inc for a matching grant in 2025. It also supported Building One Community with $25,000 in 2025, 2024, and 2023. In education and literacy, recent awards included $32,000 to New Haven Reads Community Book Bank in 2024 and $25,000 to Waterside School Inc in 2025, 2024, and 2023. The foundation also gave $21,667 to The Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina in 2023, showing support for basic-needs organizations alongside school and literacy work. Its environmental giving includes $50,000 to Sound Waters Inc in 2025 and $35,000 to Potomac Riverkeeper Inc in 2025. For health and research, it gave $30,000 to Medicos Sin Fronteras Espana in 2024 and $25,000 to Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in 2025.
Typical grants cluster in the low-to-mid five figures, with a p25 of $2,000, a median of $5,000, and a p75 of $15,000. Recent grantmaking also shows a set of larger repeat awards, especially to organizations that appear across multiple years rather than as one-off recipients. The foundation gives discretionary grants, major grants, and matching grants, and it does not make program-related investments or grants to individuals. The pattern suggests a family foundation using flexible discretionary support alongside recurring commitments to selected organizations.
$1.1M
$19M
$2.3M
$2.2M
Most grants fall between $2K and $15K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$15K
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Carlson Family Foundation C/O John A Norton.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 435 | $4.1M | 98.6% |
| 2 | Spain |
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Concentrated, repeat major grants: the foundation makes relatively few but substantial gifts, frequently renewing support (many grantees received 2–3 grants), prioritizing local/regional nonprofits while selectively funding national and international health and environmental organizations.
Notable grantees: Sound Waters Inc, Brooke's House LLC, Durham Literacy Center Inc, Potomac Riverkeeper Inc, Humble Design Inc
Grantmaking is national, with most awards going to recipients in the United States and a smaller set in Spain. California appears repeatedly through Los Angeles and South Lake Tahoe, while Connecticut shows up through Stamford, New Haven, and Trumbull. Other visible recipient cities include Hagerstown, Washington, Pontic, Rye Brook, New York, Raleigh, and Durham-area organizations. North Carolina accounts for 34% of grants, but the strongest concentration by recipient state is Michigan.
Recent grants show a mix of housing and re-housing services, literacy and K–12 education, water and watershed conservation, direct social services, and health or medical work. Examples include Brooke's House LLC, New Haven Reads Community Book Bank, Sound Waters Inc, The Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, and Medicos Sin Fronteras Espana.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years. University of Southern California was funded in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Sound Waters Inc also appears in all three years; and Brooke's House LLC received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution is $2,000 at the 25th percentile, $5,000 at the median, and $15,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent-grants list also includes larger awards in the $25,000 to $63,000 range.
By recipient state, Michigan is the top state in the grant count. The country distribution is overwhelmingly U.S.-based, with 335 grants, and there are also 6 grants to recipients in Spain.
The foundation uses major grants, discretionary grants, and matching grants. Recent examples include a matching grant to Humble Design Inc and discretionary grants to University of Southern California and Brooke's House LLC.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
| 6 |
| $119K |
1.4% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BROOKE'S HOUSE LLC | HAGERSTOWN, MD | $78,568 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT, MATCHING GRANT |
| SOUND WATERS INC | STAMFORD, CT | $50,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| GIVE A LEG UP (GALUP) | BOCA RATON, FL | $35,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT, DISCRETIONARY GRANT |
| DETROIT ACHIEVEMENT ACADEMY FOUNDATION | DETROIT, MI | $30,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| BLOOD CANCER UNITED | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| STXBP1 FOUNDATION | HOLLY SPRINGS, NC | $25,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| WATERSIDE SCHOOL INC | STAMFORD, CT | $25,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| AMANDLA INC | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $25,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| LEAGUE TO SAVE LAKE TAHOE | SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER RESEARCH CENTER | SEATTLE, WA | $25,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| HUMBLE DESIGN INC | SOUTHFIELD, MI | $23,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| FOOD BANK OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA INC | RALEIGH, NC | $22,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT, DISCRETIONARY GRANT |
| UNC HEALTH FOUNDATION | CHAPEL HILL, NC | $20,100 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT, MATCHING GRANT |
| SAVE THE SOUND | NEW HAVEN, CT | $20,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| ALIVE | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $20,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| THE CLEAR FUND DBA GIVEWELL | OAKLAND, CA | $20,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY NORTH CAROLINA CHAPTER | DURHAM, NC | $20,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES DIOCESE OF NASHVILLE | NASHVILLE, TN | $20,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| BUILDING ONE COMMUNITY | STAMFORD, CT | $20,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF DURHAM AND ORANGE COUNTIES | DURHAM, NC | $20,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| NEW JERSEY TUTORING CORPS INC | NEWARK, NJ | $20,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| SANDY HOOK PROMISE FOUNDATION | NEWTOWN, CT | $20,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| GIVEDIRECTLY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| YOUTH VILLAGES INC | NASHVILLE, TN | $20,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| ARLINGTON FREE CLINIC INC | ARLINGTON, VA | $20,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| CHATHAM OUTREACH ALLIANCE - CORA | PITTSBORO, NC | $15,500 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT, DISCRETIONARY GRANT, MATCHING GRANT |
| ORANGE COUNTY RAPE CRISIS CENTER | CHAPEL HILL, NC | $15,200 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT, MATCHING GRANT |
| EL CENTRO HISPANO INC | DURHAM, NC | $15,150 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT, MATCHING GRANT |
| MIRACLEFEET | CHAPEL HILL, NC | $15,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| CLARKSVILLE AREA URBAN MINISTRIES | CLARKSVILLE, TN | $15,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| OAK CITY CARES INC | RALEIGH, NC | $15,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE DIOCESE OF ARLINGTON INC | ARLINGTON, VA | $15,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| ARLINGTON FOOD ASSISTANCE CENTER (AFAC) | ARLINGTON, VA | $15,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| SAFECHILD | RALEIGH, NC | $15,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| EMANCIPATE NC INC | DURHAM, NC | $15,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| YAIPAK OUTREACH | CLARSKVILLE, TN | $15,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| INTER-FAITH COUNCIL FOR SOCIAL SERVICE | CARRBORO, NC | $15,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| DC FIREFIGHTERS BURN FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $15,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| BIRTH DETROIT INC | DETROIT, MI | $15,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| KEEP GROWING DETROIT | DETROIT, MI | $12,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| POTOMAC RIVERKEEPER INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $11,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT, MATCHING GRANT |
| CHILDREN'S HOME SOCIETY OF VIRGINIA | RICHMOND, VA | $10,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| SAIL TO PREVAIL | NEWPORT, RI | $10,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| BOOTH HILL FATHERS CLUB INC | TRUMBULL, CT | $10,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| MAKE THE ROAD STATES INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| TRIANGLE DISABILITY & AUTISM SERVICES INC | RALEIGH, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF TRIANGLE | MORRISVILLE, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| CENTER FOR CHILD AND FAMILY HEALTH | DURHAM, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| NEW HAVEN READS COMMUNITY BOOK BANK | NEW HAVEN, CT | $10,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
| ULMAN FOUNDATION | BALTIMORE, MD | $10,000 | 2026 | MAJOR GRANT |
BROOKE'S HOUSE LLC
$78,568MAJOR GRANT, MATCHING GRANT
SOUND WATERS INC
$50,000MAJOR GRANT
GIVE A LEG UP (GALUP)
$35,000MAJOR GRANT, DISCRETIONARY GRANT
STXBP1 FOUNDATION
$25,000MAJOR GRANT
AMANDLA INC
$25,000MAJOR GRANT
MAJOR GRANT, DISCRETIONARY GRANT
NEW JERSEY TUTORING CORPS INC
$20,000MAJOR GRANT
YOUTH VILLAGES INC
$20,000MAJOR GRANT
MAJOR GRANT, DISCRETIONARY GRANT, MATCHING GRANT
ORANGE COUNTY RAPE CRISIS CENTER
$15,200MAJOR GRANT, MATCHING GRANT
CLARKSVILLE AREA URBAN MINISTRIES
$15,000MAJOR GRANT
CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE DIOCESE OF ARLINGTON INC
$15,000MAJOR GRANT
ARLINGTON FOOD ASSISTANCE CENTER (AFAC)
$15,000MAJOR GRANT
DC FIREFIGHTERS BURN FOUNDATION
$15,000MAJOR GRANT
SAIL TO PREVAIL
$10,000MAJOR GRANT
BOOTH HILL FATHERS CLUB INC
$10,000MAJOR GRANT
TRIANGLE DISABILITY & AUTISM SERVICES INC
$10,000MAJOR GRANT
NEW HAVEN READS COMMUNITY BOOK BANK
$10,000MAJOR GRANT