The Co Ta Huffman-Cornwell Foundation concentrates on supporting local North Carolina institutions—especially in Burke County and surrounding communities—by funding education, faith-based organizations, youth programs, and community services. Grants are typically unrestricted or for general purpose and frequently repeat for the same local beneficiaries, indicating sustained operating support for schools, churches, health/service agencies, and regional conservation efforts.
A recurring feature of the Co Ta Huffman-cornwell Foundation’s recent giving is direct support for local institutions in Morganton and Burke County, often through unrestricted or general-purpose grants. The foundation’s pattern is visible in repeated awards to organizations such as Burke County Young Life, the Burke County Literacy Council, and the History Museum of Burke County Inc., alongside support for schools, churches, and community-service groups. The portfolio reaches across education, faith-based services, youth development, literacy, and conservation. North Carolina School for the Deaf and North Carolina School of Science receive support for school operations, while community organizations such as First United Methodist Church and First Presbyterian Church appear as funded partners in Morganton. The foundation also backs place-based civic and environmental work, including the City of Morganton and Foothills Conservancy. A notable feature of the grant history is continuity: several local grantees appear more than once, suggesting sustained relationships rather than isolated gifts. The foundation also funds individuals through scholarship support, extending its reach beyond organizational grants. Overall, the record points to a local funder centered on practical operating support for institutions serving western North Carolina.
Education is a visible thread in the foundation’s grantmaking. It gave $13,172 to Unc Wilmington for general purpose support, $10,000 to North Carolina School of Science for general support, and $6,000 to Appalachian State University Fbo Jacob Coulter Church for education. Youth and mentoring also receive consistent backing. In 2024, Burke County Young Life received $15,000 for general support, and Make-a-wish Foundation of Central and We received $5,000 in the same year for general support. The foundation also supports community services and local civic infrastructure. It awarded $15,000 to the City of Morganton for general purpose, $12,500 to Burke County Literacy Council for general support, and $10,000 to Burke County United Way for general purpose. Environmental work appears as well, including a $10,000 grant to Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation and another $10,000 to Foothills Conservancy.
$154K
$3.4M
$953K
$188K
Most grants fall between $2K and $9K, with a median of $4K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$4K
75th Percentile
$9K
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Moderately concentrated, locally focused giving with many repeat grants to the same organizations; typical grant sizes are small-to-mid (several thousand up to $20k) and often listed as general or program support rather than one-off capital projects.
Notable grantees: Burke County Young Life, North Carolina School for the Deaf, Burke County Literacy Council, Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation, First United Methodist Church (Morganton)
Typical grants are modest but flexible: the 25th percentile is $2,000, the median is $4,000, and the 75th percentile is $8,750. That spread fits a pattern of many smaller awards with some larger operating gifts. The record also shows repeat giving. First United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church, Burke County Young Life, The Industrial Commons, History Museum of Burke County Inc, North Carolina School for the Deaf, and Make-a-wish Foundation of Central and We all appear more than once in the recent grants list. The foundation funds both organizations and individuals, and the stated philosophy emphasizes general operating, general purpose, and scholarship support. The grant list does not show an application process.
Giving is highly concentrated in North Carolina, which accounts for 88% of grants. Morganton appears repeatedly as a recipient city, with grants also landing in nearby Valdese, Boone, Durham, Wilmington, Chapel Hill, and Charlotte. Outside North Carolina, the foundation granted to Fort Smith, Arizona, and Belleville, Illinois, but its recent activity remains strongly local overall. The distribution matches the foundation’s local geographic scope of giving.
Recent grants show support for schools, churches, youth programs, literacy and community-service groups, and environmental organizations. Examples include education-related grants to universities and specialty schools, general support for church-led social services, and funding for local conservation groups.
The grant-size distribution centers on smaller awards: the 25th percentile is $2,000, the median is $4,000, and the 75th percentile is $8,750. Recent gifts also include several $10,000 and $15,000 grants.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including First United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church, Burke County Young Life, The Industrial Commons, History Museum of Burke County Inc, North Carolina School for the Deaf, and Make-a-wish Foundation of Central and We.
North Carolina is the main recipient state, with 88% of grants going to recipients in NC. Morganton shows up repeatedly in the recent grants list, alongside other North Carolina cities such as Valdese, Boone, Durham, Wilmington, Chapel Hill, and Charlotte.
Yes. The foundation funds individuals, and its philosophy tags include scholarship support. The recent-grants data also includes education-related awards tied to named individual recipients through university FBO grants.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIMOSA CHRISTIAN COUNSELING CENTER | MORGANTON, NC | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| HISTORIC BURKE FOUNDATION | MORGANTON, NC | $13,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| BURKE COUNTY UNITED WAY | MORGANTON, NC | $12,400 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| BURKE ARTS COUNCIL | MORGANTON, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| MEETING PLACE | MORGANTON, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH | MORGANTON, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| BURKE UNITED CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES | MORGANTON, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| GOOD SAMARITAN CLINIC | PORT SMITH, AZ | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | MORGANTON, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| NC SCHOOL FOR DEAF FOUNDATION | MORGANTON, NC | $7,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF CENTRAL AND WE | CHARLOTTE, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| THE AUTISM SOCIETY OF NC | GREENSBORO, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| COMMUNITY KINDNESS INC | BELLEVILLE, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| BURKE COUNTY YOUNG LIFE | MORGANTON, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| THE HOUSE OF REFUGE | MORGANTON, NC | $4,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY | CULLOWHEE, NC | $3,500 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| THE OVERFLOW NC INC | MORGANTON, NC | $3,500 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| NC STATE UNIVERSITY | RALEIGH, NC | $2,500 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| UNC CHAPEL HILL | CHAPEL HILL, NC | $2,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| ASSURE THE FUTURE | MORGANTON, NC | $2,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| BURKE COUNTY LITERACY COUNCIL | MORGANTON, NC | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| PREVENT BLINDNESS INC | RALEIGH, NC | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| HISTORIC GILBOA FOUNDATION | MORGANTON, NC | $1,500 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| AVERETT UNIVERSITY | DANVILLE, VA | $1,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY | JOHNSON CITY, TN | $1,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA WILMINGTON | WILMINGTON, NC | $1,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN | ANN ARBOR, MI | $1,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF ATTN LYNN SPRINKLE | MORGANTON, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| ALDER SPRINGS | MORGANTON, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| BURKE COUNTY UNITED WAY | MORGANTON, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| Good Samaritan Clinic | Fort Smith, AZ | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ENHANCEMENT FUND AT GRACE RIDGE | MORGANTON, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| BURKE ARTS COUNCIL ATTN DEBORAH JONES | MORGANTON, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| First Presbyterian Church Attn Michael Bailey | Morganton, NC | $7,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| OPEN HEARTS PLACE | Morganton, NC | $6,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUNDING |
| CANCER FOR COLLEGE THE CAROLINAS | SAN DIEGO, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| BURKE COUNTY YOUNG LIFE | Morganton, NC | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| GLEN ALPINE FOOD PANTRY | GLEN ALPINE, NC | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF CENTRAL AND WE | CHARLOTTE, NC | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| HOUSE OF REFUGE MINISTRIES | MORGANTON, NC | $4,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| CATAWBA VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE | HICKORY, NC | $4,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERSITY FBO JACOB COULTER CHURCH | BOONE, NC | $4,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| WESTERN PIEDMONT COMMUNITY COLLEGE | MORGANTON, NC | $3,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| DAVIDSON COLLEGE | DAVIDSON, NC | $3,000 | 2025 | PAYMENT OF GRANT FOR |
| WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY | CULLOWHEE, NC | $2,500 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation | McAdenville, NC | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| Burke County Literacy Council | Morganton, NC | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| UNC WILMINGTON | WILMINGTON, NC | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| COMMUNITY KINDNESS INC | Belleville, IL | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ASSURE THE FUTURE | MORGANTON, NC | $1,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
MIMOSA CHRISTIAN COUNSELING CENTER
$15,000GENERAL PURPOSES
HISTORIC BURKE FOUNDATION
$13,000GENERAL PURPOSES
BURKE COUNTY UNITED WAY
$12,400GENERAL PURPOSES
BURKE ARTS COUNCIL
$10,000GENERAL PURPOSES
MEETING PLACE
$10,000GENERAL PURPOSES
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
$10,000GENERAL PURPOSES
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
$10,000GENERAL PURPOSES
NC SCHOOL FOR DEAF FOUNDATION
$7,000GENERAL PURPOSES
THE AUTISM SOCIETY OF NC
$5,000GENERAL PURPOSES
COMMUNITY KINDNESS INC
$5,000GENERAL PURPOSES
BURKE COUNTY YOUNG LIFE
$5,000GENERAL
THE HOUSE OF REFUGE
$4,000GENERAL PURPOSES
THE OVERFLOW NC INC
$3,500GENERAL PURPOSES
UNC CHAPEL HILL
$2,000EDUCATION
ASSURE THE FUTURE
$2,000EDUCATION
BURKE COUNTY LITERACY COUNCIL
$2,000GENERAL PURPOSES
PREVENT BLINDNESS INC
$2,000GENERAL PURPOSES
HISTORIC GILBOA FOUNDATION
$1,500GENERAL PURPOSES
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA WILMINGTON
$1,000EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
$1,000EDUCATION
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF ATTN LYNN SPRINKLE
$10,000GENERAL PURPOSE
ALDER SPRINGS
$10,000GENERAL PURPOSE
BURKE COUNTY UNITED WAY
$10,000GENERAL PURPOSE
ENHANCEMENT FUND AT GRACE RIDGE
$10,000GENERAL PURPOSE
BURKE ARTS COUNCIL ATTN DEBORAH JONES
$10,000GENERAL PURPOSE
First Presbyterian Church Attn Michael Bailey
$7,000GENERAL SUPPORT
OPEN HEARTS PLACE
$6,000GENERAL FUNDING
BURKE COUNTY YOUNG LIFE
$5,000GENERAL
GLEN ALPINE FOOD PANTRY
$5,000GENERAL PURPOSE
MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF CENTRAL AND WE
$5,000GENERAL
HOUSE OF REFUGE MINISTRIES
$4,000GENERAL PURPOSE
CATAWBA VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
$4,000GENERAL PURPOSE
APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERSITY FBO JACOB COULTER CHURCH
$4,000EDUCATION
DAVIDSON COLLEGE
$3,000PAYMENT OF GRANT FOR
WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY
$2,500EDUCATION
Burke County Literacy Council
$2,000GENERAL
COMMUNITY KINDNESS INC
$2,000GENERAL
ASSURE THE FUTURE
$1,000EDUCATION