The Doak Finch Foundation concentrates its giving on local community institutions, with a clear emphasis on supporting a YMCA and civic/economic organizations through flexible, general operating gifts. Grants are targeted and substantial rather than broad-based, indicating a preference for strengthening community infrastructure and services at the municipal or regional level.
Concentrated, small portfolio: few but relatively large unrestricted grants; repeat funding to a primary YMCA grantee and targeted support for local civic institutions rather than many small awards.
A defining feature of the Doak Finch Foundation is its repeated, sizable support for the Tom A. Finch Community YMCA in Thomasville, including $70,000 grants in both 2023 and 2024 and another $30,000 award in 2025. That pattern points to a funder that favors sustained backing for core community institutions rather than one-off project gifts. Across the recent grants list, the foundation also returns to local civic and service organizations, with general operating support showing up across several years for groups such as Cooperative Community Ministries and Community in Schools of Thomasville. The grant record suggests a regional funder focused on strengthening the everyday infrastructure that supports families, youth, and town-level civic life. Its largest recent awards are concentrated in the $20,000 to $70,000 range, with multiple grants repeated over time to the same organizations. The foundation also includes religious organizations and community health-related institutions among its recipients, reinforcing a practical, community-serving pattern of giving.
In youth and recreation, the foundation gave $70,000 to Tom A. Finch Community YMCA in 2024 and $30,000 in 2025, both unrestricted general grants. For youth support in schools, it awarded $20,000 to Community in Schools of Thomasville in 2024 and another $20,000 in 2025. Civic and economic development appears through a $25,000 grant to Thomasville Chamber of Commerce in 2023 and $20,000 to Chamber of Commerce Foundation in Ardmore in 2025. Community service organizations also receive repeat support: Cooperative Community Ministries was funded at $20,000 in 2023 and 2024, then $45,000 in 2025.
Typical grants cluster around a $7,000 median, with a $4,000 25th percentile and $17,500 at the 75th percentile. The recent record shows repeated awards to the same recipients across multiple years, especially the YMCA, Community in Schools of Thomasville, Cooperative Community Ministries, Meals on Wheels, and Davidson Medical Ministries. Grants are generally unrestricted or general operating in nature, including several labeled unrestricted general and one general funds for religious award. The foundation is a regular funder rather than a DAF and does not make program-related investments.
$533K
$1.6M
$113K
$202K
Most grants fall between $4K and $18K, with a median of $7K.
25th Percentile
$4K
Median
$7K
75th Percentile
$18K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in NC.
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Notable grantees: Tom A. Finch Community YMCA, Thomasville Chamber of Commerce, Other local community-serving nonprofits (unspecified)
Grantmaking is heavily centered in North Carolina, which accounts for the largest share of grants by count. Thomasville appears most often among recipient cities, joined by Lexington, NC. A smaller set of grants goes outside North Carolina to Ardmore, Oklahoma; Alexandria, Virginia; and one recipient listed in Lexington, Kentucky. The recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based.
The recent grants point to community-serving institutions: the Tom A. Finch Community YMCA, Community in Schools of Thomasville, Cooperative Community Ministries, chambers of commerce, and health or social-service organizations such as Meals on Wheels and Davidson Medical Ministries. Faith-based recipients also appear, including Memorial United Methodist Church.
The foundation’s typical grant size is $7,000 at the median, with $4,000 at the 25th percentile and $17,500 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards also include larger repeated gifts, such as $70,000 to the YMCA and $45,000 to Cooperative Community Ministries.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Tom A. Finch Community YMCA, Community in Schools of Thomasville, Cooperative Community Ministries, Meals on Wheels, Davidson Medical Ministries, Memorial United Methodist Church, and the Salvation Army.
North Carolina is the top state by grant count. Thomasville is the most common recipient city in the recent grants list, with additional grants in Lexington, NC and smaller numbers outside the state.
Yes. The recent grants list is dominated by unrestricted general awards, along with general operating support and a smaller number of other general-purpose grants such as general funds for religious organizations and support for high school programming.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COOPERATIVE COMMUNITY MINISTRIES | THOMASVILLE, NC | $45,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| TOM A FINCH COMMUNITY YMCA | THOMASVILLE, NC | $30,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| COMMUNITY IN SCHOOLS OF THOMASVILLE | THOMASVILLE, NC | $20,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOUNDATION | ARDMORE, OK | $20,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| NOVANT HEALTH THOMASVILLE MEDICAL CTR | THOMASVILLE, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| UNITED WAY OF DAVIDSON COUNTY | LEXINGTON, KY | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| THOMASVILLE ROTARY CLUB CHARITABLE FDN | THOMASVILLE, NC | $8,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH | THOMASVILLE, NC | $8,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SALVATION ARMY | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $7,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| DAVIDSON MEDICAL MINISTRIES | LEXINGTON, NC | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| MEALS ON WHEELS | THOMASVILLE, NC | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| DAVIDSON COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE | THOMASVILLE, NC | $2,000 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | THOMASVILLE, NC | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| TOM A FINCH COMMUNITY YMCA | THOMASVILLE, NC | $70,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| COMMUNITY IN SCHOOLS OF THOMASVILLE | THOMASVILLE, NC | $20,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| COOPERATIVE COMMUNITY MINISTRIES | THOMASVILLE, NC | $20,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOUNDATION | Ardmore, OK | $15,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH | THOMASVILLE, NC | $12,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUNDS FOR RELIGIOUS |
| SALVATION ARMY | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $7,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| MEALS ON WHEELS | THOMASVILLE, NC | $5,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| DAVIDSON MEDICAL MINISTRIES | LEXINGTON, NC | $5,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| FAMILY SERVICES OF DAVIDSON COUNTY | LEXINGTON, NC | $3,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| ARTS OF DAVIDSON COUNTY | LEXINGTON, NC | $3,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| THOMASVILLE ROTARY CLUB CHARITABLE FDN | THOMASVILLE, NC | $2,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT HIGH SCHOOL, REACH |
| DAVIDSON COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE | THOMASVILLE, NC | $2,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | THOMASVILLE, NC | $1,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| TOM A FINCH COMMUNITY YMCA | THOMASVILLE, NC | $70,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| THOMASVILLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | THOMASVILLE, NC | $25,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| COOPERATIVE COMMUNITY MINISTRIES | THOMASVILLE, NC | $20,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| COMMUNITY IN SCHOOLS OF THOMASVILLE | THOMASVILLE, NC | $20,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH | THOMASVILLE, NC | $10,000 | 2023 | GENERAL FUNDS FOR RELIGIOUS |
| THOMASVILLE MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION | THOMASVILLE, NC | $10,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| THOMASVILLE ROTARY CLUB CHARITABLE FDN | THOMASVILLE, NC | $9,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT HIGH SCHOOL, REACH |
| SALVATION ARMY | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $7,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| MEALS ON WHEELS | THOMASVILLE, NC | $6,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| FAMILY SERVICES OF DAVIDSON COUNTY | LEXINGTON, NC | $5,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| DAVIDSON MEDICAL MINISTRIES | LEXINGTON, NC | $5,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| ARTS OF DAVIDSON COUNTY | LEXINGTON, NC | $5,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | THOMASVILLE, NC | $3,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| DAVIDSON COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE | THOMASVILLE, NC | $2,000 | 2023 | EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS |
COOPERATIVE COMMUNITY MINISTRIES
$45,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
TOM A FINCH COMMUNITY YMCA
$30,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
COMMUNITY IN SCHOOLS OF THOMASVILLE
$20,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOUNDATION
$20,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
NOVANT HEALTH THOMASVILLE MEDICAL CTR
$10,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
UNITED WAY OF DAVIDSON COUNTY
$10,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
THOMASVILLE ROTARY CLUB CHARITABLE FDN
$8,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
$8,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
SALVATION ARMY
$7,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
DAVIDSON MEDICAL MINISTRIES
$5,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
MEALS ON WHEELS
$5,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
DAVIDSON COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
$2,000SCHOLARSHIPS
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
$1,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
TOM A FINCH COMMUNITY YMCA
$70,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
COMMUNITY IN SCHOOLS OF THOMASVILLE
$20,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
COOPERATIVE COMMUNITY MINISTRIES
$20,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOUNDATION
$15,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
$12,000GENERAL FUNDS FOR RELIGIOUS
SALVATION ARMY
$7,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
MEALS ON WHEELS
$5,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
DAVIDSON MEDICAL MINISTRIES
$5,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
FAMILY SERVICES OF DAVIDSON COUNTY
$3,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
ARTS OF DAVIDSON COUNTY
$3,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
THOMASVILLE ROTARY CLUB CHARITABLE FDN
$2,000SUPPORT HIGH SCHOOL, REACH
DAVIDSON COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
$2,000EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
$1,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
TOM A FINCH COMMUNITY YMCA
$70,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
THOMASVILLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
$25,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
COOPERATIVE COMMUNITY MINISTRIES
$20,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
COMMUNITY IN SCHOOLS OF THOMASVILLE
$20,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
$10,000GENERAL FUNDS FOR RELIGIOUS
THOMASVILLE MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION
$10,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
THOMASVILLE ROTARY CLUB CHARITABLE FDN
$9,000SUPPORT HIGH SCHOOL, REACH
SALVATION ARMY
$7,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
MEALS ON WHEELS
$6,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
FAMILY SERVICES OF DAVIDSON COUNTY
$5,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
DAVIDSON MEDICAL MINISTRIES
$5,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
ARTS OF DAVIDSON COUNTY
$5,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
$3,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
DAVIDSON COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
$2,000EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS