The Donald & Elizabeth Cooke Foundation concentrates its giving on evangelical humanitarian relief and regional education in North Carolina. Half of its dollars went to a large international faith-based relief group, while the remainder supported local higher-education institutions and a public high school, including scholarship and program support. The foundation appears to favor sizable, targeted gifts rather than many small grants and maintains repeat support to at least one university.
Concentrated giving with a small number of relatively large grants; mix of one large national/international faith-based recipient and several regional education recipients, including repeat funding to a university.
The Donald & Elizabeth Cooke Foundation’s largest recent grant was a $100,000 award to Samaritan's Purse in 2025, and that gift fits a broader pattern of support for evangelical humanitarian relief alongside North Carolina education. Across the recent grants list, the foundation backed a mix of colleges, a public high school, community organizations, and scholarship support, with awards ranging from $10,000 to $100,000. It appears to favor targeted grants rather than a wide spread of small awards, and its giving includes repeated support for the same recipients over multiple years. Education is a major thread in the portfolio. The foundation supported Wake Forest University in both 2023 and 2024, and Campbell University received grants in consecutive years as well. At the K–12 level, Union Pines High School appears as a recipient for educational support, while North Carolina-based charitable organizations such as the North Carolina Zoological Society and local arts and community groups also appear in the recent record. The result is a grantmaking profile centered on faith-linked humanitarian work and North Carolina institutions, with a noticeable preference for direct, designated support.
Educational giving shows up through several named grants tied to student support and institutional programs. Campbell University received $30,000 in 2023 for educational scholarship and $25,000 in 2024 for educational scholarship, pointing to sustained support for student financial aid. Wake Forest University also appears with $30,000 in 2023 and $35,000 in 2024 for educational purposes. At the K–12 level, Union Pines High School received $20,000 in 2023 and $22,000 in 2024 for educational support. The foundation also backed North Moore High School with $15,000 in 2023 and $15,000 in 2025, showing another repeated education relationship. Beyond schools, the portfolio includes charitable support for North Carolina cultural and civic groups. Examples include $15,000 to Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities in both 2024 and 2025, and $15,000 to UNC Center for Public TV in 2024 after a $15,000 grant in 2023.
Typical grant size clusters around $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $15,000 at the 75th percentile, with a smaller number of much larger awards. The 2025 $100,000 grant stands well above the rest of the recent record. The pattern also shows repetition: several recipients appear across multiple years, including Samaritan's Purse, Wake Forest University, Campbell University, Union Pines High School, North Moore High School, and Moore Humane Society. The foundation is a private grantmaker with annual grants of $883,000 and total assets of $3,852,028, and it also funds individuals.
$270K
$3.9M
$435K
$336K
Most grants fall between $5K and $15K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$15K
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Notable grantees: Samaritan's Purse, Wake Forest University, Campbell University, Union Pines High School
Grantmaking is overwhelmingly concentrated in North Carolina, which accounts for 95% of grants and is the top state by grant count. Recent recipient cities include Boone, Cameron, Winston-Salem, Buies Creek, Asheboro, Durham, Pinehurst, Robbins, Research Triangle Park, Southern Pines, and Carthage. The only non-North Carolina recipient in the recent list is Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Overall, the geography points to a strongly local North Carolina footprint with one out-of-state award.
The recent record is centered on evangelical humanitarian relief and North Carolina education. A large grant went to Samaritan's Purse, while repeated education support went to Wake Forest University, Campbell University, Union Pines High School, and North Moore High School. Charitable grants also went to local arts, public media, and community organizations in North Carolina.
Its grant-size distribution is fairly tight: the 25th percentile is $5,000, the median is $10,000, and the 75th percentile is $15,000. The recent file also includes a much larger outlier, a $100,000 grant in 2025.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Samaritan's Purse, Wake Forest University, Campbell University, Union Pines High School, North Moore High School, and Moore Humane Society. Some of these are supported in consecutive years, such as Wake Forest University in 2023 and 2024.
North Carolina is the clear center of activity, with 95% of grants going to recipients in the state. Recent recipient cities include Boone, Cameron, Winston-Salem, Buies Creek, Asheboro, Durham, Pinehurst, Robbins, Research Triangle Park, Southern Pines, and Carthage.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samaritan's Purse | Boone, NC | $100,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Union Pines High School | Cameron, NC | $35,000 | 2025 | Educational |
| Moore Humane Society | Southern Pines, NC | $15,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| PBS North Carolina | Research Triangle Park, NC | $15,000 | 2025 | Educational |
| North Moore High School | Robbins, NC | $15,000 | 2025 | Educational |
| Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities | Southern Pines, NC | $15,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Wake Forest University | WinstonSalem, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | Educational |
| Campbell University | Buies Creek, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | Educational Scholarship |
| North Carolina Zoological Society | Asheboro, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Friends of the WNC Nature Center | Asheville, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Arts Council of Moore County | Southern Pines, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Duke University | Durham, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | Educational |
| Prancing Horse Inc | Southern Pines, NC | $5,000 | 2025 | Educational |
| Boys and Girls Homes of NC | Lake Waccamaw, NC | $5,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| The Penick Village Foundation | Southern Pines, NC | $1,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| The Walthour-Moss Foundation | Southern Pines, NC | $1,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Atlantic Center for the Arts | New Smyrna Beach, FL | $1,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Sandhills Community College Foundation Inc | Pinehurst, NC | $1,000 | 2025 | Educational |
| The Nature Conservancy | Durham, NC | $1,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Wake Forest University | WinstonSalem, NC | $35,000 | 2024 | Educational |
| Samaritan's Purse | Boone, NC | $25,000 | 2024 | Charitable |
| Campbell University | Buies Creek, NC | $25,000 | 2024 | Educational Scholarship |
| North Carolina Zoological Society | Asheboro, NC | $25,000 | 2024 | Charitable |
| Union Pines High School | Cameron, NC | $22,000 | 2024 | Educational |
| Sandhills Community College Foundation Inc | Pinehurst, NC | $15,000 | 2024 | Educational |
| Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities | Southern Pines, NC | $15,000 | 2024 | Charitable |
| UNC Center for Public TV | Research Triangle Park, NC | $15,000 | 2024 | Charitable |
| Moore Humane Society | Carthage, NC | $15,000 | 2024 | Charitable |
| North Moore High School | Robbins, NC | $15,000 | 2024 | Educational |
| Friends of the WNC Nature Center | Asheville, NC | $10,000 | 2024 | Charitable |
| The Walthour-Moss Foundation | Southern Pines, NC | $10,000 | 2024 | Charitable |
| The Penick Village Foundation | Southern Pines, NC | $10,000 | 2024 | Charitable |
| Arts Council of Moore County | Southern Pines, NC | $10,000 | 2024 | Charitable |
| Duke University | Durham, NC | $10,000 | 2024 | Educational |
| The Companion Animal Clinic Foundation | Southern Pines, NC | $5,000 | 2024 | Charitable |
| Atlantic Center for the Arts | New Smyrna Beach, FL | $5,000 | 2024 | Charitable |
| Prancing Horse Center | Hoffman, NC | $5,000 | 2024 | Educational |
| Given Tufts Foundation Inc | Pinehurst, NC | $5,000 | 2024 | Charitable |
| The Nature Conservancy | Durham, NC | $5,000 | 2024 | Charitable |
| Sandhills Children's Center | Southern Pines, NC | $5,000 | 2024 | Charitable |
| Boys and Girls Homes of NC | Lake Waccamaw, NC | $5,000 | 2024 | Charitable |
| Three Rivers Land Trust | Salisbury, NC | $2,500 | 2024 | Charitable |
| Friends of the Southern Pines Library | Southern Pines, NC | $2,500 | 2024 | Charitable |
| SandhillsMoore Coalition for Human Care | Southern Pines, NC | $1,000 | 2024 | Charitable |
| CAMPBELL UNIVERSITY | BUIES CREEK, NC | $30,000 | 2023 | EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP |
| WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $30,000 | 2023 | EDUCATIONAL |
| NORTH CAROLINA ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY | ASHEBORO, NC | $25,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| SAMARITAN'S PURSE | BOONE, NC | $25,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| WALTHOUR-MOSS FOUNDATION | SOUTHERN PINES, NC | $25,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY | DURHAM, NC | $20,000 | 2023 | EDUCATIONAL |
Union Pines High School
$35,000Educational
PBS North Carolina
$15,000Educational
North Moore High School
$15,000Educational
Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities
$15,000Charitable
Friends of the WNC Nature Center
$10,000Charitable
Arts Council of Moore County
$10,000Charitable
Prancing Horse Inc
$5,000Educational
The Penick Village Foundation
$1,000Charitable
The Walthour-Moss Foundation
$1,000Charitable
Atlantic Center for the Arts
$1,000Charitable
Union Pines High School
$22,000Educational
Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities
$15,000Charitable
UNC Center for Public TV
$15,000Charitable
North Moore High School
$15,000Educational
Friends of the WNC Nature Center
$10,000Charitable
The Walthour-Moss Foundation
$10,000Charitable
The Penick Village Foundation
$10,000Charitable
Arts Council of Moore County
$10,000Charitable
The Companion Animal Clinic Foundation
$5,000Charitable
Atlantic Center for the Arts
$5,000Charitable
Prancing Horse Center
$5,000Educational
Given Tufts Foundation Inc
$5,000Charitable
The Nature Conservancy
$5,000Charitable
Sandhills Children's Center
$5,000Charitable
Boys and Girls Homes of NC
$5,000Charitable
Friends of the Southern Pines Library
$2,500Charitable
WALTHOUR-MOSS FOUNDATION
$25,000CHARITABLE