The Gipson Family Foundation makes a small number of very large, unrestricted grants to arts, local community infrastructure, K–12 schooling, and basic needs organizations—primarily in the Raleigh/Triangle area. They favor general operating support over project-specific gifts, and their portfolio mixes cultural philanthropy (major support for the state art museum) with direct human services and education (homeless services, school support, and community foundation funding).
Highly concentrated giving: very few, large grants that are often unrestricted/GENERAL ACTIVITIES; repeat giving to select organizations (e.g., multiple grants to Hoosac School) and a clear regional emphasis on Raleigh/Triangle-area institutions.
A defining feature of Gipson Family Foundation’s recent giving is the size and flexibility of its support: a $985,000 general-activities grant to the NC Museum of Art in 2025, followed by other large unrestricted gifts to local institutions and human services groups. The foundation’s portfolio shows a steady preference for general operating or general activities support rather than tightly defined project funding, which gives recipients room to use grants across organizational needs. Arts and culture sit alongside practical community support in the foundation’s work. The NC Museum of Art appears again in the recent-grants list, while Triangle Community Foundation received a substantial gift for general activities in 2023, showing that the foundation also backs infrastructure that can move resources through the region. Its giving reaches both longstanding civic organizations and service providers, including Raleigh Rescue Mission, The Hope Center at Pullen, Healing Transitions, and Raleigh Area Land Trust. Education is another visible thread, with Hoosac School receiving two six-figure grants across 2024 and 2025. Across the list, the foundation’s pattern is not narrow: it supports cultural institutions, basic-needs organizations, schooling, and community-facing nonprofits through flexible grants.
In arts and culture, Gipson Family Foundation gave $985,000 to NC Museum of Art for general activities in 2025, and another $25,000 to the same organization in 2024. That kind of repeat support suggests a durable relationship with regional cultural institutions. Community infrastructure is also part of the picture. Triangle Community Foundation received $585,000 in 2023 for general activities, indicating support for a grantmaking intermediary rather than only direct-service providers. The foundation also funds housing and emergency response. Raleigh Rescue Mission received $450,000 in 2024 for general activities, while Healing Transitions received $200,000 in 2024. Basic-needs support extends to The Hope Center at Pullen, Oak City Cares, and Salvation Army of Wake County, each appearing in the recent-grants list with general activities support.
Typical grant size is $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $25,000 at the 75th percentile, but the recent grants list also includes several six-figure awards, showing a wide spread between routine gifts and major commitments. The foundation’s giving is repetitive rather than one-off: Hoosac School appears in both 2024 and 2025, Raleigh Area Land Trust and Oak City Cares each appear more than once, and NC Museum of Art received grants in consecutive years. Gipson Family Foundation is a regular funder and does not fund individuals or program-related investments. The grants shown are overwhelmingly general activities or unrestricted in character.
$2.7M
$83M
$774K
$2.7M
Most grants fall between $5K and $25K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$25K
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Notable grantees: NC Museum of Art, Triangle Community Foundation, Hoosac School, Raleigh Rescue Mission, The Hope Center at Pullen
Grant recipients are concentrated in North Carolina, with 62% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Raleigh is the clearest center of gravity, showing up repeatedly through NC Museum of Art, Raleigh Rescue Mission, The Hope Center at Pullen, Healing Transitions, Oak City Cares, and Raleigh Area Land Trust. Durham also appears through Triangle Community Foundation and Girls on the Run of the Triangle. Outside North Carolina, the foundation’s recent grants reach Hoosick, New York; Boston, Massachusetts; Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Seattle, Washington; Baltimore, Maryland; and London, North Carolina.
The recent grants list shows support for arts and culture, basic needs, homelessness services, community infrastructure, land conservation, and education. Examples include NC Museum of Art, Triangle Community Foundation, Raleigh Rescue Mission, The Hope Center at Pullen, Hoosac School, and Raleigh Area Land Trust.
Yes. The grants listed are consistently labeled general activities, and the foundation’s own profile notes a preference for general operating support over project-specific gifts. Recent examples include Triangle Community Foundation, Raleigh Rescue Mission, and The Hope Center at Pullen.
Typical grants are relatively small compared with the largest awards: the 25th percentile is $5,000, the median is $10,000, and the 75th percentile is $25,000. The recent grants list also includes several much larger gifts, including six-figure awards.
Yes. 62% of grants go to recipients in North Carolina, and Raleigh appears most often among recipient cities. Durham also appears frequently, while several grants go to organizations outside the state.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Hoosac School in 2024 and 2025, Raleigh Area Land Trust in 2024 and 2025, Oak City Cares in 2024 and 2025, and NC Museum of Art in 2024 and 2025.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WAKE MED FOUNDATION | RALEIGH, NC | $1,000,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVIES |
| DIX PARK CONSERVANCY | RALEIGH, NC | $250,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| SOUTHEAST RALEIGH PROMISE | RALEIGH, NC | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| DOROTHEA DIX PARK CONSERVANCY | RALEIGH, NC | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| RALEIGH AREA LAND TRUST | RALEIGH, NC | $90,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| THE HOPE CENTER AT PULLEN | RALEIGH, NC | $75,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| EAST WAKE EDUCATION FOUNDATION | WENDELL, NC | $60,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVIES |
| BENJAMIN FRANKLIN HOUSE | LONDON, NC | $60,000 | 2026 | GENERA ACTIVITIES |
| YMCA OF SEATTLE | SEATTLE, WA | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| KONBIT SANTE CAP | FALMOUTH, ME | $45,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| NC MUSEUM OF ART | RALEIGH, NC | $35,100 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| HEALING TRANSITIONS | RALEIGH, NC | $33,500 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF KINGS COUNTY | SEATTLE, WA | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIITIES |
| AMERICAN LIVER FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITES |
| OAK CITY CARES | RALEIGH, NC | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| LISTENING HEARTS MINISTRIES | BALTIMORE, MD | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| NORTH CAROLINA CENTER ON ACTUAL INN | DURHAM, NC | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| FAMILES TOGETHER | RALEIGH, NC | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| YMCA OF THE TRIANGLE | CARY, NC | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| URBAN MINISTRIES | RALEIGH, NC | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| DONORS CHOOSE | BRONX, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| COMMUNITY IN SCHOOLS OF WAKE COUNTY | RALEIGH, NC | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITES |
| LITTLETON ACADEMY | LITTLETON, NC | $25,000 | 2026 | GENREAL ACTIVITIES |
| FOOD BANK OF CENTRAL & EASTERN NC | RALEIGH, NC | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| TRANSITIONS LIFE CARE | RALEIGH, NC | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF WAKE COUNTY | RALEIGH, NC | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVIES |
| FRANKLIN & MARSHALL COLLEGE | LANCASTER, PA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH | RALEIGH, NC | $22,500 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| INTERACT | RALEIGH, NC | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| RALEIGH RESCUE MISSION | RALEIGH, NC | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| UNDUE MEICAL DEBY | LONG ISLAND CITY, NY | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| NC MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE | RALEIGH, NC | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVIES |
| WINDERMERE FOUNDATION | SEATTLE, WA | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVIES |
| NORTH CAROLINA ARTS IN ACTION | RALEIGH, NC | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVIES |
| IMMIGRANT LEGAL AID | PORTLAND, ME | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| STEP UP MINISTRY | RALEIGH, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| NC SYMPHONY | RALEIGH, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| SALVATION ARMY OF WAKE COUNTY | RALEIGH, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| PROPUBICA | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVIES |
| SOFIA AMERICAN SCHOOLS | PRINCETON, NJ | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| NATIONAL FOREST FOUNDATION | MISSOLUA, MT | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| WHARTON (UNIV OF PA) | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUN | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| JOHN 3 16 CENTER | LITTLETON, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | GENARL ACTIVITIES |
| TROSA | DURHAM, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| THEATRE RALEIGH | RALEIGH, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| WUNC | CHAPEL HILL, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| LUTHERAN FAMILY SERVICES | RALEIGH, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
| EDUCATE TOMORROWS PARENTS | RALEIGH, NC | $8,000 | 2026 | GENERAL ACTIVITIES |
WAKE MED FOUNDATION
$1,000,000GENERAL ACTIVIES
SOUTHEAST RALEIGH PROMISE
$100,000GENERAL ACTIVITIES
GENERAL ACTIVITIES
EAST WAKE EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$60,000GENERAL ACTIVIES
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN HOUSE
$60,000GENERA ACTIVITIES
KONBIT SANTE CAP
$45,000GENERAL ACTIVITIES
NC MUSEUM OF ART
$35,100GENERAL ACTIVITIES
HEALING TRANSITIONS
$33,500GENERAL ACTIVITIES
AMERICAN LIVER FOUNDATION
$30,000GENERAL ACTIVITES
LISTENING HEARTS MINISTRIES
$25,000GENERAL ACTIVITIES
FAMILES TOGETHER
$25,000GENERAL ACTIVITIES
DONORS CHOOSE
$25,000GENERAL ACTIVITIES
LITTLETON ACADEMY
$25,000GENREAL ACTIVITIES
TRANSITIONS LIFE CARE
$25,000GENERAL ACTIVITIES
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF WAKE COUNTY
$25,000GENERAL ACTIVIES
FRANKLIN & MARSHALL COLLEGE
$25,000GENERAL ACTIVITIES
GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH
$22,500GENERAL ACTIVITIES
INTERACT
$20,000GENERAL ACTIVITIES
UNDUE MEICAL DEBY
$20,000GENERAL ACTIVITIES
NC MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE
$20,000GENERAL ACTIVIES
WINDERMERE FOUNDATION
$15,000GENERAL ACTIVIES
NORTH CAROLINA ARTS IN ACTION
$15,000GENERAL ACTIVIES
SALVATION ARMY OF WAKE COUNTY
$10,000GENERAL ACTIVITIES
PROPUBICA
$10,000GENERAL ACTIVIES
SOFIA AMERICAN SCHOOLS
$10,000GENERAL ACTIVITIES
WHARTON (UNIV OF PA)
$10,000GENERAL ACTIVITIES
JOHN 3 16 CENTER
$10,000GENARL ACTIVITIES
THEATRE RALEIGH
$10,000GENERAL ACTIVITIES
WUNC
$10,000GENERAL ACTIVITIES
LUTHERAN FAMILY SERVICES
$10,000GENERAL ACTIVITIES
EDUCATE TOMORROWS PARENTS
$8,000GENERAL ACTIVITIES