The Hermes Family Foundation concentrates its support on education and children’s health, primarily funding independent K–12 schools and a prominent children's medical research hospital, with some support for regional arts and higher education. Grants are mostly modest-to-medium and often repeat to familiar local institutions in the North Carolina Piedmont (Forsyth County area), suggesting a pay-it-forward focus on local schooling and child welfare. Their giving leans toward unrestricted/general operating support rather than narrowly restricted projects.
Concentrated, repeat giving: a small number of mid-sized grants focused on familiar local beneficiaries, with repeat support (multiple grants to Forsyth Country Day and St. Jude). Emphasis is on general operating/charitable gifts rather than many small one-off grants or large national initiatives.
Hermes Family Foundation C/o Gwendolyn H Smith gives repeatedly to a small circle of North Carolina schools and child-focused institutions, with its largest recent grant going to Forsyth Country Day School Inc for general operating support. That pattern sits alongside recurring support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and several Piedmont-area education and health organizations. The foundation’s recent record points to modest-to-medium grants rather than large institutional awards, and many awards are directed toward general operating or charitable support. Education is a clear through line. Independent K–12 schools in the Forsyth County area appear often, including Forsyth Country Day School, Carlisle School, Summit School, Mt Tabor High School, and Carter High School. Child welfare and pediatric health also show up in the grant list through support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Moses Cone Health, and Imprints Cares. The foundation also supports selected cultural and higher-education organizations in the same regional orbit, including Piedmont Arts, Virginia Museum of Natural History, Wake Forest University, and Roanoke College. Across these grants, the picture is of a family foundation backing institutions it already knows, with emphasis on core support rather than one-time project funding.
In education, Hermes Family Foundation C/o Gwendolyn H Smith gave $26,000 to Forsyth Country Day School Inc for general operating support and $15,000 to Forsyth Country Day School for charitable support. Other school grants in the record include $7,500 to Carlisle School, $3,000 to Summit School, $3,000 to Mt Tabor High School, and $2,000 to Carter High School. Child and family health is another consistent area. The foundation awarded $8,500 to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital for general operating support, along with $6,000 to Moses Cone Health for general operating support and $3,000 to Imprints Cares. It also backs arts, culture, and education-adjacent institutions. Examples include $7,000 to Piedmont Arts, $5,000 to Virginia Museum of Natural History for general operating support, and $6,000 to Wake Forest University. Those grants show a regional mix of school, health, and civic institutions.
$86K
$1.1M
$379K
$116K
Most grants fall between $1K and $3K, with a median of $2K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$2K
75th Percentile
$3K
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Notable grantees: Forsyth Country Day School, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Piedmont Arts, Carlisle School, Wake Forest University
Typical grants are small: the 25th percentile is $1,000, the median is $2,000, and the 75th percentile is $3,000. The recent record includes a few much larger awards, but most grants cluster in the low-thousands. The pattern is also repetitive across years, with several recipients appearing more than once, including Forsyth Country Day School, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Carlisle School, Piedmont Arts, Virginia Museum of Natural History, Wake Forest University, Mt Tabor High School, and Moses Cone-related entities. The foundation is a family foundation and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
Giving is regional and heavily centered in North Carolina, where 70% of grants go and where the foundation gives most often. Recent recipients in NC include Lewisville, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, High Point, and Summerfield. The record also reaches nearby Virginia, with grants to Martinsville, Salem, and Rocky Mount, plus one grant to Atlanta, Georgia. All grants in the file went to U.S. recipients.
The foundation supports independent K–12 schools, children’s health organizations, and selected cultural and higher-education institutions. Recent examples include Forsyth Country Day School Inc, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Moses Cone Health, Piedmont Arts, Virginia Museum of Natural History, and Wake Forest University.
Typical grants are modest: the 25th percentile is $1,000, the median is $2,000, and the 75th percentile is $3,000. That means most awards cluster in the low-thousands, even though a few recent grants were larger.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including Forsyth Country Day School, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Carlisle School, Piedmont Arts, Virginia Museum of Natural History, Wake Forest University, Mt Tabor High School, and Moses Cone-related entities.
North Carolina is the top state by grant count, with 70% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Recent NC cities include Lewisville, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, High Point, and Summerfield.
The recent record includes both general operating and charitable support. Examples include general operating grants to Forsyth Country Day School Inc, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Moses Cone Health, and Virginia Museum of Natural History, alongside charitable awards to schools and other local institutions.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FORSYTH COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL INC | LEWISVILLE, NC | $26,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| ST JUDE CHILDRENS RESEARCH HOSPITAL | NEW YORK, NY | $8,500 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MOSES CONE HEALTH | GREENSBORO, NC | $6,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY | MARTINSVILLE, VA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS PIEDMONT TRIAD CH | HIGH POINT, NC | $3,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| CARLISLE SCHOOL | MARTINSVILLE, VA | $3,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| FAMILY YOUNG MENS CHRISTIAN | WINSTON SALEM, NC | $3,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| SUMMERFIELD FIRE DISTRICT | SUMMERFIELD, NC | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE BLUE RIDGE | MARTINSVILLE, VA | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY | GREENSBORO, NC | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| IMPRINTS CARES | WINSTON SALEM, NC | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| THE PIEDMONT ARTS ASSOCIATION | MARTINSVILLE, VA | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| SUMMIT SCHOOL INC | WINSTON SALEM, NC | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| CARTER HIGH SCHOOL | WINSTON SALEM, NC | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| GREENSBORO SCIENCE CENTER | GREENSBORO, NC | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MT TABOR HIGH SCHOOL | WINSTON SALEM, NC | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| ROANOKE COLLEGE | SALEM, VA | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MOUNTAIN VALLEY HOSPICE | DOBSON, NC | $1,500 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| EASTER SEALS UCP NORTH CAROLINA | RALEIGH, NC | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY BAPTIST | WINSTON SALEM, NC | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| FERRUM COLLEGE | FERRUM, VA | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| GUILFORD COLLEGE | GREENSBORO, NC | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| SPENCER PENN SCHOOL PRESERVATION | SPENCER, VA | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY | DURHAM, NC | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| NEW JERUSALEM BAPTIST CHURCH | WINSTON SALEM, NC | $750 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| FORK MOUNTAIN FIRE DEPARTMENT | ROCKY MOUNT, VA | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| SAMARITANS PURSE | BOONE, NC | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MESSIAH MORAVIAN CHURCH | WINSTON SALEM, NC | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| WFDD PUBLIC RADIO | WINSTON SALEM, NC | $250 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| ST JUDE'S CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL | MEMPHIS, TN | $7,500 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| CARLISLE SCHOOL | MARTINSVILLE, VA | $7,500 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY | MARTINSVILLE, VA | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| PIEDMONT ARTS | MARTINSVILLE, VA | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| ROANOKE COLLEGE | SALEM, VA | $4,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| SUMMIT SCHOOL | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $3,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB | ATLANTA, GA | $3,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| MESSIAH MORAVIAN CHURCH | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $2,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY | DURHAM, NC | $2,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| IMPRINTS CARES | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $2,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| CARTER HIGH SCHOOL | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $2,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| MT TABOR HIGH SCHOOL | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $2,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS | GREENSBOTO, NC | $1,500 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| SECOUND HARVEST FOOD BANK | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $1,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| LUTHERAN CHURCH | MT AIRY, NC | $1,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| GUILFORD COLLEGE | GREENSBORO, NC | $1,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $1,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| YOUNG MENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION WINSTON-SALEM | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $1,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| NEW JERUSALEM BAPTIST CHURCH | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $500 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
ST JUDE CHILDRENS RESEARCH HOSPITAL
$8,500GENERAL OPERATING
MOSES CONE HEALTH
$6,000GENERAL OPERATING
VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
$5,000GENERAL OPERATING
AMERICAN RED CROSS PIEDMONT TRIAD CH
$3,000GENERAL OPERATING
CARLISLE SCHOOL
$3,000GENERAL OPERATING
FAMILY YOUNG MENS CHRISTIAN
$3,000GENERAL OPERATING
SUMMERFIELD FIRE DISTRICT
$2,000GENERAL OPERATING
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE BLUE RIDGE
$2,000GENERAL OPERATING
SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY
$2,000GENERAL OPERATING
THE PIEDMONT ARTS ASSOCIATION
$2,000GENERAL OPERATING
CARTER HIGH SCHOOL
$2,000GENERAL OPERATING
GREENSBORO SCIENCE CENTER
$2,000GENERAL OPERATING
MT TABOR HIGH SCHOOL
$2,000GENERAL OPERATING
MOUNTAIN VALLEY HOSPICE
$1,500GENERAL OPERATING
SPENCER PENN SCHOOL PRESERVATION
$1,000GENERAL OPERATING
NEW JERUSALEM BAPTIST CHURCH
$750GENERAL OPERATING
FORK MOUNTAIN FIRE DEPARTMENT
$500GENERAL OPERATING
SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN
$500GENERAL OPERATING
MESSIAH MORAVIAN CHURCH
$500GENERAL OPERATING
WFDD PUBLIC RADIO
$250GENERAL OPERATING
ST JUDE'S CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL
$7,500CHARITABLE
CARLISLE SCHOOL
$7,500CHARITABLE
VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
$5,000CHARITABLE
PIEDMONT ARTS
$5,000CHARITABLE
MESSIAH MORAVIAN CHURCH
$2,000CHARITABLE
CARTER HIGH SCHOOL
$2,000CHARITABLE
MT TABOR HIGH SCHOOL
$2,000CHARITABLE
AMERICAN RED CROSS
$1,500CHARITABLE
SECOUND HARVEST FOOD BANK
$1,000CHARITABLE
LUTHERAN CHURCH
$1,000CHARITABLE
YOUNG MENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION WINSTON-SALEM
$1,000CHARITABLE
NEW JERUSALEM BAPTIST CHURCH
$500CHARITABLE