The Edward E Hood Jr Foundation focuses on moderate, recurring support to a mix of regional nonprofits in the Southeast (especially North Carolina/South Carolina) and national health, conservation, and faith-based organizations. Grants skew toward colleges and educational institutions, land/conservation groups and animal welfare, health-related charities (cancer, blindness, eating disorders, hospice), and local churches/faith ministries. The foundation tends to make many repeated, modest grants rather than one-off large transformational gifts, suggesting sustained operating or program support for selected partners.
The Edward E Hood Jr Foundation’s recent giving is marked by repeated $10,000 grants to a small set of organizations over multiple years, including Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry, First Congregational Church of Darien, Lees-Mcrae College Inc, and University of Georgia Foundation. That pattern points to a funder that favors steady support for selected partners rather than isolated one-time awards. Across the recent grants list, the foundation’s support reaches churches and outreach ministries, regional colleges, health charities, and conservation groups, with grants that are often modest but recurring. The 2025 grants file also shows continued support for American Red Cross, Wildlife Conservation Network Inc, and Avery County NC Humane Society Inc, alongside educational and faith-based recipients. In practice, the foundation appears to back a mix of community services, higher education, animal welfare, and disease-related charities. Its recent awards are concentrated in the United States and include both Connecticut and a broader set of institutions in North Carolina, Georgia, Maryland, California, and Washington, DC.
In community outreach, the foundation gave $10,000 in 2024 and again in 2025 to Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry in Columbus, North Carolina. It also supported First Congregational Church of Darien with $10,000 grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025, showing repeated support for local faith-based work. Education is another clear thread. The foundation awarded Lees-Mcrae College Inc $10,000 in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and also gave $10,000 to University of Georgia Foundation in 2024 and 2025. Health and conservation appear in smaller awards. American Cancer Society Inc received $5,000 in 2023 and 2025, Foundation Fighting Blindness Inc received $5,000 in 2023 and 2025, and Wildlife Conservation Network Inc received $5,000 in 2023 and 2025.
Typical grants are small: the 25th percentile is $500, the median is $1,000, and the 75th percentile is $2,500. The recent list also shows a separate cluster of $10,000 awards, but most gifts are much smaller than that. The foundation’s pattern is recurring rather than one-off; several recipients appear across 2023, 2024, and 2025. It gives through a private foundation structure, does not fund individuals, and does not make program-related investments. The grant record shown here does not include an application process.
$2.7M
$0
$49K
$2.8M
Most grants fall between $500 and $3K, with a median of $1K.
25th Percentile
$500
Median
$1K
75th Percentile
$3K
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Distributed but recurring: many modest-to-midsize grants with multiple repeat payments to the same organizations (frequent 2–4 grants per grantee), geographically concentrated in the Southeast with a mix of regional and national recipients; favors sustained program/operating support over one-time large awards.
Notable grantees: First Congregational Church of Darien, Lees-McRae College, Inc., Wildlife Conservation Network, Inc., Foundation Fighting Blindness, Inc., Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry
Grant recipients are entirely U.S.-based in the data provided, with 218 grants in the United States. Connecticut is the top state by grant count, and 41% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s headquarters state. Recent awards also land in North Carolina, Georgia, California, Maryland, and Washington, DC. Named recipient cities include Darien, Columbus, Banner Elk, Athens, Sausalito, San Francisco, and Newland.
The distribution is small: the 25th percentile is $500, the median is $1,000, and the 75th percentile is $2,500. The recent grants list also includes some $10,000 awards, but those are above the typical range.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including First Congregational Church of Darien, Lees-Mcrae College Inc, Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry, University of Georgia Foundation, Wildlife Conservation Network Inc, American Cancer Society Inc, and Foundation Fighting Blindness Inc.
Its recent grants include community outreach and faith-based ministries, colleges and educational institutions, health charities such as cancer and blindness organizations, conservation groups, and animal welfare organizations.
Connecticut is the top state by grant count, and 41% of grants go to recipients in Connecticut. The recent grants also reach North Carolina, Georgia, California, Maryland, and Washington, DC.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE BEZZEG FAMILY FOUNDATION | CAMPOBELLO, SC | $1,355,873 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| O'BRIEN WATKINS FAMILY FNDTDONOR ADVISED FUND AT RAYMOND JAMES CHARITABLE | ST PETERSBURG, FL | $1,355,873 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA FOUNDATION | ATHENS, GA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| THERMAL BELT OUTREACH MINISTRY | COLUMBUS, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| LEES-MCRAE COLLEGE INC | BANNER ELK, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF DARIEN | DARIEN, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS | WASHINGTON, DC | $7,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| WILDLIFE CONSERVATION NETWORK INC | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $6,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| AVERY COUNTY NC HUMANE SOCIETY INC | NEWLAND, NC | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY INC | KEENESAW, GA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| HIGH COUNTRY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION INC | BANNER ELK, NC | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| STEPHEN SILLER TUNNEL TO TOWERS FOUNDATION | STATEN ISLAND, NY | $3,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $3,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| FOUNDATION FIGHTING BLINDNESS INC | COLUMBIA, MD | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| SKIDMORE COLLEGE | SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| LOBULAR BREAST CANCER ALLIANCE | WHITE HORSE BEACH, MA | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| BREAST CANCER ALLIANCE INC | GREENWICH, CT | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| UPSTATE FOREVER | GREENVILLE, SC | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| SUSAN GKOMEN BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION INC NATIONAL OFFICE | DALLAS, TX | $1,500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| ESSEX LAND TRUST INC | ESSEX, CT | $1,500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| HOSPICE OF RUTHERFORD COUNTY INC | FOREST CITY, NC | $1,500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| FOOTHILLS EQUESTRIAN NATURE CENTER INC | TRYON, NC | $1,500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA | ASHEVILLE, NC | $1,500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| OPERATION AIRDROP | DECATUR, TX | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| ASHEVILLE HUMANE SOCIETY INC | ASHEVILLE, NC | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS USA INC | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| THE SIR PETER AND LADY MICHAEL FOUNDATION | SAUSALITO, CA | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| CANCER RESEARCH INSTITUTE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| AMERICAN PRARIE | BOXEMAN, MT | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| SHORELINE SOUP KITCHENS & PANTRIES INC | ESSEX, CT | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| FLORRENCE GRISWOLD MUSEUM INC | OLD LYME, CT | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| LYME ART ASSOCIATION INC | OLD LYME, CT | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| NATIONAL EATING DISORDERS ASSOCIATION (NEDA) | PLANO, TX | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| EE MIXON SECOND DRAGOONS FOUNDATION | CARY, NC | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| ESSEX FIRE ENGINE CO 1 SPECIAL ACCT | ESSEX, CT | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| ESSEX COMMUNITY FUND INC | ESSEX, CT | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| A BETTER CHANCE IN DARIEN (ABC IN DARIEN INC) | DARIEN, CT | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| ESSEX HISTORICAL SOCIETY | ESSEX, CT | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| CONNECTICUT RIVER FOUNDATION AT STEAMBOAT DOCK INC | ESSEX, CT | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| LAND TRUST OF DARIEN | DARIEN, CT | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES | WASHINGTON, DC | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| DARIEN COMMUNITY YOUNG MENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION INC (YMCA) | DARIEN, CT | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS (ASPCA) | NEW YORK, NY | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| CHILDREN'S SCHOOL INCGARRY LOZIER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND | STAMFORD, CT | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPTIAL | MEMPHIS, TN | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| RICHARD J CARON FOUNDATION (CARON) | WERNERSVILLE, PA | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| HIGH HOPES THERAPUTIC RIDING INC | OLD LYME, CT | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| ESSEX FOUNDATION INC | ESSEX, CT | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
| IVORYTON PLAYHOUSE FOUNDATION INC | IVORYTON, CT | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE |
THE BEZZEG FAMILY FOUNDATION
$1,355,873GENERAL CHARITABLE
O'BRIEN WATKINS FAMILY FNDTDONOR ADVISED FUND AT RAYMOND JAMES CHARITABLE
$1,355,873GENERAL CHARITABLE
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF DARIEN
GENERAL CHARITABLE
AVERY COUNTY NC HUMANE SOCIETY INC
$5,000GENERAL CHARITABLE
HIGH COUNTRY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION INC
$5,000GENERAL CHARITABLE
FOUNDATION FIGHTING BLINDNESS INC
$2,500GENERAL CHARITABLE
BREAST CANCER ALLIANCE INC
$2,000GENERAL CHARITABLE
SUSAN GKOMEN BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION INC NATIONAL OFFICE
$1,500GENERAL CHARITABLE
ESSEX LAND TRUST INC
$1,500GENERAL CHARITABLE
HOSPICE OF RUTHERFORD COUNTY INC
$1,500GENERAL CHARITABLE
OPERATION AIRDROP
$1,000GENERAL CHARITABLE
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS USA INC
$1,000GENERAL CHARITABLE
THE SIR PETER AND LADY MICHAEL FOUNDATION
$1,000GENERAL CHARITABLE
LYME ART ASSOCIATION INC
$500GENERAL CHARITABLE
NATIONAL EATING DISORDERS ASSOCIATION (NEDA)
$500GENERAL CHARITABLE
MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER
$500GENERAL CHARITABLE
EE MIXON SECOND DRAGOONS FOUNDATION
$500GENERAL CHARITABLE
ESSEX FIRE ENGINE CO 1 SPECIAL ACCT
$500GENERAL CHARITABLE
ESSEX COMMUNITY FUND INC
$500GENERAL CHARITABLE
A BETTER CHANCE IN DARIEN (ABC IN DARIEN INC)
$500GENERAL CHARITABLE
ESSEX HISTORICAL SOCIETY
$500GENERAL CHARITABLE
CONNECTICUT RIVER FOUNDATION AT STEAMBOAT DOCK INC
$500GENERAL CHARITABLE
LAND TRUST OF DARIEN
$500GENERAL CHARITABLE
THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES
$500GENERAL CHARITABLE
DARIEN COMMUNITY YOUNG MENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION INC (YMCA)
$500GENERAL CHARITABLE
GENERAL CHARITABLE
CHILDREN'S SCHOOL INCGARRY LOZIER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND
$500GENERAL CHARITABLE
HIGH HOPES THERAPUTIC RIDING INC
$500GENERAL CHARITABLE
ESSEX FOUNDATION INC
$500GENERAL CHARITABLE
IVORYTON PLAYHOUSE FOUNDATION INC
$500GENERAL CHARITABLE