The W Trent Ragland Jr Foundation concentrates its support on regional education and youth-serving institutions, especially independent/private schools and community youth organizations, and also invests in arts/cultural initiatives. Grants are typically large, unrestricted general operating gifts and occasionally repeat awards to the same organizations, suggesting trust-based, flexible support for established nonprofits in the North Carolina/Virginia region.
Concentrated, high-dollar giving: a small number of sizeable, unrestricted grants with some repeat funding to core grantees; geographically focused in NC/nearby Virginia.
A repeated pattern of six-figure general operating grants stands out in the W Trent Ragland Jr Foundation’s recent giving, with support flowing to institutions such as The Elizabeth Vann Moore Foundation, YMCA of the Triangle, and Saint Mary School. The foundation’s grant record points to a preference for flexible core funding rather than project-restricted awards, and its recipients skew toward schools, youth-serving nonprofits, and regional community institutions. Recent awards also show a willingness to back organizations across related civic and educational lanes, including private education, youth development, and cultural or community programming. The foundation has supported independent and private K–12 education in North Carolina and Virginia, including boarding and parochial schools, alongside organizations that serve children and families through after-school, recreation, and mentoring services. Its recent grants also include arts and cultural groups and health- and community-oriented institutions. In practice, that mix suggests an emphasis on established nonprofits that can use unrestricted operating support to sustain ongoing work. The same organization appears more than once in the recent grants list, indicating repeat support in some cases. Across the record, the foundation’s giving is local in scope and strongly concentrated in North Carolina.
Education is a clear throughline. The foundation gave $265,100 to Saint Mary School for general operating support, and it also backed North Carolina State University Foundation in separate years with general operating gifts of $25,000 and $20,000, showing support for both K–12 and higher education. Youth development is another major lane. It awarded $200,000 to YMCA of the Triangle for general operating support, and it also supported Boys and Girls Club of Wake County with $25,100. Community health and safety appear as well. Recent gifts include $50,000 to Raleigh Rescue Mission Incorporated, $35,000 to Hospice of Wake County, and $25,000 to Safechild, all as general operating support. Arts and cultural institutions are included too, such as $22,500 to Carolina Ballet Inc.
Typical grant size sits at $1,375 at the 25th percentile, $6,000 at the median, and $13,500 at the 75th percentile, while the recent grant list also shows several much larger operating awards. The foundation appears to use unrestricted general operating support as its default approach. Some recipients receive repeat support across years, including The Elizabeth Vann Moore Foundation and Triangle Sports Commission Inc. The pattern is relationship-based rather than open-application oriented, and the foundation does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
$1.2M
$23.4M
$2.2M
$1.4M
Most grants fall between $1K and $14K, with a median of $6K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$6K
75th Percentile
$14K
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Notable grantees: The Elizabeth Vann Moore Foundation, Saint Mary School, YMCA of the Triangle, Woodberry Forest School, Society Inc
Giving is highly local: 92% of grants go to recipients in North Carolina, and the recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based. Raleigh appears most often in the recent grants list, with additional awards in Edenton, Cary, Morrisville, Chapel Hill, Newport, and High Point. Outside North Carolina, the record includes recipients in Virginia and California, but the overall pattern remains centered on North Carolina organizations.
Recent grants show support for independent and private schools, youth-serving organizations, arts groups, and community nonprofits. Examples include Saint Mary School for education, YMCA of the Triangle for youth development, and Carolina Ballet Inc for arts programming, all funded with general operating support.
Yes. The recent grants list consistently labels awards as general operating support, including gifts to Saint Mary School, YMCA of the Triangle, and Raleigh Rescue Mission Incorporated. That points to flexible core funding rather than tightly designated project grants.
Among all grants on file, the 25th percentile is $1,375, the median is $6,000, and the 75th percentile is $13,500. Recent awards also include larger operating gifts, such as $265,100 to Saint Mary School and $200,000 to YMCA of the Triangle.
North Carolina receives 92% of the grants, and the recent grants list is heavily centered in cities such as Raleigh, Edenton, Cary, Morrisville, and Chapel Hill. The grant record is entirely U.S.-based.
Yes. Some organizations appear more than once across recent years, including The Elizabeth Vann Moore Foundation and Triangle Sports Commission Inc. That suggests the foundation sometimes renews support for the same grantees.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NC MUSEUM OF HISTORY FOUNDATION | RALEIGH, NC | $250,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| ELIZABETH VANN MOORE FOUNDATION | EDENTON, NC | $200,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| NCSU FOUNDATION | RALEIGH, NC | $95,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF WAKE COUNTY | RALEIGH, NC | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| WAKE MED FOUNDATION | RALEIGH, NC | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| NC MUSEUM OF ART FOUNDATION | RALEIGH, NC | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| HEALING TRANSITIONS | RALEIGH, NC | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| SAINT MARYS SCHOOL | RALEIGH, NC | $41,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| NC ORGANIZING COMMITTEE | CARY, NC | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| TRANSITIONS LIFECARE | RALEIGH, NC | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| WAKE RELIEF | RALEIGH, NC | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF THE ALBEMABLE | EDENTON, NC | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| CAROLINA BALLET INC | RALEIGH, NC | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| UNC C-STEP | CHAPEL HILL, NC | $15,100 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| FRIENDS OF THE NC MUSEUM | RALEIGH, NC | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| SALVATION ARMY OF WAKE COUNTY | RALEIGH, NC | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF WAKE COUNTY | RALEIGH, NC | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| BEGINNINGS | RALEIGH, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MARBLES KIDS MUSEUM | RALEIGH, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| TRIANGLE FAMILY SERVICES INC | RALEIGH, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| GREEN CHAIR PROJECT | RALEIGH, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| PUBLIC ED WORKS | RALEIGH, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| WITH LOVE FROM JESUS MINISTRIES | RALEIGH, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| ARISE COLLECTIVE | RALEIGH, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| DIAPER TRAIN | RALEIGH, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| ALLIANCE MEDICAL MINISTRY INC | RALEIGH, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| FOOD BANK OF CENTRAL & EASTERN NORTH CAROL | RALEIGH, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| INTERACT | RALEIGH, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| PRESERVATION NC | RALEIGH, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| ALICE AYCOCK FOR CENTER | RALEIGH, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| NOTE IN THE POCKET | RALEIGH, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| CORRAL RIDING ACADEMY | CARY, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| HAVEN HOUSE INC | RALEIGH, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| WOMEN CENTER OF WAKE COUNTY | RALEIGH, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| CROOKS CORNER BOOK PRIZE FOUNDATION | CHAPEL HILL, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| SPCE OF WAKE COUNTY | RALEIGH, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| SOUTHLIGHT HEALTHCARE | RALEIGH, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| CANINES FOR SERVICES INC | WILMINGTON, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| FRIENDS OF THE CITY OF RALEIGH MUSEUM | RALEIGH, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| DRESS FOR SUCCESS TRIANGLE | RALEIGH, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| STEPUP MINISTRY | RALEIGH, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| WAKEED PARTNERSHIP | RALEIGH, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| CASA | RALEIGH, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MISSION TRIANGLE | RALEIGH, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| FOLDS OF HONOR | OWASSO, OK | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| OAK CITY CARES | RALEIGH, NC | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| CARING COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | CARY, NC | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| PROJECT ENLIGHTMENT FOUNDATION | RALEIGH, NC | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| BEAUPORT HISTORICAL FOUNDATION | BEAUFORT, NC | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| ARTSPLOSURE | RALEIGH, NC | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
ELIZABETH VANN MOORE FOUNDATION
$200,000GENERAL OPERATING
NCSU FOUNDATION
$95,000GENERAL OPERATING
GENERAL OPERATING
HEALING TRANSITIONS
$50,000GENERAL OPERATING
SAINT MARYS SCHOOL
$41,000GENERAL OPERATING
NC ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
$20,000GENERAL OPERATING
WAKE RELIEF
$20,000GENERAL OPERATING
UNC C-STEP
$15,100GENERAL OPERATING
FRIENDS OF THE NC MUSEUM
$15,000GENERAL OPERATING
SALVATION ARMY OF WAKE COUNTY
$15,000GENERAL OPERATING
BEGINNINGS
$10,000GENERAL OPERATING
DIAPER TRAIN
$10,000GENERAL OPERATING
ALICE AYCOCK FOR CENTER
$5,000GENERAL OPERATING
CROOKS CORNER BOOK PRIZE FOUNDATION
$5,000GENERAL OPERATING
SPCE OF WAKE COUNTY
$5,000GENERAL OPERATING
CANINES FOR SERVICES INC
$5,000GENERAL OPERATING
FRIENDS OF THE CITY OF RALEIGH MUSEUM
$5,000GENERAL OPERATING
WAKEED PARTNERSHIP
$5,000GENERAL OPERATING
MISSION TRIANGLE
$5,000GENERAL OPERATING
CARING COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$2,500GENERAL OPERATING
PROJECT ENLIGHTMENT FOUNDATION
$2,000GENERAL OPERATING
BEAUPORT HISTORICAL FOUNDATION
$2,000GENERAL OPERATING
ARTSPLOSURE
$2,000GENERAL OPERATING