The John William Pope Foundation makes grants to improve the well-being of North Carolinians by advancing the ideas of limited government, individual freedom, personal responsibility, and strong communities.
The John William Pope Foundation’s recent grantmaking shows a clear split between large restricted awards and steady operating support for North Carolina institutions. In 2023 through 2025, it backed UNC Health Foundation with multiple grants tied to Lineberger cancer research, including awards labeled “Restricted - UNC Lineberger” and “Restricted - Lineberger Tomorrow's Best Hope.” It also made repeated support to UNC Chapel Hill for Philosophy, Politics, & Economics, and to Asheville School for humanities and economics or Western Civilization programming. That pattern fits the foundation’s broader mission of advancing limited government, individual freedom, personal responsibility, and strong communities. Its annual funding covers public policy, education, human services, and the arts, and the foundation uses both unrestricted and restricted grants. The recent list also shows sizable support for policy research groups in Virginia, while most of its giving lands in North Carolina. Alongside university and school grants, the foundation funds human services, arts projects, scholarships, and fellowship activity connected to its mission. The mix suggests a funder that supports both institutional capacity and targeted programs in education, civic ideas, and community well-being.
In public policy, the foundation supports research and advocacy aligned with free-market principles and limited government. Recent grants include $500,000 to Economic Policy Innovation Center for an unrestricted grant and a series of $330,500 and $329,000 unrestricted awards to John Locke Foundation. Education is another major lane. The foundation gave $500,000 to UNC Chapel Hill for Philosophy, Politics, & Economics, and $500,000 to Asheville School for a Humanities and Economics Program. It also backed Asheville School for a Western Civilization Program in a separate year. In health-related philanthropy, the largest recent awards went through UNC Health Foundation for Lineberger cancer research. The wording on those grants points to restricted support for UNC Lineberger and Lineberger Tomorrow's Best Hope. The arts and human services side appears in the foundation’s named memorial grant programs, which are set up for project grants in North Carolina.
Typical grant size sits at $15,000 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $50,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent list also includes several much larger restricted awards, including six-figure and half-million-dollar grants. Recipients often reappear across years, especially in education and policy, which points to recurring relationships rather than one-off support. The foundation is a regular funder, not a DAF or PRI maker, and it funds individuals as well as organizations. Several active programs accept unsolicited requests, including annual funding and memorial grant programs.
$45.7M
$128.7M
$14M
$16.7M
Most grants fall between $15K and $50K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$15K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$50K
About 61% of grants go to recipients in SC.
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for John William Pope Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 733 | $45.6M | 99.3% |
| 2 | Canada | 5 | $48K |
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Grant recipients are concentrated in North Carolina, which accounts for 61% of grants in the HQ state. Chapel Hill appears repeatedly in the recent record, alongside Raleigh and Asheville. Outside North Carolina, Arlington, Virginia, shows up in policy-related support. The recipient-country distribution is overwhelmingly U.S.-based, with a small number of grants to Canada.
Its core grant areas are public policy, education, human services, and the arts. The active programs also break those into specific topics such as free-market public policy, critical thinking and intellectual diversity in education, and arts or human-services projects in North Carolina.
Yes. Several active programs are marked as accepting unsolicited applications, including annual grants for public policy, education, human services, the arts, and the funding opportunities landing page.
The typical grant size is $15,000 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $50,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent grants list also includes larger restricted awards, including amounts in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Yes. The recent grants list shows repeated awards to the same organizations across multiple years, including UNC Health Foundation, UNC Chapel Hill, Asheville School, and John Locke Foundation. That indicates ongoing relationships rather than isolated grants.
It funds university departments and research centers, college and graduate students, K-12 students, scholars and academic researchers, student-athletes, and medical research institutions. The active programs also include scholarships, fellowships, operating support, and project grants.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
0.7% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Current and upcoming funding from John William Pope Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Nonprofits located anywhere in North Carolina serving North Carolinians. Project-specific requests only; not for general operating support, endowment, debt relief, crisis funding, or medical research.
Deadline: Applications accepted July 1 - September 1 annually; award decisions in December; awards issued in January.
Who can apply: Nonprofits located anywhere in North Carolina serving North Carolinians. Project-specific requests only; not for general operating support, endowment, debt relief, crisis funding, or medical research.
Deadline: Applications accepted July 1 - September 1 annually; award decisions in December; awards issued in January.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNC HEALTH FOUNDATION | CHAPEL HILL, NC | $666,665 | 2025 | RESTRICTED - LINEBERGER TOMORROW'S BEST HOPE |
| ASHEVILLE SCHOOL | ASHEVILLE, NC | $500,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED - HUMANITIES & ECONOMICS PROGRAM |
| ECONOMIC POLICY INNOVATION CENTER | ARLINGTON, VA | $500,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| UNC CH | CHAPEL HILL, NC | $500,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED - PHILOSOPHY, POLITICS, & ECONOMICS |
| JOHN LOCKE FOUNDATION | RALEIGH, NC | $329,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED - SEPT 2023 |
| JOHN LOCKE FOUNDATION | RALEIGH, NC | $329,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED - FEB 2024 |
| JOHN LOCKE FOUNDATION | RALEIGH, NC | $329,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED - DEC 2023 |
| JOHN LOCKE FOUNDATION | RALEIGH, NC | $329,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED - AUG 2023 |
| JOHN LOCKE FOUNDATION | RALEIGH, NC | $329,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED - JAN 2024 |
| JOHN LOCKE FOUNDATION | RALEIGH, NC | $329,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED - JULY 2023 |
| JOHN LOCKE FOUNDATION | RALEIGH, NC | $329,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED - MARCH 2024 |
| JOHN LOCKE FOUNDATION | RALEIGH, NC | $329,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED - APRIL 2024 |
| JOHN LOCKE FOUNDATION | RALEIGH, NC | $329,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED - NOV 2023 |
| JOHN LOCKE FOUNDATION | RALEIGH, NC | $329,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED - MAY 2024 |
| JOHN LOCKE FOUNDATION | RALEIGH, NC | $329,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED - JUNE 2024 |
| JOHN LOCKE FOUNDATION | RALEIGH, NC | $329,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED - OCT 2023 |
| INSTITUTE FOR HUMANE STUDIES | ARLINGTON, VA | $250,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| ADVANCING AMERICAN FREEDOM FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $250,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| UNC CH | CHAPEL HILL, NC | $250,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED - PHILOSOPHY, POLITICS, AND ECONOMICS PROGRAM |
| NCSU | RALEIGH, NC | $220,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED - PHILOSOPHY, POLITICS, AND ECONOMICS PROGRAM |
| FREOPP - FOUNDATION FOR RESEARCH ON EQUAL OPPORTUNITY | AUSTIN, TX | $200,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED - FUTURE OF FREEDOM INITIATIVE |
| THE VILLAGE CHURCH OF ST GEORGE | ST GEORGE, SC | $185,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY | DURHAM, NC | $175,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED - CENTER FOR THE HISTORY OF POLITICAL ECONOMY |
| REASON FOUNDATION INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $135,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED - FUTURE OF FREEDOM INITIATIVE |
| THE FUND FOR AMERICAN STUDIES | WASHINGTON, DC | $135,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED - FUTURE OF FREEDOM INITIATIVE |
| THE EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION | CHAPEL HILL, NC | $133,335 | 2025 | RESTRICTED - TRACK & FIELD SCHOLARSHIPS |
| STATE POLICY NETWORK | ARLINGTON, VA | $125,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED - FUTURE OF FREEDOM INITIATIVE |
| INSTITUTE FOR HUMANE STUDIES | ARLINGTON, VA | $125,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED - ACADEMIC TALENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM |
| NORTH CAROLINA FAMILY POLICY COUNCIL | RALEIGH, NC | $125,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| COMPETITIVE ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE | WASHINGTON, DC | $125,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED - FUTURE OF FREEDOM INITIATIVE |
| MERCATUS CENTER | ARLINGTON, VA | $125,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED - BRICKELL GROUP FOR THE BRICKELL CONFERENCE AND ACTIVITIES |
| MERCATUS CENTER | ARLINGTON, VA | $120,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| NATIONAL REVIEW INSTITUTE | NEW YORK, NY | $115,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED - FUTURE OF FREEDOM INITIATIVE |
| MANHATTAN INSTITUTE FOR POLICY RESEARCH INC | NEW YORK, NY | $115,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED - FUTURE OF FREEDOM INTITATIVE |
| GRAYSON-JOCKEY CLUB RESEARCH FOUNDATION | LEXINGTON, KY | $104,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED - AN EFFICACIOUS EPM VACCINE IS ON THE WAY STUDY |
| VANDENBERG COALITION THE | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| FAIR LINES AMERICA FOUNDATION | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $100,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| HART SQUARE FOUNDATION | VALE, NC | $100,000 | 2025 | JWPM 2024 GRANT IN THE ARTS; RESTRICTED - MOVE ANTIQUE BARN & CATAWBA VALLEY POTTERY APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM |
| MERCATUS CENTER | ARLINGTON, VA | $100,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED - FUTURE OF FREEDOM |
| HOSPICE OF WAKE COUNTY DBA TRANSITIONS LIFECARE | RALEIGH, NC | $100,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| SAFECHILD | RALEIGH, NC | $100,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED - CAPITAL CAMPAIGN CHALLENGE GRANT |
| INSTITUTE FOR HUMANE STUDIES | ARLINGTON, VA | $100,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED - POLICY IMPACT INITIATIVE |
| AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR ECONOMIC RESEARCH | GREAT BARRINGTON, MA | $100,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED - FUTURE OF FREEDOM |
| FRANKLIN NEWS FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED - FUTURE OF FREEDOM INITIATIVE |
| CLEMSON UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | CLEMSON, SC | $75,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED - INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF CAPITALISM |
| PHILANTHROPY ROUNDTABLE | WASHINGTON, DC | $75,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| RALEIGH RESCUE MISSION INC | RALEIGH, NC | $75,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| NORTH CAROLINA FAMILY POLICY COUNCIL | RALEIGH, NC | $75,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED - CIVIC EDUCATION OUTREACH |
| PREVENT CHILD ABUSE NC | MORRISVILLE, NC | $75,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| THE FUND FOR AMERICAN STUDIES | WASHINGTON, DC | $75,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
UNC HEALTH FOUNDATION
$666,665RESTRICTED - LINEBERGER TOMORROW'S BEST HOPE
ASHEVILLE SCHOOL
$500,000RESTRICTED - HUMANITIES & ECONOMICS PROGRAM
ECONOMIC POLICY INNOVATION CENTER
$500,000UNRESTRICTED GRANT
UNC CH
$500,000RESTRICTED - PHILOSOPHY, POLITICS, & ECONOMICS
JOHN LOCKE FOUNDATION
$329,000UNRESTRICTED - SEPT 2023
JOHN LOCKE FOUNDATION
$329,000UNRESTRICTED - FEB 2024
JOHN LOCKE FOUNDATION
$329,000UNRESTRICTED - DEC 2023
JOHN LOCKE FOUNDATION
$329,000UNRESTRICTED - AUG 2023
JOHN LOCKE FOUNDATION
$329,000UNRESTRICTED - JAN 2024
JOHN LOCKE FOUNDATION
$329,000UNRESTRICTED - JULY 2023
JOHN LOCKE FOUNDATION
$329,000UNRESTRICTED - MARCH 2024
JOHN LOCKE FOUNDATION
$329,000UNRESTRICTED - APRIL 2024
JOHN LOCKE FOUNDATION
$329,000UNRESTRICTED - NOV 2023
JOHN LOCKE FOUNDATION
$329,000UNRESTRICTED - MAY 2024
JOHN LOCKE FOUNDATION
$329,000UNRESTRICTED - JUNE 2024
JOHN LOCKE FOUNDATION
$329,000UNRESTRICTED - OCT 2023
INSTITUTE FOR HUMANE STUDIES
$250,000UNRESTRICTED
ADVANCING AMERICAN FREEDOM FOUNDATION
$250,000UNRESTRICTED GRANT
UNC CH
$250,000RESTRICTED - PHILOSOPHY, POLITICS, AND ECONOMICS PROGRAM
NCSU
$220,000RESTRICTED - PHILOSOPHY, POLITICS, AND ECONOMICS PROGRAM
FREOPP - FOUNDATION FOR RESEARCH ON EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
$200,000RESTRICTED - FUTURE OF FREEDOM INITIATIVE
THE VILLAGE CHURCH OF ST GEORGE
$185,000UNRESTRICTED
DUKE UNIVERSITY
$175,000RESTRICTED - CENTER FOR THE HISTORY OF POLITICAL ECONOMY
REASON FOUNDATION INC
$135,000RESTRICTED - FUTURE OF FREEDOM INITIATIVE
THE FUND FOR AMERICAN STUDIES
$135,000RESTRICTED - FUTURE OF FREEDOM INITIATIVE
THE EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
$133,335RESTRICTED - TRACK & FIELD SCHOLARSHIPS
STATE POLICY NETWORK
$125,000RESTRICTED - FUTURE OF FREEDOM INITIATIVE
INSTITUTE FOR HUMANE STUDIES
$125,000RESTRICTED - ACADEMIC TALENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
NORTH CAROLINA FAMILY POLICY COUNCIL
$125,000UNRESTRICTED GRANT
COMPETITIVE ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE
$125,000RESTRICTED - FUTURE OF FREEDOM INITIATIVE
MERCATUS CENTER
$125,000RESTRICTED - BRICKELL GROUP FOR THE BRICKELL CONFERENCE AND ACTIVITIES
MERCATUS CENTER
$120,000UNRESTRICTED
NATIONAL REVIEW INSTITUTE
$115,000RESTRICTED - FUTURE OF FREEDOM INITIATIVE
MANHATTAN INSTITUTE FOR POLICY RESEARCH INC
$115,000RESTRICTED - FUTURE OF FREEDOM INTITATIVE
GRAYSON-JOCKEY CLUB RESEARCH FOUNDATION
$104,000RESTRICTED - AN EFFICACIOUS EPM VACCINE IS ON THE WAY STUDY
VANDENBERG COALITION THE
$100,000UNRESTRICTED GRANT
FAIR LINES AMERICA FOUNDATION
$100,000UNRESTRICTED GRANT
HART SQUARE FOUNDATION
$100,000JWPM 2024 GRANT IN THE ARTS; RESTRICTED - MOVE ANTIQUE BARN & CATAWBA VALLEY POTTERY APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM
MERCATUS CENTER
$100,000RESTRICTED - FUTURE OF FREEDOM
HOSPICE OF WAKE COUNTY DBA TRANSITIONS LIFECARE
$100,000UNRESTRICTED GRANT
SAFECHILD
$100,000RESTRICTED - CAPITAL CAMPAIGN CHALLENGE GRANT
INSTITUTE FOR HUMANE STUDIES
$100,000RESTRICTED - POLICY IMPACT INITIATIVE
AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR ECONOMIC RESEARCH
$100,000RESTRICTED - FUTURE OF FREEDOM
FRANKLIN NEWS FOUNDATION
$100,000RESTRICTED - FUTURE OF FREEDOM INITIATIVE
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION
$75,000RESTRICTED - INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF CAPITALISM
PHILANTHROPY ROUNDTABLE
$75,000UNRESTRICTED GRANT
RALEIGH RESCUE MISSION INC
$75,000UNRESTRICTED GRANT
NORTH CAROLINA FAMILY POLICY COUNCIL
$75,000RESTRICTED - CIVIC EDUCATION OUTREACH
PREVENT CHILD ABUSE NC
$75,000UNRESTRICTED GRANT
THE FUND FOR AMERICAN STUDIES
$75,000UNRESTRICTED GRANT