Who funds Wake Forest University?
190 private foundations reported grants to Wake Forest University in Winstonsalem, North Carolina totaling $50.2 million across 202 grants in tax years 2023 to 2025. The largest funder was Lilly Endowment Inc, with $35.0 million.
From the funders' IRS Form 990-PF filings.
- Foundation funders190
- Grants reported202
- Total received$50.2 million
- Funders taking applications21
Foundations that fund Wake Forest University
| Foundation | Purpose given | Grants | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lilly Endowment Inc | Educating character initiative | 1 | $35.0 million |
| Porter B Byrum Charitable Trust | Student scholarship fund | 1 | $3.0 million |
| The Robert D and Patricia E Kern Family Foundation Inc | Embedding em institutionally; post-doc support | 1 | $2.2 million |
| Z Smith Reynolds Foundation Inc | 2027 annual grant, under 1990 contract, for general support, faculty development, and scholarships. | 1 | $1.2 million |
| The Baker Family Foundation Inc | Charitable-general support | 1 | $600,000 |
| Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation | To increase the management effectiveness of peru's protected areas through a new coalition dedicated to the assessment and production of scientific information and its application by well-trained decision-makers. | 1 | $600,000 |
| Jenkins Charitable Foundation Inc | To further the exempt purpose of the organization | 1 | $500,000 |
| Scott Family Educational Foundation Inc F/K/A Scott Family Christian Foundation | Charitable donation to a 501(c)(3) entity. | 1 | $376,611 |
| Flow Foundation Inc | General Support | 1 | $352,666 |
| John Templeton Foundation | Clarifying the virtue profile of the excellent thinker | 1 | $255,033 |
| Rosser Charitable Trust | Support student aid, faculty development, emerging programs for students and library and technology resources | 1 | $250,000 |
| Douglas & Maria Devos Foundation | Project/program - women's soccer program | 1 | $250,000 |
| Straz Family Foundation | Academic programs | 1 | $250,000 |
| The Harold T Southern Family Foundation | Wake forest tennis project | 1 | $250,000 |
| The Shah Family Foundation Inc | Education | 1 | $246,638 |
| 47th Avenue Foundation | Scholarships, recipients chosen by university | 1 | $230,031 |
| Paul K Richter Memorial Fund | Richter scholar program | 1 | $225,000 |
| FM Kirby Foundation Inc | For: support of various initiatives and rfd | 1 | $200,000 |
| Legatus Foundation | General support, law & medical school support, bell scholarship fund | 1 | $174,837 |
| Dudley and Constance Godfrey Foundation Inc | Educational | 1 | $160,000 |
| DSF Charitable Foundation Inc | Engineering scholarship support | 1 | $150,000 |
| The Kimmelman Family Foundation | General charitable purposes | 1 | $150,000 |
| Cobb Foundation Inc | General purpose | 1 | $135,000 |
| The Spencer Foundation | Reading self-efficacy, leadership development, and community engagement | 1 | $129,243 |
| Jasiri Foundation | Study abroad scholarships | 1 | $100,207 |
| Central National Gottesman Foundation | General support | 1 | $100,000 |
| Whitehall Foundation Inc | Biological Research | 1 | $100,000 |
| David and Geri Epstein Private Foundation | General support | 1 | $100,000 |
| The Pedrero Family Foundation Adba the Pharr Foundation | Wake forest women's golffund | 2 | $100,000 |
| Culp Family Foundation | 2025 grant for general operating | 1 | $100,000 |
| Rixey Street Foundation Inc | Leadership and Character program | 1 | $97,674 |
| Kosinski Foundation Inc | Support of programs | 1 | $95,500 |
| Lissy Family Foundation | For operating support | 1 | $95,000 |
| Kenneth G and Diana Moon Adams Foundation | Support | 1 | $75,000 |
| J Tylee Wilson Family Foundation | The J. Tylee Wilson Family Student Leader Development Activities and Innovation Fund | 1 | $75,000 |
| Dina and Andrew Wallach Foundation | General support | 1 | $75,000 |
| Ella Ann L and Frank B Holding Foundatio | General support | 1 | $75,000 |
| The Martha And Wilton Looney Foundation Inc | To Provide Financial Assistance For Exempt Activities | 1 | $75,000 |
| The Otis Booth Foundation | To support the development of opportunities for students and faculty, as well as programs that benefit the surrounding community. | 1 | $75,000 |
| E Rhodes and Leona B Carpenter Foundation | To provide scholarship funding for one graduate theological student pursuing the master of divinity degree. | 1 | $74,000 |
| Ducommun & Gross Foundation | Charitable | 1 | $73,273 |
| Loomis Family Foundation Inc | For the wake forest university annual fund and other general charitable purposes | 1 | $73,000 |
| Cooper Family Charitable Foundation Inc | Operating | 1 | $60,000 |
| Keane Family Foundation | Charitable contribution unrestricted | 1 | $50,000 |
| The Oaklawn Foundationinc | Director's grant to 501c organization;grant wake forest baseball and oaklawn scholarship 1 of 5 | 1 | $50,000 |
| The Robert P Holding Foundation Inc | Scholarship | 1 | $50,000 |
| The Meredith and Whitney George Family Foundation Inc | Gen'l on-going operations | 1 | $50,000 |
| Wurts Foundation Inc | General fund | 1 | $50,000 |
| Thrivers Foundation | Leadership and Character FUND & DIVINITY FUND | 1 | $50,000 |
| Thomas E Riley Charitable Trust | General support | 1 | $50,000 |
| Grantham Charitable Trust Co | Annual distribution | 1 | $43,962 |
| Knapp Family Foundation | Unrestricted general | 1 | $43,500 |
| Robert Lee Hudson Foundation | Annual fundraising | 1 | $40,000 |
| A E Finley Foundation Inc | Scholarships | 1 | $35,000 |
| JF Maddox Foundation | designated to the Law Fund and to the Maddox Law Scholarship | 1 | $33,000 |
| Phicas Foundation Trust | Education | 1 | $33,000 |
| Maloy Family Foundation | Promote charitable operatioins of the organization | 1 | $31,800 |
| The William H Pitt Foundation Inc | General | 1 | $30,000 |
| The Errett Fisher Foundation | Educational support - discovery award | 1 | $30,000 |
| Elizabeth City Foundation Committee | Educational | 1 | $29,100 |
| The JCT Foundation | General support | 1 | $25,000 |
| Pinkerton Foundation | Trustee Discretionary | 1 | $25,000 |
| Acquavella Family Foundation | General purpose | 1 | $25,000 |
| The MCJ Amelior Foundation | For general operating support | 1 | $25,000 |
| Madigan Family Foundation | Charitable purpose | 1 | $25,000 |
| The Mullen Family Foundation Inc | General purposes | 1 | $25,000 |
| The Waugh Family Foundation | Unrestricted | 1 | $25,000 |
| The James and Wendy Agah Family Foundation | Wfu magnolia scholarship | 2 | $25,000 |
| Pfister Family Foundation | General fund | 1 | $25,000 |
| Hasso Serrano Foundation | To support the beautiful campus and student experience funds | 1 | $25,000 |
| The Carl M Freeman Foundation Inc | Education | 1 | $25,000 |
| The Frederic C Hamilton Family Foundation | Educational Mission | 1 | $25,000 |
| O'Scannlain Family Charitable Foundation | Pursuing the excellence in the liberal arts and in graduate and professional education. | 1 | $25,000 |
| The Claude S Jr and Raenelle Aberne Testamentary Charitable Trust | Program support | 1 | $23,500 |
| Fidelity Foundation | Fidelity matching gifts to education | 8 | $20,584 |
| The Donald F & Edna G Bishop Scholarship Foundation | Scholarship awards | 1 | $20,275 |
| The Ruettgers Family Charit Foundation | General support | 1 | $20,000 |
| Buck Family Foundation | Education | 1 | $20,000 |
| Roger V Coleman Family Foundation Inc | Charitable | 1 | $20,000 |
| Lightner Sams Foundation of Wyoming | General charitable support | 1 | $20,000 |
| Four D Charitable Foundation | The Wake the Arts Endowment Fund | 1 | $20,000 |
| William and Gayle Chorske Family Foundation | Organization support | 1 | $18,750 |
| Richard J Phelps Charitable Foundation | General | 1 | $16,000 |
| Charles & Irene Nanney Foundation | Education | 1 | $16,000 |
| The Goergen Foundation Inc | Support of organization | 1 | $15,000 |
| Morton and Helen Yulman Charitable Trust | General support | 1 | $15,000 |
| Richard and Susan Leadem Family | Unrestricted | 1 | $15,000 |
| Goodwin Meissner Fam Fdn Inc | Scholarships | 1 | $14,250 |
| The Edward M Armfield Sr Foundation I | Scholarship | 1 | $14,000 |
| Dominick & Rose Ciampa Foundation Inc | Education assistance | 1 | $11,500 |
| The Edith Carell Johnson Foundation | To further charitable purposes | 1 | $11,000 |
| Marrus Family Foundation Inc | Charity | 1 | $10,500 |
| Amelia and Michael Warner Foundation Inc | To carry out exempt purpose of organization. | 1 | $10,125 |
| Harris Family Foundation Inc | General support | 1 | $10,000 |
| Joseph J and Claire Morrow Charitable Foundation | College fund | 1 | $10,000 |
| RK Mellon Family Foundation | Parents' campaign | 1 | $10,000 |
| Baranay Family Foundation Inc | To help support the university | 1 | $10,000 |
| Stutzman Family Foundation | Unrestricted general operating support | 1 | $10,000 |
| Gantz Family Foundation | General charitable | 1 | $10,000 |
| Boyle Family Foundation | General support | 1 | $10,000 |
Using this list
A foundation that already gives to Wake Forest University gives in its field and region, so the list doubles as a prospect list for similar organizations in Winstonsalem. Open a foundation to see its application rules, typical grant and every other grant it paid.
Questions people ask
Who funds Wake Forest University?
Lilly Endowment Inc, Porter B Byrum Charitable Trust, The Robert D and Patricia E Kern Family Foundation Inc, Z Smith Reynolds Foundation Inc and The Baker Family Foundation Inc, and 185 more, according to their IRS Form 990-PF filings.
How much does Wake Forest University get from foundations?
$50.2 million in 202 reported grants from 190 private foundations in tax years 2023 to 2025. Government grants and gifts from individuals are not included.
Which of these funders accept applications?
Lilly Endowment Inc, John Templeton Foundation, Douglas & Maria Devos Foundation, Paul K Richter Memorial Fund and DSF Charitable Foundation Inc say in their filings that they accept applications.