Grant funders / North Carolina / Education
Education Grant Funders in North Carolina
1902 foundations with a documented education focus have made grants to North Carolina nonprofits in recent years, together directing $2.5B to organizations across the state. Below are the most active — every funder links to a full giving profile, and Bespoke Grants will match all 1902 against your nonprofit's specific mission, for free.
1902
Education funders
$2.5B
Given to North Carolina nonprofits
22,967
Grants on record
2025
Most recent giving
Most active education funders in North Carolina
| # | Funder | Based in | Total North Carolina giving | Grants | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Nc at Chapel Hill | North Carolina | $153.2M | 8 | 2025 |
| 2 | Appalachian State University | North Carolina | $101.0M | 14 | 2025 |
| 3 | The Duke Endowment | North Carolina | $100.5M | 174 | 2024 |
| 4 | Foundation of the University of | North Carolina | $93.2M | 7 | 2024 |
| 5 | Nc State Student Aid Association | North Carolina | $82.2M | 6 | 2024 |
| 6 | Atrium Health Foundation | North Carolina | $73.4M | 29 | 2024 |
| 7 | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation | Washington | $72.2M | 112 | 2024 |
| 8 | Dogwood Health Trust | North Carolina | $50.7M | 410 | 2024 |
| 9 | Uncg Excellence Foundation Inc | North Carolina | $46.6M | 15 | 2025 |
| 10 | The Chicago Community Trust | Illinois | $42.5M | 7 | 2023 |
| 11 | Silicon Valley Community Foundation | California | $39.0M | 56 | 2024 |
| 12 | The University of North Carolina at | North Carolina | $37.7M | 6 | 2025 |
This list is ranked by size. Yours should be ranked by fit.
The funders above are the biggest education funders in North Carolina — not necessarily the right ones for you. Bespoke Grants ranks all 1902 against your nonprofit's actual mission, service area, and budget, and shows you why each one matches. Free, no credit card.
Rank these funders for my nonprofit →Education funders in other states
Other causes funded in North Carolina
How this list is built. Bespoke Grants indexes 13M+ grants from public IRS Form 990 filings. This page shows foundations whose giving carries a documented education focus and that have funded North Carolina nonprofits. Giving figures reflect each funder's total recent grants to North Carolina recipients. IRS data publishes on a 1–2 year lag; figures are current through the most recent available filings.