The W Duke Kimbrell Family Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $5,185,822 (2024)
• Total Assets: $97.3 million (2024)
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: Varies by program area
• Number of Grants: Approximately 6-9 grants per year
• Geographic Focus: Primarily Gaston County and North Carolina
• Application Method: No public application process

Contact Details

Mailing Address:
531 Cotton Blossom Circle
Gastonia, NC 28054

Alternative Mailing Address:
P.O. Drawer 1787
Gastonia, NC 28053-1787

EIN: 203390787

Note: Contact information (phone/email) is not publicly available. This is a private family foundation.

Overview

The W Duke Kimbrell Family Foundation was established in 2005 to continue the philanthropic legacy of W. Duke Kimbrell (1924-2014), a prominent Gastonia businessman, textile industry leader, and community philanthropist. With assets exceeding $97 million as of 2024, the foundation distributed $5.2 million in charitable grants. The foundation honors Duke Kimbrell's lifelong commitment to education, faith, and community development in Gaston County. Kimbrell was ranked the second most influential textile executive of the 20th century by Textile World Magazine and was known for leading "almost every important civic concern and philanthropic initiative in Gaston County" during his lifetime. The foundation focuses on education at all levels, Protestant churches, community foundations, and healthcare institutions including hospice care.

Funding Priorities

Priority Areas

Based on the foundation's historical giving patterns and the founder's documented interests, priority areas include:

Education:

• Higher education institutions, particularly NC State University's Wilson College of Textiles
• Gaston College
• Gaston Day School
• Educational scholarship programs

Religious Organizations:

• First Presbyterian Church, Gastonia
• Other Protestant agencies and churches

Community Development:

• Gaston Community Foundation
• Boy Scouts and youth development organizations

Healthcare:

• Custodial care facilities
• Hospice programs

Geographic Focus

The foundation primarily supports organizations in Gaston County, NC, with additional support for NC State University and other North Carolina institutions connected to the founder's legacy.

What They Don't Fund

As a private family foundation with no public application process, the foundation does not typically fund:

• Organizations outside their established network
• Unsolicited grant requests
• National or international organizations without local connections
• For-profit enterprises

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is governed by family members of W. Duke Kimbrell:

Board of Directors:

• Pamela K. Warlick - Family Director (daughter of W. Duke Kimbrell)
• Shepard K. Halsch - Family Director (daughter of W. Duke Kimbrell)

Staff:

• Julia B Singh - Foundation Director (compensated at $60,000 annually as of 2024)

The foundation operates as a close-knit family philanthropy, maintaining the values and priorities established by its founder.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The W Duke Kimbrell Family Foundation is a private family foundation that makes grants through trustee discretion to organizations aligned with the founder's philanthropic interests and established relationships.

Grants are typically awarded to:

• Organizations with which the Kimbrell family has longstanding relationships
• Institutions that were important to W. Duke Kimbrell during his lifetime
• Organizations in Gaston County serving the foundation's priority areas

The foundation made approximately 9 grants in 2023 and 6 grants in 2022, suggesting a highly selective grantmaking approach focused on a small number of significant partnerships rather than broad, open grantmaking.

Getting on Their Radar

Given the foundation's connection to specific institutions and Gaston County, organizations might consider:

• Gaston Community Foundation connection: The foundation has strong ties to the Gaston Community Foundation, which houses the W. Duke Kimbrell Center for Philanthropy. Organizations working within Gaston County's nonprofit ecosystem and connected to the Community Foundation may be more visible to the family foundation.

• NC State University connection: The foundation has a documented history of supporting NC State's Wilson College of Textiles, where W. Duke Kimbrell established a $3 million endowed scholarship fund in 2008. The university honored him with the W. Duke Kimbrell Atrium. Organizations partnering with NC State or aligned with textile education may have indirect connections.

• First Presbyterian Church, Gastonia: As a past chairman of Deacons and Elders at First Presbyterian Church, Duke Kimbrell was deeply involved in this congregation. Faith-based organizations in the Gastonia Presbyterian network may have connections.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As a private family foundation, decisions are made at the discretion of the board of directors.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Application Success Factors

While there is no public application process, understanding what the foundation values can help organizations assess alignment:

Connection to Founder's Legacy: The foundation funds causes that were important to W. Duke Kimbrell personally. As described by NC State's Dean David Hinks, Kimbrell was "a guardian of the U.S. textile industry and Wilson College when it was needed the most." Organizations should have clear connections to:

• Textile industry education and workforce development
• Gaston County community development
• Presbyterian faith communities
• Youth development (particularly Boy Scouts)

Educational Excellence: Education was central to Kimbrell's philanthropy. He established endowed scholarships, supported infrastructure development at NC State, and donated multi-million dollar equipment for textile research. The foundation continues this emphasis on educational institutions at all levels.

Local Impact: Duke Kimbrell was described as having led "almost every important civic concern and philanthropic initiative in Gaston County." The foundation maintains this local focus, prioritizing Gaston County organizations.

Long-term Relationships: With only 6-9 grants made annually from a substantial asset base, the foundation appears to maintain deep, sustained relationships with a core group of organizations rather than distributing smaller grants widely.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process: This is a private family foundation that funds organizations through board discretion and established relationships
• Geographic focus: Gaston County, NC is the primary geographic priority, with select support for NC State University
• Relationship-driven: The foundation makes a small number of grants annually to organizations connected to the Kimbrell family legacy
• Priority areas: Education (especially higher education and textile programs), Protestant churches, community foundations, and healthcare/hospice
• Founder's legacy matters: Understanding W. Duke Kimbrell's life, values, and community involvement provides insight into the foundation's priorities
• Substantial grants: With $5.2 million distributed among approximately 6-9 grants, average grant sizes are significant
• Family governance: The foundation is governed by Duke Kimbrell's daughters, maintaining close family oversight of philanthropic decisions

References

1. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - The W Duke Kimbrell Family Foundation (EIN: 203390787). Form 990-PF filings 2022-2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/203390787 (Accessed January 2026)

2. NC State Wilson College of Textiles. "Telling The Story of Resilience and Determination: Memorial Display Unveiled to Name the W. Duke Kimbrell Atrium." June 2022. https://textiles.ncsu.edu/news/2022/06/telling-the-story-of-resilience-and-determination-memorial-display-unveiled-to-name-the-w-duke-kimbrell-atrium/

3. NC State Textiles History. "W. Duke Kimbrell." https://history.textiles.ncsu.edu/textile-people/w-duke-kimbrell/ (Accessed January 2026)

4. Candid Foundation Directory. "The W Duke Kimbrell Family Foundation." https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile/?key=KIMB414 (Accessed January 2026)

5. Charity Navigator. "The W Duke Kimbrell Family Foundation Profile." https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/203390787 (Accessed January 2026)

6. Legacy.com. "W. Duke Kimbrell Obituary (2014) - Gastonia, NC - Gaston Gazette." https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/gastongazette/name/w-duke-kimbrell-obituary?id=14788918 (Accessed January 2026)

7. Cause IQ. "The W Duke Kimbrell Family Foundation | Gastonia, NC." https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/the-w-duke-kimbrell-family-foundation,203390787/ (Accessed January 2026)