Anonymous Trust

Private foundation · EIN 26-6220561 · since 2010anonymous-trust.org·North Carolina·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$20.3M

Annual giving, 2025 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$1,950 to $200k

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$3,000

Typical grant (median)

255 grants in the latest filing

Open to applications

Rolling, no deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

Anonymous Trust funds work across Eastern NC in education, health and human services, arts and culture, community and economic development, historic preservation, environment and disaster relief, so organisations should only approach it if their work sits in that area and among these themes.
Most of its 582 grants are modest, with half about $6,700 or less, so a modest request is realistic, though it also makes larger grants up to $200,000, and the largest grant was about $2,500,000.
For the Simply East Fund, requests start from $10,000, while other named programmes cap awards at $50,000, $3,000, or $1,000 depending on the scheme.
The IRS filing gives no deadlines, but for the Simply East Fund organisations should first have advance conversations and request acceptance of a letter of inquiry before submitting it by email.
With 82% of grant dollars going to organisations it had also funded in previous filings, this appears to be a relationship-led funder where new applicants compete for a smaller share of funding, and those applying to the Love of Learning Grant Program should note it does not fund lobbying or religious purposes.

Overview

Anonymous Trust is a US private foundation based in Raleigh, NC.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2024, TY2023) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The Trust takes a place-based approach to elevating and empowering rural, under-resourced and marginalised communities in eastern North Carolina through grant-making, resource development and relationship-building. It seeks grassroots, community-based organisations and partnerships with larger institutions, working with innovative ideas, fledgling non-profits with limited capacity and regional institutions. Its funding spans education from pre-K to post-secondary, health and human services, arts and culture, community and economic development, historic preservation, the environment and disaster relief. Education remains central to its work, including scholarships, teacher fellowships and funding for innovative and sustainable educational opportunities. Its approach is collaborative and aims to help communities create hope and opportunity and achieve system change.

Themes

Education
Health and human services
Arts and culture
Community and economic development
Historic preservation
Environment
Disaster relief

Geographic Focus

Eastern NC.

What They Don't Fund

Love of Learning Grant Program only: lobbying/religious purposes

How to apply

For the Simply East Fund, organisations first have advance conversations and request acceptance of a letter of inquiry, then submit it by email.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 82% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2023 or TY2024 filing.
Grant size: Across its TY2023, TY2024 and TY2025 filings, half of its 582 grants to organisations were about $6,700 or less.

What the foundation says:

It seeks grassroots, community-based organisations and partnerships with larger institutions that can impact system change.
The Simply East Fund supports social service organisations with impact that are doing the most good in eastern North Carolina.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2025.

Grant dollars by state

North Carolina92%

Georgia3%

Virginia2%

California1%

New York1%

Massachusetts<1%

4 other states: <1%

The largest single recipient received 14% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2025, 82% of grant dollars went to organisations Anonymous Trust had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.

Grants

255 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $3,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 255 grants in tax year 2025 by size

Under $1k2%

$1k–$2.5k16%

$2.5k–$5k34%

$5k–$10k4%

$10k–$25k5%

$25k–$50k10%

$50k–$100k10%

$100k–$250k10%

$250k–$500k7%

$500k–$1M<1%

$1M and over2%

Median $3,000 (tax year 2025)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Fayetteville State University Foundation · Securities donation for general operating support
$2,520,5702025 tax year
Arise Collective · Grant for general operating support
$1,569,7682025 tax year
NC State Foundation Inc · Grant for transformational scholars
$1,325,9502025 tax year
North Carolina Museum of Art Foundation · Securities donation for general operating support
$1,002,6402025 tax year
Unc Pembroke Foundation Inc · Securities donation for general operating support
$604,3842025 tax year
Barton College · Securities donation for general operating support
$487,1152025 tax year
Fayetteville State University Foundation · Grant for general operating support
$405,1452025 tax year
Teach For America · Grant for general operating support
$400,0002025 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Deborah M Aiken — Executive Director
Kimberly K Breeden — Simply East Fund Director
Margaret Turlington — Scholarship Coordinator
Maria M Lynch — Trustee
Anne B Faircloth — Trustee

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2023 tax year	$15,395,941	$14,409,677	$274,002,695	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$17,242,736	$15,697,309	$311,551,161	Filing for 2024 tax year
2025 tax year	$21,837,103	$20,338,428	$320,515,362	Filing for 2025 tax year

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.

Sources

Registers and filings

Other sources

anonymous-trust.org

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