Triad Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $15,253,002 (2023)
Success Rate: Not disclosed (invitation-only funding)
Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
Grant Range: $3,000 - $1,900,000
Average Grant: $25,000
Geographic Focus: Ithaca, NY; Charlotte, NC; Tampa, FL
Total Assets: $349.2 million (2023)

Contact Details

Address: P.O. Box 4440, Ithaca, NY 14852-4440
Phone: (607) 257-5203
Physical Address: 15 Ascot Place, Ithaca, NY 14850
Website: None
EIN: 30-0108102

Note: The foundation does not maintain a website and does not accept unsolicited grant applications.

Overview

Established in 2003 as a spin-off of the Park Foundation, the Triad Foundation was created by Roy H. Park Jr. and his wife, Tetlow, following ideological disagreements within the Park family about the direction of their philanthropy. The foundation was funded through a transfer of assets from Park Foundation, Inc. in February 2003. With assets exceeding $349 million and annual giving of approximately $15 million, the Triad Foundation supports conservative policy development, higher education, environmental conservation, and public health initiatives. Unlike its progressive sibling foundation (Park Foundation), Triad focuses on advancing "democracy and free enterprise, religious liberty and freedom of thought, and broad access to education and employment." The foundation is led by Roy Park Jr., with his son Roy Park III and daughter Elizabeth Park Fowler serving as fellow directors, and maintains a deliberately low profile with no public website or application process.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates without formal grant programs or public application cycles. Grants are made at the discretion of the trustees and range significantly in size based on the project and organization.

Major Fellowship Programs:

Roy H. Park Leadership Fellowships at Cornell University's Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management: $515,000 - $1,900,000 annually
Roy H. Park Fellowship Program at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill's Hussman School of Journalism and Media: $1,500,000 - $1,900,000 annually

Local Community Grants:

Grants to organizations in Ithaca, Charlotte, and Tampa typically range from $3,000 to $100,000

Priority Areas

Higher Education (Largest Giving Area):

Graduate fellowship programs at founder's alma maters (UNC-Chapel Hill and Cornell University)
Supporting approximately 900 Park Fellows in the field
Recent grantees include Furman University, Prager University, Ashland University, East Carolina University, and Elon University

K-12 Education:

Private schools and school reform organizations
Out-of-school learning programs
Charlotte-based organizations including Charlotte Country Day School, Communities in Schools (local chapter), and Classroom Central

Conservative Policy Development:

Think tanks conducting research and policy development for conservative causes
American Enterprise Institute ($150,000 in 2018)
Foundation for Government Accountability
Organizations aligned with free-market principles and limited government

Environmental Conservation:

Plant science research
Boyce Thompson Institute at Cornell University (research on using plants to protect the environment)

Public Health:

Cancer research and hospital care
Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute Foundation (Tampa)
Cayuga Medical Center (Ithaca)
Novant Health Foundation's Presbyterian Medical Center (Raleigh, NC)

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the foundation's conservative orientation and strategic focus suggest they do not fund:

Progressive or liberal policy organizations
Organizations outside their three geographic focus areas (Ithaca, Charlotte, Tampa)
Organizations whose missions conflict with free-market principles, limited government, or religious liberty
Unsolicited requests from organizations unknown to the trustees

Governance and Leadership

Roy H. Park Jr. - President and Chairman
Park Jr. established the Triad Foundation to preserve what he viewed as his father's original philanthropic values. He has stated the foundation "seeks to avoid the trend of most foundations established by free-enterprise entrepreneurs which almost inevitably, once the founders pass on, move firmly into the grip of orthodox liberalism." Park Jr. has created a formal legacy statement documenting his father's philanthropic values to guide future generations and preserve donor intent.

Roy Park III - Director
Based in Charlotte, North Carolina; influences local grantmaking in that region.

Elizabeth Park Fowler - Director
Based in Tampa, Florida; influences local grantmaking in that region.

Melinda R. Oakes - Executive Director
Oversees day-to-day operations and grantmaking activities.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Triad Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications and has indicated it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations. According to Inside Philanthropy, the foundation is "not accessible or transparent by design" and is "not responsive or approachable" to outside applicants.

All grants are made at the discretion of the board of directors, who proactively identify and select organizations to fund based on the foundation's philanthropic priorities and the family members' knowledge of organizations in their respective communities.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation's grantmaking is driven by three key mechanisms:

Geographic Connection: The three family members (Roy Park Jr. in Ithaca, Roy Park III in Charlotte, and Elizabeth Park Fowler in Tampa) identify local organizations in their respective communities. The foundation focuses grantmaking on these three geographic areas where family members reside and have direct knowledge of community needs.
Alumni Networks: A significant portion of funding goes to Roy Park Jr.'s alma maters (University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and Cornell University), suggesting that institutional relationships and alumni connections play a major role in funding decisions.
Ideological Alignment: Conservative policy organizations, particularly those promoting free-market principles, limited government, and religious liberty, receive funding based on alignment with the foundation's stated values.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As an invitation-only funder, decision timelines are determined internally and communicated directly to selected organizations.

Success Rates

Not applicable. The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, making traditional success rate metrics irrelevant.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable due to the absence of a public application process.

Application Success Factors

Since the Triad Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, organizations that have received funding share several characteristics:

Geographic Proximity to Family Members: Organizations in Ithaca, NY, Charlotte, NC, and Tampa, FL have significantly higher likelihood of funding, as trustees have direct knowledge of and connection to these communities.

Ideological Alignment: The foundation explicitly supports conservative values. Roy Park Jr. has stated his commitment to supporting causes aligned with "democracy and free enterprise, religious liberty and freedom of thought, and broad access to education and employment." Organizations promoting progressive causes are unlikely to receive consideration.

Institutional Connections: The foundation's largest grants consistently go to University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and Cornell University, highlighting the importance of long-standing institutional relationships. Between 2011-2012, nearly $2.5 million went to Cornell fellowships and over $1.5 million to UNC fellowships.

Track Record and Reputation: Recipients include established institutions and well-known conservative policy organizations (American Enterprise Institute, Foundation for Government Accountability), suggesting preference for proven organizations over emerging groups.

Focus on Individual Advancement: The fellowship programs demonstrate particular interest in supporting individual students and emerging leaders rather than solely institutional capacity building. Approximately 900 Park Fellows are now in the field.

Local Community Impact: In Charlotte and Tampa, funded organizations address clear community needs (school supplies for children in need through Classroom Central, cancer research at Moffitt Cancer Center), suggesting trustees value tangible local impact.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

This foundation is not accessible through traditional grant applications. There is no website, no application portal, and unsolicited requests are not accepted.
Geographic location is paramount. Organizations must be based in or serve Ithaca, NY, Charlotte, NC, or Tampa, FL to be considered.
Conservative alignment is essential. The foundation was explicitly created to support conservative causes and free-market principles. Progressive organizations will not be considered.
Institutional relationships matter most. The largest grants go to organizations with long-standing connections to the Park family, particularly Roy Park Jr.'s alma maters.
Focus on the three communities. If your organization operates in Ithaca, Charlotte, or Tampa and aligns with conservative values, building awareness within those local communities may eventually lead to trustee awareness.
Fellowship and individual advancement programs are priorities. Programs that support individual students, emerging leaders, or provide educational opportunities align well with the foundation's values.
The foundation prefers established organizations. Grant recipients tend to be well-known institutions and policy organizations with proven track records rather than startup nonprofits.

References

Information accessed December 2024