Laughing Gull Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 36-4749289 · since 2013laughinggull.org·North Carolina, United States, Virginia·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$6.1M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$6,000 to $100k

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$50,000

Typical grant (median)

127 grants in the latest filing

Open to applications

Rolling, no deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

Laughing Gull Foundation funds three areas: climate and environment, LGBTQ+ equality, and higher education in prison, so your work should sit clearly within one of these themes to be a good fit.
Its geographic focus is the US South, with priority given to NC, VA and the U.S. Southeast.
Most grants to organisations fall between $6,000 and $100,000, with a median grant of $50,000 and a largest grant of $160,000, so a request in that range is realistic; half of its grants across recent filings were $50,000 or less.
The foundation accepts applications on a rolling basis, and the stated approach is to click through and share information about your work, with 70% of its grant dollars going to organisations it had also funded in the previous two filings, suggesting a strong relationship-led, repeat-giving pattern worth bearing in mind when planning your approach and timing.

Overview

Laughing Gull Foundation is a US private foundation based in Durham, NC.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The foundation funds three main areas: climate and environment, LGBTQ+ equality, and higher education in prison. Its climate and LGBTQ+ grantmaking typically supports grassroots organisations and solutions led by and centring Black, Indigenous and people of colour communities. It backs community organising, direct services and policy advocacy in LGBTQ+ work, and direct service, organising, advocacy and culture-change work in climate. Its prison-education grantmaking seeks to expand access to high-quality, accredited college courses in state correctional facilities in the U.S. South, with attention to incarcerated students and communities most affected by incarceration. Across its approach, it prioritises organisations rooted in the South, while sometimes funding national organisations supporting the U.S. Southeast; it values BIPOC leadership, accountability to communities, capacity building and collaboration among grantee partners.

Themes

Climate & Environment
LGBTQ+ Equality
Higher Education in Prison

Geographic Focus

US South. Priority: NC; VA; U.S. Southeast.

How to apply

Organisations based in and/or focused on the U.S. South whose work aligns with the stated priorities are invited to click through and share information about their work.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 70% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 359 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

It prioritises groups with Black, Indigenous, and people of colour leadership at all levels and clear accountability to their communities.
For higher education in prison, it values programmes that incorporate student voices and input and operate with a racial equity lens.
It supports capacity building in leadership coaching, board development, racial equity, fundraising and peer learning.
Its grantmaking focuses on developing authentic, not transactional relationships.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

North Carolina29%

Virginia13%

Georgia12%

California7%

New York6%

Florida5%

6 other states: 20%

Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 7%

The largest single recipient received 3% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 70% of grant dollars went to organisations Laughing Gull Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
10% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

127 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $50,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 127 grants in tax year 2024 by size

Under $1k1%

$1k–$2.5k1%

$2.5k–$5k2%

$5k–$10k5%

$10k–$25k13%

$25k–$50k22%

$50k–$100k46%

$100k–$250k9%

Median $50,000 (tax year 2024)

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

Campaign for Southern Equality · General operating support
$160,0002024 tax year
Partnership for Southern Equity · Project supp justice40 accelerator
$150,0002024 tax year
Neighborhood Funders Group · Amplify fund
$150,0002024 tax year
Equality Virginia · General operating support
$125,0002024 tax year
Equality NC Foundation · General operating support
$125,0002024 tax year
University of Central Florida · General operating support
$105,0002024 tax year
Freedom Center for Social Justice · General operating support
$100,0002024 tax year
Operation Restoration · Operation restoration
$100,0002024 tax year

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

Officers and directors

Sarah Schwartz Baesmith — Treasurer
Marjorie Williams Coward — Chair
Emily Coward — Secretary
Marjorie Owen Baesmith — President

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$7,041,218	$5,658,500	$68,865,857	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$7,504,981	$5,979,331	$70,384,785	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$7,738,218	$6,146,285	$69,521,288	Filing for 2024 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.