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Laughing Gull Foundation

Annual Giving
$6.0M
Grant Range
$20K - $0.1M

Laughing Gull Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $5,979,331 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $59.2 million
  • Grant Range: $20,000 - $150,000
  • Average Grant: $50,000
  • Number of Grants: 123 (2023)
  • Geographic Focus: U.S. South/Southeast (10 states)
  • Application Process: No public application process - invitation only

Contact Details

Address: 505 S Duke Street, Suite 301, Durham, NC 27701
Phone: 919-688-7302
Email: info@laughinggull.org
Website: https://laughinggull.org

Overview

Founded in 2012 by the Baesmith-Coward family, Laughing Gull Foundation is a progressive family foundation rooted in the U.S. South and committed to justice. With assets of $59.2 million and annual giving of approximately $6 million, the foundation works to "redistribute resources to repair, rehumanize, and transform relationships, institutions, and systems." In 2016, the foundation committed to a 20-year spend-down plan, with all assets planned to be distributed by 2036 due to "the urgency of the injustices LGF addresses, the moral imperative to move assets out of the family's control, and the founders' desire to witness many of the impacts of the foundation's work." Led by Chief Executive Dr. LaTonya Penny since 2022, the foundation supports 91 grantee partners across three core program areas, prioritizing grassroots organizations led by and accountable to BIPOC communities and those marginalized by unjust systems. Dr. Penny was named a 2025-2027 National Center for Family Philanthropy Fellow, and the foundation partnered with the Trust Based Philanthropy Project in 2025.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

LGBTQ+ Equality ($1,950,000 in 2025 to 35 organizations)

  • Supports organizations advancing justice for LGBTQ+ communities in the South
  • Focus on organizations serving diverse LGBTQ+ communities, particularly those led by and serving Black, Indigenous, Latine, and people of color
  • Emphasis on transgender and gender expansive support organizations
  • Multi-year general operating support provided to majority of grantees

Climate & Environment ($1,975,000 in 2024 to 28 organizations)

  • Supports equitable climate solutions and environmental justice
  • Focus on grassroots organizations working on community engagement, capacity-building, advocacy, and equity
  • Priorities include land conservation, climate advocacy, community empowerment, and sustainable energy solutions
  • Concentrated in North Carolina (7 organizations), Louisiana (3), Georgia (3), Virginia (2), and South Carolina (2)

Higher Education in Prison ($1,882,000 in 2023 to 34 organizations)

  • Advances higher education opportunities for system-involved people
  • Seeks to reverse mass incarceration and affirm humanity, capacity, and potential of incarcerated people
  • Supports college credit-bearing courses and degree programs in correctional facilities

Priority Areas

The foundation uses an explicit racial equity lens in all decisions and prioritizes:

  • Grassroots organizations engaged in direct service, organizing, advocacy, and/or culture change work
  • Organizations with Black, Indigenous, and people of color leadership
  • Groups that are accountable to and build collective power of BIPOC communities and others harmed by unjust systems
  • Organizations rooted in the U.S. South
  • National organizations providing support to the Southeast

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations.

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

  • Marjorie Williams Coward, Chair (co-founder, mother of Meg Baesmith)
  • Meg Baesmith, President (co-founder, board president since 2013; graduate of Oberlin College and Harvard Divinity School; 15 years of leadership experience with organizations including Merck Family Fund, Resource Generation, Bolder Giving, The Food Project, and Waltham Fields Community Farm)
  • Sarah Schwartz Baesmith, Treasurer (co-founder, Meg's wife)
  • Emily Coward, Secretary (co-founder)

All board members serve without compensation.

Staff

  • Dr. LaTonya Penny, Chief Executive (joined 2022; known for relationship-centered approach and commitment to racial justice; 2025-2027 National Center for Family Philanthropy Fellow; background in family violence prevention and disability rights)
  • Cynthia Renfro, Senior Portfolio and Partnerships Director (Principal and CEO of Civis Consulting LLC; over 25 years of philanthropy experience)
  • Marion Johnson, Director of Strategic Partnerships (background in philanthropy, research, and community engagement; previously with Asset Funders Network and Frontline Solutions)
  • Shannon Ritchie, Senior Advisor, Communications and Strategy (founded Nectar Strategies in 2017; applies intersectional racial equity lens to communications)
  • Karen Carlton, Grants & Operations Coordinator (background in disability advocacy; focuses on grants management and data)
  • Nayeli Gomez, S.O.A.R. Fellow (first-generation college student from UNC; background in social justice)
  • Ryan Odom, S.O.A.R. Fellow (NC A&T graduate; background in community outreach and mentoring)

Key Leadership Quotes

On LGBTQ+ Advocacy: "LGBTQ+ advocates in the South are at the forefront of transformative change, serving as both shield and sword" - protecting communities from harmful policies and violent threats while shifting culture and promoting vision for what's possible.

On Climate Justice: "It's time to reshape our conversations around climate change and focus more of our attention on inequality." - Dr. LaTonya Penny

On Approach: "Relationships move at the speed of trust: our grantmaking focuses on developing authentic, not transactional relationships."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Laughing Gull Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

However, the foundation is described as "approachable" and invites prospective grantees to introduce themselves and their work via email to info@laughinggull.org. The foundation takes a learning-oriented approach to discovering new groups in their fields of interest and maintains a staff page with names and profiles of the grantmaking team.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation has specifically indicated that organizations can reach out to introduce themselves:

  • Send an introductory email to info@laughinggull.org describing your organization's work and alignment with the foundation's focus areas
  • Review the staff page on their website to understand who leads each program area
  • Don't hesitate to reach out with questions - the foundation encourages organizations working in its areas of interest to make contact
  • Demonstrate alignment with their values: racial equity lens, community accountability, grassroots approach, and focus on the U.S. South
  • Review recent grantee announcements on their website to understand the types of organizations currently in their portfolio

The foundation emphasizes building authentic relationships and assesses potential grantee partners holistically, including whether they work from a racial equity lens.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. The foundation provides multi-year general operating support to the majority of its grantees, suggesting they make strategic, longer-term partnership decisions.

Grant Structure

The foundation provides multi-year, general operating support to the majority of its grantees. Examples from 2019 include:

  • Campaign for Southern Equality: $450,000 over 3 years
  • Equality Virginia: $450,000 over 3 years
  • Fund for Trans Generations: $300,000 over 3 years

Application Success Factors

Since the foundation operates by invitation and relationship-building rather than formal applications, organizations seeking support should focus on:

1. Geographic and Mission Alignment

  • Must be working in the U.S. South/Southeast region
  • Clear alignment with one or more of the three program areas: LGBTQ+ Equality, Climate & Environment, or Higher Education in Prison

2. Organizational Characteristics the Foundation Prioritizes

  • Led by, accountable to, and building collective power of BIPOC communities
  • Grassroots organizations with high community involvement
  • Organizations willing to take a holistic approach that considers intersections between focus areas
  • Groups working with an explicit racial equity lens

3. Type of Work

  • Direct service, community organizing, advocacy, and/or culture change work
  • Building organizational capacity is important - the foundation offers leadership coaching, board development, and peer learning opportunities

4. Relationship-Centered Approach

  • The foundation values authentic, not transactional relationships
  • Organizations that align with their values of community power building, humility, equality, justice, environment, sustainability, inclusiveness, and connection
  • Willingness to engage in collaborative networks with other grantees

5. Foundation's Own Guidance

  • "Grantseekers who plan their approach carefully may find success here"
  • The foundation "is a progressive and responsive funder that likes to invest in smaller organizations and is not averse to taking modest risks"
  • They prioritize organizations that are "rooted in the South" but also fund some national organizations providing support to the Southeast

6. Recent Grantee Examples

  • New 2025 LGBTQ+ grantees: Healing in the Margins and MashUP (both Nashville, TN)
  • Organizations receiving support span multiple states including NC, SC, VA, AL, TN, LA, and GA
  • Focus on frontline organizations protecting communities while shifting culture

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No formal application process exists - relationship building and introductory outreach are the pathways to funding consideration
  • Multi-year general operating support is the norm - the foundation invests in organizations for the long term, providing flexible funding
  • Racial equity is non-negotiable - organizations must demonstrate an explicit racial equity lens and BIPOC leadership or accountability
  • Geographic focus is strict - work must be in the U.S. South/Southeast, though some national support organizations are funded
  • Small and grassroots is valued - the foundation prefers investing in smaller organizations and is willing to take modest risks
  • Trust-based philanthropy model - the foundation partners with the Trust Based Philanthropy Project and emphasizes authentic relationships over transactions
  • Spend-down urgency creates opportunity - with a 2036 sunset date, the foundation is actively seeking to distribute resources and may be open to new partnerships
  • Start with an email introduction - despite no formal application process, the foundation welcomes introductory contact from aligned organizations

References

  1. Laughing Gull Foundation Official Website - https://laughinggull.org (accessed January 2026)
  2. "About Us" - Laughing Gull Foundation - https://laughinggull.org/about-us/ (accessed January 2026)
  3. "Our Approach" - Laughing Gull Foundation - https://laughinggull.org/our-approach/ (accessed January 2026)
  4. "Our People" - Laughing Gull Foundation - https://laughinggull.org/our-people/ (accessed January 2026)
  5. "Grantmaking" - Laughing Gull Foundation - https://laughinggull.org/grantmaking/ (accessed January 2026)
  6. "2025 LGBTQ+ Equality Grant Announcement" - Laughing Gull Foundation - https://laughinggull.org/2025-lgbtq-equality-grant-announcement/ (accessed January 2026)
  7. "2024 Climate & Environment Grant Announcement" - Laughing Gull Foundation - https://laughinggull.org/2024-climate-environment-grant-announcement/ (accessed January 2026)
  8. "2023 HEP Grant Announcement" - Laughing Gull Foundation - https://laughinggull.org/2023-hep-grant-announcement/ (accessed January 2026)
  9. Laughing Gull Foundation Profile - Instrumentl - https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/laughing-gull-foundation (accessed January 2026)
  10. Laughing Gull Foundation Profile - Cause IQ - https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/laughing-gull-foundation,364749289/ (accessed January 2026)
  11. "How the Laughing Gull Foundation Leans Into Progressive Funding in the Deep South" - Inside Philanthropy - https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/how-the-laughing-gull-foundation-leans-into-progressive-funding-in-the-deep-south (accessed January 2026)
  12. Laughing Gull Foundation - Nonprofit Explorer - ProPublica - https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/364749289 (accessed January 2026)
  13. Laughing Gull Foundation Profile - Grantmakers.io - https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/364749289-laughing-gull-foundation/ (accessed January 2026)
  14. Laughing Gull Foundation - Inside Philanthropy - https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant/grants-l/laughing-gull-foundation (accessed January 2026)
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