Earl and Kathryn Congdon Family Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- This foundation funds within the Greater High Point area, so check that your organisation is a 501(c)3 based there before applying, as its grantmaking is restricted to that area.
- Its themes are education, critical community needs and economic development, so your project should sit within one of these.
- Most grants are modest: the median grant was $35,000, the typical range runs from $3,000 to $300,000, and its stated Capacity Building Grants are $30,000, so pitch your request accordingly.
- For Capacity Building Grants, apply through a short online process via the portal during the annual cycle, which runs from 1 January to 31 January; for an Impact Grant, the foundation says the best way to start is to contact the Chief Impact Officer directly and share your work.
- With 69% of grant dollars going to organisations also funded in the two previous filings, this looks like a relationship-led funder where sustained partnership matters, so first-time applicants should be prepared to build that relationship over time.
Overview
Earl and Kathryn Congdon Family Foundation is a US private foundation based in Wilmington, DE.
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 describes its mission as investing in organisations within the greater High Point area and beyond to improve quality of life by reducing barriers to opportunity. Its grantmaking is restricted to 501(c)3 nonprofits in the Greater High Point area. It focuses on increasing access to and the quality of education, addressing critical community needs, and supporting economic development for revitalization and stabilization. It uses Impact Grants and Capacity Building Grants to guide these investments. The foundation seeks true partnerships with nonprofits so they can focus on their missions, and says it works to be responsive and transparent; after a grant, it solicits partner feedback and connects organisations to resources for success.
Themes
- Education
- Critical community needs
- Economic development
Geographic Focus
Greater High Point area.
How to apply
For Capacity Building Grants, organisations apply through a short online process using the portal.
Deadlines: The annual Capacity Building Grant cycle runs from January 1 to January 31.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 69% 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 166 grants to organisations were $35,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- For an Impact Grant, the foundation says applicants should contact the Chief Impact Officer and share their work as the best way to get started.
- The foundation works in partnership with grantees, solicits their feedback after a grant, and connects them to resources for success.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
1 other state: <1%
- The largest single recipient received 22% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 69% of grant dollars went to organisations Earl and Kathryn Congdon Family Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 9% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 69 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $30,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Boys & Girls Club of Greater High Point · General & Unrestricted (SEE ATTACHED GENERAL EXPLANATION)$1,023,4002024 tax year
- High Point Police Foundation · General & Unrestricted$500,0002024 tax year
- Piedmont School · The Piedmont School and The John Yowell Academy Scholarship Fund$325,0002024 tax year
- High Point Community Foundation · Nido and Mariana Qubein Children's Museum operations$300,0002024 tax year
- North Carolina Textile Foundation · Flex Factory Capital Support$250,0002024 tax year
- High Point Community Foundation · Mariana and Nido Qubein Children's Museum to provide scholarships FUNDS and financial assistances for visitors$200,0002024 tax year
- Open Door Ministries of High Point Foundation · General & Unrestricted$200,0002024 tax year
- Mental Health Associates of the Triad · Intensive In-Home Youth Services$150,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Karen C Pigman — Director, Vice President
- Kathryn Congdon — Director, Vice President
- Earl Congdon — Chair, Director
- David S Congdon — President, Director, Treasurer
- Audrey L Congdon — Director, Secretary
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $8,514,749 | $5,870,949 | $84,754,891 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $10,495,546 | $8,360,857 | $94,877,949 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $7,832,077 | $5,996,035 | $95,577,144 | 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.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Earl and Kathryn Congdon Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- joe@congdonfoundation.org
- Wilmington, DE
- congdonfoundation.org
Applying to Earl and Kathryn Congdon Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- joe@congdonfoundation.org
- Wilmington, DE
- congdonfoundation.org