Charles A Cannon Charitable Trust No One

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $14,773,362 (2024)
Total Awards: 113 grants (2024)
Average Grant: ~$130,000
Grant Range: Varies significantly by beneficiary and project
Geographic Focus: North Carolina (primarily) and limited South Carolina counties
Application Method: Named beneficiaries only - no public application process

Contact Details

The Charles A. Cannon Charitable Trusts are administered through the Cannon Charitable Interests organization in Concord, NC.

EIN: 56-6132354
Website: Information available at cannonfoundation.org (Cannon Charitable Interests)

Overview

The Charles A Cannon Charitable Trust No One (Trust No. 1) was established in 1971 upon the death of Charles Albert Cannon, president of Cannon Mills Company and one of North Carolina's most prominent philanthropists. With annual giving of approximately $14.8 million distributed across 113 grants in 2024, the Trust continues Charles Cannon's legacy of supporting healthcare, education, churches, and community organizations. The Trust operates under strict limitations: it can award grants only to organizations specifically named in the governing trust document. This distinguishes it from the separate Cannon Foundation (established in 1943), which does accept unsolicited applications. The Trust focuses on capital and equipment projects across North Carolina, honoring Charles Cannon's deep commitment to community welfare, particularly in healthcare and education sectors.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Trust awards grants exclusively to pre-designated named beneficiaries in four categories:

Healthcare Organizations: Capital and equipment funding for six named healthcare systems including Charles A. Cannon, Jr. Memorial Hospital, Novant Health Rowan Regional Medical Center, Stanly Regional Hospital-Atrium Stanly, Appalachian Regional Healthcare System, Cabarrus Healthcare Foundation, and Carolinas Medical Center NorthEast-Atrium Cabarrus
Higher Education: Support for 27+ educational institutions including Duke University Law School, Davidson College, Catawba College, Appalachian State University Hayes School of Music, and numerous North Carolina community colleges
Churches: Funding for eighteen church denominations in Alamance, Cabarrus, Rowan, and Stanly counties (NC) and Pickens and York counties (SC), including Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, and Catholic congregations
Community Organizations: Nine designated entities including Boys & Girls Club of Cabarrus County, Cabarrus County Library System, Cabarrus Health Alliance, Rowan-Cabarrus YMCA, Stanly County YMCA, The Salvation Army of Cabarrus County and Stanly County, North Carolina Department of Natural & Cultural Resources, and other community service organizations

Priority Areas

The Trust primarily funds:

Capital projects (building purchases, renovations, construction)
Equipment purchases (medical equipment, technology, vehicles)
Healthcare facility improvements
Educational institution infrastructure
Historic preservation (recent examples include Historic Edenton and Historic Halifax state historic sites)
Church facility improvements
Community service infrastructure

What They Don't Fund

Organizations not specifically named in the trust document (regardless of merit)
Operating expenses or general support
Organizations outside the designated geographic areas
Individual scholarships or direct aid to individuals
Programs that are not named beneficiaries, even if they serve similar missions

Governance and Leadership

The Trust is administered by trustees who manage the charitable interests established by Charles A. Cannon. Charles Albert Cannon (1892-1971) was a pioneering textile industrialist who became president of Cannon Mills Company at age 29, making him one of the youngest industrial managers in the world. Known as "Mr. Charlie," Cannon was recognized by the American Hospital Association in 1948 as one of 50 persons in the nation who had made outstanding contributions to healthcare and hospitals. He established tuberculosis clinics for workers, financed 100,000 Salk polio vaccines in 1955, helped establish Cabarrus Memorial Hospital in 1935, and founded a hospital in Banner Elk named for his son who died in World War II.

Charles Cannon's philosophy emphasized practical community support, particularly in healthcare and education. His legacy reflects a commitment to building institutional capacity through capital improvements rather than temporary program funding.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This trust does not have a public application process. The Charles A. Cannon Charitable Trust No One can award grants only to named beneficiaries specified in the governing trust document. Organizations must be pre-designated in one of the four beneficiary categories (healthcare, higher education, churches, or community organizations) to be eligible for funding.

Named beneficiaries do not need to submit unsolicited applications in the traditional sense, as they are already designated recipients under the trust terms. However, specific project proposals and funding requests would still need to be submitted to trustees for consideration.

Important Distinction: This Trust operates differently from The Cannon Foundation (also established by Charles A. Cannon in 1943), which does accept unsolicited grant applications for capital and equipment projects from qualifying North Carolina organizations.

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly documented, as the Trust operates on a named-beneficiary basis rather than competitive grant cycles. With 113 grants awarded in 2024, the Trust appears to make funding decisions throughout the year rather than in fixed cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable in traditional terms, as only named beneficiaries are eligible. The Trust distributed $14,773,362 across 113 awards in 2024, suggesting active and substantial support for its designated beneficiaries.

Application Success Factors

Since this Trust operates exclusively with named beneficiaries, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, for organizations that are named beneficiaries, the following insights emerge from the Trust's focus areas:

Capital and Equipment Focus: The Trust follows Charles Cannon's legacy of funding tangible, capital improvements. Requests should focus on buildings, renovations, equipment, and infrastructure rather than operating support or programs.
Healthcare Priority: With six major healthcare systems as named beneficiaries and Charles Cannon's documented passion for healthcare (he was nationally recognized for hospital contributions), healthcare capital projects appear to receive significant support.
Historic Preservation: Recent grants to Historic Edenton ($97,000 for reflection space) and Historic Halifax demonstrate continued support for cultural and historic preservation projects.
Community Impact: Charles Cannon's philosophy emphasized meeting basic community needs. Projects that enhance institutional capacity to serve communities align with the Trust's founding mission.
Long-term Value: Given the focus on capital and equipment, projects should demonstrate lasting community benefit rather than temporary solutions.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Named Beneficiaries Only: If your organization is not specifically named in the trust document, you cannot receive funding from this Trust (consider The Cannon Foundation instead, which accepts unsolicited applications)
Capital Over Programs: This Trust funds bricks, mortar, and equipment—not programming or operating expenses—continuing Charles Cannon's emphasis on building institutional capacity
Healthcare Legacy: With Charles Cannon's documented passion for healthcare and recognition as a national healthcare philanthropy leader, healthcare beneficiaries may find particularly strong support
No Competitive Process: Being a named beneficiary means access to funding without competition from outside organizations, though projects still require trustee approval
Geographic Specificity: The Trust primarily serves North Carolina, with limited South Carolina reach in specific counties (Pickens and York)
Substantial Annual Giving: With nearly $15 million distributed annually across 113 grants, the Trust provides significant ongoing support averaging ~$130,000 per grant
Distinguish from Foundation: Do not confuse this Trust with The Cannon Foundation—they are separate entities with different application processes

References

Date Accessed: December 23, 2025