John William Pope Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 58-1691765 · since 1986jwpf.org·North Carolina, Vance County, Wake County·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$15.2M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$10,000 to $135k

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$25,000

Typical grant (median)

259 grants in the latest filing

Open to applications

Fixed application deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

The John William Pope Foundation funds public policy, education, human services and the arts, with its geographic focus on North Carolina and priority given to organisations in Wake and Vance counties, so check your work fits those themes and that area before applying.
Most grants are modest: about eight in ten of its 764 grants fell between $10,000 and $135,000, with a median grant of $25,000, so a request in that range is realistic, though the Joy W. Pope Memorial Grant programme caps awards at $100,000.
Applications go through fixed deadlines via an online portal: public policy and higher education proposals are due in February, while human services, K-12 education and arts proposals are due in August, and Joy W. Pope Memorial Grant applications are accepted between 1 July and 1 September.
The foundation does not fund direct aid grants to individuals or loans of any kind, overhead costs at colleges, universities and similar organisations, or general operating requests under the Joy W. Pope Memorial Grant programme.
With 87% of its grant dollars going to organisations it had also funded in its two prior filings, new applicants should read its stated grant priorities carefully and present a clearly aligned, specific proposal.

Overview

John William Pope Foundation is a US private foundation based in Raleigh, 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 makes grants to improve the well-being of North Carolinians through limited government, individual freedom, personal responsibility and strong communities. Its four priorities are public policy, education, human services and the arts. In public policy, it supports research defending a free-market economy under the rule of law, and prioritises organisations advancing free-market principles and work affecting North Carolina policy. Its education work supports North Carolina-focused institutions, student societies, academic centres and groups, and prioritises intellectual diversity and critical thinking. In human services, it supports nonprofits addressing needs including hunger, health, housing and job training, prioritising opportunity and personal responsibility. For the arts, it prioritises organisations creating and promoting the arts through performance and education, with a geographic focus on Wake and Vance Counties.

Themes

Public policy
Education
Human services
Arts

Geographic Focus

North Carolina. Priority: Wake; Vance.

What They Don't Fund

Direct aid grants to individuals or loans of any kind
Overhead costs at colleges, universities, and similar organizations
Joy W. Pope Memorial Grants only: general operating requests

How to apply

Applicants submit grant applications through the online portal.

Deadlines:

Annual Grant proposals for public policy and higher education are submitted in February.
Annual Grant proposals for human services, K-12 education and the arts are submitted in August.
Joy W. Pope Memorial Grant applications are submitted annually between July 1 and September 1.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 87% 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 764 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

It prioritises organisations advancing free-market principles and work that impacts North Carolina public policy.
It prioritises institutions that encourage intellectual diversity and critical thinking in the state.
It prioritises organisations that encourage opportunity and personal responsibility.
It prioritises organisations that create and promote the arts through performance and education.
It encourages prospective new applicants to read about its grant priorities before submitting a proposal.

Where grants go

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

Grant dollars by state

North Carolina66%

Virginia12%

District of Columbia10%

New York2%

South Carolina1%

Illinois1%

6 other states: 5%

Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 3%

The largest single recipient received 27% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 87% of grant dollars went to organisations John William Pope Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
<1% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Canada).
<1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

259 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $25,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 259 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$2.5k–$5k3%

$5k–$10k5%

$10k–$25k34%

$25k–$50k28%

$50k–$100k16%

$100k–$250k7%

$250k–$500k6%

$500k–$1M2%

Median $25,000 (tax year 2024)

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

Asheville School · Restricted - humanities & economics program
$500,0002024 tax year
Economic Policy Innovation Center · Unrestricted grant
$500,0002024 tax year
Raleigh Rescue Mission · Restricted - women's facility capital campaign
$500,0002024 tax year
NC Zoological Society Inc · Restricted - 50th anniversary campaign
$500,0002024 tax year
John Locke Foundation · Unrestricted grant
$328,2502024 tax year
John Locke Foundation · Unrestricted grant
$328,2502024 tax year
John Locke Foundation · Unrestricted grant
$328,2502024 tax year
John Locke Foundation · Unrestricted grant
$328,2502024 tax year

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

Officers and directors

John M Hood — President
David M Stover — Board Member
Joyce L Pope — Assistant Secretary / Treasurer
Amanda J Pope — Vice Chairman
James Arthur Pope — Chairman
Michael McKnight — Board Member
Michael Smith — Board Member
Earle Pope — Board Member
Iris Turner — Assistant Secretary / Treasurer

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$16,958,498	$15,686,414	$155,230,381	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$16,733,957	$15,333,477	$177,863,398	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$16,376,927	$15,231,748	$188,122,206	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.