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Michael G Curran Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$0.7M
Grant Range
$9K - $0.7M

Michael G Curran Family Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $691,273 (2022)
  • Total Donated: Over $12 million since inception
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: Varies by project (past grants: $9,130 - $624,820)
  • Geographic Focus: Wake County, North Carolina and Manatee County/Tampa Bay Region, Florida (emphasis on Lakewood Ranch starting 2026)

Contact Details

Website: https://curranfoundation.org

Address: 14705 Como Circle, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202

Note: No public contact email or phone number provided on website

Overview

The Michael G Curran Family Foundation (EIN: 06-1691227) was established in 2003 by founder Michael G. Curran. With over $14 million in assets as of 2023 and cumulative donations exceeding $12 million since inception, the foundation has been positively impacting the lives of children and young adults for more than 23 years. Originally focused on Wake County, North Carolina, the foundation expanded to the Tampa Bay region of Florida in January 2022 following the founder's retirement. The foundation's mission is to invest in education, athletics, and health programs that provide children experiences and opportunities to learn, compete, and grow healthier. The foundation employs a collaborative approach, working closely with nonprofit partners to leverage financial resources and knowledge. Their largest project to date was the Triangle Aquatic Center, a 110,000-square-foot public aquatic facility that opened in Wake County in October 2007, which the foundation designed, constructed, and fully funded.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with published guidelines. Instead, it makes strategic investments in youth-serving organizations aligned with its mission. Recent grant activity shows 4 awards in 2022 and 6 awards in 2021, with total distributions of $691,273 in 2022.

Application Method: No public application process; grants made at trustee discretion

Priority Areas

The foundation focuses on three main areas:

  • Education: Supporting schools, scholarships, and enrichment programs that develop future leaders. Past recipients include Cary Academy.
  • Athletics: Funding facilities, swim teams, and youth sports programs that promote health and safety. Major investment in Triangle Aquatic Center; ongoing support for aquatic programs.
  • Health: Supporting programs addressing physical and emotional well-being of children and young adults, including Boys and Girls Club programs for at-risk youth.

The foundation emphasizes creating and supporting programs, projects, and services with lasting impact, often making significant capital investments in facilities and infrastructure alongside programmatic support.

What They Don't Fund

Not explicitly stated, but given their focus on children and young adults in their two specific geographic regions (Wake County, NC and Tampa Bay/Manatee County, FL), grants outside these areas or not serving youth populations are unlikely to be considered.

Governance and Leadership

Michael G. Curran - Founder and Chairman of the Board Built a nationally recognized financial services firm before dedicating himself to philanthropy. His vision was to convert "business success into the principles of human significance." He serves on multiple boards including Triangle Aquatic Center (Founder and Director), Cary Academy (Director, Treasurer, and Chair of Finance Committee), and several other nonprofit organizations.

Robyn R. Curran - Vice-Chair Born in Oceanside, NY (1960), she was a competitive swimmer at the national level for Wilton YMCA swim team. Graduated from University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her athletic background influences the foundation's strong support for aquatic and athletic programs.

Danielle Curran Williams - Director, Secretary, and Treasurer Daughter of Michael and Robyn Curran. Born in Raleigh, NC (1990), grew up in the Apex/Cary area. Graduated from Cary Academy High School (2008) and earned a BS in public relations from University of Florida with honors. Represents the next generation of family leadership.

Travis Williams - Executive Director The foundation's first full-time Executive Director, hired January 1, 2022. Holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from University of North Carolina and professional engineering (PE) licensure from Florida Board of Professional Engineers. Married to Danielle Curran Williams. Leads the foundation's expansion efforts in Manatee County, Florida, and is responsible for managing the foundation's endowment and increasing community engagement.

The foundation operates as a multi-generational family enterprise, with leadership transitioning from the founders to their daughter and son-in-law while maintaining the original philanthropic vision.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. Grants are made at the discretion of the board of trustees. The foundation works with nonprofit partners through established relationships and strategic initiatives identified by foundation leadership.

The foundation states it "prioritizes donations to nonprofit organizations and community programs" aligned with its mission, and seeks partnerships with organizations sharing its vision of impacting children who "will become the leaders of our communities tomorrow." However, there is no application portal, published guidelines, or formal submission process.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation makes grants through trustee discretion rather than through competitive application cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable for public applications. The foundation made 4 awards in 2022 and 6 awards in 2021, suggesting highly selective grantmaking focused on strategic partnerships rather than broad grantmaking.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation operates without a public application process, traditional application strategies do not apply. However, analysis of the foundation's grantmaking patterns reveals:

Geographic Proximity is Critical: The foundation explicitly focuses on Wake County, NC (particularly Cary) and will begin emphasis on Lakewood Ranch in Manatee County, FL starting in 2026. Organizations outside these regions are unlikely to be considered.

Scale of Impact: The foundation has demonstrated willingness to make transformational investments, exemplified by fully funding the $624,820+ Triangle Aquatic Center. They appear to prefer substantial, lasting impact over numerous small grants (4-6 grants annually versus dozens).

Alignment with Founder Values: Given the family foundation structure and board composition, alignment with the Curran family's values is important:

  • Strong emphasis on aquatics and athletics (Robyn's competitive swimming background)
  • Education with focus on developing future leaders (Michael's Cary Academy involvement)
  • Programs serving at-risk youth (Boys and Girls Club support)

Multi-Year Partnership Approach: The foundation describes working to "leverage financial resources and knowledge" with nonprofit partners, suggesting they prefer ongoing partnerships rather than one-time grants.

Capital Investment Interest: Track record shows interest in funding facilities and infrastructure (Triangle Aquatic Center) alongside programmatic support.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process exists - this foundation makes grants through trustee discretion and established relationships
  • Geographic focus is absolute - must serve Wake County, NC or Tampa Bay/Manatee County, FL (with Lakewood Ranch emphasis beginning 2026)
  • Target population must be children and young adults - this is the foundation's unwavering focus
  • Think big and transformational - the foundation makes 4-6 grants annually, often large awards for significant impact
  • Athletics, especially aquatics, are particularly strong - Robyn Curran's competitive swimming background influences foundation priorities
  • Education programs should develop future leaders - alignment with Cary Academy's mission and approach
  • Long-term partnerships are preferred over one-time grants - the foundation seeks collaborative relationships
  • New Florida expansion represents opportunity - with Travis Williams hired as first full-time Executive Director in 2022 and Lakewood Ranch emphasis beginning 2026, the foundation is actively building its Florida portfolio

References

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