Annual Funding

Overview

The John William Pope Foundation’s philanthropic vision is rooted in improving the well-being of North Carolinians through the advancement of individual freedom and personal responsibility. The Foundation’s giving is directed to four grant priorities to achieve this vision: public policy, education, human services, and the arts.

Grants are issued twice a year — in the spring (public policy and higher education) and the fall (human services, K-12 education, and the arts). The board may consider proposals that fall between meeting times at their discretion. Specific deadlines are shared on our Annual Grants page. Please note the geographic interests for human services and arts organizations. We will consider proposals for general operating or project-specific support.

Our Interests

At its core, our approach to grantmaking is about investing in people – enriching the lives of North Carolinians while strengthening the foundations of a free and prosperous society. Since 1987, we have approached this meaningful work by granting funds in four core areas: public policy, education, human services, and the arts.

Each focus area has its own geographic concern. For public policy and education grants, we fund work that benefits North Carolina. Sometimes we’ll consider organizations located outside the state whose work has a clear benefit to our state and residents.

For human services and arts grants, we fund work that benefits Wake and Vance Counties. Sometimes we’ll consider organizations whose work benefits those counties even if they are located elsewhere. If you are a human service or arts organization who doesn’t fit this description, we encourage you to review our Joy W. Pope Memorial Grant program which is open to groups anywhere in North Carolina.

We also encourage prospective new applicants to read more about our grant priorities before submitting a proposal.

Deadlines

We grant funds twice a year. However, we consider each focus area only once per year. For our spring cycle, public policy and higher education proposals should be submitted in February. Decisions are usually made by late May. For our fall cycle, human services and arts proposals should be submitted in August. Decisions are typically made by late November.

Upcoming deadlines are as follows:

2025:
     – Public Policy & Higher Education: February 3, 2025
     – Human Services & Arts: August 4, 2025

2026:
     – Public Policy & Higher Education: February 2, 2026
     – Human Services & Arts: August 3, 2026

The board may consider proposals that fall between meeting times at their discretion. Future deadline dates may be amended, so please check back annually.

The Process

1) Review – We ask that you review this page and our focus areas before submitting your application. We do not require a letter of inquiry to apply for a grant. Additionally, read over Our Policies to ensure your request is aligned with our guidelines.

2) Apply – The Foundation accepts proposals in all four grant priority areas through our online portal below. See funding area deadlines above. 

3) Board Consideration – Our board considers grants twice a year. We also have program officers who help review submitted applications. They may reach out to you if they have questions about your application. If you have updates or changes that affect your proposal, please don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know. 

4) Decisions – We communicate grant application decisions by email. Due to the volume of applications we receive, we are not always able to provide detailed feedback. 

5) Grant Reporting – Some organizations may need to submit a grant report for their award. If you are awarded a grant, please keep a copy of your grant agreement on file for reference.

Starting an Online Application

Please use our online portal to submit a grant request. If your application is transmitted successfully, you will 1) see a confirmation page and 2) receive an email confirmation. 

There is not a save and resume feature in the application. You will need the following documentation: IRS Determination Letter (if not current grantee), recent 990, recent audit (if applicable) or recent financial statements, long proposal, budget and board of directors.

Please contact us by email at info@jwpf.org or by phone at 919-871-3329 if you don’t see or receive any application confirmation. Your application may not have transmitted. 

Start a grant application online

Decisions

The board may meet your request in part or in full. Using information submitted in your application, the Foundation will email an award or declination letter to the organization’s leader. The grant application contact will be cc’d on the email. If awarded, the letter will contain instructions and steps to complete to receive funds. The letter will also explain the basic reporting guidelines for your grant, so please keep it for reference. We do not mail paper copies of decision letters.

If the board does not fund your proposal, you are welcome to apply again.

Grant Reporting

Award letters will detail any reporting requirements.

All grant recipients are required to submit updated financial records during the award year, including the most recent IRS Form 990 and annual audit. An annual report or letter summarizing your fiscal year activities is also required. Some restricted/project-specific grants may ask for additional reporting, but generally we do not ask for extensive data.

Please refer to your signed grant agreement letter to ensure you submit the required information.

Questions?

Please read our FAQ section for additional information. If you have further questions, please call us at (919) 871-3329 or email us at info@jwpf.org.

Landmark Center South, 4601 Six Forks Rd, Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27609 | 919-871-3329

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