Foundation For The Carolinas history

1965: Longtime Foundation supporter Maybelle Y. McMahon dies and leaves the bulk of her estate to the Foundation to create its first discretionary endowment.

1974: Foundation is revitalized with Edwin P. Latimer as president.

1976: Foundation assets double to $1.1 million.

1978: Foundation opens its own office.

1984: Foundation’s name changes to Foundation For The Carolinas.

Founded in 1985, it’s a right-wing think tank organized around “a unique pro-immigrant, low-immigration vision which seeks fewer immigrants but a warmer welcome for those admitted,” according to its site.

1986 A grant of $30,000 from the Sacharuna Foundation, the Fund dedicated the Springs Project, a demonstration project to protect important natural springs in the Shenandoah Valley for scientific and educational purposes.

Impending tax law changes in 1987 prompt almost $20 million in gifts.

1988: The Foundation receives a $1 million anonymous gift for its endowment and another $1 million anonymous gift to create the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Scholarship Incentive Program.

1989: All-time record year: Assets top $52 million as The Cole Foundation ($17 million) becomes part of the Foundation.

1990: The Foundation helps secure $200,000 in gifts to build the new Charlotte Emergency Housing Center and receives a $1 million gift from an anonymous donor to build and endow a second day-care center at the Methodist Home.

1992: Foundation sponsors ChildWatch, a visitation program, in conjunction with the Children’s Defense Fund.

1993: Under the leadership of several African-American members of the Board, FFTC creates a new African American Community Endowment Fund.

1995: The Foundation receives the largest single gift in its history – $35 million from the estate of longtime supporter, Lucille Puette Giles.

1997: The Foundation initiates Building A Better Future, a $2 million grantmaking program made possible by the Lucille Giles bequest.

1998: The Foundation celebrates 40 years of service to the region.

1999: William Spencer retires after leading the Foundation for 13 years.

Grant distributions rise from $26.4 million in 2000 to $35.4 million.

2001 Larry Selzer was named President and CEO of the Conservation Fund.

2002: The Foundation partners with the Arts & Science Council to create a new supporting organization, the Foundation For The Arts & Sciences.

2003 Charles Jordan, the first African-American city commissioner in Portland, Oregon, was elected Chairman of the Fund's Board of Trustees.

2004: The Foundation receives record-breaking contributions of $86 million.

The Fund launched Go Zero in 2005, a program that allows everyone, including individuals and small communities, to measure and offset carbon dioxide emissions.

2006: Record-breaking contributions couple with strong investment results to increase the Foundation’s assets to $601 million at year-end 2006.

2007: Foundation For The Carolinas makes a large discretionary gift of $2 million to the Carolina Thread Trail, a 15-county greenway network.

2008: The Foundation launches the Critical Need Response Fund in partnership with the Leon Levine Foundation, the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, the United Way of Central Carolinas, and Mecklenburg Ministries.

2010 Go Zero planted the one-millionth tree in Missouri’s Mingo National Wildlife Refuge.

2011: The Luski-Gorelick Center for Philanthropy opens as the new headquarters of Foundation For The Carolinas at 220 North Tryon Street.

2012: The Foundation reaches $1 billion in total assets owned and represented.

One of the most exciting achievements of 2013 is the launch of E4E Relief, LLC, which provides disaster and hardship relief to employees of corporations throughout the United States.

In 2014, President Obama designated the site Delaware’s first National Historical Park.

2015: FFTC ends year with second-highest total of gifts, grants and assets (landing the Foundation No.

2016: FFTC surpasses the $2 billion mark in charitable assets.

2017In 2017, the Fund hosted the National Summit on Infrastructure and the Environment for more than 150 business leaders, government decision-makers, regulatory and permitting experts and conservation community representatives.

2018: In preparation for Hurricane Florence hitting the NC coast in September of that year, FFTC creates the Hurricane Florence Response Fund with funding assistance from Michael Jordan, Stephen Colbert and Walmart.

2020: In response to COVID-19’s impact on the community, FFTC launches the COVID-19 Response Fund on March 16 to aid those most affected by the pandemic.