FFTC fundholders top $1 billion in 2025 grants

Foundation for the Carolinas says its fundholders gave more than $1 billion to nonprofits in 2025, the first time grantmaking at the 67-year-old community foundation crossed that threshold. The annual report also shows record donor contributions, a larger planned-giving pipeline and the reopening of Charlotte’s restored Carolina Theatre.

Why it matters: - Foundation for the Carolinas fundholders set a new high-water mark for charitable giving in 2025, sending more than $1 billion to nonprofits in North Carolina, South Carolina and beyond. - The milestone comes during a year of economic uncertainty for many nonprofits, making the scale of support more consequential for community groups, schools, health providers and arts organizations. - FFTC’s report shows donor-advised philanthropy remains a major funding source across the region.

What happened: - FFTC said fundholders granted more than $1 billion in 2025, the first time in the foundation’s 67-year history that fundholder grantmaking crossed that level. - The total came through more than 17,000 grants from more than 3,000 individual, corporate and nonprofit fundholders. - The foundation released those totals in its annual report. - FFTC is headquartered in Charlotte and serves a 13-county region in North and South Carolina. - FFTC is the fifth-largest community foundation out of 800 in the country and has assets above $5 billion.

The details: - Fundholders directed $390 million to education and youth-related nonprofits. - Fundholders gave $195 million to environmental organizations. - Fundholders gave more than $100 million to health-related nonprofits. - Fundholders gave $59 million to arts organizations. - About 98% of grants were selected by Foundation donors and awarded to nonprofits of their choosing. - About 2% of total grantmaking came directly from FFTC to local nonprofits. - Additional grantmaking flowed from scholarship funds, disaster and hardship relief programs, nonprofit endowments and other FFTC-managed sources. - A $150,000 grant from the Longleaf Fund went to the Florence Family YMCA in South Carolina for childcare center renovations. - A $75,000 grant from the Springsteen Foundation went to the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra to help bring 1,400 fifth graders from the region to a symphony performance. - FFTC donors contributed $656 million to their charitable funds in 2025. - The foundation added a record 140 new funds in 2025. - Fundholders awarded more than $4 million in scholarships to more than 1,000 students. - The planned-giving pipeline passed $1 billion, representing future estate gift commitments. - FFTC completed its $90 million restoration of Charlotte’s historic Carolina Theatre in March 2025. - The reopened theater drew sold-out audiences in its first year. - Year-one highlights included visits from Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and former Supreme Diana Ross. - The theater donated more than 12,000 tickets for community use.

Between the lines: - The report shows FFTC fundholders are shaping a broad share of the region’s nonprofit funding, with donors driving nearly all grant selections. - The mix of grants suggests donor priorities continue to span education, environment, health and the arts, even as nonprofits face tighter operating conditions. - The growing planned-giving pipeline points to more giving that may land in future years, not just in 2025. - The Carolina Theatre restoration gives FFTC a visible civic project that extends the foundation’s impact beyond grantmaking.

What’s next: - FFTC’s growing planned-giving commitments are expected to support nonprofits and causes in future estate gifts once those commitments are realized. - The foundation will continue using its annual report to highlight fundholder, nonprofit and community-partner impact across its service area. - More information and the full report are available at fftc.org.

The bottom line: - FFTC’s 2025 report shows record donor-driven philanthropy at a scale that now tops $1 billion a year, with impact spread across grants, scholarships, planned gifts and major community projects.