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The Belk Foundation


The Belk Foundation, a family foundation, is the public expression of gratitude and commitment shown by the family who created the Belk department store organization, in its third generation of family leadership, to the communities that have helped the company to grow and prosper since its establishment in 1888. The Belk Foundation makes grants to community-based nonprofit organizations and institutions whose missions and actions support "the upbuilding of mankind," as set forth in the will of William Henry Belk, founder of the Belk stores.

Over the past ten years, The Foundation has given more than $35 million to over 500 organizations in towns and cities across the Southeast. We are proud of the work our grantees do to improve the communities where Belk associates and families live and work.



How We Give


Mission
The mission of The Belk Foundation is to support deserving educational, religious, cultural, social, and human services causes and organizations "for the up-building of mankind," including:

  • educational institutions (public education foundations, colleges and universities);
  • community-based human services organizations;
  • hospitals and other healthcare organizations and institutions;
  • religious institutions and organizations, with an emphasis on Presbyterian organizations and causes; and
  • arts and other cultural organizations.


Supporting education is our key philanthropic focus.














Grant Limitations
Grants from The Belk Foundation are not awarded to:

  • individuals, including students;
  • public governmental agencies or organizations (excluding certain public schools, colleges and universities);
  • international programs and/or organizations; or
  • individual churches, excluding a few historical relationships


Additionally, The Belk Foundation does not provide door prizes, gift certificates, merchandise or other giveaways. The Foundation does not normally sponsor luncheon or dinner events.







Regional Focus
While The Belk Foundation's gifts have been concentrated primarily in North Carolina, where Belk, Inc. is based, it awards grants to charitable organizations in communities in the 16 states where Belk associates live and work:



On rare occasions, a national organization (such as the Red Cross) may be supported outside of the region; but grants generally are not made to organizations that distribute funds or provide services outside of the Southeast, and never outside of the United States.


Application Process
The Belk Foundation awards the majority of its grants to organizations identified by our staff and board. At this time, The Foundation does not accept letters of inquiry or unsolicited proposals. Ordinarily, Foundation staff contacts nonprofit organizations of interest for a preliminary conversation about their work and how a grantmaking partnership with The Foundation might help to advance it. We then present the work to a grants committee of our Board for consideration. If the committee expresses a strong interest in the work, we contact the organization and work with them on a proposal submission process. The Board reviews these proposals and has the final decision regarding which organizations The Foundation will fund.

The Foundation conducts two grantmaking cycles per year. The deadline for the spring cycle is April 15, with decisions made by late May, and the deadline for the fall cycle is October 15, with decisions made by late November.


Foundation History
The John M. Belk Memorial Fund was created in 1928 upon the death of Dr. John M. Belk, brother of William Henry Belk and co-founder of the Belk department store organization. Karl Hudson Sr., an early Belk managing partner, supported the creation of the Memorial Fund and served as its Trustee until his death in 1953. The Memorial Fund was operated primarily for the building, re-building and remodeling of Presbyterian churches, manses and Sunday school buildings in the Southeast. The John M. Belk Memorial Fund also supported the education and training of Christian missionaries, the establishment of public libraries, the aiding of hospitals and their indigent patients and the advancement of the YMCA and YWCA. Soon after William Henry Belk's death in 1952, his heirs combined the charitable portion of his estate with the John M. Belk Memorial Fund to form The Belk Foundation. The Belk Foundation remains committed to fulfilling the philanthropic vision of its founders and continues to be an effective means of expressing the Belk family's values.


Source of Funds
The Belk Foundation's money for grantmaking, like that of most private foundations, comes from the interest income and investment earnings of its endowment. Historically, the Belk department store organization has made an annual gift to The Belk Foundation to support its charitable giving. The Belk Foundation currently has assets in excess of $55 million. Each year the organization gives approximately five percent of its assets to various charitable organizations whose programs and services reflect the vision of our founders and three generations of the Belk family.


Belk Foundation Board
Katherine B. Morris (Chair), Southern Pines, NC
Claudia W. Belk, Charlotte, NC
John R. Belk, Charlotte, NC
Thomas M. Belk, Jr. Charlotte, NC
Katherine M. Belk-Cook, Charlotte, NC
J. Kirk Glenn Jr., Winston-Salem, NC
B. Frank Matthews II, Gastonia, NC
Mary Claudia Belk Pilon, Charlotte, NC


Foundation Staff
Johanna Edens Anderson, Foundation Director
Susan C. Blount, Foundation Administrator


Contact Information
2801 W. Tyvola Road
Charlotte, NC 28217-4500
(704) 426-8396
susan_blount@belk.com


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