North Carolina Network of Grantmakers

What North Carolina Network of Grantmakers does

North Carolina Network of Grantmakers (NCNG) is a 501(c)-equivalent nonprofit membership organization founded in 2002 and headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina. It operates as the only statewide forum dedicated to supporting grantmaking organizations in North Carolina, serving family foundations, private foundations, public foundations, community foundations, corporate giving offices, and donor-advised funds. With 8 employees, NCNG delivers value through a portfolio of member services rather than a unified software product: a membership program, signature events including the annual Promising Practices Gathering, topical webinars, a member directory, the Nonprofit Internship Program (NPIP), a Network News blog, and educational resources tailored to North Carolina philanthropy (including disaster relief coordination and state-specific transfer of wealth research).

NCNG's technology stack is built on Novi AMS, an off-the-shelf association management software platform, which powers the member portal, event registration, invoicing, and content distribution. The organization has no proprietary technology, AI/ML capabilities, or API integrations disclosed. Its competitive position rests on network effects and locally-tailored intellectual capital rather than technology differentiation.

The business model is subscription-recurring membership dues, with go-to-market executed through a community-led motion relying on peer referrals, industry events, and collaborative foundation partnerships. No pricing tiers, membership counts, or revenue figures are publicly disclosed, though the small staff size and single-state scope indicate a modest operating scale. Geographic expansion beyond North Carolina is not indicated; instead, NCNG deepens its ecosystem through programming expansion (climate, housing, AI data center webinars) and a 2023 board seat at the United Philanthropy Forum that connects the organization to national philanthropy infrastructure.

Name

North Carolina Network of Grantmakers

Legal name

North Carolina Network of Grantmakers

Website

https://ncgrantmakers.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

North Carolina Network of Grantmakers is a nonprofit membership organization serving as the only statewide forum for North Carolina grantmakers, including family, private, community, and corporate foundations, offering networking, events, educational resources, and the NPIP internship program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Raleigh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: NCNG operates as a membership-based organization. Organizations including private foundations, corporate giving programs, donor advised fund holders, and community foundations pay membership dues to access the network's resources, events, and peer connections.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

NCNG is a nonprofit membership network that provides peer networking, professional development, learning communities, and curated resources to grantmaking organizations operating in North Carolina. Members include private, family, public, community, and corporate foundations as well as donor-advised fund holders, and they access the network through an online member portal, signature in-person events, webinars, and a member directory. The organization also operates the Nonprofit Internship Program (NPIP), connecting nonprofits with interns to build organizational capacity and develop future nonprofit leaders.

Product overview

The North Carolina Network of Grantmakers (NCNG) is a membership organization serving as North Carolina's only statewide forum for grantmakers. Rather than a unified software platform, NCNG offers a portfolio of services including membership programs, signature events and webinars, educational resources, the Nonprofit Internship Program (NPIP), a Network News blog, and a Member Directory. These offerings collectively support networking, learning, professional development, and collaboration among private foundations, corporate giving programs, donor advised fund holders, and community foundations across North Carolina.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NCNG Membership A membership program for grantmaking organizations in North Carolina, including family, private, public, independent, community foundations, corporate giving offices, and donor-advised funds. Members gain access to peer networking, learning communities, member-only resources, and the member directory.
• Events and Webinars Signature in-person events such as the annual Promising Practices Gathering (October 7-9, 2026), learning community meetings, network group meetings, and webinars on topics relevant to NC grantmakers including climate philanthropy, AI data centers, housing, and disaster relief. Designed for professional development and peer connection.
• Resources and Publications Educational and reference resources for members and the public, including disaster relief and recovery resources, Hurricane Helene Relief resources, North Carolina's transfer of wealth research, and resources for nonprofits.
• NPIP: Nonprofit Internship Program A program connecting North Carolina nonprofits with interns to build organizational capacity and develop future nonprofit leaders across the state.
• Member Directory An online directory of NCNG member grantmaking organizations, enabling peer discovery and direct networking among foundations operating in North Carolina.

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• United Philanthropy ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 July 2023NCNG's Executive Director Sarah Mann Willcox was elected to serve on the United Philanthropy Forum's Board of Directors in 2023. The Forum is a membership association of philanthropy-serving organizations, and this leadership role connects NCNG to national philanthropy infrastructure and peer organizations across the country.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Independent Sector: National membership organization for nonprofits, foundations, and corporate giving programs. Comparable as a broader incumbent that convenes and advocates for the philanthropic and charitable sector, with content and policy work that partially overlaps NCNG.
• Council on Foundations: National nonprofit membership association for grantmaking foundations and corporate giving programs. Comparable as a larger, established incumbent in the same space with overlapping member types and policy/research capabilities.
• United Philanthropy Forum: National membership association of philanthropy-serving organizations. Comparable as the umbrella network that NCNG's Executive Director sits on the board of; offers broader (national) programming but is not a state-specific competitor.
• National Council of Nonprofits: National network of nonprofit organizations. Comparable as a sector-supporting membership association that produces resources, advocacy, and learning relevant to the same philanthropic ecosystem NCNG serves.

Regional players

• Maryland Philanthropy Network: Statewide network for Maryland-based funders. Closely comparable as a peer state-level grantmaker association with a similar membership, networking, and learning model, though operating in a different geography.
• New York Grantmakers Forum (Philanthropy New York): Membership association of New York-based foundations and corporate giving programs. Comparable as a state-level grantmaker forum offering peer learning and policy engagement, though in a much larger and different market.

Direct peers

• Philanthropy Southeast: Regional association serving grantmakers across Southeastern states, including North Carolina. Comparable as a peer membership network that supports foundation collaboration, learning, and sector advocacy in an overlapping geography.
• Minnesota Council on Foundations: Statewide membership association for Minnesota grantmakers. Closely comparable as a state-level forum offering networking, learning communities, public policy advocacy, and tailored resources for foundations and corporate giving programs.
• Florida Philanthropic Network: Statewide membership association for grantmakers operating in Florida. Directly comparable as a regional/statewide forum serving private foundations, community foundations, and corporate giving programs with networking, learning, and advocacy services.
• Washington Grantmakers Forum (formerly Washington State Grantmakers Association): Statewide forum for Washington-based grantmakers offering peer learning, networking, and policy engagement. A structurally identical peer operating a membership model for foundation and corporate giving programs in a single state.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/north-carolina-network-of-grantmakers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about North Carolina Network of Grantmakers