Laughing Gull Foundation

The Laughing Gull Foundation (LGF) operates as a relationship-driven, trust-based private foundation committed to justice movements in the U.S. South. Based in Durham, NC, with $53.4 million in assets (FY2024) and approximately $6 million in annual grantmaking, LGF distributes funds through three core program areas: LGBTQ+ Equality, Higher Education in Prison, and Climate & Environment.

LGF's fundamental grantmaking philosophy is captured in its stated principle that 'relationships move at the speed of trust.' This means grant seekers should not expect a rapid turnaround — successful partnerships typically develop over 6–18 months of introductory contact, relationship-building, and alignment conversations before a first grant materializes. The foundation does not operate an open application portal and does not accept unsolicited formal proposals.

The foundation strongly prioritizes organizations led by Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) at all organizational levels — executive leadership, board governance, and senior staff. This is not a preference but a core eligibility criterion. Organizations must be prepared to demonstrate leadership demographics and articulate community accountability structures that keep decision-making rooted in the communities served.

General operating support is LGF's default grant type, not project funding. The grantee history makes this explicit: Campaign for Southern Equality has received $737,000 across 12 grants; Southerners on New Ground $654,500 across 5 grants; and Tennessee Higher Education $648,800 across 17 grants. These multi-year, deepening relationships define LGF's model. First grants to newer partners typically fall in the $30,000–$60,000 range, scaling upward as trust and demonstrated impact accumulate.

The entry point is an introductory email to info@laughinggull.org or via the contact form on the foundation's program pages. Key program staff include Hez Norton (Senior Portfolio and Partnerships Director, leading LGBTQ+ Equality) and Ebony West (Grants & Programs Manager, joined 2025 from Democracy Fund, where she advised on over $17.6 million in collaborative grantmaking). The foundation actively discourages outreach from organizations outside its three program areas or Southern geographic scope.

LGF also functions as a funder organizer, channeling resources through intermediaries including Funders for LGBTQ Issues ($500,000 across 4 grants), Borealis Philanthropy's Trans Generations Fund ($400,000 across 4 grants), Building Equity & Alignment for Environmental Justice ($450,000 across 3 grants), and Trans Justice Funding Project ($165,000 across 3 grants). Organizations working with these intermediaries may access LGF-aligned funding through regranting pathways even before establishing a direct relationship with the foundation.

LGF's grantmaking database shows 435 grants totaling $20.7 million, with an average grant of $47,609 and a median of approximately $35,000. Individual grants range from as low as $900 (one-time capacity support) to over $150,000 for major multi-year partnerships, with a few cumulative totals — Campaign for Southern Equality at $737,000, Southerners on New Ground at $654,500 — reflecting over a decade of sustained investment in the same organizations.

Annual grantmaking has grown dramatically: grants paid were $56,000 in FY2014, $580,130 in FY2015, then accelerated to $3.53 million (FY2019), $4.35 million (FY2020), $4.72 million (FY2021), $5.66 million (FY2022), and $5.98 million (FY2023). This near-100-fold increase over a decade reflects strategic expansion and a significant $44.9 million contribution infusion in FY2022 that pushed total assets to a peak of $63.9 million. Total giving including operating overhead reached $7.5 million in FY2023, representing an effective payout rate of approximately 12–13% — well above the 5% legal minimum for private foundations.

By program area, each of LGF's three focus areas now receives approximately $2 million annually: the 2025 LGBTQ+ Equality round totaled $1.95 million to 35 organizations (average $55,714 per grant); the 2025 Higher Education in Prison round totaled approximately $2.1 million; and the 2024 Climate & Environment round distributed $1.975 million to 28 organizations (average $70,536 per grant). Climate & Environment, the newest program launched in 2021, shows higher per-grant averages, reflecting fewer but larger institutional partnerships.

Geographically, North Carolina dominates with 120 of 435 recorded grants, followed by Virginia (72), Georgia (44), New York (33, primarily national organizations with Southern focus), Florida (29), Tennessee (22), Louisiana (19), Alabama (18), and South Carolina (16). The NC concentration reflects LGF's Durham home base and deepest existing grantee relationships.

Grant purpose analysis confirms 'general operating support' as the dominant funding type across all three program areas. Secondary capacity-building grants (board development, leadership coaching, racial equity training) appear for existing multi-year grantee partners. Institutional HEP partners — community colleges and universities — receive program-specific grants averaging $190,000–$240,000 cumulatively across multiple grants, distinct from the grassroots organization portfolio.

The following table compares Laughing Gull Foundation to its closest asset-size peers within the Philanthropy & Grantmaking NTEE category, all holding approximately $53 million in assets:

LGF distinguishes itself sharply from these asset-size peers through its explicitly progressive Southern social justice focus, high public transparency about priorities and grantees, and an above-average payout rate of 12–13%. Unlike the other foundations in this peer group — which lack public websites or stated programmatic focus — LGF publishes detailed grantee lists, grant announcement posts by program area, and clear eligibility criteria.

Among thematic peers more relevant to grant seekers, LGF functions as a key funder of intermediaries including Funders for LGBTQ Issues (Out in the South Initiative, $500,000 from LGF), Borealis Philanthropy (Trans Generations Fund, $400,000), Building Equity & Alignment for Environmental Justice ($450,000), and Trans Justice Funding Project ($165,000). Organizations receiving funding from these intermediaries operate within LGF's broader funding ecosystem and are natural candidates for future direct LGF funding relationships.

LGF's most significant recent activity is its 2025 LGBTQ+ Equality grant round, announced in early 2025: $1,950,000 distributed to 35 organizations across the U.S. South. The round included two new grantees — Healing in the Margins and MashUP, both based in Nashville, TN — marking expanded Tennessee investment. The foundation explicitly framed the round as a 'critical inflection point' response to intensified federal and state-level attacks on LGBTQ+ rights, describing its grantmaking as both shield and sword for Southern communities.

In January 2025, LGF announced approximately $2.1 million in Higher Education in Prison grants, with Simmons College of Kentucky (a historically Black college) receiving $60,000 for prison education programming. The 2024 Climate & Environment round had previously distributed $1.975 million to 28 organizations.

On the leadership and staffing front, 2025 brought two notable developments: the hiring of Ebony West as Grants & Programs Manager (West previously managed over $17.6 million in collaborative grantmaking at Democracy Fund), and the recognition of CEO Dr. LaTonya Penny as a 2025–2027 Fellow of the National Center for Family Philanthropy. Penny has led LGF since 2022.

LGF joined the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project's 'Meet the Moment' initiative in 2025, aligning with other funders committed to supporting nonprofits facing political headwinds. The foundation also launched a Spanish-language version of its website in 2025, reflecting expanded multilingual outreach to Southern Latinx communities. No 2026 grant announcements had been publicly indexed as of May 2026, though the foundation typically releases announcements on a rolling basis by program area throughout the calendar year.

Do not cold-apply via a grant portal — LGF does not accept unsolicited formal proposals. The correct first step is a brief introductory email (2–3 paragraphs, under 300 words) to info@laughinggull.org, or via the 'share information about your work' contact form linked from the relevant program page. Describe your mission, the communities you serve, your Southern geographic footprint, and why your work aligns with LGF's specific program priorities. Do not attach a proposal, budget, or financials at this stage.

Lead with BIPOC leadership demographics. The foundation's clearest eligibility signal is 'Black, Indigenous, and people of color leadership at all levels of the organizational structure.' State explicitly in your introductory email the racial demographics of your executive director, board composition, and senior staff. If this is a gap for your organization, do not apply — address it first.

Request general operating support, not project grants. LGF's dominant grant type is multi-year general operating support, typically $30,000–$100,000 annually depending on organizational size and tenure in the portfolio. Framing a project budget signals misalignment with the foundation's philosophy. Request funds that support your organization's capacity to sustain and grow its community accountability work.

Identify the correct program officer and reference them by name. Hez Norton (Senior Portfolio and Partnerships Director) leads LGBTQ+ Equality; Ebony West (Grants & Programs Manager, joined 2025) supports broader portfolio development. Addressing outreach to the relevant program area signals informed research and seriousness.

Time your outreach strategically around grant cycle announcements. LGF announces grants by program area on a rotating basis — LGBTQ+ Equality rounds in early 2025, HEP in January 2025, Climate in late 2024. The best outreach window is 3–6 months after an announcement in your program area, not during active review periods.

Consider intermediary pathways if a direct relationship is premature. LGF seeds Funders for LGBTQ Issues' Out in the South Initiative ($500,000), Borealis Philanthropy's Trans Generations Fund ($400,000), and Trans Justice Funding Project ($165,000). Receiving intermediary funding from these vehicles builds credibility and relationship history that meaningfully strengthens a future direct LGF application.

Demonstrate community accountability structures concretely — governance arrangements where community members have genuine voice, such as community seats on the board, community advisory councils, or participatory budgeting processes. LGF uses this as a key filter distinguishing community-embedded organizations from those that work for rather than with communities.