Terrance And Bette Noble Foundation

The Terrance And Bette Noble Foundation is a family-managed private foundation headquartered in Albany, New York, with approximately $12.7 million in assets. Founded in 2012, it is governed by two trustees — Terrance O Noble and Bette A Noble — both of whom serve without compensation. The foundation operates with zero staff and minimal overhead, directing over 91% of its expenses to charitable disbursements. This is a preselected-only funder: it does not accept unsolicited grant requests. Organizations seeking support must cultivate a relationship with the Noble family or be identified through the trustees' personal philanthropic networks. The foundation's revenue comes from a diversified investment portfolio including asset sales (39%), dividends (23%), contributions (28%), and other income sources.

The foundation's grantmaking has fluctuated significantly over its history. In FY2019, it disbursed an extraordinary $4.4 million, while FY2022 saw a low of just $6,247. More recently, the foundation has stabilized its giving:

• FY2024: $961,600 in grants for general charitable purposes
• FY2023: $908,900 in grants for general charitable purposes
• FY2022: $636,000 in grants for general charitable purposes

All grants are described as supporting "general charitable purposes" in IRS filings, with specific recipients listed only in PDF attachments to the 990-PF (not available in electronic datasets). The foundation's focus areas span education, health, and human services, primarily serving organizations in the Albany, NY area and New York State. The typical grant range is $636,000–$961,600, with the foundation making a small number of large awards rather than many small ones.

Compared to Albany-area peers, the Noble Foundation is distinctive in its very large individual grant sizes and its strict preselected-only policy. While the Bender Family Foundation makes numerous small grants ($5K–$15K), the Noble Foundation concentrates its giving in a few large disbursements annually.

Since the Terrance And Bette Noble Foundation explicitly states it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations, traditional grant applications are not accepted. However, organizations seeking to be considered should:

1. Build community visibility in Albany: The trustees are based in Albany, NY, and their giving focuses on the local area. Organizations with a strong Albany presence in education, health, or human services are most likely to align with the foundation's interests. 2. Network through Albany philanthropic circles: With only two trustees and no staff, funding decisions are highly personal. Engagement through local nonprofit networks, community events, and mutual connections may create pathways to consideration. 3. Focus on substantial, impactful programs: The foundation's grant sizes ($636K–$962K) suggest a preference for organizations with significant operational scale and demonstrated community impact, not small or early-stage nonprofits. 4. Demonstrate alignment with broad charitable purposes: While filings list "general charitable purposes," the foundation's NTEE classification and patterns suggest education, health, and human services are the core areas. 5. Monitor IRS filings for recipient patterns: Reviewing the foundation's 990-PF PDF attachments (available through ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer) may reveal specific past recipients, which can help identify the types of organizations the trustees prefer to support.