Willowmere Foundation

The Willowmere Foundation is a Hapgood family private foundation incorporated in Delaware and administered through Foundation Source (501 Silverside Road, Wilmington). It operates entirely on a no-unsolicited-applications basis: grants are made by invitation only. This means conventional "apply and hope" strategies are categorically ineffective. The foundation is led by three officers — Gay Hapgood (President/Director), Matthew Hapgood (Treasurer/Director), and Barbara Hapgood (Secretary) — all serving without compensation, suggesting a close-knit family governance structure with personal philanthropic values driving grant decisions.

The effective approach is entirely relationship-based. Because the foundation's geographic footprint spans Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, California, Massachusetts, and Florida (a notably dispersed pattern), it appears to follow the personal networks and interests of the Hapgood family rather than a regional strategy. Prospective grantees should focus on:

1. Identifying whether they have existing connections to the Hapgood family or their professional networks in Delaware, Virginia, or the Carolinas. 2. Researching whether the foundation has previously supported organizations in their sector (animal welfare, wildlife, reproductive health, human services) through public 990 filings. 3. Positioning through intermediaries — attending sector-specific convenings (e.g., animal welfare philanthropy, reproductive health funders networks) where Hapgood family members may be present.

There is no public-facing grant portal, application form, or contact page for grantmaking. Organizations that receive invitations should respond promptly and with highly personalized proposals aligned to the family's demonstrated interests.

The Willowmere Foundation was established in 2022 (tax-exempt status granted July 2023) and has rapidly scaled its giving:

This trajectory — from a startup disbursement of under $25K to over $300K in a single year — reflects a family foundation that loaded its endowment and quickly activated grantmaking. The foundation's assets of ~$4.64M at a 2024 payout rate of approximately 6.7% (on charitable disbursements of $313K) suggests a sustainable and modestly growing program, though not aggressive drawdown.

Grant characteristics: - Stated range: $1,000–$50,000 - Median grant: approximately $5,000 (per GrantExec 990 data) - Average grant (2024): approximately $13,000 ($313K / 24 grants) - The wide spread between median ($5K) and average ($13K) indicates a barbell distribution: many small grants ($1K–$5K) alongside a smaller number of larger awards ($25K–$50K) - No multi-year commitments are documented in available filings - Revenue is entirely investment-driven (dividends, interest, asset sales) — no outside contributions — meaning grantmaking is purely endowment-funded and not subject to donor pressure

Focus areas identified from 990 data and grantee geography: Education, Human Services, Animal Welfare, Wildlife, Reproductive Health, Poverty Alleviation.

The Willowmere Foundation is most similar to small, dispersed family foundations that fund across multiple cause areas without a single anchor focus. Its combination of animal welfare + reproductive health + education is distinctive and uncommon among foundations of this size. The closest analogs are foundations like Joseph Robert (animal welfare + environment, open applications) and small family-run foundations in the Southeast that prioritize personal causes. Because Willowmere is invitation-only, it is not directly competitive with open-application funders; grantees who receive invitations face less competition than at open-application foundations of comparable size.

The foundation reached operational maturity in 2023, its first full year of grantmaking, disbursing $306,134 across 21 organizations. In 2024 it made 24 grants totaling $313,344 — a modest 2.4% increase in total giving but a 14% increase in grantee count, suggesting the foundation is broadening its portfolio rather than concentrating on fewer, larger grants.

Geographic spread in recent years spans at least nine states: Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, California, Massachusetts, Florida, New York, Vermont, Oregon, and Colorado. This strongly implies the Hapgood family has personal or professional connections across multiple regions, and that grantees are surfaced through networks rather than geographic strategy.

Sector patterns from available 990 data: - Animal welfare and rescue are consistently represented, including what appears to be wildlife-focused organizations in the Carolinas and California - Reproductive health/rights organizations appear, possibly reflecting personal values of foundation leadership - Human services and poverty alleviation recipients in Virginia and the Southeast - Education organizations, likely including youth-focused or scholarship programs

Revenue source note: In 2024, the foundation earned $165K in investment income against $338K in total expenses (including $313K in grants). This means the foundation is drawing down principal to fund its giving pace — a pattern common in newer family foundations still calibrating their sustainable payout rate.

1. Accept that unsolicited applications will not be reviewed. Unlike foundations with open grant cycles, the Willowmere Foundation exclusively invites grantees. Do not email a generic inquiry or submit an online letter of interest — these will be ignored or filtered out by Foundation Source's administrative staff.

2. Map the Hapgood family network. The foundation's dispersed geographic footprint (9+ states) indicates grants follow personal relationships. Research Gay Hapgood, Matthew Hapgood, and Barbara Hapgood on LinkedIn, in nonprofit board directories, and in local Delaware/Virginia philanthropy networks. Identify shared board memberships, event sponsorships, or organizational affiliations.

3. Target sector convenings in animal welfare and reproductive health. These are the two most distinctive focus areas and likely reflect personal family values. Organizations working in these spaces should attend national convenings — the Association for Animal Welfare Advancement, Funders for Reproductive Equity (FRE), or regional grantmaker gatherings — where family foundation officers sometimes participate as attendees, not presenters.

4. If connected, prepare a concise, values-aligned pitch. Given the family foundation structure, proposals should feel personal and values-driven rather than technocratic. Lead with mission alignment and community impact; avoid jargon-heavy logic models or overly formal grant language.

5. Aim for the $5,000–$15,000 range initially. The median grant is ~$5K and the average is ~$13K. A first-time invitation grant is likely to be in the lower tier ($1K–$10K); demonstrate impact and return for a larger ask in subsequent cycles.

6. Document your outcomes quantitatively. For animal welfare grantees, metrics like animals rescued, adopted, spayed/neutered, or treated resonate strongly. For reproductive health organizations, service counts, access metrics, and policy wins matter. The foundation's size suggests leadership is personally reading proposals and cares about real-world outcomes.

7. Be patient — this is a long-horizon relationship play. The Willowmere Foundation is only 3 years old and still building its grantee network. Organizations that establish early relationships with the Hapgood family now are positioning themselves for multi-year engagement as the foundation matures and likely increases its grantmaking.