How Nonprofits Spend Money in North Carolina

Nonprofit spending analysis for North Carolina: 85% goes to programs, 11% to administration, 4% to fundraising. Based on 618 organizations.

9,994Total Nonprofits
618Report Spending
85%Avg Programs
11%Avg Admin
4%Avg Fundraising
$121.9BTotal Revenue
85% Programs
11% Admin
4% Fund

Spending Analysis

Among 9,994 nonprofits in North Carolina, 618 report detailed spending breakdowns. On average, 85% of expenses go directly to charitable programs, 11% to administrative costs, and 4% to fundraising activities.

North Carolina nonprofits demonstrate strong program efficiency, with the average organization directing 85% of spending to programs — above the widely-cited 75% benchmark used by charity watchdog organizations.

The 618 organizations collectively manage $121.9B in revenue and $298.8B in assets, making spending efficiency a critical metric for the charitable sector in North Carolina.

Most Efficient Nonprofits in North Carolina

#OrganizationProgram %RevenueScore
1National Spinning Co Inc Welfare Benefit Trust100%$085/100
2Angier B Duke Memorial Inc Term100%$2.0M95/100
3Bank Of America Charitable Foundation Inc100%$218.8M98/100
4Uncw Corporation100%$4.1M70/100
5Jeremy Elliott Scholarship Foundation100%$710K95/100
6Davie County Public Facilitiesfinancing Corporation100%$841K85/100
7Rust Family Foundation100%$4.5M30/100
8Washington University Rmsa Plan University Contribution Tr100%$2.4M95/100
9Holly Springs High School Band Boosters95%$309K98/100
10Dare County Boat Builders Foundation95%$614K95/100
11Mary Duke Biddle Foundation95%$3.8M92/100
12William R Kenan Jr Charitable Trust95%$134.2M95/100
13Davie High Athletic Boosters Association Inc95%$198K92/100
14Asia Harvest95%$5.5M95/100
15Housing Consultants Group95%$527K85/100
16Ed Fitts Charitable Foundation95%$6.9M90/100
17Greg And India Keith Foundation95%$11.3M95/100
18Carolina Dealerships Inc Welfare Benefit Trust95%$30.1M85/100
19Porter Ridge High School Athletic Booster Club Inc95%$292K90/100
20Aldert Root Elementary Educational Foundation95%$326K90/100
21Roseland Volunteer Fire Department95%$214K95/100
22Trinity Children Inc95%$360K85/100
23George And Sarah Buchanan Foundation95%$7.3M90/100
24Rudisill Family Foundation95%$5.5M92/100
25The Wallace Family Foundation Inc95%$389K90/100
26Equip Inc92%$2.8M85/100
27Robert Haywood Morrison Foundation90%$3.5M85/100
28Dare County Education Foundation Inc90%$601K92/100
29Paws For Life Nc90%$424K92/100
30Childrens Hope Alliance90%$23.5M95/100
31Edward M Armfield Sr Civic And Recreation Inc90%$543K85/100
32Cypress Landing Marina Association90%$907K95/100
33My Fathers Storehouse90%$1.9M92/100
34Puppy Creek Fire Department Inc90%$1.7M92/100
35Hope Academy Gso Inc90%$2.4M95/100
36Propst Cross Roads Volunteer Fire Department 590%$433K92/100
37Community Housing Coalition Of Madison County Inc90%$3.5M92/100
38Luddy Charitable Foundation90%$46.6M85/100
39Pineville Community Athletic Association90%$230K92/100
40Swain Community Education Foundation Inc90%$256K85/100
41North Carolina School Counselors Association90%$271K92/100
42Paws Ability90%$289K92/100
43Gallant Family Foundation Inc90%$1.1M92/100
44Richard Hampton Jenrette Foundation90%$8.9M90/100
45Rose Family Foundation90%$1.2M85/100
46History Museum Of Burke County Inc90%$628K90/100
47Cumberland Community Development Center Incorporated90%$1.6M90/100
48Lee County Educational Foundation90%$944K95/100
49Amateur Athletic Union Of The United States90%$203K92/100
50Ellenboro Volunteer Fire Department Inc90%$790K92/100

Least Efficient Nonprofits in North Carolina

#OrganizationProgram %Revenue
1U S P S Educational Fund10%$1.2M
2Boyd Works Foundation Inc70%$283K
3American Institute Of Certified Public Accountants70%$252.9M
4Alabama Nonprofit Housing Inc70%$1.6M
5Lamaze International70%$1.2M
6Midgard Foundation70%$76K
7Greater Praise Tabernacle International Fellowship Ministrie70%$202K
8The James G Martin Center For Academic Renewal70%$808K
9Surgical Review Corporation70%$5.8M
10Lutheran Home Albemarle Property70%$414K
11Lutheran Home At Trinity Oaks Property Inc70%$780K
12Southern Atlantic Healthcare Alliance70%$598K
13Hopewell Academy Inc70%$830K
14Insurance Federation Of North Carolina Inc70%$300K
15Goler Place Inc70%$532K
16Farmers Outreach Solutions Inc70%$717K
17North Carolina Center For Automotive Research Inc70%$716K
18Kappa Sigma Fraternity70%$267K
19L I F E Skills Foundation70%$337K
20Patriot Charities70%$0

Related Analysis

Frequently Asked Questions

How do North Carolina nonprofits spend their money?

On average, North Carolina nonprofits spend 85% on programs, 11% on administration, and 4% on fundraising. This is based on IRS 990 data from 618 organizations.

What is a good program expense ratio?

Most charity evaluators consider 75% or higher to be a strong program expense ratio. In North Carolina, the average is 85%.

How can I find the most efficient nonprofits?

The table above ranks North Carolina nonprofits by program spending percentage. You can also use our Rankings page to find the most efficient organizations nationally or by state.