Raleigh Family Foundation Gives Record Amount to Art, the Outdoors, and more
The Jandy Ammons Foundation gives $595,000 to 18 local organizations
Raleigh, NC – January 2025 – Community building comes in many forms: a family museum trip, a hot meal with someone in need, the moment of respite art can provide, working together to reduce local litter or build a nearby trail, enjoying those trails with neighbors. Communities across North Carolina will strengthen in diverse ways thanks to the latest round of funding from The Jandy Ammons Foundation (TJAF). The local family foundation is giving $595,000 to 18 nonprofits; the groups have plans for informational signage, large-scale art, climate education, theatre education, invasive species management, trail improvements, museum accessibility updates, and more. This is the foundation’s twelfth — and largest — year of giving, bringing total grant dollars to $3.5million.
“We are humbled and thrilled to say this is the most amount of grant dollars we’ve ever deployed,” says Jan Ammons, TJAF co-founder and president. “This is our largest group of grant recipients, too. It’s exciting to cast a wider net of impact.”
Jan is a lifelong community volunteer who spent years working on behalf of the public school system, public parks and trails efforts, and church missions. She and her husband, Andy Ammons, created The Jandy Ammons Foundation to support the kinds of initiatives they’ve given time to as community volunteers, parents, and church members — tangible, lasting projects that blend learning with the environment, the arts, and faith-based perspectives.
This year’s grants will fund:
• Activate Good (Raleigh), art in public schools
• A Place at the Table (Raleigh), support vehicle for the cafe’s food truck
• Cape Fear River Watch (Wilmington), aquatic litter reduction devices
• Dix Park Conservancy (Raleigh), visitor center display
• Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail (statewide), trail improvements in Roseboro
• Friends of Jockey’s Ridge (Nags Head), education signs along new boardwalk
• Museum of Life & Science (Durham), Climate and Sustainability Plaza
• Museum of Coastal Carolina (Ocean Isle Beach), accessibility improvements
• Nature Conservancy of NC (statewide), trail repair and updates at Nags Head Woods Preserve
• North Carolina Museum of Art Foundation (Raleigh), invasive species management outdoors
• NC Zoo (Asheboro), art installation in the new Asia exhibit complex
• Raleigh Land Trust (Raleigh), courtyard art at new affordable housing development
• Raleigh Little Theatre (Raleigh), education space upfits
• Small School (Raleigh), bike repair space + community hub
• Triangle Land Conservancy (Raleigh), agriculture pavilion at Williamson Preserve
• Tammy Lynn Center (Raleigh), art in new intermediate care facility
• Wake Forest Boys & Girls Club (Wake Forest), gym floor renovation
• YMCA Camp Kanata (Wake Forest), 2 new cabins
“We are always energized by the creativity groups bring to the table,” says Andy. “Our goal is to help them move from the planning phase into implementation. This year’s grants support many different facets of our community.”
TJAF issues grants annually and Letters of Inquiry for 2026 funds are being accepted through February 14, 2025.
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About The Jandy Ammons Foundation
The Jandy Ammons Foundation (TJAF) is a 501(c)(3) grant-making family foundation formed in November 2012 by Heritage Wake Forest developer Andy Ammons and his family. The organization’s mission is to support project-driven endeavors that will enhance wildlife habitats, park settings, educational surroundings, artistic installations, or Christian church mission projects. This is achieved by funding specific projects for nonprofit organizations that utilize a significant volunteer base. TJAF is a true family foundation: Jan Ammons, Andy Ammons, and their son Drew Ammons make up the Board of Directors; the Ammons’ son, Max Ammons, and daughters-in-law, Alex Ammons and Cassie Ammons, serve on committees within. Daughter Jessie Ammons Rumbley is the executive director.
