Raleigh Family Foundation Gives Record Amount to the Outdoors, Education, and more

The Jandy Ammons Foundation gives $634,000 to 18 N.C. organizations

Raleigh, NC – February 2025 – From public trails statewide to critical infrastructure and education in the capital city, the latest round of grant funding from The Jandy Ammons Foundation (TJAF) strengthens communities across North Carolina. The local family foundation is giving $634,000 to 18 nonprofits. Funds directly support outdoor and wildlife conservation, such as trails and signage; public education, from a safety course to educator equipment; public and community art, including installations, theatre, and forging; and hunger relief.  This is the foundation’s thirteenth — and largest — year of giving, bringing total grant dollars to $4.1million.

“As our grant dollars grow, so does our ability to give to every aspect of TJAF’s mission,” says Andy Ammons, co-founder. “Many of these organizations are creatively collaborating across sectors. We’re glad to help them move into implementation.”  

Andy and his wife, Jan Ammons, created TJAF 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:

  • Burning Coal Theatre Company (Raleigh), $50,000, cyclorama in the theatre 
  • Catawba Land Conservancy (Charlotte), $50,000, art and signage at Spencer Mountain 
  • CORRAL Riding Academy (Raleigh), $25,000, horse shelters and signage
  • Dix Park Conservancy (Raleigh), $50,000, informational signage for the Troll Family
  • Elkin Vallely Trails Association (Elkin), $50,000, trails at Elkin Creek Headwaters Preserve
  • N.C. Botanical Garden Foundation (Chapel Hill), $60,000, outdoor classroom structure
  • N.C. Coastal Federation (Newport), $30,000, displays at Ctr. for Coastal Protection & Restoration
  • N.C. Coastal Land Trust (Wilmington), $36,000, trail boardwalk at Sandfield Preserve
  • N.C. Wildlife Federation (statewide), $34,500, prairie restoration at Yates Mill Park
  • N.C. Museum of Art Foundation (Raleigh), $30,000, museum park bioswale enhancement 
  • Poe Center for Health Education (Raleigh), $27,000, traffic safety course
  • Raleigh City Farm (Raleigh), $35,000, farm-wide infrastructure
  • Pitstop for the Birds (Raleigh), $20,000, “Adopt a Pitstop” at Walnut Creek Wetland Park
  • Shop Space (Raleigh), $10,000, tools
  • Seawell Elementary School PTA (Chapel Hill), $1,000, garden shed
  • Transitions LifeCare (Raleigh), $50,000, children’s playground
  • WakeEd Partnership (Raleigh), $50,000, Tools4School infrastructure improvements
  • With Love From Jesus (Raleigh), $25,000, food pantry loading dock upgrades

“We are humbled to announce that this is the most amount of grant dollars we’ve ever deployed for the second year in a row,” says Jan Ammons, TJAF co-founder and president. “We are building deeper connections with many of these organizations year after year.”

TJAF issues grants annually and Letters of Inquiry for 2027 funds are accepted through February 13, 2026. For more information about the grant proposal process, please visit our website.

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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 Wake County 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.