The Broyhill Family Foundation: Founded on Free Enterprise Principles

History
The Broyhill Family Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) private charitable foundation based in Lenoir which was founded on the free market principles that were personified by James T. (Jim) Broyhill of North Carolina, who gained prominence as a US Representative (1963-1986), US Senator (1986), and NC Secretary of Economic Development (1989-1991).

Jim Broyhill is the eldest son of the late James Edgar Broyhill. He worked in his father’s furniture factories from 1935-1962, becoming active in civic affairs before and finally running for the US House in 1962. After serving for twelve terms in the Congress, Broyhill was praised during a fundraising visit by the late President Ronald Reagan in 1986 for supporting the President's efforts revamp and overhaul the Federal tax code. In supporting Republican Broyhill’s candidacy against Democratic challenger Terry Sanford, Reagan likened the race to television reruns. “Believe me, when it comes to reruns, ‘Bedtime for Bonzo’ is better than tax time for Terry,” he said. Nevertheless, Broyhill lost to Sanford by a narrow margin.

While the Broyhill Family Foundation doesn’t publicly list its mission, its primary areas of interest include the arts, education, civic involvement, religious concerns, health care, indigent services, youth development, parks & recreation, and public policy advocacy.

Background
The Board of Directors of the Broyhill Family Foundation consists primarily of members of the Broyhill family, though Jim Broyhill does not serve on the Board. No compensation is paid to any board member, and all are listed at the address of Broyhill Investments in Lenoir, where the Foundation is headquartered:

• Paul Broyhill, Broyhill Family Foundation chairman and Broyhill Investments CEO who once served as chairman of Broyhill Furniture Industries. Broyhill gives generously to Republican political candidates and to the Republican National Committee.
• Hunt Broyhill, who serves as President, has vast interests in the banking, real estate, and timber resources industries. He also has a history of contributing to Republican candidates.
• B. Claire Broyhill contributes primarily to Republican candidates.
• D. Eugene Hendricks
• Carol Frye serves as Secretary-Treasurer
• Sheila Triplett Brady serves as Executive Director

According to the Grantsmanship Center, the Broyhill Family Foundation was the 34th largest grant maker in North Carolina for the fiscal year end 2006 – the last year for which data is publicly available. The Broyhill Family Foundation issued grants in 2006 spread among eleven areas of philanthropy.

The Broyhill Family Foundation holds a diverse portfolio, and most revenues come from the sale of assets and from other investment income. During 2006, the Foundation spent $738,804 on operating and administrative expenses, which equates to 7.64% of their $9,669,400 in total revenue.

Profile of Giving
In 2006, the Broyhill Family Foundation made 262 grants totaling $1,740,941.16, including:

• Contributions to arts & museums, including $100,000 for the Blowing Rock Community Center Arts Foundation, totaling $186,850
• Civic contributions, including $3,000 for the Broyhill Caldwell Senior Center, totaling $47,125
• Churches and religious organizations, including $68,256.90 for the First Baptist Church Organ Fund, totaling $107,336.90
• Colleges, schools, & universities, including $20,000 for the Independent College Fund of NC, totaling $747,318.26
• “Free enterprise” public policy groups, mostly leaning to the right, totaling $50,425
• Health & hospitals, including $25,000 for the Cleveland Clinic, totaling $233,295
• Indigent services, including $4,500 for the Lenoir Soup Kitchen, totaling $31,750
• Miscellaneous non-categorized organizations, including $20,000 for the North American Land Trust, totaling $34,475
• Scholarships, including $500 to the ABWA Caldwell Charter Chapter, totaling $6,810
• Youth development programs, including $24,650 for the Boy Scouts/Piedmont Council, totaling $251,630
• Parks and recreation programs, including $1,000 for the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, totaling $43,926

Potential Conflicts
Several corporations which are owned or managed, at least in part, by Hunt Broyhill may enjoy income from the asset management and investments of the Foundation. The organization reported Broyhill Investments, Inc., which received $269,774 from the Foundation for the year ended 2006, as its largest “independent contractor.”

Foundation Assets
For the year ended December 31, 2006, the Broyhill Family Foundation reported assets totaling $50,022,534, much of it in real estate.

Foundation Staff
The Foundation maintains its records within the offices of the Broyhill Investments in Lenoir, with no dedicated Foundation staff.

Grant Cycles
There are no set grant cycles for application to the Broyhill Family Foundation. The organization only accepts written proposals from 501 (c)(3) charitable organizations and prefers to award grants to Caldwell County (and surrounding area) groups. According to executive director Sheila Triplett-Brady, the Broyhill Family Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant proposals.

Summary
Though little information is readily available, the Broyhill Family Foundation has grown to become a major player among North Carolina’s grant-making organizations, making total contributions in 2006 of $1,740,941.16. While the Foundation is no longer driven primarily by the promotion of a free enterprise agenda, it still plays a significant role in the public policy arena on both the state and national levels.

In September of 2008, the Foundation teamed up with the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation and a number of corporate contributors to support a “Rally the Vote” event through the Girl Scouts organization – an interesting choice, since Girl Scouts aren’t old enough to vote. Event brochures stated that attendees would “hear from gubernatorial candidates, learn about NC Politics, and gear up to encourage others to vote.”

Sampling of Grant Activity per 2006 reporting:

American Furniture Hall of Fame	$1,000
Blowing Rock Community Arts Center Foundation	$100,000
J.E. Broyhill Civic Center	$10,000
Broyhill Caldwell Senior Center	$3,000
Western Piedmont Symphony	$8,500
Mt. Vernon Ladies Association	$1,000
Lenoir Police Department	$6,400
Cleveland Clinic	$25,000
United Way of Caldwell County	$12,000
Billy Graham Evangelistic Association	$9,000
First Baptist Church (Organ Fund)	$68,256.90
ASU Foundation - Teaching Center at CCC8	$300,000
Caldwell Community College Foundation	$7,570
Gardner-Webb University	$2,675
Independent College Fund of NC	$20,000
Lenoir Soup Kitchen	$4,500
ABWA Caldwell Charter Chapter	$500
Boy Scouts/Piedmont Council	$24,650
American Conservative Union	$1,000
Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW)	$1,000
Bill of Rights Institute	$1,000
Tax Foundation	$2,000
Jesse Helms Center	$1,000
John Locke Foundation	$5,000
NC Center for Public Policy Research	$1,000
American Heart Association	$1,030
Medical Foundation of UNC	$60,000
Watauga Medical Center	$30,000
NC Rhododendron Queen Scholarship	$2,000
Boy Scouts/Piedmont Council	$24,650

Broyhill Family Foundation grants per 2006 IRS 990: 262 grants totaling $1,740,941

Contact Information
Sheila Triplett-Brady, Executive Director
P.O. Box 500, Golfview Park
Lenoir, NC 28645-0472
Phone: 828–758-6100