AJ Fletcher Foundation

Let's fix it together!

History

A.J. Fletcher The A. J. Fletcher Foundation was established through the generosity of the late Alfred Johnston Fletcher (1887-1979). Mr. Fletcher's original objective was to provide annual operating support for Grass Roots Opera, one of his numerous civic and artistic endeavors. Created in 1948, Grass Roots Opera evolved into The National Opera Company and later The Fletcher School of Performing Arts.

Growth and expansion

The foundation was originally a quiet, relatively unknown supporter of opera performances and education, various musical institutions and scholarships in area colleges until fairly recently. In 1986, the foundation was a major beneficiary of the sale of Southern Life Insurance Company, an organization Mr. Fletcher had helped form.

With the foundation's assets more than doubling as a result of the sale, the board committed significant support to symphony orchestras, opera companies, colleges, universities and other arts institutions.

The foundation began to broaden its focus to other pressing issues, including education, poverty programs and statewide service organizations. It also took significant steps to provide seed money for new and emerging nonprofits, and to support development programs for nonprofits.

With significant new resources, the foundation increased funding for opera and broadened its support into a wider range of charitable endeavors. These new areas reflected the concerns of the foundation board and Jim and Barbara Goodmon. New areas the foundation addressed included human services, illiteracy and the health and well-being of children.

Today, the Foundation supports the Fletcher Academy, School of Achievement, Inc., a private, nonprofit school dedicated to children with learning differences, and other public charities located in North Carolina or serving North Carolina residents that have as one of their purposes the care or support of the elderly, infirm or indigent, the promotion of education, artistic endeavors, communication arts or public recreation or the fostering of religious faith.

In 1997, the foundation helped purchase and renovate the historic Briggs Hardware Building in downtown Raleigh. Completed in 1874, the building was the city's tallest for many years and, by the 1990's, had become the city's oldest extant commercial structure.

Deteriorating and facing possible demolition, the Briggs Building seemed an unlikely candidate for a nonprofit business center. Nevertheless, through an equity partnership with Preservation North Carolina, the foundation acquired and completely reconstructed this important community landmark. In the process, it created a home for itself and several nonprofits, including Preservation North Carolina, the Raleigh City Museum.

The foundation in 2000 purchased the 1911 Boylan-Pearce department store building adjacent to Briggs, and plans to make office or retail space there available to other nonprofits.