A Wilmington family foundation created by PPD founder Fred Eshelman and his daughter Kimberly Eshelman Batten recently awarded $250,000 in grants to 12 nonprofit organizations.

The Eshelman Foundation has increased its total grant amount during the past two grant cycles giving $260,000 in fall 2011 and $250,000 this spring. Previously, grants totaled between $100,000 and $200,000 for the organization that was first formed in 2008.

The majority of the funds come from the Eshelman family.

“We’re under very strict rules as to how we raise money other than family money,” Fred Eshelman said in an interview last fall. “So if it’s a good year, we can put in more than bad years.”

PPD was sold in December for $3.9 billion in cash to affiliates of The Carlyle Group and Hellman & Friedman. According to PPD filings, Fred Eshelman received about $6.7 million in compensation from the transaction.

The Eshelman Foundation gives grants to nonprofit organizations working towards improving children’s health and educational needs.

The 12 organizations that received funding this spring are: Communities in Schools of Cape Fear, Communities in Schools of Brunswick County, Kids Making It, Panacea Adventures, Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina, Nourish NC, Cape Fear Volunteer Center, Welcome Home Angel, Wilmington Family YMCA, Children’s Museum of Wilmington, the National Society to Prevent Blindness-North Carolina Affiliate and Oasis NC.

The Eshelman Foundation’s fall grant application deadline is October 15, 2012.