Skip to content
The Fred and Sandy Mesch Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

The Fred and Sandy Mesch Foundation

Its FY2024 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$872k
Granted FY2024still arriving
15
Grants FY2024still arriving
6
States reached
$500k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0197% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2024.

Religion$2.5MEducation$521kRecreation & Sports$251kHealth$185kPublic Safety & Disaster$40kAnimals$6kArts & Culture$5kYouth Development$3kOther$0
02FY2024 · 15 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • Under $10k6 grants · $25k
  • $10k–50k6 grants · $137k
  • $50k–250k2 grants · $210k
  • $250k+1 grant · $500k
$10,000
Median grant
6
States reached
$731k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
HOPE PRISON MINISTRIES$500,000
ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL SCHOOL$160,000
METROPLEX WOMEN'S CLINIC$50,000
DALLAS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY$42,000
GRACE TO YOU$30,000
TURN-KEY MINISTRIES$25,000
CHRIST CHAPEL$20,000
SEARCH MINISTRIES$10,000
PRAGER UNIVERSITY$10,000
ANSWERS IN GENESIS$5,000
MOUNT HERMON$5,000
TRUTH FOR LIFE$5,000
HILLSDALE COLLEGE$5,000
CHILDREN'S HEALTH DEFENSE$2,591
FORT WORTH STOCK SHOW SYNDICATE$2,500
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Dollar for dollar, its grants (FY17–24) land where the poverty rate runs at 11%, against an area that typically sits at 11%. 3% of its dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Its grants skew toward lower-need ZIPs.

area typical 11%SAFARI CLUB INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATIO: $5k → 15%MOUNT HERMON: $5k → 13%PRAGER UNIVERSITY: $10k → 14%HILLSDALE COLLEGE: $5k → 14%ATHEY CREEK: $10k → 8%SUMMIT MINISTRIES: $11k → 9%TRUTH FOR LIFE: $5k → 17%ANSWERS IN GENESIS: $5k → 7%PRAGER UNIVERSITY: $10k → 14%ATHEY CREEK: $10k → 8%PRAGER UNIVERSITY: $10k → 14%PRAGER UNIVERSITY: $10k → 14%PRAGER UNIVERSITY: $8k → 14%PRAGER UNIVERSITY: $5k → 14%TURN-KEY MINISTRIES: $20k → 11%TURN-KEY MINISTRIES: $20k → 11%TURN-KEY MINISTRIES: $10k → 11%TURN-KEY MINISTRIES: $75k → 11%TURN-KEY MINISTRIES: $75k → 11%TURN-KEY MINISTRIES: $50k → 11%TURN-KEY MINISTRIES: $25k → 11%TURN-KEY MINISTRIES: $25k → 11%METROPLEX WOMEN'S CLINIC: $50k → 11%METROPLEX WOMEN'S CLINIC: $25k → 11%METROPLEX WOMEN'S CLINIC: $25k → 11%METROPLEX WOMEN'S CLINIC: $25k → 11%METROPLEX WOMEN'S CLINIC: $25k → 11%METROPLEX WOMEN'S CLINIC: $25k → 11%ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL SCHOOL: $160k → 11%ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL SCHOOL: $60k → 11%ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL SCHOOL: $60k → 11%ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL SCHOOL: $35k → 11%ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL SCHOOL: $35k → 11%ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL SCHOOL: $25k → 11%ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL SCHOOL: $10k → 11%ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL SCHOOL: $10k → 11%HOPE PRISON MINISTRIES: $500k → 11%HOPE PRISON MINISTRIES: $340k → 11%CHRIST CHAPEL BIBLE CHURCH: $270k → 11%CHRIST CHAPEL BIBLE CHURCH: $170k → 11%CHRIST CHAPEL BIBLE CHURCH: $170k → 11%CHRIST CHAPEL BIBLE CHURCH: $110k → 11%CHRIST CHAPEL BIBLE CHURCH: $90k → 11%CHRIST CHAPEL BIBLE CHURCH: $60k → 11%CHRIST CHAPEL: $20k → 11%SEARCH MINISTRIES: $20k → 11%SEARCH MINISTRIES: $10k → 11%SEARCH MINISTRIES: $10k → 11%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.

Which US states its grants reach

MN
MI
OR
OH
NJ
CA
CO
KY
AZ
TN
DC
OK
GA
TX
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

91%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$3.2M · 16 repeat orgs$300k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +39% since the first grant, against +14% for those funded once.

16 repeat relationships: 11 still active in FY2024, 5 since wound down; 3 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

16
19

Total granted

$3.2M
$289k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+39%
+14%

Still filing today

56%
79%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 99% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $10k went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
ReligionEducationHealthYouth DevelopmentPublic Safety & DisasterArts & CultureOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • HP
    HOPE PRISON MINISTRIES INC
    2× · 2023–2024 · $840k · revenue +43% · 43% of their budget
  • DT
    Dallas Theological Seminary
    5× · 2020–2024 · $291k · revenue +39%
  • AP
    ARLINGTON PREGNANCY CENTER INC
    6× · 2019–2024 · $175k · revenue +112%

Funded once

  • DP
    DREAM PARK
    one grant, 2018 · $251k · revenue -99%
  • SM
    SUMMIT MINISTRIES INC
    one grant, 2022 · $11k · revenue +22%
  • SC
    SAFARI CLUB INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATIONgraduated
    one grant, 2019 · $5k · revenue +191%
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Dallas International University

As a christian university, we provide education and research opportunities preparing global leaders to partner with local communities.

Education
2
Evangel University

Evangel is a comprehensive christian university that is committed to excellence in educating and equipping students to become spirit empowered servants of god who will impact the church and society globally.

Education
3
Criswell College

The mission of criswell college is to provide ministerial and professional higher education for men and women preparing to serve as christian leaders throughout society, while maintaining an institutional commitment to biblical inerrancy.

Education
4
Asco Association

Asco association promotes the common business interests of its members by: (1) advocating for policies that improve the quality of cancer care; (2) maintaining the highest standards of oncology medical care through programs supporting…

Community Improvement
5
American Association for the Advancement of Science

Advance science, engineering, and innovation throughout the world for the benefit of all. the world's largest multidisciplinary scientific society and a leading publisher of cutting-edge research through its science family of journals,…

Science & Tech
6
American Law Institute

The institute's mission, as set out in its certificate of incorporation, is to promote the clarification and simplification of the law and its better adaptation to social needs, to secure the better administration of justice, and to…

Crime & Legal
7
American Society of Clinical Oncology Inc

See schedule o:asco is a professional oncology society committed to conquering cancer through research, education, and promotion of the highest quality patient care.

Health
8
Global Scholars

Global scholars exists so that christian academics are adequately equipped to have a redemptive influence among their students, colleagues, universities and disciplines, at a reasonable cost.

—
9
South Texas College of Law Houston Inc

South texas college of law houston provides a diverse body of students the opportunity to obtain an exceptional legal education, preparing graduates to serve their community and profession with distinction.

Education
10
United States Naval Institute

Provide an independent forum for those who dare to read, think, speak, and write to advance the professional, literary, and scientific understanding of sea power and other issues critical to global security.

—
11
Fort Worth Country Day School Inc

The mission of fort worth country day school is to foster the intellectual, physical, emotional and ethical development of capable students through an academically rigorous college preparatory program that integrates the arts and athletics.

Education
12
Aacsb International - the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business

Aacsb international provides quality assurance of business school programs, the latest in business education intelligence, thought leadership, and learning and development services.

Education
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Judicial Watch Inc; the most unlike its peers is Turnkey Outreach. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

27 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 27 of the 39 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

2
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
3
Early backer (in before they grew)
27/27
Grantees still filing
18/27
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

CHRIST CHAPEL BIBLE CHURCH: $890,000 · OtherCHRIST CHAPEL BIBLE CHURCHALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL SCHOOL: $395,000 · OtherALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL SCHOOLGRACE TO YOU: $60,000 · OtherPRAGER UNIVERSITY: $52,500 · Other+17 more: $141,049 · Other+17 moreHOPE PRISON MINISTRIES INC: $840,000 · ReligionHOPE PRISON MINISTRIES INCTURNKEY OUTREACH: $300,000 · ReligionTURNKEY OUTREACH+4 more: $16,132 · ReligionDallas Theological Seminary: $291,100 · EducationDallas The…HILLSDALE COLLEGE: $13,500 · EducationTRINITY VALLEY SCHOOL: $11,750 · Education+2 more: $3,500 · EducationDREAM PARK: $250,600 · Human ServicesARLINGTON PREGNANCY CENTER INC: $175,000 · Health+3 more: $4,000 · HealthMORGAN MILL VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPT INC: $40,000 · Public Safety & DisasterSAFARI CLUB INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION: $5,000 · Animals
Other$1,538,549Religion$1,156,132Education$319,850Human Services$250,600Health$179,000Public Safety & Disaster$40,000Animals$5,000

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetHOPE PRISON MINISTRIES INC: $840,000 over 2y, 43% of budgetTURNKEY OUTREACH: $300,000 over 8y, 94% of budgetDallas Theological Seminary: $291,100 over 5y, 0.2% of budgetDREAM PARK: $250,600 over 1y, 14% of budgetARLINGTON PREGNANCY CENTER INC: $175,000 over 6y, 1.7% of budgetMORGAN MILL VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPT INC: $40,000 over 7y, 8.2% of budgetHILLSDALE COLLEGE: $13,500 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetTRINITY VALLEY SCHOOL: $11,750 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetSUMMIT MINISTRIES INC: $11,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetANSWERS IN GENESIS INC: $8,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetTRUTH FOR LIFE: $6,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetSAFARI CLUB INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetCHILDREN'S HEALTH DEFENSE: $2,591 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetFORT WORTH STOCK SHOW SYNDICATE: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSOUTHWEST CHRISTIAN SCHOOL INC: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetAcoustic Neuroma Association: $2,500 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetJUDICIAL WATCH INC: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetST BALDRICK'S FOUNDATION INC: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSINACA STUDIOS - SCHOOL OF GLASS AND GALLERY: $2,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetICONNECT INTERNATIONAL: $1,132 over 2y, 0.4% of budgetGREEN OAKS EDUCATION AND SUPPORT INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetMCCULLOUGH FOUNDATION: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetLADIES AUXILIARY OF ARLINGTON INC: $500 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetGATHER MINISTRIES INC: $500 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetAMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY INC: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSHERIFFS ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS: $250 over 1y, 0.0% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Community Foundation …The Roach Foundation …Communities Foundatio…Bnsf Railway Foundati…Reilly Family Foundat…Raymond James Charita…American Gift FundVerizon FoundationT Rowe Price Program …Texas Instruments Fou…Natl Christian Charit…The US Charitable Gif…
Community Foundation of North Texas (TaxTX20.5× affinity8 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Community Foundation of North Texas (Tax · The Roach Foundation Inc · Communities Foundation of Texas Inc · Bnsf Railway Foundation · Reilly Family Foundation · Raymond James Charitable Endowment Fund · American Gift Fund · Verizon Foundation · T Rowe Price Program for Charitable Giving Inc · Texas Instruments Foundation · Natl Christian Charitable Fdn Inc · The US Charitable Gift Trust

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization The Fred and Sandy Mesch Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from The Fred and Sandy Mesch Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 10%6%25%56%100%funder's share of their income ↑0%6%13%19%25%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    1get no government money at all
    5report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–25%
    typical government reliance, FY20–25
    How this is measured
    Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.

    On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 39 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

    How this is measured
    Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

    Generated from the IRS Form 990-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2024, released 2024. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Fred and Sandy Mesch’s filings →

    More from the funding graph

    The unnamed billions
    grants reported with no recipient in the public record
    The regranting layer
    51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
    The DAF merry-go-round
    $9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
    The endowment market
    who holds foundation money, and what just moved
    The camps
    funders cluster by geography, not ideology
    By state
    where grant money is based, and what stays home