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The Legett Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

The Legett Foundation

Its FY2024 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$13M
Granted FY2024still arriving
136
Grants FY2024still arriving
1
States reached
$2.5M
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
0199% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2020 to 2024.

Education$24MPhilanthropy$7.0MHealth$6.4MCommunity Improvement$3.5MAnimals$2.5MArts & Culture$2.1MPublic Benefit$1.6MHuman Services$1.5MOther$0
02FY2024 · 136 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • Under $10k58 grants · $187k
  • $10k–50k58 grants · $1.1M
  • $50k–250k11 grants · $1.3M
  • $250k+9 grants · $9.9M
$10,000
Median grant
1
States reached
$112M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF ABILENE$2,500,000
AMARILLO AREA FOUNDATION$2,100,000
WEST TEXAS REHABILITATION CENTER FOUNDATION$1,683,667
HARDIN-SIMMONS UNIVERSITY$1,000,000
M D ANDERSON CANCER CENTER$1,000,000
HENDRICK MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION$600,000
TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY$449,444
TEXAS TECH FOUNDATION$310,000
ABILENE RESTORATION MINISTRIES$250,000
ABILENE IMPROVEMENT CORPORATION$237,500
UNITED WAY OF ABILENE$185,000
BCFS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES$150,000
THE GLOBAL ORPHAN PROJECT$150,000
ABILENE ARTS ALLIANCE$150,000
ANGELO STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION$125,000
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:

Its human-services grants (FY20–24, $738k) land where the poverty rate runs at 14%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 76% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%GUIDE DOGS FOR THE BLIND INC: $1k → 8%FAITH CITY INC: $10k → 20%SOUTHEASTERN GUIDE DOGS INC: $15k → 10%LEARNING ALLY: $5k → 11%FAITH CITY INC: $5k → 20%LEARNING ALLY: $5k → 11%GUIDING EYES FOR THE BLIND: $1k → 9%CANADIAN COMMUNITY CENTER: $10k → 11%FAITH CITY INC: $3k → 20%SOUTHEASTERN GUIDE DOGS INC: $10k → 10%BCFS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: $150k → 16%LEARNING ALLY: $5k → 11%LEARNING ALLY: $5k → 11%COMMUNIO FOUNDATION: $100k → 6%COMMUNIO FOUNDATION: $25k → 6%COMMUNIO FOUNDATION: $13k → 6%COMMUNIO FOUNDATION: $10k → 6%DELIVERFUND: $10k → 14%ALLIANCE FOR WOMEN & CHILDREN: $50k → 22%FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL: $5k → 14%FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL: $5k → 14%PINK CAP WARRIORS ON THE MOVE: $5k → 16%BEN RICHEY BOYS RANCH: $3k → 16%BEN RICHEY BOYS RANCH: $3k → 16%LUTHERAN SOCIAL SERVICES OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL AREA INC: $15k → 14%ALLIANCE FOR WOMEN & CHILDREN: $13k → 22%DISABILITY RESOURCES INC: $10k → 22%CHRISTIAN SERVICE CENTER OF ABILENE INC: $5k → 16%BCFS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: $100k → 16%DISABILITY RESOURCES INC: $2k → 22%ADVOCATES FOR CAMP ABLE: $90k → 16%ADVOCATES FOR CAMP ABLE: $50k → 16%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

WA
IL
MI
NY
MA
IN
PA
NJ
CA
CO
KY
VA
MD
DE
AR
NC
DC
OK
AL
GA
TX
FL
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.
04

Where the work is directed

The same grants placed two ways: where each recipient sits, and where its stated purpose sends the money.

About 18% of The Legett Foundation’s grant dollars are earmarked for a different county than the recipient’s own address. By recipient address, 96% of the giving stays in TX; by stated purpose, 85%.

The Legett Foundationlessmore of its giving
Placed by recipient address · 2.1% directed abroad (not shown)
How this is measured
Recipient view: each grant at its grantee’s ZIP, mapped to a county. Directed view: each grant at the county its stated purpose names, falling back to the recipient’s county when the purpose names no place; US grants only. A county shows only if it carries the top 95% of that view’s dollars. Purposes are read from the funder’s own 990 grant descriptions.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

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

82%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$39M · 152 repeat orgs$8.5M to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +27% since the first grant, against +21% for those funded once.

152 repeat relationships: 61 still active in FY2024, 91 since wound down; 65 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

152
116

Total granted

$39M
$5.2M

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+27%
+21%

Still filing today

80%
73%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 59% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $3.3M went to new ones.

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

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

’20’21’22’23’24
Arts & CultureEducationHuman ServicesHealthPublic BenefitCommunity ImprovementOther
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

  • TC
    TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
    5× · 2020–2024 · $8.5M · revenue +40%
  • TT
    TEXAS TECH FOUNDATION INC
    4× · 2021–2024 · $2.7M · revenue +68%
  • AZ
    Abilene Zoological Society
    4× · 2021–2024 · $1.5M · revenue +18% · 38% of their budget

Funded once

  • WT
    WEST TEXAS A&M UNIV FOUNDATION
    one grant, 2022 · $910k · revenue -40%
  • TG
    THE GEORGE W BUSH FOUNDATION
    one grant, 2020 · $750k · revenue -15%
  • IG
    Individual grant recipient
    one grant, 2023 · $600k
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
Progress Texas Institute

The Progress Texas Institute provides research and strategic communications on issues with the ultimate goal of increasing civic engagement.

Civil Rights
2
Texas Tribune Inc

The texas tribune promotes civic engagement and public education across the state by producing and sharing for free public data interactives, statewide events and intensive and daily reporting on texas public policy, politics and current…

Education
3
Texas a&M Research Foundation

To facilitate research and development within the texas a&m university system and selected other entities.

Education
4
Aclu Foundation of Texas Inc

The ACLU Foundation of Texas is the unyielding guardian and promoter of freedom, justice, equality and dignity of all people, particularly for those who are still fighting to secure the full exercise of their civil rights and liberties.…

Civil Rights
5
Uatx

Uatx is a nonprofit dedicated to building a liberal arts university committed to freedom of inquiry, freedom of conscience, and civil discourse. to maintain these principles, the university will be fiercely independent financially,…

Education
6
Glasstire

Glasstire is a website about visual art in Texas. Our mission is to expand the conversation about visual art in Texas.

Arts & Culture
7
Witte Museum

The witte museum inspires people to shape the future of texas through transformative and relevant experiences in nature, science and culture.

Arts & Culture
8
Center for Public Policy Priorities

At the Every Texan, we believe in a Texas that offers everyone the chance to compete and succeed in life. We envision a Texas where everyone is healthy, well educated, and financially secure. We want the best Texas, a proud state that sets…

Public Benefit
9
Dallas International University

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

Education
10
The University of TexasTexas a&M Investment Management Company

To generate superior long-term investment returns to support The University of Texas and Texas A&M University systems as they provide world-class teaching, push the boundaries of discovery, and achieve excellence in patient healthcare for…

Education
11
American Civil Liberties Union of Texas Inc

The ACLU of Texas works with communities, at the State Capitol, and in the courts to protect and advance civil rights and civil liberties for every Texan, no exceptions.

—
12
The Association of Former Students of Texas a&M University

To strengthen the association of former students, promote the interests and welfare of texas a&m university, perpetuate ties of affection and esteem formed in university or college days, and serve the student body.

Education
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Texas Public Policy Foundation; the most unlike its peers is Mobeetie Volunteer Fire Department Inc. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
05the grantee network

228 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2026.

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 2026, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 228 of the 338 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.

8
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
46
Early backer (in before they grew)
226/228
Grantees still filing
156/228
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY: $8,503,888 · EducationTEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITYTEXAS TECH FOUNDATION INC: $2,691,500 · EducationTEXAS TECH FOUNDATION INCHARDIN-SIMMONS UNIVERSITY: $1,701,000 · EducationHARDIN-SIMMONS UNIVERSITYMCMURRY UNIVERSITY: $1,150,000 · EducationMCMURRY UNIVERSITYWEST TEXAS A&M UNIV FOUNDATION: $910,000 · EducationTHE GEORGE W BUSH FOUNDATION: $750,000 · Education+16 more: $1,886,000 · Education+16 moreM D ANDERSON CANCER CENTER: $2,001,000 · OtherM D ANDERSON CANCER CENTERABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY: $1,076,500 · OtherABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITYUNITED WAY OF ABILENE INC: $738,333 · OtherYMCA: $625,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipient: $600,000 · OtherEPISCOPAL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY OF THE SOUTHWEST: $600,000 · OtherCITY OF CLARENDON: $580,000 · OtherTEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER: $526,000 · OtherTexas Agricultural Land Trust: $1,400,000 · OtherTexas Agricultural Land Trust+115 more: $6,289,794 · Other+115 moreABILENE HERITAGE SQUARE INC: $5,000,000 · Arts & CultureABILENE HERIT…FRONTIER TEXAS INC: $385,167 · Arts & CultureFRONTIER TEXA…ABILENE ARTS ALLIANCE: $318,850 · Arts & CultureRemember the Alamo Foundation: $250,000 · Arts & Culture+20 more: $717,399 · Arts & Culture+20 moreCOMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF ABILENE: $3,980,133 · PhilanthropyCOMMUNITY FOU…AMARILLO AREA FOUNDATION INC: $2,150,000 · PhilanthropyAMARILLO AREA…+6 more: $175,850 · PhilanthropyABILENE IMPROVEMENT CORPORATION: $3,237,500 · Community Improvement+5 more: $122,920 · Community ImprovementWest Texas Rehabilitation Center Foundation: $1,683,667 · HealthHendrick Medical Center Foundation: $600,000 · HealthAbilene Restoration Ministries dba Nehemiah Abilene: $500,000 · HealthHEAL THE CITY FREE CLINIC: $350,000 · Health+7 more: $213,400 · HealthAbilene Zoological Society: $1,515,000 · AnimalsAll Kind Animal Initiative: $498,333 · AnimalsGROVER NELSON PARK ZOOLOGICAL FOUNDATION: $225,000 · AnimalsRescue the Animals Inc: $161,000 · Animals+1 more: $20,500 · Animals
Education$17,592,388Other$14,436,627Arts & Culture$6,671,416Philanthropy$6,305,983Community Improvement$3,360,420Health$3,347,067Animals$2,419,833

Showing the 200 largest grantees by grant value.

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

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetTEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY: $8,503,888 over 5y, 0.4% of budgetABILENE HERITAGE SQUARE INC: $5,000,000 over 4y, 43% of budgetCOMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF ABILENE: $3,980,133 over 5y, 8.4% of budgetABILENE IMPROVEMENT CORPORATION: $3,237,500 over 2y, 19% of budgetTEXAS TECH FOUNDATION INC: $2,691,500 over 4y, 4.2% of budgetAMARILLO AREA FOUNDATION INC: $2,150,000 over 2y, 8.0% of budgetHARDIN-SIMMONS UNIVERSITY: $1,701,000 over 3y, 1.2% of budgetWest Texas Rehabilitation Center Foundation: $1,683,667 over 1y, 13% of budgetAbilene Zoological Society: $1,515,000 over 4y, 38% of budgetTexas Agricultural Land Trust: $1,400,000 over 3y, 3.8% of budgetMCMURRY UNIVERSITY: $1,150,000 over 2y, 2.1% of budgetABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY: $1,076,500 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetWEST TEXAS A&M UNIV FOUNDATION: $910,000 over 1y, 3.6% of budgetTHE GEORGE W BUSH FOUNDATION: $750,000 over 1y, 1.1% of budgetUNITED WAY OF ABILENE INC: $738,333 over 5y, 9.6% of budgetHendrick Medical Center Foundation: $600,000 over 1y, 9.1% of budgetAbilene Restoration Ministries dba Nehemiah Abilene: $500,000 over 2y, 18% of budgetANGELO STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION INC: $500,000 over 3y, 1.6% of budgetAll Kind Animal Initiative: $498,333 over 1y, 6.4% of budgetFRONTIER TEXAS INC: $385,167 over 4y, 21% of budgetHEAL THE CITY FREE CLINIC: $350,000 over 4y, 4.1% of budgetABILENE ARTS ALLIANCE: $318,850 over 5y, 16% of budgetOPPORTUNITY SCHOOL INC: $301,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetSchreiner University: $275,000 over 2y, 0.4% of budgetBIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS LONE STAR: $260,000 over 2y, 0.9% of budgetJOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY: $250,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetRemember the Alamo Foundation: $250,000 over 1y, 0.8% of budgetSouthern Methodist University: $250,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetBCFS Health and Human Services: $250,000 over 2y, 0.4% of budgetRanching Heritage Association: $227,667 over 3y, 6.9% of budgetGROVER NELSON PARK ZOOLOGICAL FOUNDATION: $225,000 over 1y, 22% of budgetRescue the Animals Inc: $161,000 over 5y, 22% of budgetABILENE PHILHARMONIC FOUNDATION: $150,689 over 3y, 13% of budgetCOMMUNIO FOUNDATION INC: $147,500 over 4y, 1.4% of budgetAdvocates for Camp Able Camp Able of Buffalo Gap: $140,000 over 2y, 15% of budgetWAYLAND BAPTIST UNIVERSITY: $125,000 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetABILENE YOUTH SPORTS AUTHORITY: $120,400 over 2y, 10% of budgetAMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH: $110,000 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetYOUTH VOICE INC: $100,000 over 1y, 5.6% of budgetSAMARITAN'S PURSE: $100,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetAbilene Chamber of Commerce Foundation: $77,000 over 2y, 52% of budgetPRAGER UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION: $76,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetBIG COUNTRY COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES INC: $75,000 over 3y, 2.3% of budgetYOUNG LIFE: $70,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetYoung America's Foundation: $70,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetMCLEAN VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: $65,000 over 5y, 13% of budgetSAINTS' ROOST MUSEUM: $65,000 over 3y, 33% of budgetAlliance for Women and Children: $63,000 over 2y, 2.9% 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.

Kickapoo Springs Foun…Dian Graves Owen Foun…The Karakin FoundationCommunity Foundation …Shelton Family Founda…Barber FoundationGreathouse FoundationThe Robison Excelsior…Amarillo Area Foundat…The Massey Family Cha…M K Brown Foundation …Abilene Christian Uni…
Kickapoo Springs FoundationTX240.8× affinity118 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Kickapoo Springs Foundation · Dian Graves Owen Foundation · The Karakin Foundation · Community Foundation of Abilene · Shelton Family Foundation · Barber Foundation · Greathouse Foundation · The Robison Excelsior Foundation · Amarillo Area Foundation Inc · The Massey Family Charitable Trust · M K Brown Foundation Inc · Abilene Christian University

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 Legett Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from The Legett Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 30%6%25%56%100%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →median 4%
  • Johns Hopkins University: 12% of income from government
  • Learning Ally Inc: 4% of income from government
  • Southeastern Guide Dogs Inc: 0% of income from government
  • The Johns Hopkins Hospital: 0% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
3get no government money at all
33report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
0rely on government for over half their income
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.
05Through Plinth

Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

How do I get to The Legett Foundation?

Find your warmest path to The Legett Foundation through trustees and officers whose names appear on both boards. Search for your organization and Plinth traces the shortest route it can evidence.

Each link is a name appearing on two organizations’ public IRS 990 filings, matched on that name and, where the filings support it, on location. A same-state match has geographic support, which is a second matching feature rather than confirmation that the two are one person; a cross-state one is the likeliest to be two people who share a name. Every hop shows its tier, low-confidence and distant paths are held back rather than guessed, and it is worth confirming the person before you use the introduction.

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 338 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 Legett’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