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The Lindley Family Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

The Lindley Family Foundation

Its FY2025 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$160k
Granted FY2025still arriving
13
Grants FY2025still arriving
2
States reached
$50k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
01100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2025.

Religion$160kRecreation & Sports$150kArts & Culture$135kAnimals$117kEnvironment$101kScience & Tech$86kHealth$86kEducation$45kOther$0
02FY2025 · 13 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k5 grants · $22k
  • $10k–50k7 grants · $88k
  • $50k–250k1 grant · $50k
$10,000
Median grant
2
States reached
$2.6M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
FRIENDS OF PUMPKIN PARK$50,000
HOUSTON ZOO$22,500
COASTAL PRESERVATION & RESTORATION$15,000
FRIENDS OF WHIDBEY STATE PARKS$10,000
CASSIE'S PLACE$10,000
WELLS RECOVERY FOUNDATION$10,000
GOOD SAMARITAN FOUNDATION$10,000
MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS$10,000
THE MENNINGER CLINIC FOUNDATION$5,000
BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP$5,000
ASTROS FOUNDATION$5,000
St Luke's United Methodist Church$5,000
ST JOHN'S SCHOOL$2,000
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 (FY22–22, $35k) land where the poverty rate runs at 16%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%Connect Community: $35k → 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.
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.

84%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$785k · 20 repeat orgs$155k to everyone else

20 repeat relationships: 6 still active in FY2025, 14 since wound down; 7 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

20
18

Total granted

$785k
$90k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+33%
+33%

Still filing today

95%
83%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 59% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $65k went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

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

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
HealthArts & CultureEnvironmentEducationAnimalsHuman ServicesOther
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

  • Houston Zoo Inc
    9× · 2017–2025 · $99k · revenue +16%
  • Houston Museum of Natural Science
    8× · 2017–2024 · $86k · revenue +33%
  • TM
    THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON
    7× · 2017–2023 · $61k · revenue +96%

Funded once

  • MC
    My Connect Communitygraduated
    one grant, 2022 · $35k · revenue +243%
  • AH
    American Heart Association Incgraduated
    one grant, 2017 · $10k · revenue +33%
  • T
    Teach
    one grant, 2022 · $5k
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
Trees for Houston

Plant, protect and promote trees all over the greater Houston area.

—
2
Houston Parks Board

The Houston Parks Board mission is to expand, improve, and protect parks and greenspace in the Houston region.

Philanthropy
3
The Houston Audubon Society

To advance the conservation of birds and their habitats in the Greater Houston Gulf Coast region by acquiring and maintaining critical habitat as bird sanctuaries, providing education programs and nature experiences, and advocating policy…

Environment
4
The Heritage Society

The Heritage Society (THS) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1954 whose mission is to tell the stories of the diverse history of Houston and Texas through collections, exhibits, the arts, educational programs, film, video, and other…

—
5
The Houston Parks Board Foundation

The Houston Parks Board Foundation provides the Houston Parks Board with financial assistance to support operations and park projects.

Environment
6
John P McGovern Museum of Health & Medical Science

The Health Museum is an innovative science center that provides an interactive and entertaining experience for all ages, promotes understanding and appreciation of the human body, mind, and spirit, and inspires a lifelong commitment to…

Arts & Culture
7
Houston Freedmen's Town Conservancy Inc

To completely restore Houston Freedmen's Town as a heritage district that provides America with its only Freedmen's Town.

Community Improvement
8
Harris County Medical Society

Our mission is to be the leading advocate for our member physicians, their patients and our community, in promoting the highest standards of ethical medical practice, access to quality medical care, medical education, research, and…

—
9
Houston Geological Society Foundation
—
10
Houston Local Information Initiative Inc

The Houston Local Information Initiative, Inc. provides public service journalism that reflects the civic needs of the diverse communities comprising Greater Houston.

Arts & Culture
11
Garden Club of Houston

The Club's mission is to stimulate the knowledge and love of gardening and to protect the quality of the environment through programs and action in the fields of education, conservation, and civic improvement.

Environment
12
Memorial Hermann Medical Group

Memorial hermann health system is a nonprofit, values-driven, community-owned health system dedicated to improving health. our vision is to create healthier communities, now and for generations to come. our values are community,…

Health
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Memorial Hermann Foundation; the most unlike its peers is Astros Foundation. 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

37 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. 37 of the 45 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.

0
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
7
Early backer (in before they grew)
37/37
Grantees still filing
29/37
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

ST LUKES UNITED METHODIST CHURCH: $160,000 · OtherST LUKES UNITED METHODIST CHURC…COASTAL PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION: $15,000 · OtherCOASTAL PRESERVATION AND RESTOR…FRIENDS OF WHIDBEY STATE PARKS: $10,000 · OtherMUSEUM OF FINE ARTS: $10,000 · OtherWELLS RECOVERY FOUNDATION: $10,000 · OtherMy Connect Community: $35,000 · OtherMy Connect Community+8 more: $24,500 · Other+8 moreHouston Museum of Natural Science: $86,052 · Arts & CultureHouston Museum of Natural…THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON: $60,780 · Arts & CultureTHE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS H…JOHN F KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS: $35,000 · Arts & CultureJOHN F KENNEDY CENTER FOR…Menil Foundation Inc: $21,000 · Arts & CultureMenil Foundation Inc+3 more: $8,700 · Arts & CultureHouston Botanic Garden: $40,000 · EnvironmentHouston Botanic …Memorial Park Conservancy Inc: $39,540 · EnvironmentMemorial Park Co…Coastal Prairie Conservancy: $22,000 · EnvironmentCoastal Prairie …Buffalo Bayou Partnership Inc: $17,500 · EnvironmentBuffalo Bayou Pa…Hermann Park Conservancy: $13,650 · EnvironmentHermann Park Con…+2 more: $5,460 · EnvironmentHouston Zoo Inc: $99,040 · AnimalsHouston Zoo In…CASSIES PLACE: $17,500 · AnimalsCASSIES PLACEFriends of Pumpkin Park: $100,000 · Recreation & SportsFriends of P…CYSTIC FIBROSIS FOUNDATION: $20,000 · HealthTHE METHODIST HOSPITAL FOUNDATION: $12,000 · HealthAmerican Heart Association Inc: $10,000 · HealthThe Council on Recovery: $7,500 · HealthMemorial Hermann Foundation: $5,000 · HealthTHE MENNINGER CLINIC FOUNDATION: $5,000 · HealthKelsey Research Foundation: $2,500 · HealthThe Histiocure Foundation: $2,500 · HealthThe Brookwood Community Inc: $21,500 · EducationGood Samaritan Foundation of Texas Inc: $10,000 · EducationSTEPHEN SILLER TUNNEL TO TOWERS FOUNDATION: $5,000 · EducationBreakthrough Houston: $2,500 · EducationVanderbilt University: $2,500 · EducationUniversity of St Thomas: $2,500 · Education
Other$264,500Arts & Culture$211,532Environment$138,150Animals$116,540Recreation & Sports$100,000Health$64,500Education$44,000

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 budgetFriends of Pumpkin Park: $100,000 over 2y, 0.7% of budgetHouston Zoo Inc: $99,040 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetHouston Museum of Natural Science: $86,052 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetTHE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON: $60,780 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetHouston Botanic Garden: $40,000 over 2y, 0.4% of budgetMemorial Park Conservancy Inc: $39,540 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetJOHN F KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS: $35,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetMy Connect Community: $35,000 over 1y, 2.6% of budgetCoastal Prairie Conservancy: $22,000 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetThe Brookwood Community Inc: $21,500 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetMenil Foundation Inc: $21,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetCYSTIC FIBROSIS FOUNDATION: $20,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetCASSIES PLACE: $17,500 over 3y, 0.6% of budgetBuffalo Bayou Partnership Inc: $17,500 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetHermann Park Conservancy: $13,650 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetTHE METHODIST HOSPITAL FOUNDATION: $12,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetAmerican Heart Association Inc: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetThe Council on Recovery: $7,500 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetSTEPHEN SILLER TUNNEL TO TOWERS FOUNDATION: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetBAYOU PRESERVATION ASSOCIATION INC: $5,000 over 2y, 0.7% of budgetSt John's School: $4,500 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetRiver Oaks Garden Club: $4,460 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetHouston Arts Alliance: $4,200 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetBreakthrough Houston: $2,500 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetVanderbilt University: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetUniversity of St Thomas: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetKelsey Research Foundation: $2,500 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetThe Orange Show Foundation: $2,500 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetBo's Place: $2,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetForum of Civics Foundation: $2,000 over 2y, 1.0% of budgetKick Drugs Out of America Foundation: $1,000 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.

Greater Houston Commu…The Brown Foundation …Vivian L Smith Founda…J Squared Family Foun…Willard And Ruth John…The Elkins FoundationAlvin & Lucy Owsley F…The John M O'Quinn Fo…Hobby Family Foundati…Sterling-Turner Found…The Powell FoundationAlbert & Ethel Herzst…
Greater Houston Community FoundationTX30.9× affinity15 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Greater Houston Community Foundation · The Brown Foundation Inc · Vivian L Smith Foundation · J Squared Family Foundation · Willard And Ruth Johnson Charitable Foundation · The Elkins Foundation · Alvin & Lucy Owsley Foundation · The John M O'Quinn Foundation · Hobby Family Foundation · Sterling-Turner Foundation · The Powell Foundation · Albert & Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation

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

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 10%0%1%3%5%funder's share of their income ↑0%13%25%38%50%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    1get no government money at all
    8report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–50%
    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 Lindley Family Foundation?

    Find your warmest path to The Lindley Family 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 45 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 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Lindley Family’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