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The Sparks Foundation Inc at a glanceAlso receives grants: funding profile →

· Private foundation

The Sparks Foundation Inc

Its FY2024 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$1.1M
Granted FY2024still arriving
11
Grants FY2024still arriving
3
States reached
$300k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0198% classified

What it funded, over time

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

Public Benefit$1.6MHuman Services$832kHealth$561kYouth Development$507kEducation$419kReligion$162kCommunity Improvement$26kCrime & Legal$20kOther$0
02FY2024 · 11 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • Under $10k3 grants · $7k
  • $10k–50k3 grants · $40k
  • $50k–250k3 grants · $425k
  • $250k+2 grants · $600k
$20,000
Median grant
3
States reached
$13M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
Texas Public Policy Foundation$300,000
Midland Memorial Foundation$300,000
PBBHC$200,000
America First Policy Institute$125,000
America First Works$100,000
Christians Engaged$20,000
One Accord for Kids$10,000
Midland Fair Haven$10,000
Celebration Family Church$5,000
Texas Scorecard$1,000
Flag Foundation$1,000
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 (FY19–21, $75k) land where the poverty rate runs at 6%, against an area that typically sits at 11%. 0% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Its grants skew toward lower-need ZIPs.

area typical 11%Permian Basin Mission Center: $200 → 16%Communio: $25k → 6%Communio: $25k → 6%COMMUNIO: $25k → 6%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

IL
MI
CA
CO
VA
DC
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.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

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

88%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$3.6M · 18 repeat orgs$501k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +67% since the first grant, against +14% for those funded once.

18 repeat relationships: 6 still active in FY2024, 12 since wound down; 5 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

18
27

Total granted

$3.6M
$185k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+67%
+14%

Still filing today

83%
37%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 71% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $316k 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
EducationHuman ServicesReligionCivil RightsPublic BenefitYouth DevelopmentOther
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

  • TP
    TEXAS PUBLIC POLICY FOUNDATION
    8× · 2017–2024 · $1.4M · revenue +137%
  • YL
    YOUNG LIFE
    3× · 2020–2022 · $500k · revenue +62%
  • MC
    MIDLAND CLASSICAL ACADEMY
    3× · 2020–2022 · $205k · revenue +67%

Funded once

  • MB
    MIDLAND BIBLE CHURCH
    one grant, 2020 · $33k
  • OI
    ONEHOPE INC
    one grant, 2019 · $25k
  • MC
    Midland Chamber Foundation
    one grant, 2023 · $25k
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
Christianity Today International

Christianity Today is a global community inspired by evangelical conviction to advance the stories and ideas of the kingdom of God. Our mission is to elevate the storytellers and sages of the global church.

Religion
2
Dallas International University

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

Education
3
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
4
Progress Texas Institute

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

Civil Rights
5
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
6
Kingdom Advisors Inc

Kingdom advisors is a discipleship ministry serving christian financial professionals. the organization encourages, educates, and empowers christian financial professionals with biblical wisdom to be effective disciples of jesus christ in…

Religion
7
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs Inc

To promote the flourishing of the people of oklahoma by advancing principles and policies that support free enterprise, limited government, personal responsibility, and individual initiative.

Public Safety & Disaster
8
International Leadership Institute

The international leadership institute (ili) changes history by accelerating the spread of the gospel through training and mobilizing leaders of leaders to reach their nations. ili accomplishes this purpose through cutting edge leadership…

Religion
9
The Campaign Legal Center Inc

The nonpartisan campaign legal center advances democracy through law at the federal, state and local levels, fighting for every american's rights to responsive government and a fair opportunity to participate in and affect the democratic…

Crime & Legal
10
Advocates for Faith and Freedom

Organized for religious purposes to promote the gospel of jesus christ by protecting, defending and advocating religious civil liberties

Crime & Legal
11
Liberty Justice Center

To advance economic and social liberties and a free enterprise society through strategic litigation, training, communication, activism and research. in addition, the center will train law students, lawyers and policy activists in the…

Crime & Legal
12
Leadership Austin

Leadership austin connects and develops leaders to courageously engage and transform our communities.

Youth Development
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Texas Public Policy Foundation; the most unlike its peers is The Flag Foundation Inc. 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

30 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. 30 of the 52 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.

1
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
8
Early backer (in before they grew)
30/30
Grantees still filing
19/30
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

TEXAS PUBLIC POLICY FOUNDATION: $1,407,500 · Public BenefitTEXAS PUBLIC POLICY FOUNDATION+2 more: $3,500 · Public BenefitMIDLAND MEMORIAL FOUNDATION: $551,500 · OtherMIDLAND MEMORIAL FOUNDATIONPBBHC: $200,000 · OtherPBBHCChristians Engaged: $35,000 · Other+31 more: $206,805 · Other+31 moreYOUNG LIFE: $500,000 · Youth DevelopmentYOUNG LIFE+1 more: $2,000 · Youth DevelopmentMIDLAND CLASSICAL ACADEMY: $205,250 · EducationMIDLAND CLA…AMERICA FIRST POLICY INSTITUTE INC: $200,000 · EducationAMERICA FIR…+3 more: $12,000 · EducationSENIOR LIFE MIDLAND INC: $301,000 · Human ServicesSENIOR LIF…COMMUNIO FOUNDATION INC: $75,000 · Human ServicesCOMMUNIO F…+2 more: $11,200 · Human ServicesHIGH SKY CHILDRENS RANCH INC: $303,250 · HealthAMERICA FIRST WORKS INC: $100,000 · Civil RightsMOUNTAIN STATES LEGAL FOUNDATION: $5,000 · Civil Rights+1 more: $2,000 · Civil Rights
Public Benefit$1,411,000Other$993,305Youth Development$502,000Education$417,250Human Services$387,200Health$303,250Civil Rights$107,000

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 budgetTEXAS PUBLIC POLICY FOUNDATION: $1,407,500 over 8y, 1.4% of budgetYOUNG LIFE: $500,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetHIGH SKY CHILDRENS RANCH INC: $303,250 over 4y, 1.4% of budgetSENIOR LIFE MIDLAND INC: $301,000 over 2y, 2.9% of budgetMIDLAND CLASSICAL ACADEMY: $205,250 over 3y, 1.6% of budgetAMERICA FIRST POLICY INSTITUTE INC: $200,000 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetAMERICA FIRST WORKS INC: $100,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetCOMMUNIO FOUNDATION INC: $75,000 over 3y, 1.2% of budgetChristians Engaged: $35,000 over 2y, 1.6% of budgetMIDLAND COMMUNITY THEATRE INC: $15,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetONE ACCORD FOR KIDS: $11,000 over 2y, 0.8% of budgetPOLWARTH MINISTRIES: $10,000 over 1y, 7.7% of budgetMIDLAND FAIR HAVENS: $10,000 over 1y, 0.8% of budgetPRAGER UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetThe Way Retreat Center: $10,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetCOMMUNITY CHILDREN'S MINISTRY: $7,500 over 2y, 1.1% of budgetChina Aid Association Inc: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetMOUNTAIN STATES LEGAL FOUNDATION: $5,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetTURNING POINT USA INC: $3,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetCONVENTION OF STATES ACTION: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetTHE FLAG FOUNDATION INC: $2,000 over 2y, 50% of budgetLeadership Institute: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetFIRST LIBERTY INSTITUTE: $2,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetYOUNG AMERICANS FOR LIBERTY INC: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetJUDICIAL WATCH INC: $1,500 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetDarren Patterson Christian Academy: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetCITIZENS NEWS GUILD INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetHILLSDALE COLLEGE: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetPERMIAN BASIN MISSION CENTER: $200 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetSHERIFFS ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS: $200 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.

Abell-Hanger Foundati…Christian Community F…Beal FoundationScharbauer Foundation…Permian Basin Area Fo…The Paul J Williams F…Warren Charitable Fou…United Way of Midland…The Fasken FoundationFmh FoundationThe Henry FoundationWayne & Jo Ann Moore …
Abell-Hanger FoundationTX30.2× affinity12 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Abell-Hanger Foundation · Christian Community Foundation Inc · Beal Foundation · Scharbauer Foundation Inc · Permian Basin Area Foundation · The Paul J Williams Foundation · Warren Charitable Foundation · United Way of Midland Inc · The Fasken Foundation · Fmh Foundation · The Henry Foundation · Wayne & Jo Ann Moore 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 Sparks Foundation Inc funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from The Sparks Foundation Inc. 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%4%8%11%15%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    1get no government money at all
    1report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–15%
    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 52 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 Sparks’ 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