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Texas · Private foundation

The Sumners Foundation

Its FY2024 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$2.8M
Granted FY2024(still arriving)
30
Grants FY2024
26
Organizations funded FY2023
4%
First-time grantees FY2023
Read the full brief
Median grant, FY2024
$38,825
Largest grant, FY2024
$856,100
Organizations funded a year
26 to 55
FY2017 to FY2023
States reached, FY2024
7
Total assets, FY2024
$74M
Applications
Takes unsolicited applications
Per its most recent filing; check its own site

How open it is to new grantees

In FY2023, 4% of the organizations The Sumners Foundation funded were first-time grantees, receiving 0% of its grant dollars.

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2023, 100% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $3k went to new ones.

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

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

’18’19’20’21’22’23
EducationArts & CulturePublic BenefitHuman ServicesFood & NutritionCivil RightsOther
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.
The numbers by year
Fiscal yearOrganizations fundedTo those organizationsFirst-time grantees
FY2024still arriving30$2.8M13%
FY202326$2.0M4%
FY202249$2.7M18%
FY202155$2.2M35%
FY202054$2.5M50%
FY201942$2.0M33%
FY201833$2.2M27%
FY201734$2.5Mn/a
99% classified

What it funded, over time

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

Education$8.7MPublic Benefit$3.9MYouth Development$2.4MCivil Rights$1.4MHuman Services$1.3MArts & Culture$804kPhilanthropy$731kFood & Nutrition$195kOther$0

Where its grants go

Grant dollars by states, across the years we hold.

Which US states its grants reach

MT
IL
WI
NY
MA
IA
IN
OH
PA
CA
CO
VA
MD
NM
AR
DC
OK
MS
AL
GA
TX
FL

Top grantees

Largest recipients by total granted, FY2017 to FY2024, and the share of each one’s budget the grants supplied at peak.

Show all 74 grantees
All grantees of The Sumners Foundation by total granted
GranteeTotal grantedYearsShare of their budget
Institute for Policy Innovation$1,075,000534%
Young Men's Christian Association of Austin$910,00051%
Texas Tribune Inc$810,00083%
University of Dallas$611,05080%
The Fund for American Studies$523,92081%
Southern Methodist University$350,00130%
Braver AngelsInc$344,00057%
University of North Texas Foundation Inc$334,16341%
Oklahoma City University$322,68050%
Texas Christian University$270,96370%
New Mexico First$250,000511%
Foundation for Teaching Economics$225,000333%
Texas Future Farmers of America Foundation Inc$195,40044%
Baylor University$190,00070%
St Edwards University$178,00030%
Texas Public Policy Foundation$167,50040%
Huston-Tillotson University$144,00020%
Nancy Lieberman Charities$128,75025%
First Liberty Institute$126,50050%
The George W Bush Foundation$125,00010%
Fort Worth Report$120,00042%
Bill of Rights Institute$112,00051%
National Archives Foundation$110,00031%
The James Madison Institute for Public Policy Studies Inc$107,50032%
Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum$100,00040%
National Constitution Center$93,80030%
The Philanthropy Roundtable$84,00080%
Texas Wesleyan University$81,55080%
San Antonio Report$80,00051%
Southwestern University$80,00010%
Certell Inc$79,00051%
American Promise Education Fund Inc$78,50044%
Libertas Academy Inc$78,00057%
Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star$75,00030%
Schreiner University$73,72580%
The Center for American and International Law$70,00021%
Values Through History$63,800222%
Civics Unplugged Inc$63,75024%
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History$57,50020%
The Steamboat Institute$52,10032%
The Supreme Court Historical Society$50,00013%
Rockport Fulton Isd Education Foundation Inc$50,000115%
Foundation for Responsible Television$50,0001n/a
Former Members of Congress$50,00012%
The Better Angels Society Inc$50,00010%
Teach Democracy$45,00031%
Glasshouse Policy$40,777211%
Constituting America Inc$39,60033%
The Policy Circle Co$37,50041%
Austin College$36,56380%
Howard Payne University$28,67350%
Take Back Our Republic Inc$28,00022%
New Mexico State Univ Fdn Inc$25,00010%
The Heritage Foundation$25,00010%
Thanksgiving Foundation$25,00013%
The Independent Institute$23,80020%
Paul Quinn College$20,50010%
Issue One$20,00010%
James Madison Education Fund Inc$20,00012%
Center for the Study of Liberty Inc D/B/A Civil Squared$17,00011%
Free to Choose Network Inc$15,40011%
Cook Children's Medical Center$15,00010%
Close Up Foundation$14,25010%
Center for National Independence in Politics$11,25021%
Leadership Oklahoma Inc$10,00021%
Fort Worth Country Day School Inc$10,00010%
Young Voices$10,00021%
American Private Radio$8,10010%
Wiley College$6,2501n/a
Judicial Watch Inc$5,00010%
Dallas Historical Society$5,00010%
Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy$2,50010%
Power for Parkinsons$1,01010%
Southside Church of Christ$1,0001n/a

What it could do for these grantees

Plus 43 recipients with no EIN on record ($9.2M), not named here.

Where it is load-bearing

The Sumners Foundation supplied at least a quarter of the budget for 2 of its grantees at some point. The chart plots its 71 largest grantees; load-bearing ones sit top left.

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetInstitute for Policy Innovation: $1,075,000 over 5y, 34% of budgetYoung Men's Christian Association of Austin: $910,000 over 5y, 0.7% of budgetTexas Tribune Inc: $810,000 over 8y, 2.6% of budgetUniversity of Dallas: $611,050 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetThe Fund for American Studies: $523,920 over 8y, 1.0% of budgetSouthern Methodist University: $350,001 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetBraver AngelsInc: $344,000 over 5y, 6.6% of budgetUniversity of North Texas Foundation Inc: $334,163 over 4y, 0.9% of budgetOklahoma City University: $322,680 over 5y, 0.2% of budgetTexas Christian University: $270,963 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetNew Mexico First: $250,000 over 5y, 11% of budgetFoundation for Teaching Economics: $225,000 over 3y, 33% of budgetTexas Future Farmers of America Foundation Inc: $195,400 over 4y, 3.7% of budgetBaylor University: $190,000 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetSt Edwards University: $178,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetTexas Public Policy Foundation: $167,500 over 4y, 0.4% of budgetHuston-Tillotson University: $144,000 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetNancy Lieberman Charities: $128,750 over 2y, 5.3% of budgetFirst Liberty Institute: $126,500 over 5y, 0.2% of budgetThe George W Bush Foundation: $125,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetFort Worth Report: $120,000 over 4y, 1.8% of budgetBill of Rights Institute: $112,000 over 5y, 0.5% of budgetNational Archives Foundation: $110,000 over 3y, 0.7% of budgetThe James Madison Institute for Public Policy Studies Inc: $107,500 over 3y, 2.0% of budgetDallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum: $100,000 over 4y, 0.4% of budgetNational Constitution Center: $93,800 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetThe Philanthropy Roundtable: $84,000 over 8y, 0.2% of budgetTexas Wesleyan University: $81,550 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetSan Antonio Report: $80,000 over 5y, 0.9% of budgetSouthwestern University: $80,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetCertell Inc: $79,000 over 5y, 1.0% of budgetAmerican Promise Education Fund Inc: $78,500 over 4y, 3.8% of budgetLibertas Academy Inc: $78,000 over 5y, 6.9% of budgetBig Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star: $75,000 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetSchreiner University: $73,725 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetThe Center for American and International Law: $70,000 over 2y, 0.8% of budgetValues Through History: $63,800 over 2y, 22% of budgetCivics Unplugged Inc: $63,750 over 2y, 3.8% of budgetThe Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History: $57,500 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetThe Steamboat Institute: $52,100 over 3y, 1.9% of budgetThe Supreme Court Historical Society: $50,000 over 1y, 2.9% of budgetRockport Fulton Isd Education Foundation Inc: $50,000 over 1y, 15% of budgetFormer Members of Congress: $50,000 over 1y, 2.1% of budgetThe Better Angels Society Inc: $50,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetTeach Democracy: $45,000 over 3y, 1.2% of budgetGlasshouse Policy: $40,777 over 2y, 11% of budgetConstituting America Inc: $39,600 over 3y, 3.4% of budgetThe Policy Circle Co: $37,500 over 4y, 0.9% of budget

Tap a dot to name the grantee.

How this is measured
Share of budget is the funder’s grant in a year over the grantee’s total revenue that year, at its highest across the years we hold; revenue is from all sources. Only grantees confirmed against their own filings, whose grants do not exceed their revenue, are plotted: the largest 71.

Nonprofits that may fit its grantmaking

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.

Communities Foundation of Texas IncTX22.2× affinity13 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Communities Foundation of Texas Inc · Donors Trust Inc · Woodford Foundation · The Armstrong Foundation · Amon G Carter Foundation · Adolph Coors Foundation · The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation Inc · Bradley Impact Fund Inc · Bnsf Railway Foundation · Texas Instruments Foundation · Pierre F & Enid Goodrich Foundation · Texas Higher Education 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.

Compare The Sumners Foundation with peer funders

Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

How do I get to The Sumners Foundation?

Find your warmest path to The Sumners 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.

About The Sumners Foundation

How much does The Sumners Foundation give?
The Sumners Foundation reported 30 grants totaling $2,843,410 in its FY2024 IRS filing. It funded between 26 and 55 organizations a year over FY2017 to FY2023.
What does The Sumners Foundation fund?
By grant dollars over FY2017 to FY2024, its largest causes are Education (44%), Public Benefit (20%), Youth Development (12%).
Who are The Sumners Foundation's largest grantees?
By total granted over FY2017 to FY2024: Institute for Policy Innovation ($1.1M), Young Men's Christian Association of Austin ($910k), Texas Tribune Inc ($810k).
Does The Sumners Foundation fund new organizations?
In FY2023, 4% of the organizations it funded were first-time grantees.
Does The Sumners Foundation accept unsolicited applications?
Its most recent filing reports that it accepts unsolicited grant applications.
Which funders back the same organizations as The Sumners Foundation?
Its strongest co-funders, measured against what their size predicts, include Communities Foundation of Texas Inc, Donors Trust Inc, Woodford Foundation.
Where is The Sumners Foundation based?
The Sumners Foundation is based in TX.

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 119 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

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