The Abell-Hanger Foundation is a private foundation established in 1954 by George Thomas Abell and Gladys Hanger Abell. Based in Midland, Texas, the foundation has been transforming lives in West Texas for over 70 years through purposeful philanthropy. The foundation supports benevolent, charitable, and educational undertakings for public welfare across multiple sectors including education, health services, human services, and arts and cultural activities.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$134.7M
+0.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$12.2M
+14.6% YoY
Grant Count
382
+15.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$32K
-0.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Abell-hanger Foundation reported a distributable amount of $11.4M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Transform lives through purposeful philanthropy.
Vision: A community where every person realizes their full potential.
Core Values: Transformation, collaboration, humility, accountability, and transparency.
The foundation supports nonprofit organizations involved in undertakings for public welfare, including:
- Education
- Health and human services
- Arts and cultural activities
- Community and societal benefit
Grantmaking
Grant Range
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How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation concentrates 91% of giving in West Texas and 69% specifically in Midland. The foundation targets a preponderance of its annual grant budget to Midland and 26 counties in West Texas. The geographic focus reflects the founders' deep roots in the region and their commitment to West Texas communities.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2025):
- Total assets: $134.7 million
- Total revenues: $15.7 million
- Total expenses: $14.9 million
Annual Giving (2024):
- $10.7 million in grants awarded
Historical Impact:
- Over $213 million awarded since inception in 1954
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $134,687,981 | $133,874,975 | $131,754,851 |
| Revenue | $15,726,160 | $15,622,582 | $12,645,800 |
| Expenses | $14,913,166 | $13,502,458 | $11,092,084 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $13,765,129 | $12,453,628 | $10,022,574 |
| Net Investment Income | $14,900,615 | $14,876,872 | $11,835,790 |
| Distributable Amount | $11,423,660 | $10,551,238 | $9,798,968 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Abell-hanger Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Basin Dream Center for Orphans ($250,000), Bynum School ($125,000), Boys and Girls Clubs of the Permian Basin Inc ($90,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ADDY'S HOPE SOCIAL SERVICES MIDLAND, TX | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS WEST TEXAS CHAPTER MIDLAND, TX | DISASTER RELIEF IN THE PERMIAN BASIN | $25,000 |
| ANGEL ARMIES INC FRANKLIN, TN | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $12,500 |
| ANGELO STATE UNIVERSITY - SCHOLARSHIPS SAN ANGELO, TX | INDIVIDUAL STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS | $4,420 |
| ANGELO STATE UNIVERSITY - SCHOLARSHIPS SAN ANGELO, TX | INDIVIDUAL STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS | $4,420 |
| ANGELO STATE UNIVERSITY - SCHOLARSHIPS SAN ANGELO, TX | INDIVIDUAL STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS | $6,143 |
| ANGELO STATE UNIVERSITY - SCHOLARSHIPS SAN ANGELO, TX | INDIVIDUAL STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS | $6,250 |
| ANGELO STATE UNIVERSITY - SCHOLARSHIPS SAN ANGELO, TX | INDIVIDUAL STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS | $6,250 |
| ANGELO STATE UNIVERSITY - SCHOLARSHIPS SAN ANGELO, TX | INDIVIDUAL STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS | $6,250 |
| ANGELO STATE UNIVERSITY - SCHOLARSHIPS SAN ANGELO, TX | INDIVIDUAL STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS | $6,250 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Mark Palmer – Executive Vice President/Executive Director (since 2016)
- Wade Kuehler – Chief Financial Officer
- Helga Hoban – Grant inquiries contact
- Trustees: Jack F. Harper, James C. Trott, and others
The foundation employs 6 staff members.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JACK F HARPER | TRUSTEE | 4 | — |
| CHAS PERRY | TRUSTEE | 4 | — |
| JOHN BERGMAN | TRUSTEE | 4 | $838 |
| RICHARD COATS | TRUSTEE | 4 | — |
| LAURA ROMAN | TRUSTEE | 4 | $868 |
| WES PERRY | TRUSTEE | 4 | $558 |
| ROY NELSON | TRUSTEE | 4 | $1,084 |
| KAREN SPARKS | TRUSTEE | 4 | $817 |
| MARK PALMER | EXECUTIVE VP | 40 | $386,868 |
| WADE KUEHLER | CFO | 40 | $285,825 |
| GEORGE T ABELL - DECEASED | FOUNDATION MGR (DECEASED) | — | — |
| GLADYS H ABELL - DECEASED | FOUNDATION MGR (DECEASED) | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Recent grants include:
Permian Basin Behavioral Health Center: $1,150,000 (General Operating Support)
Harmony Public Schools: $850,000 (Constructing and Operating An Open-Enrollment Charter School in Midland, Texas)
Habitat for Humanity - Midland: $800,000 (New Frontier Addition)
The foundation continues to accept new applicants and maintains an open application process through its online grant portal.
Abell-Hanger Foundation - Grant Information & Application DetailsSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Abell-hanger Foundation fund?
**Mission:** Transform lives through purposeful philanthropy. **Vision:** A community where every person realizes their full potential. **Core Values:** Transformation, collaboration, humility, accountability, and transparency. The foundation supports nonprofit organizations involved in undertakings for public welfare, including: • Education • Health and human services • Arts and cultural activities • Community and societal benefit
How do I apply for a grant from Abell-hanger Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Annual giving: $10.7 million (2024) • Total assets: $133.9 million • Total awarded since inception: Over $213 million • Organizations benefited: 1,143 • Grants made in 2024: 304 • Grants made in 2025: 302 **Grant Sizes:** • Grant range: $50 to $2,250,000 • Median grant: $6,000 **Application Process:** • General Operating Support available on rolling basis through three annual cycles • Pre-Proposal Questionnaires (PPQ) reviewed every 4-6 weeks • Full applications reviewed t…
Where does Abell-hanger Foundation make grants?
The foundation concentrates 91% of giving in West Texas and 69% specifically in Midland. The foundation targets a preponderance of its annual grant budget to Midland and 26 counties in West Texas. The geographic focus reflects the founders' deep roots in the region and their commitment to West Texas communities.
What size grants does Abell-hanger Foundation award?
In 2025, Abell-hanger Foundation awarded 382 grants totaling $12.2M — an average of about $32K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Abell-hanger Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Abell-hanger Foundation reported a distributable amount of $11.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Abell-hanger Foundation's EIN?
Abell-hanger Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-6020781. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Abell-hanger Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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