BNSF Railway Foundation
The BNSF Railway Foundation is a private foundation incorporated in Texas and based at BNSF Railway’s headquarters in Fort Worth. It is BNSF Railway’s primary philanthropic vehicle and supports organizations and programs that improve quality of life in communities served by BNSF across the 28 states where it operates.
BNSF Railway Foundation at a glance
In short: BNSF Railway Foundation gave $7.0M across 993 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), top state Texas. 32% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $6,992,189
- +15.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 993
- +7.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $7,041
- +6.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $22,950,375
- +1224.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (217 of 670, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Texas (47% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to BNSF Railway Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s website directs eligible public charities, first responders, local government divisions, and Native American tribes to apply through its online process. Applicants must meet the foundation’s policy requirements and provide proof of eligible tax status. Organizations seeking a major gift greater than $10,000 must contact the foundation before submitting an application. The 2025 filing refers applicants to a general explanation attachment for application materials, deadlines, and award restrictions; those details are not specified here. The filing states that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
- Contact
Application contact: Manager Bnsf Railway Foundation
Mailing address: 2301 Lou Menk Drive, Fort Worth, TX 76131
Phone: (817) 867-6250
Email: bnsffoundation@bnsf.com
Website: https://bnsffoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from BNSF Railway Foundation
Who BNSF Railway Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was American Heart Association ($554K across 6 grants). Together the top 10 received $2.5M.
Organizations only. It also paid 173 grants to individuals ($450,788), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
6,655 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 6,536 grants of 6,655 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports communities across the 28 states where BNSF operates. For 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were Texas (47%), Montana (11%), Kansas (5%), Washington (5%), and Illinois (4%). Applicants must be located in or serve a community in close proximity to a BNSF rail line.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 993 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is BNSF Railway Foundation open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 217 of 670 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $11K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 47% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 28% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $6.1M (2024) to $9.7M (2022). In 2025 it made 993 grants totaling $7.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Montana Historical Society Helena, MT | Cultural | $500,000 |
| American Heart Association Dallas, TX | Health & Human Services | $500,000 |
| National Juneteenth Museum Fort Worth, TX | Cultural | $400,000 |
| Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives Inc Fort Worth, TX | CIVIC | $200,000 |
| National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation Arlington, TX | Cultural | $200,000 |
| National FFA Foundation Indianapolis, IN | Education | $102,500 |
| National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Washington, DC | CIVIC | $100,000 |
| North Dakota State University Development Fdn Fargo, ND | Education | $100,000 |
| U W Daniel J Evans Grad School of Public Affair Seattle, WA | Education | $100,000 |
| Whitman College Walla Walla, WA | Education | $100,000 |
Ready to take the next step with BNSF Railway Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $22,950,375 | $28,277,994 | $7,060,666 | $6,992,189 | 993 | $7,060,671 | $439,428 |
| 2024 | $1,733,047 | $3,599,092 | $6,209,530 | $6,078,630 | 920 | $6,142,030 | $402,792 |
| 2023 | $4,343,485 | $7,883,990 | $9,776,268 | $9,649,531 | 1,570 | $9,706,268 | $373,182 |
| 2022 | $6,236,014 | $10,511,490 | $9,859,135 | $9,672,795 | 1,555 | $9,779,882 | $365,603 |
| 2021 | $5,580,534 | $10,145,505 | $8,737,912 | $8,614,613 | 1,617 | $8,708,903 | $308,736 |
| 2020 | $4,175,930 | $400,346 | $9,074,932 | $8,915,838 | 1,793 | — | $543,783 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, BNSF Railway Foundation reported a distributable amount of $439K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to support and improve the general welfare and quality of life in communities where BNSF operates. Its website says it considers requests for general operating expenses as well as specific programs, services, and projects. Listed areas include civic services, cultural organizations, education, health and human services, and youth organizations. Its website also identifies environmental, sustainability, or conservation projects; health and human services; STEM education; and organizations with connections to BNSF or the rail industry as areas of interest.
The foundation says applicants must be located in or serve a community in close proximity to a BNSF rail line. It requires eligible tax-exempt organizations to have 501(c)(3) public charity status, or to be a division of local government. Its policies also call for organizations to demonstrate program effectiveness, credibility, and sustainability, and to have significant BNSF employee participation. The foundation prefers organizations with a track record of at least two years and does not fund start-ups or seed funding, direct support for individuals or families, or athletic teams.
Examples among its 2025 grantees illustrate the range of organizations supported. The American Heart Association describes its mission as promoting longer, healthier lives; the National Juneteenth Museum says it connects stories of freedom for enslaved people to modern-day liberation; and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation says it advances conservation through science-based programs and public-private partnerships. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 993 grants totaling $6,992,189. Individual grants ranged from $100 to $500,000, with a median grant of $2,500. Notable awards included $500,000 to the Montana Historical Society for cultural purposes and $500,000 to the American Heart Association for health and human services. Other large grants included $400,000 to the National Juneteenth Museum for cultural purposes; $200,000 each to Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives and the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation; and $102,500 to the National FFA Foundation for education.
The 2025 filing also lists grants of $100,000 each to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, North Dakota State University Development Foundation, the University of an individual recipient J. Evans Graduate School of Public Affairs, Whitman College, United Way of Tarrant County, and Boy Scouts of America.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Zak A. Andersen as president and director. Other listed directors are Jill Mulligan, Matt Jones, Michael Smythers, and Amy McBeth. The filing also lists Munsoor Hussain as assistant general tax counsel, Mark R. Bracker as treasurer, Dustin Almaguer as secretary, and Tyler R. White as assistant secretary.
BNSF Railway Foundation is led by Zak A. Andersen, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 9 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Zak A. Andersen
President & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amy McBeth
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Smythers
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jill Mulligan
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matt Jones
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dustin Almaguer
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Munsoor Hussain
Assistant General Tax Counsel
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark R. Bracker
Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tyler R. White
Assistant Secretary
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (7)
- Former: Beth A. Miller (2020–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Juan Acosta (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Teena Kilian (2022–2024) — Assistant Secretary · Filing note: As of 412022
- Former: Andrea Hyatt (2020–2022) — Assistant Secretary · Filing note: Through 3132022
- Former: Roger Nober (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Andrew Johnsen (2020) — Director
- Former: Carl R. Ice (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about BNSF Railway Foundation
How much does BNSF Railway Foundation give each year?
BNSF Railway Foundation gave $7.0M across 993 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $6.1M across 920 grants.
What is BNSF Railway Foundation's typical grant size?
BNSF Railway Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $7,041, across 993 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from BNSF Railway Foundation that year got $7K on average.
Where does BNSF Railway Foundation give grants?
BNSF Railway Foundation's top state is Texas, with 47% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Montana (11%) and Kansas (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Fort Worth, TX (83 grants), Dallas, TX (35 grants), Topeka, KS (21 grants) and Amarillo, TX (15 grants).
Does BNSF Railway Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 993 grants with a stated purpose on BNSF Railway Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Matching Gifts 1" (446 grants), "Ists Scholarship" (156 grants) and "United Way/Red Cross" (130 grants).
Who are BNSF Railway Foundation's largest grantees?
BNSF Railway Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include American Heart Association ($553,634 across 6 grants), Montana Historical Society ($500,000) and National Juneteenth Museum ($400,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 173 grants to individuals ($450,788), which are not listed by name. Together they received 21% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is BNSF Railway Foundation?
BNSF Railway Foundation reported $23.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $7.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $439K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does BNSF Railway Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to support and improve the general welfare and quality of life in communities where BNSF operates. Its website says it considers requests for general operating expenses as well as specific programs, services, and projects. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from BNSF Railway Foundation?
The foundation’s website directs eligible public charities, first responders, local government divisions, and Native American tribes to apply through its online process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is BNSF Railway Foundation's EIN?
BNSF Railway Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-1635887. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 16, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 6, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 8, 2026)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in BNSF Railway Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). BNSF Railway Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/bnsf-railway-foundation-morg_e447c3c3c663482994e001372aff3fd8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_261635887_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{BNSF Railway Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/bnsf-railway-foundation-morg_e447c3c3c663482994e001372aff3fd8},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from BNSF Railway Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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