Clifton Foundation
Clifton Foundation is a private foundation based in Waco, Texas. In 2024, it made 45 grants totaling $123,055 to organizations including local human-services, community, cultural, and educational organizations, as well as a national parks organization.
Clifton Foundation at a glance
In short: Clifton Foundation gave $123K across 45 grants in 2024 (avg $3K), mostly in Texas. 10% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $123,055
- -29.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 45
- -2.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $2,735
- -28.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $3,703,282
- +8.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 10% first-time grantees (4 of 42, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Texas (81% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Clifton Foundation
- Review Cycle
- September 1
- Deadline
- September 1
- Contact
Application contact: James R Clifton The Clifton Foundat
Mailing address: 4579 Lake Shore Dr, Waco, TX 76710
Phone: (254) 741-6400
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Clifton Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Caritas of Waco ($21K). Together the top 10 received $86K.
Grant Size Distribution
227 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 226 grants of 227 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 81% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas, 8% to Indiana, 5% to the District of Columbia, 2% to North Carolina, and 1% to Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 45 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Clifton Foundation open to new grantees?
10%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 42 grantees (10%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 88% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+8%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 81% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $114K (2021) to $176K (2023). In 2024 it made 45 grants totaling $123K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Caritas of Waco Waco, TX | General Use | $21,000 |
| Culver Educational Foundation Culver, IN | General Use | $10,000 |
| Waco Chamber Foundation Waco, TX | The Momentum Fund | $9,000 |
| The Greater Waco United Fund Foundation Waco, TX | Endowment | $6,365 |
| United Way of Waco-McLennan County Waco, TX | General Use | $6,365 |
| Vanguard Foundation Waco, TX | Capital Project | $6,000 |
| Central Texas Senior Ministries Waco, TX | Meals on Wheels | $5,000 |
| Dr Pepper Museum and Free Enterprise Institute Waco, TX | Alderton/Morrison Video Exhibit | $5,000 |
| The Texas Tribune Waco, TX | The Waco Bridge | $5,000 |
| The Waco Foundation Waco, TX | General Use | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Clifton Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3,703,282 | $315,895 | $202,011 | $123,055 | 45 | $129,142 | $170,739 | $158,992 |
| 2023 | $3,416,906 | $179,728 | $260,891 | $175,505 | 46 | $181,038 | $44,038 | $152,767 |
| 2022 | $3,439,333 | $232,039 | $189,774 | $114,155 | 42 | $119,480 | $90,659 | $150,265 |
| 2021 | $3,491,426 | $164,715 | $187,552 | $113,505 | 47 | $118,755 | $39,010 | $155,656 |
| 2020 | $3,335,269 | $167,100 | $243,148 | $171,930 | 47 | — | $44,520 | $146,936 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Clifton Foundation reported a distributable amount of $159K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission is stated in the available information. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, CARITAS of Waco says it provides emergency and supplemental assistance and case management to people in need in the Waco community. Culver Educational Foundation describes its mission as educating students for leadership and responsible citizenship. Other grantees describe work in community improvement, animal rescue, preserving Waco history, and supporting families experiencing multigenerational poverty.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave $123,055 through 45 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $75 to $21,000, with a median grant of $1,000. Among its largest grants were $21,000 to CARITAS of Waco for general use, $10,000 to Culver Educational Foundation for general use, and $9,000 to Waco Chamber Foundation for the Momentum Fund. Other grants included $6,365 to The Greater Waco United Fund Foundation for its endowment and $6,365 to United Way of Waco-McLennan County for general use.
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Its filing requests an outline of charitable activities or programs, including an IRS tax-exemption letter, and lists no restrictions on awards.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists James R. Clifton as president, William L. Clifton Jr. as vice president, and David Nemec as secretary/treasurer.
Clifton Foundation is led by James R. Clifton, President on every filing since 2020; all 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
James R. Clifton
President
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$11K (2020) → $12K (2024)
David Nemec
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$11K (2020) → $12K (2024)
William L. Clifton Jr.
V & P
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$11K (2020) → $12K (2024)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $12K, to James R Clifton (President). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Clifton Foundation
How much does Clifton Foundation give each year?
Clifton Foundation gave $123K across 45 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $176K across 46 grants.
What is Clifton Foundation's typical grant size?
Clifton Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $2,735, across 45 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Clifton Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does Clifton Foundation give grants?
Clifton Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 81% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Indiana (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Waco, TX (28 grants) and Washington, DC (3 grants).
Does Clifton Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 60% of Clifton Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (27 of 45) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Clifton Foundation's largest grantees?
Clifton Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Caritas of Waco ($21,000), The Waco Foundation ($11,500 across 3 grants) and Culver Educational Foundation ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 35% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Clifton Foundation?
Clifton Foundation reported $3.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $129K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $159K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Clifton Foundation fund?
No foundation mission is stated in the available information. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, CARITAS of Waco says it provides emergency and supplemental assistance and case management to people in need in the Waco community. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Clifton Foundation?
Clifton Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Clifton Foundation's EIN?
Clifton Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-2832766. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Clifton Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Clifton Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Clifton Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/clifton-foundation-morg_bd89b09edbf24b1484ac2855e525f528
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_742832766_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Clifton Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/clifton-foundation-morg_bd89b09edbf24b1484ac2855e525f528},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Clifton 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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