Community Foundation of Abilene
The Community Foundation of Abilene is a public charity based in Abilene, Texas, formed in 1985. It connects donors with charitable causes, manages endowment funds, and makes grants to support community needs.
Community Foundation of Abilene at a glance
In short: Community Foundation of Abilene gave $27.4M across 281 grants in 2025 (avg $97K), mostly in Texas. 28% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $27,352,769
- +50.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 281
- +12.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $97,341
- +33.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $219,779,026
- +7.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 28% first-time grantees (80 of 281, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Texas (94% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Community Foundation of Abilene
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation accepts applications through its online grants management system; paper applications are not accepted.
- Review Cycle
- The website lists fall community grant applications as opening June 15 with an August 1 deadline, spring community grant applications as opening December 1 with a January 15 deadline, and Future Fund applications as opening September 15 with a November 1 deadline. These dates are listed without a year; deadlines and requirements vary by grant cycle.
- Deadline
- The website lists fall community grant applications as opening June 15 with an August 1 deadline, spring community…
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 1001, Abilene, TX 79604
Phone: (325) 676-3883
Website: https://cfabilene.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
42 open opportunities from Community Foundation of Abilene
Abilene A&M Club Scholarship Grant
Community Foundation of Abilene
Amount
US $500 - US $5,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Abilene Alumnae Panhellenic Missy Bridwell Memorial Scholarship Grant
Community Foundation of Abilene
Amount
US $500 - US $5,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Abilene Geological Society Scholarship Grant
Community Foundation of Abilene
Amount
US $500 - US $5,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Community Foundation of Abilene funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Abilene Heritage Square ($8.2M). Together the top 10 received $16.8M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($7,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
1,283 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 981 grants of 1,283 (76%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation describes opportunities for Abilene and Taylor County, rural West-Central Texas, and Coleman County. In 2025, 94% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas; the listed out-of-state shares were 1% each for Oklahoma, California, Utah, and North Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 281 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Community Foundation of Abilene open to new grantees?
28%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 80 of 281 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $47K; repeat grants $118K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $22K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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 $8.4M (2020) to $27.4M (2025). In 2025 it made 281 grants totaling $27.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Abilene Heritage Square Abilene, TX | Program Support | $8,166,390 |
| Southern Methodist University Office of Development Dallas, TX | Program Support | $3,000,000 |
| Abilene Improvement Corporation Abilene, TX | Program Support | $1,067,500 |
| The Grace Museum Abilene, TX | Program Support | $1,016,543 |
| Paramount Theatre Abilene, TX | Program Support | $790,369 |
| St John's Episcopal School Abilene, TX | Program Support | $778,581 |
| All Kind Animal Initiative Abilene, TX | Program Support | $618,185 |
| First Baptist Church of Abilene Abilene, TX | Program Support | $486,857 |
| Albany ISD Education Foundation Albany, TX | Program Support | $436,000 |
| Oklahoma State University Foundation Stillwater, OK | Program Support | $400,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Community Foundation of Abilene?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $219,779,026 | $36,088,689 | $31,320,481 | $27,352,769 | 281 | $8,307,284 |
| 2024 | $204,338,056 | $30,555,422 | $21,398,661 | $18,216,836 | 250 | $4,837,438 |
| 2023 | $185,385,204 | $25,026,374 | $20,220,880 | $17,079,633 | 243 | $3,443,625 |
| 2022 | $173,679,067 | $40,559,088 | $17,431,146 | $14,494,389 | 255 | $10,284,591 |
| 2021 | $180,164,059 | $22,340,541 | $14,909,402 | $12,694,945 | 254 | $5,190,753 |
| 2020 | $138,667,981 | $15,269,593 | $10,352,700 | $8,388,471 | 232 | $3,779,983 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s mission is to empower people to make a lasting charitable impact on the community by connecting donors to causes, managing investments to preserve endowments, making grants aligned with donor intent, responding to community needs, and providing philanthropic leadership. Its vision is “A thriving Abilene, endowed forever.”
The Foundation says it makes grants to eligible nonprofits through multiple cycles and through donor-directed funds. Its 2025 grants included organizations whose own missions span varied work. For example, Abilene Heritage Square describes its purpose as providing a new home for the main branch of the Abilene Public Library, expanding educational opportunities, supporting neighborhood revival, and providing community gathering space. The Grace Museum says it builds connections through American fine art and history, while All Kind Animal Initiative says it seeks to improve animal welfare in Abilene.
Grantmaking
The Foundation’s website describes fall and spring community grant cycles, a Future Fund cycle, and rural grantmaking and opportunities established by regional funds. Abilene community grants are available to 501(c)(3) nonprofits and government agencies addressing immediate needs in Abilene and Taylor County. Future Fund grants are for eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits supporting children and youth in Abilene and Taylor County. The Foundation also offers scholarships through more than 150 scholarship funds; listed scholarship awards range from $500 to more than $5,000, with eligibility varying by fund.
In filing year 2025, the Foundation reported 281 grants totaling $27,352,769. Grant amounts ranged from $5,050 to $8,166,390, with a median of $20,000. The largest listed grants included $8,166,390 to Abilene Heritage Square, $3,000,000 to Southern Methodist University Office of Development, $1,067,500 to Abilene Improvement Corporation, $1,016,543 to The Grace Museum, and $790,369 to Paramount Theatre. Each was reported with the purpose “program support.”
Applications must be submitted through the online Foundant GLM system; paper applications are not accepted. The Foundation says grant cycles have distinct eligibility, requirements, scope, and deadlines, so applicants should review the applicable guidelines. Award recipients must submit an evaluation before applying for new grant funding. The Foundation’s 2024 filing also says discretionary-grant applicants must provide plans for evaluation and impact, and that grant agreements may require site visits, reports, documentation, and follow-up evaluation. It states that donor-advised grants require due diligence on new organizations and board approval, and that the board has final approval on all grants.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ron Butler, Jason Hall, Melody Hunt, David McQueen, Ian Nickerson, Brandon Osborne, Allison Padon, Sue Schackmuth, Gustavo Villanueva, and Liz Wagstaff as members.
The Foundation’s website identifies Kassidy Nygaard as grants director and Michelle Parrish as chief impact officer.
Community Foundation of Abilene is led by Katie Alford, President & CEO on every filing since 2020; 1 of 16 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Katie Alford
President & CEO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$195K (2020) → $263K (2025)
Sam Vinson
Chairman
Member → Vice Chairman, 2023
Vice Chairman → Chairman, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ian Nickerson
Member
Member → Chairman, 2023
Chairman → Member, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lee Hampton
Member-At-Large
Member → Member-At-Large, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carolyn Beckham
Vice Chairman
Member → Secretary, 2023
Secretary → Vice Chairman, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David McQueen
Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jason Hall
Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Liz Wagstaff
Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Melody Hunt
Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sue Schackmuth
Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brandon Osborne
Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Geoff Haney
Treasurer
Member → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gustavo Villanueva
Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kelly Cannon
Secretary
Member → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Allison Padon
Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ron Butler
Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (12)
- Former: Chris Montoya (2020–2024) — Member
- Former: Mindy Patterson (2020–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: David Swearingen (2020–2022) — Vice Chairman
- Former: Deonna Galbraith (2020–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Jeff Blanks (2020–2022) — Chairman
- Former: Steve Senter (2020–2022) — Member-At-Large
- Former: Bud Darby (2020–2021) — Member
- Former: Laurie Eagle (2020–2021) — Member
- Former: Lisa Chavez (2020–2021) — Secretary
- Former: Yvonne Batts (2020–2021) — Member
- Former: Bobby Melson (2020) — Member
- Former: Sarah Ferguson (2020) — Vice Chairman
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $263K, to Katie Alford (President/CEO).
Frequently asked questions about Community Foundation of Abilene
How much does Community Foundation of Abilene give each year?
Community Foundation of Abilene gave $27.4M across 281 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $18.2M across 250 grants.
What is Community Foundation of Abilene's typical grant size?
Community Foundation of Abilene's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $97,341, across 281 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Community Foundation of Abilene that year got $47K on average.
Where does Community Foundation of Abilene give grants?
Community Foundation of Abilene gives mostly in Texas: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Abilene, TX (139 grants), Dallas, TX (8 grants), Coleman, TX (7 grants) and Winters, TX (6 grants).
Does Community Foundation of Abilene give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 281 grants with a stated purpose on Community Foundation of Abilene's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (281 grants).
Who are Community Foundation of Abilene's largest grantees?
Community Foundation of Abilene's largest 2025 grantees include Abilene Heritage Square ($8,166,390), Southern Methodist University Office of Development ($3,000,000) and Abilene Improvement Corporation ($1,067,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($7,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 45% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Community Foundation of Abilene?
Community Foundation of Abilene reported $219.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $36.1M.
What does Community Foundation of Abilene fund?
The Foundation’s mission is to empower people to make a lasting charitable impact on the community by connecting donors to causes, managing investments to preserve endowments, making grants aligned with donor intent, responding to community needs, and providing philanthropic leadership. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Community Foundation of Abilene?
The Foundation accepts applications through its online grants management system; paper applications are not accepted. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Community Foundation of Abilene's EIN?
Community Foundation of Abilene's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-2045832. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 17, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 9, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 30, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Community Foundation of Abilene funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Community Foundation of Abilene's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Texas
Dian Graves Owen Foundation
Abilene, TX
The Dian Graves Owen Foundation supports cultural, educational, community, and recreational organizations, primarily in Texas. Its 2024 grants ranged from $400 to $4 million, with a median of $20,000. It funds only preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$194.8M
Grants
202
Total Given
$24.1M
The Legett Foundation
Abilene, TX
The Legett Foundation supports Texas tax-exempt organizations across community projects, health care, education, and human services. Its 2024 grants ranged from $300 to $2.5 million, with a median of $10,000. It says it does not limit giving to preselected organizations and requires written applications.
Assets
$111.6M
Grants
136
Total Given
$12.6M
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
Saint Louis, MO
The Enterprise Holdings Foundation supports charitable and educational nonprofits in communities where Enterprise Mobility operates, focusing on health, education, arts, and disaster relief; applicants must be actively supported by an Enterprise Mobility team member, spouse, or domestic partner. Giving varies widely: it reported 9,499 grants in 2024, but its 2025 filing showed one grant of $101.4 million, so that amount is not a typical award. Applications are accepted at any time through eligible Enterprise-affiliated applicants; the Foundation does not limit giving to preselected organizations.
Assets
$594.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$101.4M
Kickapoo Springs Foundation
Abilene, TX
The foundation supports community, education, health-care, rehabilitation, research, and other projects, with most funding going to Texas organizations. In 2024 it awarded $12.7 million across 138 grants, ranging from $500 to $2.5 million, with a median grant of $12,500. It accepts written requests from 501(c)(3) organizations and does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
Assets
$111.0M
Grants
138
Total Given
$12.7M
Communities Foundation of Texas Inc
Dallas, TX
Communities Foundation of Texas funds a broad range of community needs, including health, education, housing, and community development, primarily in North Texas and across Texas. Its 2025 grants had a median of about $18,800, though amounts varied widely; nearly all opportunities are by invitation, with some specific programs open for applications.
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
2,209
Total Given
$209.2M
Greater Houston Community Foundation
Houston, TX
The Foundation makes grants through donor-advised and other donor-established funds for public benefit, human services, education, and health, including initiatives addressing economic mobility and poverty in Harris County. In 2024, its median grant was $25,000; it serves Greater Houston, while grants also go to recipients elsewhere in Texas and beyond. It does not accept proposals for the upcoming High-Impact Grantmaking cycle and plans to invite selected organizations or collaboratives to apply.
Assets
$1.1B
Grants
1,724
Total Given
$232.3M
More similar funders
More Funders in Texas
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Community Foundation of Abilene funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/community-foundation-of-abilene-morg_9c9c75555f1949c087558f25512aebcb
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_752045832_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Community Foundation of Abilene funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/community-foundation-of-abilene-morg_9c9c75555f1949c087558f25512aebcb},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. 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 Community Foundation of Abilene'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.
Community Foundation of Abilene down — hundreds of funders to go?