Community Foundation of Abilene
The Community Foundation of Abilene is based in Abilene, Texas, and connects donors with charitable causes through endowment management and grantmaking. It supports nonprofit programs and projects, with grant opportunities serving Abilene, rural West-Central Texas, and Coleman County.
Key facts about Community Foundation of Abilene
In short: Community Foundation of Abilene gave $27.4M across 281 grants in 2025 (avg $97K), mostly in Texas. 29% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 75-2045832
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $27,352,769
- Grants made (2025)
- 281
- Average grant
- $97,341
- Median grant
- $20,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (82 of 281, 2025)
- Total assets
- $219,779,026
- Primary geography
- Texas (94% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Applications must be submitted online through Foundant GLM; paper applications are not accepted. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- Abilene community-cycle applications open June 15 and are due August 1 for fall, and open December 1 and are due…
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$219.8M
+7.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$27.4M
+50.2% YoY
Grant Count
281
+12.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$97K
+33.6% YoY
Is Community Foundation of Abilene open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 82 of 281 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $46K; repeat grants $119K. 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s mission is to empower people to make a lasting charitable impact by connecting donors to causes they care about, managing strategic investments to preserve endowments, making grants aligned with donor intent, responding to community needs, and providing philanthropic leadership.
Its grantmaking supports nonprofit organizations and, for Abilene-area cycles, government agencies. The recipients and grant purposes listed for 2025 illustrate a range of supported work. Abilene Heritage Square received a grant for program support; its mission is to provide a new home for the main branch of the Abilene Public Library, expand educational opportunities, contribute to neighborhood revival, and provide community gathering space. All Kind Animal Initiative, which received a grant, says it seeks to improve animal welfare in Abilene. Kenley School, another recipient, provides instruction for children with learning disabilities. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not stated focus areas of the Foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the Foundation reported 281 grants totaling $27,352,769. Grant amounts ranged from $5,050 to $8,166,390, with a median grant of $20,000. The Foundation says most of its grantmaking efforts are funded by unrestricted endowment funds, while donor-directed grants from advised funds also contribute.
Review Cycle
each year, including fall and spring community cycles, the Future Fund cycle, and rural or regional-fund opportunities. Abilene-area community grants are available twice annually to eligible 501(c)(3) organizations and government agencies serving 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. Requirements, eligibility, scope, and deadlines vary by cycle.
Open Grants
43 open opportunities from Community Foundation of Abilene
Abilene A&M Club Scholarship Grant
Community Foundation of Abilene
Amount
US $500 - US $5,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Abilene Alumnae Panhellenic Missy Bridwell Memorial Scholarship Grant
Community Foundation of Abilene
Amount
US $500 - US $5,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Abilene Geological Society Scholarship Grant
Community Foundation of Abilene
Amount
US $500 - US $5,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Ready to take the next step with Community Foundation of Abilene?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation lists grant opportunities for Abilene, rural West-Central Texas, and Coleman County. Its Abilene community grants serve Abilene and Taylor County. In 2025, 94% of reported grant dollars went to Texas recipients; the reported shares for Oklahoma, California, Utah, and North Carolina were 1% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 281 itemized grants.
States
Cities
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.
Grant Insights
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%).
Giving History
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 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $219,779,026 | $36,088,689 | $31,320,481 | $27,352,769 |
| 2024 | $204,338,056 | $30,555,422 | $21,398,661 | $18,216,836 |
| 2023 | $185,385,204 | $25,026,374 | $20,220,880 | $17,079,633 |
The filing type is 990T.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $219,779,026 | $204,338,056 | $185,385,204 |
| Revenue | $36,088,689 | $30,555,422 | $25,026,374 |
| Expenses | $31,320,481 | $21,398,661 | $20,220,880 |
| Net Investment Income | $8,307,284 | $4,837,438 | $3,443,625 |
Data update history
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
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The Foundation’s 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).
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 1001, Abilene, TX 79604
Phone: (325) 676-3883
Website: https://cfabilene.org
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 $46K 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 by connecting donors to causes they care about, managing strategic 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?
Applications must be submitted online through Foundant GLM; 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 September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Community Foundation of Abilene by hand.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Community Foundation of Abilene's focus areas in our free grants database
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