Community Foundation of Abilene
The Community Foundation of Abilene is a 501(c)(3) public charity and community foundation established in 1985. Based in Abilene, Texas, the organization serves as a philanthropic intermediary connecting donors with charitable causes in their region. The foundation operates as an accredited community foundation confirmed in compliance with National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$204.3M
+10.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$18.2M
+6.7% YoY
Grant Count
250
+2.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$73K
+3.7% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: The Community Foundation of Abilene empowers people to make a lasting charitable impact on our community. The organization connects donors to causes they care about, manages strategic investments to preserve endowments, makes grants that align with donor intent, responds to community needs, and provides philanthropic leadership to enhance Abilene's future.
Vision: A thriving Abilene, endowed forever.
The foundation's work centers on establishing endowment funds that generate grants year after year. Donors establish funds, the foundation invests the principal gift to help it grow, and annual grants are made from earnings to area nonprofits and charitable causes.
Grantmaking
The Community Foundation of Abilene typically operates multiple grant cycles each year:
Review Cycle
each year:
Ready to take the next step with Community Foundation of Abilene?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Community Foundation of Abilene serves Abilene and the surrounding West Central Texas communities, including rural areas and regional fund areas.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of June 2023:
- Total Assets: $185 million
- Total Revenue: $25 million
- Total Expenses: $20.2 million
- Total Liabilities: $26.7 million
Rating: The organization holds a 97% score and Four-Star rating, with an overall score calculated from Accountability & Finance metrics.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $204,338,056 | $185,385,204 | $173,679,067 |
| Revenue | $30,555,422 | $25,026,374 | $40,559,088 |
| Expenses | $21,398,661 | $20,220,880 | $17,431,146 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $4,837,438 | $3,443,625 | $10,284,591 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
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
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Abilene Youth Sports Authority ($696,982), Abilene Heritage Square ($577,636), All Kind Animal Initiative ($339,121).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 12TH ARMORED DIVISION MEMORIAL MUSEUM ABILENE, TX | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $83,887 |
| 2-1-1 TEXAS A CALL FOR HELP ABILENE, TX | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $279,848 |
| 2535 WATER AMARILLO, TX | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| 2INGAGE - TEXAS FAMILY INITIATIVE ABILENE, TX | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $13,950 |
| 895 KACU ABILENE, TX | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $108,466 |
| ABILENE ARTS ALLIANCE ABILENE, TX | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $109,038 |
| ABILENE BACK THE BADGE FOUNDATION (FORMERLY ABILENE POLICE FOUNDATION) ABILENE, TX | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $10,305 |
| ABILENE BALLET THEATRE ABILENE, TX | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $7,169 |
| ABILENE BIG COUNTRY HUNGER COALITION ABILENE, TX | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $15,664 |
| ABILENE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOUNDATION ABILENE, TX | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $10,376 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Katie Alford – President/CEO
- Kassidy Nygaard – Grants Director
- Michelle Parrish – Chief Impact Officer
The organization employs 7 staff members.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| KELLY CANNON | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JASON HALL | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| GEOFF HANEY | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MELODY HUNT | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| DAVID MCQUEEN | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| CHRIS MONTOYA | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| BRANDON OSBORNE | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| SUE SCHACKMUTH | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| GUSTAVO VILLANUEVA | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| LIZ WAGSTAFF | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| IAN NICKERSON | CHAIRMAN | 2 | — |
| SAM VINSON | VICE CHAIRMAN | 1 | — |
| CAROLYN BECKHAM | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| MINDY PATTERSON | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| LEE HAMPTON | MEMBER-AT-LARGE | 1 | — |
| KATIE ALFORD | PRESIDENT/CEO | 40 | $250,500 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**2025 Fall Grant Cycle:** Awarded more than $663,000 to nonprofits
Community Foundation of Abilene - More than $139K in grants awarded\u2026**2025 Spring Grant Cycle:** Awarded more than $579,000 to nonprofits
Community Foundation of Abilene - More than $139K in grants awarded\u2026**2025 Coleman County Grants:** Distributed more than $139,000 to Coleman County nonprofits
**Abilene Gives 2026:** Marked the 10th and final year of this annual giving initiative
**Nonprofit Compass:** The foundation maintains a free online nonprofit directory for qualifying organizations and donors
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Community Foundation of Abilene fund?
**Mission:** The Community Foundation of Abilene empowers people to make a lasting charitable impact on our community. The organization connects donors to causes they care about, manages strategic investments to preserve endowments, makes grants that align with donor intent, responds to community needs, and provides philanthropic leadership to enhance Abilene's future. **Vision:** A thriving Abilene, endowed forever. The foundation's work centers on establishing endowment funds that generate gr…
How do I apply for a grant from Community Foundation of Abilene?
The Community Foundation of Abilene typically operates multiple grant cycles each year: • Fall community grant cycle • Future Fund grant cycle • Spring community grant cycle • Rural grantmaking and opportunities established by regional funds **Recent Grant Activity:** • Fall 2025 grant cycle: More than $663,000 awarded • Spring 2025 grant cycle: More than $579,000 awarded • Coleman County nonprofits (2025): More than $139,000 awarded The foundation also administers a Grants to Individuals Progr…
Where does Community Foundation of Abilene make grants?
The Community Foundation of Abilene serves Abilene and the surrounding West Central Texas communities, including rural areas and regional fund areas.
What size grants does Community Foundation of Abilene award?
In 2024, Community Foundation of Abilene awarded 250 grants totaling $18.2M — an average of about $73K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
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 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Community Foundation of Abilene's focus areas in our free grants database
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
William Z Hayes Foundation
DALLAS, TX
Assets
$629K
Grants
4
Total Given
$28K
Tr Uw Jane James Cook Item 19
DALLAS, TX
Assets
$861K
Grants
11
Total Given
$41K
Forsyth Fbo Leonard Wood Memorial
DALLAS, TX
Assets
$320K
Grants
1
Total Given
$18K
Teas Foundation
AMARILLO, TX
Assets
$3.0M
Grants
3
Total Given
$138K
Crystelle Waggoner Charitable Trust
DALLAS, TX
Assets
$13.5M
Grants
41
Total Given
$3.9M
Nelson & Debbie Fox Charitable Fdtn
LUBBOCK, TX
Assets
$329K
Grants
9
Total Given
$90K
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with Community Foundation of Abilene on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities
Go from researching Community Foundation of Abilene to a real strategy.