Embrey Family Foundation
The Embrey Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Dallas, Texas, established in 2004. It makes grants in areas including human rights, education, human services, and arts and culture; its website describes its current funding as Texas-centric and invitation-only.
Embrey Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Embrey Family Foundation gave $141K across 16 grants in 2024 (avg $9K), mostly in Texas. 69% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $141,350
- +44.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 16
- +60.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $8,834
- -9.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,353
- Total assets
- $3,815,142
- -7.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 69% first-time grantees (11 of 16, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Texas (60% 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 Embrey Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. The filing says to contact Lindsay Harwell for further details and notes that relevant information is on the foundation’s website.
- Review Cycle
- None listed.
- Deadline
- None listed.
- Contact
Application contact: Lindsay Harwell
Mailing address: 4228 N Central Expressway Suite 215, Dallas, TX 75206
Phone: (214) 206-3577
Website: https://embreyfdn.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Embrey Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Pen America ($25K). Together the top 10 received $116K.
Grant Size Distribution
127 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 117 grants of 127 (92%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s current guidelines state that it is funding Texas-centric work aligned with its areas of focus. In its 2024 filing, 60% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas, 34% to New York, and 6% to California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Embrey Family Foundation open to new grantees?
69%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 11 of 16 grantees (69%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $12K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 13% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 71% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 161% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $98K (2023) to $1.3M (2020). In 2024 it made 16 grants totaling $141K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Pen America New York, NY | To provide support | $25,000 |
| Forest Forward Dallas, TX | To provide support | $25,000 |
| Taca Dallas, TX | To provide support | $15,000 |
| Outloud Dallas Dallas, TX | To provide support | $10,000 |
| Making Gay History New York, NY | To provide support | $10,000 |
| MS Foundation for Women Brooklyn, NY | To provide support | $7,600 |
| Make Art With Purpose Dallas, TX | To provide support | $7,500 |
| Resource Center of Dallas Inc Dallas, TX | To provide support | $5,530 |
| Dallas Theatre Center Dallas, TX | To provide support | $5,175 |
| NTX Downwinders at Risk Dallas, TX | To provide support | $5,000 |
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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 | $3,815,142 | $20,920 | $329,093 | $141,350 | 16 | $221,367 | $21,293 | $137,583 |
| 2023 | $4,121,396 | $-20,061 | $2,284,100 | $97,871 | 10 | $1,422,226 | $44,574 | $169,714 |
| 2022 | $6,430,337 | $865,902 | $1,763,603 | $192,304 | 20 | $1,121,116 | $668,297 | $311,342 |
| 2021 | $7,372,597 | $955,710 | $2,079,642 | $484,718 | 37 | $1,412,200 | $921,749 | $520,628 |
| 2020 | $9,978,994 | $233,193 | $2,555,417 | $1,253,426 | 44 | — | $99,973 | $654,525 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Embrey Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $138K for 2024 — 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 website lists community grant areas as human rights, education, human services, and arts and culture. Its guidelines describe an evolution toward work involving racial and gender equity, arts for social change, human rights, advocacy, social justice, and collaborative connections.
Its 2024 grants included organizations working in arts and culture, advocacy, and equity-related areas. For example, Forest Forward describes its work as combating systemic inequities through neighborhood revitalization centered on marginalized people and the restoration of the Forest Theater in South Dallas. TACA says it invests in a diverse Dallas arts community and seeks an arts landscape accessible to everyone. OutLoud Dallas says it amplifies youth voices and values young people, change-makers, storytellers, and artists. Other grantees included Making Gay History, which brings LGBTQ history to life through oral histories and related educational work, and Resource Center of Dallas, which describes its work as providing LGBTQIA+-affirming resources, education, and advocacy.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 16 grants totaling $141,350. Grant amounts ranged from $1,545 to $25,000, with a median of $5,352. The largest grants included $25,000 each to PEN America and Forest Forward; $15,000 to TACA; and $10,000 each to OutLoud Dallas and Making Gay History.
Other reported grants included $7,600 to the Ms. Foundation for Women, $7,500 to Make Art With Purpose, $5,530 to Resource Center of Dallas, and $5,175 to Dallas Theatre Center. The Ms. Foundation for Women describes its work as building women’s collective power to advance equity and justice.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Lauren Embrey as president and director; Gayle Embrey as vice president; Lindsay Harwell and Jeffrey Harwell as directors; and Michael Magers as secretary, treasurer, and director.
Embrey Family Foundation is led by Lauren Embrey, President & Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 5 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Lauren Embrey
President & Director
On filings since 2020
$243K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Lindsay Harwell
Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$84K (2023) → $85K (2024)
Jeffrey Harwell
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Michael Magers
Secretary, Treasurer & Director
Secretary, Treasurer & D → Secretary, Treasurer & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Gayle Embrey
Vice President
V President → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Lauren Embrey Retirement Benefit (2020–2023) — President & Director
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 $85K, to Lindsay Harwell (Director).
Frequently asked questions about Embrey Family Foundation
How much does Embrey Family Foundation give each year?
Embrey Family Foundation gave $141K across 16 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $98K across 10 grants.
What is Embrey Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Embrey Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,353, and its average grant was $8,834, across 16 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Embrey Family Foundation that year got $7K on average.
Where does Embrey Family Foundation give grants?
Embrey Family Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 60% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (34%) and California (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Dallas, TX (10 grants), New York, NY (3 grants) and Los Angeles, CA (2 grants).
Does Embrey Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on Embrey Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To provide support" (16 grants).
Who are Embrey Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Embrey Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Pen America ($25,000), Forest Forward ($25,000) and Taca ($15,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Embrey Family Foundation?
Embrey Family Foundation reported $3.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $221K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $138K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Embrey Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website lists community grant areas as human rights, education, human services, and arts and culture. Its guidelines describe an evolution toward work involving racial and gender equity, arts for social change, human rights, advocacy, social justice, and collaborative connections. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Embrey Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Embrey Family Foundation's EIN?
Embrey Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-0215399. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Embrey Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 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 Embrey Family Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Embrey Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Embrey Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/embrey-family-foundation-morg_dd5aab88dcd94954ba832130cda5ef9e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_200215399_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Embrey Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/embrey-family-foundation-morg_dd5aab88dcd94954ba832130cda5ef9e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-21. 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 Embrey Family 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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