Garrison Family Foundation
The Garrison Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. Established in 2006 by Shirley and Mildred Garrison, it supports 501(c)(3) charities in education, religion, and health, with a stated emphasis on the Texas Panhandle and South Plains.
Garrison Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Garrison Family Foundation gave $1.4M across 33 grants in 2025 (avg $41K), mostly in Texas. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,352,419
- +17.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 33
- +10.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $40,982
- +6.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $18,507,168
- +2.9% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Texas (97% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Garrison 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 for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Foundation Source 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809-1377
Phone: (800) 839-1754
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Garrison Family Foundation
Who Garrison Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Texas Tech Foundation Inc ($215K). Together the top 10 received $968K.
Grant Size Distribution
139 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 97 grants of 139 (70%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation describes its philanthropic focus as the Texas Panhandle and South Plains. In 2025, 97% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas and 2% went to recipients in Washington. Listed Texas recipients included organizations in Lubbock, Austin, Marble Falls, and other communities.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 33 itemized grants.
Cities
How Garrison Family Foundation gives
- 61% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 42% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 97% 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 (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 $30K (2021) to $2.3M (2022). In 2025 it made 33 grants totaling $1.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Texas Tech Foundation Inc Lubbock, TX | General & Unrestricted | $215,000 |
| Ceta Canyon Camp & Retreat Center Happy, TX | General & Unrestricted | $125,000 |
| Covenant Health System Foundation Lubbock, TX | General & Unrestricted | $100,000 |
| Lubbock County Expo Center Inc Lubbock, TX | General & Unrestricted | $100,000 |
| Make-a-Wish Foundation of Central and South Texas West Lake Hills, TX | General & Unrestricted | $90,000 |
| Austin Ymbl Sunshine Camp Austin, TX | General & Unrestricted | $82,500 |
| Wesley Foundation at Texas Tech Lubbock, TX | General & Unrestricted | $80,998 |
| Austin Pets Alive Dallas, TX | General & Unrestricted | $75,000 |
| Agriculture Heritage Museum Inc Lubbock, TX | General & Unrestricted | $60,000 |
| Harmony School of Creative Arts Marble Falls, TX | General & Unrestricted | $40,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Garrison Family 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $18,507,168 | $2,100,412 | $1,586,794 | $1,352,419 | 33 | $1,451,713 | $1,998,703 | $1,502,227 |
| 2024 | $17,993,550 | $1,948,586 | $1,346,952 | $1,154,400 | 30 | $1,238,753 | $1,640,210 | $1,387,228 |
| 2023 | $17,391,916 | $1,173,660 | $1,353,347 | $1,173,262 | 37 | $1,256,094 | $1,081,707 | $1,173,946 |
| 2022 | $17,571,603 | $2,683,710 | $2,535,937 | $2,336,906 | 38 | $2,416,807 | $2,584,799 | $1,230,561 |
| 2021 | $17,423,830 | $2,126,522 | $222,334 | $30,000 | 1 | $99,381 | $2,009,705 | $1,478,497 |
| 2020 | $15,576,451 | $2,279,418 | $1,306,269 | $1,223,970 | 31 | — | $2,197,119 | $1,137,511 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Garrison Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.5M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports educational, religious, and health programs. Its 2025 grants included organizations whose own missions span several areas: Ceta Canyon Camp & Retreat Center describes its work as providing a place where people experience God and have their lives changed; Covenant Health System Foundation says it serves all, especially people who are poor and vulnerable; and Austin YMBL Sunshine Camp describes youth overnight camps and leadership programs as a way to engage and empower young people.
Other 2025 recipients describe missions in animal welfare, agriculture, and the arts. Austin Pets Alive works to eliminate the killing of companion animals, Agriculture Heritage Museum seeks to preserve and share the history of American agriculture, and Harmony School of Creative Arts provides community education in the performing and visual arts.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 33 grants totaling $1,352,419. Grant amounts ranged from $2,000 to $215,000, with a median of $20,000. It made 30 grants totaling $1,154,400 in 2024 and 37 grants totaling $1,173,262 in 2023.
Among its largest 2025 grants were $215,000 to Texas Tech Foundation; $125,000 to Ceta Canyon Camp & Retreat Center; $100,000 each to Covenant Health System Foundation and Lubbock County Expo Center; and $90,000 to Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central and South Texas. The listed grants were for general and unrestricted purposes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2025 filing are Harvey Garrison, director and president; Pam Carrothers, director and vice president; William Carrothers, director and treasurer; Sharon Walker, director and secretary; Kerry Garrison, director; Bruce Walker, director; and Sharon Walker, director and secretary.
Garrison Family Foundation is led by Harvey Garrison, Director & President since 2021 (on filings since 2020); none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Harvey Garrison
Director & President
President → Director & President, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bruce Walker
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kerry Garrison
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Pam Carrothers
Director & Vice President
Vice President → Director & Vice President, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sharon Walker
Director & Secretary
Secretary → Director & Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William Carrothers
Director & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Sandy Garrison (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Bill Carrothers (2020) — Treasurer
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.
Frequently asked questions about Garrison Family Foundation
How much does Garrison Family Foundation give each year?
Garrison Family Foundation gave $1.4M across 33 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.2M across 30 grants.
What is Garrison Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Garrison Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $40,982, across 33 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Garrison Family Foundation give grants?
Garrison Family Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Austin, TX (13 grants), Lubbock, TX (6 grants) and Dallas, TX (2 grants).
Does Garrison Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Garrison Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (33 of 33) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Garrison Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Garrison Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Texas Tech Foundation Inc ($215,000), Ceta Canyon Camp & Retreat Center ($125,000) and Covenant Health System Foundation ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Garrison Family Foundation?
Garrison Family Foundation reported $18.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.5M (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 Garrison Family Foundation fund?
The foundation supports educational, religious, and health programs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Garrison Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Garrison Family Foundation's EIN?
Garrison Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-4886012. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Garrison Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 29, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 29, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 29, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 18, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 24, 2026)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Garrison Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Garrison Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/garrison-family-foundation-morg_2f2a89341fd84231b73109b1c7a9bea2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_204886012_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Garrison Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/garrison-family-foundation-morg_2f2a89341fd84231b73109b1c7a9bea2},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. 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 Garrison 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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