Harry Bass Foundation

DALLAS, TX EIN: 75-1876307

The Harry Bass Foundation, also known as the Harry W. Bass, Jr. Foundation, is a private foundation based in Dallas, Texas. It was established in 1983 and operates as a non-operating foundation dedicated to philanthropic support of qualified nonprofit organizations.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$73.2M

-26.0% YoY

Annual Giving

$33.4M

+46.2% YoY

Grant Count

-13.3% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$642K

+68.6% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Harry Bass Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation seeks to enrich the lives of citizens of Texas by providing support to qualified organizations. Primary funding areas include:

Early childhood education and literacy (primary focus)
Youth and education
Health & Human Services
Civic & Community
Science & Research
Arts & Culture

Grantmaking

Grants are awarded predominantly in Dallas County, with a focus on early childhood education and literacy. Grants outside Dallas County are rarely considered. The foundation has supported organizations across 6 states, with primary grantmaking concentrated in Texas, Colorado, and Hawaii, which account for 98% of all grants. The foundation has supported 110 unique organizations.

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

Texas $59.7M (99%)

Colorado $239K (0%)

North Carolina $150K (0%)

Hawaii $100K (0%)

Massachusetts $6K (0%)

California $200 (0%)

New York $100 (0%)

States

California Colorado Florida Hawaii Massachusetts North Carolina New York Texas

Cities

AbileneAthensAustinBooneCarrolltonColorado SpringsCrowleyDallasEulessEustaceFarmers BranchFt WorthGarlandGonzalesGypsumHonoluluHoustonLa GrangePasadenaPlano

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Total Assets: $73.2 million (as of most recent reporting)
Annual Income: $39.7 million
Total Giving: $33.3 million
Asset Growth: Assets have grown from $44 million in 2011 to $99 million in 2023

Tax records are available from 2020 to 2023.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$73,247,812	$99,027,945	$62,995,266
Revenue	$9,438,037	$45,426,508	$12,837,786
Expenses	$35,215,785	$23,907,975	$2,558,945
Qualifying Distributions	$33,944,242	$23,288,646	$2,168,645
Net Investment Income	$8,808,129	$44,983,645	$12,527,186
Distributable Amount	$4,129,618	$3,589,690	$1,891,012

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

244 grants across all recorded years

Open Grants

1 open opportunity from Harry Bass Foundation

Foundation

Harry W. Bass, Jr. Foundation Grant

HARRY BASS FOUNDATION

Amount

Varies

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include University of Texas Dallas ($20,000,000), Dallas Historical Society ($7,000,000), The University of Texas at Austin ($4,000,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ALS TDI WATERTOWN, MA	PROGRAM	$5,000
BACHMAN LAKE TOGETHER DALLAS, TX	PROGRAM	$50,000
BROTHER BILL'S HELPING HAND DALLAS, TX	PROGRAM	$50,000
BUCKNER INTERNATIONAL DALLAS, TX	PROGRAM	$19,800
CHILD CARE GROUP DALLAS, TX	PROGRAM	$50,000
DALLAS AFTERSCHOOL NETWORK DALLAS, TX	PROGRAM	$25,000
DALLAS CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS FOUNDATION DALLAS, TX	PROGRAM	$25,000
DALLAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA DALLAS, TX	PROGRAM	$35,000
DALLAS SERVICES DALLAS, TX	PROGRAM	$15,000
DALLAS ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY DALLAS, TX	PROGRAM	$250,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The foundation is governed by 4 officers and trustees. The principal officer is listed as Harry W Bass Jr Foundation.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
DORIS L BASS	TRUSTEE	1	—
MICHAEL L CALHOUN	PRESIDENT, TRUSTEE	20	$67,464
F DAVID CALHOUN	EXEC DIRECTOR	37.5	$194,141
LINDA B STALEY	TRUSTEE	1	$5,638

Contact Information

Address: 4809 Cole Ave Ste 105, Dallas, TX 75205-7313
Phone: 214-599-0300
Website: HBRF.ORG
EIN: 75-1876307

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Harry Bass Foundation fund?

The foundation seeks to enrich the lives of citizens of Texas by providing support to qualified organizations. Primary funding areas include: • **Early childhood education and literacy** (primary focus) • Youth and education • Health & Human Services • Civic & Community • Science & Research • Arts & Culture

How do I apply for a grant from Harry Bass Foundation?

**Grant Characteristics:** • Individual grants have ranged from $100 to $20,000,000 • Average award: $164,000 • Median grant: $25,000 • Total grants made: 158 grants totaling $25.9 million (as of available records) • Annual giving has grown from $1.4 million in 2020 to $22.8 million in 2023 **Eligibility Requirements:** • Must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, public entity, or church • The foundation does not lend or grant money to individuals **Application Process:** • Competitive grant awards • Appl…

What size grants does Harry Bass Foundation award?

In 2024, Harry Bass Foundation awarded 52 grants totaling $33.4M — an average of about $642K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Harry Bass Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Harry Bass Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.