John S Dunn Foundation
The John S Dunn Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) foundation based in Houston, Texas, established in 1977. The foundation is dedicated to improving health outcomes and advancing health equity across the greater Houston area through strategic philanthropy and community partnerships.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$81.8M
+6.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.1M
-0.5% YoY
Grant Count
45
-2.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$113K
+1.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John S Dunn Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The John S Dunn Foundation's mission is to support and strengthen healthcare clinics serving underserved and vulnerable populations, expand access to high-quality mental health programs, advance medical research that addresses pressing community health needs, and invest in healthcare education to develop a skilled and compassionate workforce.
Primary funding priorities include:
- Healthcare clinics serving underserved and vulnerable populations
- Mental health programs and behavioral sciences
- Medical research across any organ or tissue system
- Healthcare education and nursing programs
- Medical research endowments and chairs
- Nursing scholarships and educational programs
Grantmaking
Grant Range
s:** Funded grant sizes range from $10,000 to $20,000,000.
Grant Types
How to Apply
** Applicants submit brief proposals that are reviewed on a rolling basis. The foundation's board meets monthly to make funding decisions.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation focuses exclusively on the greater Houston area and Texas, with particular emphasis on Houston.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $76.8 million (2023); $81,821,300 (2024)
Annual Giving: $5,107,452 (2024); $6.13 million in expenses (2023)
Revenue: $4,229,016 (2023)
Liabilities: $0 (2023)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $81,821,300 | $76,848,487 | $78,745,406 |
| Revenue | $11,144,127 | $4,229,016 | $9,251,548 |
| Expenses | $6,171,314 | $6,125,935 | $8,132,045 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $5,418,898 | $5,437,844 | $7,069,891 |
| Net Investment Income | $10,373,428 | $3,636,175 | $8,189,027 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,834,697 | $4,590,846 | $4,528,764 |
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
238 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from John S Dunn Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include UThealth Science Center - John S Dunn Behavioral Sciences Center ($2,000,000), Rice University ($300,000), Communities In Schools of Houston Inc ($200,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Albert Schweitzer Fellowship Houston-Galveston Houston, TX | Grant for operating support. | $10,000 |
| Archway Academy Houston, TX | Grant to support student scholarships to provide 11 partial scholarships for families unable to help their children struggling with addiction. | $50,000 |
| Baylor College of Medicine Houston, TX | Grant to support research for the Cultivation Center to increase its capacity and substantially enhance its production of microbiome-based therapeutic and diagnostic candidates. | $100,000 |
| Bo'S Place Houston, TX | Grant to provide grief support services and education at no cost to children, teens, adults, and community members. | $25,000 |
| Bridges To Life Houston, TX | Grant for operational support for its program for victims and offenders and healing. | $10,000 |
| Camp Allen Navasota, TX | Grant to support updating medical equipment, supplies, and transportation for the John S. Dunn Camper Health Center. | $45,000 |
| Camp For All Houston, TX | Grant to support expenses to their Camp's health center. | $25,000 |
| Child Advocates Of Fort Bend Rosenberg, TX | Grant for operational support to provide direct clinical services for child victims and their families. | $50,000 |
| Christian Community Service Center Houston, TX | Grant to be used for emergency medical needs for the Emergency Services program. | $25,000 |
| College of the Mainland Foundation Inc Texas City, TX | Grant to support 10 or more scholarships for Bachelor of Science in Nursing. | $20,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charles M Lusk III | President | 5.41 | $60,000 |
| John R Wallace | Vice President | 5 | $48,000 |
| David G Key | Secretary/Treasurer | 5.49 | $48,000 |
| Cynthia J Adkins | Trustee | 5.28 | $48,000 |
| Diana M Hawkins | Trustee | 5.02 | $48,000 |
| Terri Lacy | Trustee | 5.1 | $48,000 |
| Andrew W Sowell | Trustee | 4.99 | $48,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation established the John S. Dunn Behavioral Sciences Center at UTHealth Houston as part of a recent multiyear commitment to mental health programming.
UTHealth Houston establishes the John S. Dunn Behavioral Sciences CenterThe foundation has made significant commitments to collaborative research initiatives, including support for research grant programs through partnerships with major institutions in the Houston area and contributions to biomedical engineering programs.
Dunn Foundation gives Rice $3M for collaborative research grants | EurekAlert!Contact Information
Address: 3355 West Alabama, Suite 990, Houston, Texas 77098
Phone: 713-626-0368
Fax: 713-626-3866
Email: jsdrf@swbell.net
Website: johnsdunnfoundation.org
Frequently Asked Questions
What does John S Dunn Foundation fund?
The John S Dunn Foundation's mission is to support and strengthen healthcare clinics serving underserved and vulnerable populations, expand access to high-quality mental health programs, advance medical research that addresses pressing community health needs, and invest in healthcare education to develop a skilled and compassionate workforce. Primary funding priorities include: • Healthcare clinics serving underserved and vulnerable populations • Mental health programs and behavioral sciences •…
How do I apply for a grant from John S Dunn Foundation?
**Grant Sizes:** Funded grant sizes range from $10,000 to $20,000,000. **Grant Types:** The foundation typically does not provide multi-year grants. Brief proposals are reviewed on a rolling basis, with full grant proposals requested only upon invitation. **Application Process:** Applicants submit brief proposals that are reviewed on a rolling basis. The foundation's board meets monthly to make funding decisions. **Recent Activity:** The foundation has distributed over $169 million in charitabl…
Where does John S Dunn Foundation make grants?
The foundation focuses exclusively on the greater Houston area and Texas, with particular emphasis on Houston.
What size grants does John S Dunn Foundation award?
In 2024, John S Dunn Foundation awarded 45 grants totaling $5.1M — an average of about $113K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is John S Dunn Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, John S Dunn Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is John S Dunn Foundation's EIN?
John S Dunn Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-1933660. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in John S Dunn Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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