Kershaw's Challenge
Kershaw’s Challenge is a Dallas, Texas–based public charity that supports organizations working with vulnerable and at-risk children and families. The organization began in 2011, after Ellen and Clayton Kershaw met Hope, a vulnerable orphan in Zambia, and sought to help provide her with a safe home.
Kershaw's Challenge at a glance
In short: Kershaw's Challenge gave $2.2M across 11 grants in 2024 (avg $200K), top state Texas. 9% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,200,000
- -12.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 11
- +10.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $200,000
- -20.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $175,000
- Total assets
- $419,173
- -8.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 9% first-time grantees (1 of 11, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Texas (48% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Kershaw's Challenge
- Contact
Mailing address: 5949 Sherry Lane Suite 1110, Dallas, TX 75225
Phone: (214) 507-8844
Website: https://kershawschallenge.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Kershaw's Challenge
Who Kershaw's Challenge funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was International Justice Mission ($320K). Together the top 10 received $2.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
41 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $250–500K range: 23 grants of 41 (56%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Kershaw’s Challenge’s website identifies Dallas, Los Angeles, Africa, and the Dominican Republic as its focus locations. Its 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in Texas (48%), California (24%), Washington, DC (15%), Colorado (8%), and Pennsylvania (6%). The organization’s website describes Africa as part of its history and highlights work in Zambia, Uganda, and Ghana.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Kershaw's Challenge open to new grantees?
9%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 11 grantees (9%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $175K; repeat grants $203K. How we count
Medians: $175K first-time, $180K repeat.
- 73% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+8%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2024). 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 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.7M (2020) to $2.5M (2023). In 2024 it made 11 grants totaling $2.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| International Justice Mission Washington DC, DC | Prosecution of Sex-Trafficking in the Dominican Republic. | $320,000 |
| Both Ends Believing Plano, TX | Ending global child welfare crisis through technology and collaboration. | $320,000 |
| Dream Center Los Angeles, CA | Provide Medical Treatment for Disabled Children. | $275,000 |
| Bonton Farms Dallas, TX | Transform Lives and Disrupt Inequities in the Community | $220,000 |
| Arise Africa Ft Worth, TX | To Support Orphanage in Zambia | $200,000 |
| Action in Africa Aspen, CO | To advance the social, personal, and economic, development of children, youth, and adults in uganda through greater access to education | $175,000 |
| For the Nations Garland, TX | Serve refugee families by providing programs that meet their long term needs | $160,000 |
| For Oak Cliff Dallas, TX | Provide culutrally responsive initiatives in the oak cliff community | $150,000 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation Los Angeles, CA | Improve education, health care, homelessness and social justice for all angelenos. | $150,000 |
| Hope Walks York Springs, PA | To free children, families, and communites from the budren of clubfoot | $130,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Kershaw's Challenge?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $419,173 | $2,823,867 | $2,864,033 | $2,200,000 | 11 | — |
| 2023 | $459,339 | $3,156,429 | $3,100,087 | $2,500,000 | 10 | $10 |
| 2022 | $409,579 | $3,164,051 | $3,102,248 | $2,500,000 | 7 | — |
| 2021 | $357,482 | $2,743,691 | $2,555,511 | $2,030,113 | 6 | — |
| 2020 | $169,302 | $2,067,642 | $2,108,974 | $1,690,535 | 7 | — |
| 2019 | $210,634 | $2,284,943 | $2,281,082 | $2,000,000 | 8 | — |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Kershaw’s Challenge describes itself as a faith-based, others-focused organization that encourages people to use their talents and influence to help people in need and positively affect communities. Its 2024 filing describes its mission as providing funds and other assistance to build schools and orphanages in Lusaka, Zambia, and supporting other organizations in the United States.
The 2024 grants show support for organizations addressing child welfare, medical care, orphan care, education, refugee-family services, community initiatives, and other needs. For example, grantee Both Ends Believing describes its mission as transforming global child welfare through technology and collaboration. Arise Africa says it assists impoverished orphans in Zambia, while Action in Africa describes its work as advancing the development of children, youth, and adults in Uganda through greater access to education and other resources. Other grantees’ stated missions include serving Oak Cliff through education and social mobility (For Oak Cliff), addressing clubfoot (Hope Walks), and providing new athletic shoes to children in need (Shoes That Fit).
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, Kershaw’s Challenge reported 11 grants totaling $2,200,000. Grant amounts ranged from $100,000 to $320,000, with a median of $175,000. Among the largest awards were $320,000 to International Justice Mission for work related to sex trafficking in the Dominican Republic, and $320,000 to Both Ends Believing for child-welfare work through technology and collaboration. Other notable grants included $275,000 to Dream Center for medical treatment for disabled children; $220,000 to Bonton Farms to transform lives and address inequities in the community; and $200,000 to Arise Africa to support an orphanage in Zambia.
The organization also lists the Hunter Smith Africa Scholarship, created in honor of Hunter Smith, as a program intended to send someone to Zambia with Arise Africa each year. It is described as a scholarship program, not as a grant program for outside organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Joan Walne as chairman and Charlotte Clinton, Daniella Giglio, Larry Glasscock, Bob Halpin, Cathy Bryce, Jamie Kraus, Jed Melson, Dale Petroskey, and Rob Sayles as directors.
The organization’s team page identifies Ellen and Clayton Kershaw as founders, Ann Higginbottom as executive director, and Karen James, Jordan Taylor, Shay O’Dwyer King, Morgan Miller, and Jim Melson as staff.
Kershaw's Challenge is led by Clayton Kershaw, President on every filing since 2019; 1 of 13 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Clayton Kershaw
President
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joan Walne
Chairman
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bob Halpin
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cathy Bryce
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Charlotte Clinton
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dale Petroskey
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Daniella Giglio
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jamie Kraus
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jed Melson
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Larry Glasscock
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rob Sayles
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ann Marie Higginbottom
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$25K (2019) → $58K (2024)
Ellen Kershaw
Vice President
On filings since 2019
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "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 $58K, to Ann Marie Higginbottom (Treasurer).
Frequently asked questions about Kershaw's Challenge
How much does Kershaw's Challenge give each year?
Kershaw's Challenge gave $2.2M across 11 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $2.5M across 10 grants.
What is Kershaw's Challenge's typical grant size?
Kershaw's Challenge's median grant in 2024 was $175,000, and its average grant was $200,000, across 11 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Kershaw's Challenge that year got $175K on average.
Where does Kershaw's Challenge give grants?
Kershaw's Challenge's top state is Texas, with 48% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were California (24%) and District of Columbia (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (2 grants) and Dallas, TX (2 grants).
Does Kershaw's Challenge give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on Kershaw's Challenge's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are Kershaw's Challenge's largest grantees?
Kershaw's Challenge's largest 2024 grantees include International Justice Mission ($320,000), Both Ends Believing ($320,000) and Dream Center ($275,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Kershaw's Challenge?
Kershaw's Challenge reported $419K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $2.8M.
What does Kershaw's Challenge fund?
Kershaw’s Challenge describes itself as a faith-based, others-focused organization that encourages people to use their talents and influence to help people in need and positively affect communities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Kershaw's Challenge?
Kershaw's Challenge has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check kershawschallenge.com for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Kershaw's Challenge's EIN?
Kershaw's Challenge's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-5554866. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 21, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 7, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 14, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Kershaw's Challenge's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Kershaw's Challenge funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/kershaw-s-challenge-morg_d7a68aeffa6040ee9406e0b7fb63911d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_455554866_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Kershaw's Challenge funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/kershaw-s-challenge-morg_d7a68aeffa6040ee9406e0b7fb63911d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Kershaw's Challenge'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.
Kershaw's Challenge down — hundreds of funders to go?