Lisa and Clay Cooley Family Foundation
The Lisa and Clay Cooley Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Dallas, Texas. In 2024, it awarded grants to charitable organizations including a church, a university, human-services organizations, and cultural organizations.
Key facts about Lisa and Clay Cooley Family Foundation
In short: Lisa and Clay Cooley Family Foundation gave $2.6M across 30 grants in 2024 (avg $87K), mostly in Texas. 32% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 85-4395603
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,615,948
- Grants made (2024)
- 30
- Average grant
- $87,198
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (9 of 28, 2024)
- Total assets
- $4,025,962
- Primary geography
- Texas (98% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$4.0M
-13.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.6M
+9.9% YoY
Grant Count
30
-31.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$87K
+61.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lisa and Clay Cooley Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $148K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Lisa and Clay Cooley Family Foundation open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 28 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $62K; repeat grants $108K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 57% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 43% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for education, social services, arts and cultural activities, and religious ministries. For example, Southern Methodist University describes its mission as education through research and teaching, while EQUEST says it partners with horses to support the quality of life of children and adults with diverse needs.
Other recipients describe work that includes supporting pediatric cancer patients and their families (Luke’s FastBreaks), empowering people to make life-affirming choices (Council for Life), and promoting awareness of and raising funds for the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum (Texas State History Museum Foundation).
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 30 grants totaling $2,615,948. Grants ranged from $500 to $1,200,000, with a median grant of $10,000.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas, 1% to recipients in New York, and less than 1% to recipients in Tennessee.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.8M (2021) to $2.7M (2022). In 2024 it made 30 grants totaling $2.6M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Preston Road Church of Christ ($1.2M). Together the top 10 received $2.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
158 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 135 grants of 158 (85%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Preston Road Church of Christ Dallas, TX | Support numerous ministries while sharing the news of jesus christ | $1,200,000 |
| Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX | Cox School of Business Renovation and Expansion | $500,000 |
| Salvation Army Dallas, TX | Capital Campaign | $375,000 |
| Crystal Charity Ball Dallas, TX | 2024 Fashion Show and Underwriting | $147,068 |
| Communities Foundation of Texas Dallas, TX | The Sweetheart Ball Fund | $101,500 |
| Texas State History Museum Foundation Austin, TX | Blue Star Museums and Texas Independence Day Dinner | $50,000 |
| Salvation Army Dallas, TX | Dallas Women's Auxiliary | $30,000 |
| Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Rye Brook, NY | Connect patients to services and forward research in blood cancer | $26,000 |
| Council for Life Dallas, TX | 2024 Celebrating Life | $24,500 |
| Luke's Fastbreaks Carrollton, TX | Premier BBQ Bash Sponsor | $24,400 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $4,025,962 | $2,073,266 | $2,688,374 | $2,615,948 | 30 |
| 2023 | $4,641,070 | $2,439,052 | $2,427,085 | $2,380,665 | 44 |
| 2022 | $4,629,103 | $3,204,764 | $2,768,174 | $2,734,960 | 43 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $4,025,962 | $4,641,070 | $4,629,103 |
| Revenue | $2,073,266 | $2,439,052 | $3,204,764 |
| Expenses | $2,688,374 | $2,427,085 | $2,768,174 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,626,755 | $2,396,443 | $2,754,525 |
| Net Investment Income | $35,406 | $30,497 | $35,730 |
| Distributable Amount | $148,104 | $159,974 | $134,896 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Clay E. Cooley as president and treasurer, Lisa C. Cooley as vice president and secretary, and Chase Cooley, Ciara Cooley, and Chance Cooley as directors.
Lisa and Clay Cooley Family Foundation is led by Clay E. Cooley, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Clay E. Cooley
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chance Cooley
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chase Cooley
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ciara Cooley
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lisa C. Cooley
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Contact
Mailing address: 5500 Preston Road 250, Dallas, TX 75205
Phone: (214) 780-7629
Frequently asked questions about Lisa and Clay Cooley Family Foundation
How much does Lisa and Clay Cooley Family Foundation give each year?
Lisa and Clay Cooley Family Foundation gave $2.6M across 30 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.4M across 44 grants.
What is Lisa and Clay Cooley Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Lisa and Clay Cooley Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $87,198, across 30 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Lisa and Clay Cooley Family Foundation that year got $62K on average.
Where does Lisa and Clay Cooley Family Foundation give grants?
Lisa and Clay Cooley Family Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Dallas, TX (23 grants) and Carrollton, TX (2 grants).
Does Lisa and Clay Cooley Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 30 grants with a stated purpose on Lisa and Clay Cooley Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Lisa and Clay Cooley Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Lisa and Clay Cooley Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Preston Road Church of Christ ($1,200,000), Southern Methodist University ($500,000) and Salvation Army ($410,000 across 3 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 81% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Lisa and Clay Cooley Family Foundation?
Lisa and Clay Cooley Family Foundation reported $4.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $148K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Lisa and Clay Cooley Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for education, social services, arts and cultural activities, and religious ministries. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Lisa and Clay Cooley Family Foundation?
The foundation 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 Lisa and Clay Cooley Family Foundation's EIN?
Lisa and Clay Cooley Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-4395603. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Lisa and Clay Cooley 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.
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