Make the Connection
To operate exclusively for charitable, educational, scientific or literarypurposes by engaging directly in support of such purposes or by making distributions to other organizations for use in such purposes.
Make the Connection at a glance
In short: Make the Connection gave $8.0M across 1 grant in 2025 (avg $8.0M), mostly in Texas. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $8,000,000
- +2064.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 1
- -80.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $8,000,000
- +10722.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $8,000,000
- Total assets
- $102,726
- +1772.2% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Texas (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Make the Connection funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Central Texas Community Foundation ($8.0M).
Grant Size Distribution
12 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 5 grants of 12 (42%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of the 2025 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.
Cities
How Make the Connection gives
- Giving grew 1059% from 2022 to 2025. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $370K (2024) to $8.0M (2025). In 2025 it made 1 grant totaling $8.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Central Texas Community Foundation Austin, TX | To Further the Organizations Mission | $8,000,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $102,726 | $9,896,868 | $9,799,796 | $8,000,000 | 1 |
| 2024 | $5,487 | $374,570 | $395,604 | $369,607 | 5 |
| 2023 | $26,521 | $103,409 | $635,829 | $512,275 | 3 |
| 2022 | $1,372,253 | $1,271,474 | $700,651 | $690,000 | 3 |
About Make the Connection
Based on IRS filings
Make the Connection is a public charity focused on Education, based in Austin, TX. IRS filing data is available from 2022 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $103K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 1 grant totaling $8.0M.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Make the Connection is led by Jennifer Stevens, President on every filing since 2022; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jennifer Stevens
President
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Caroline Storz
Treasurer
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Melinda King
Vice President
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Micki Howe
Secretary
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2022–2025. "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 Make the Connection
How much does Make the Connection give each year?
Make the Connection gave $8.0M across 1 grant in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $370K across 5 grants.
How large is Make the Connection?
Make the Connection reported $103K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $9.9M.
What is Make the Connection?
Make the Connection is a public charity focused on Education, based in Austin, TX. It holds $103K in total assets as of 2025.
Where does Make the Connection operate?
Make the Connection has awarded grants in Georgia, Iowa, Texas.
What is Make the Connection's EIN?
Make the Connection's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-3108102. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2022–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(5)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 18, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 21, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2022–2024
Live grants for the work Make the Connection funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Make the Connection's focus areas in our free grants database
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Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Texas
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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from Make the Connection'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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