Once Upon a Time Foundation
Once Upon a Time Foundation is a private foundation based in Fort Worth, Texas, with a 2024 filing reporting $276.7 million in assets. Its stated areas of support include arts and humanities, community affairs, health and medicine, human services, and education.
Key facts about Once Upon a Time Foundation
In short: Once Upon a Time Foundation gave $10.7M across 1,039 grants in 2024 (avg $10K), mostly in Texas. 61% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 75-2765224
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $10,715,876
- Grants made (2024)
- 1,039
- Average grant
- $10,314
- Median grant
- $350
- New grantees (estimate)
- 61% first-time grantees (180 of 293, 2024)
- Total assets
- $276,746,212
- Primary geography
- Texas (56% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. 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
$276.7M
+2.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$10.7M
-39.4% YoY
Grant Count
1,039
+210.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$10K
-80.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Once Upon a Time Foundation reported a distributable amount of $12.9M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Once Upon a Time Foundation open to new grantees?
61%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 180 of 293 grantees (61%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $18K; repeat grants $66K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 31% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 197% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 107% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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
The foundation’s website does not state a single formal mission. It says it supports organizations that provide benefits in arts and humanities, community affairs, health and medicine, human services, and education.
Its grants include support for research and healthcare organizations, universities, and community organizations. For example, Johns Hopkins University describes its mission as educating students, fostering original research, and bringing the benefits of discovery to the world. Kinderplatz of Fine Arts describes its work as preschool and kindergarten education emphasizing academic readiness through the arts. Ronald McDonald House of Fort Worth says it provides services that remove barriers, strengthen families, and promote healing when children need healthcare.
The foundation’s named initiatives include the Raynor Cerebellum Project, launched in 2022 to support research on cerebellar disorders, and Electronic Data & Mental Health Research, which funds clinical research on the use of patients’ electronic communications in psychiatric evaluation and treatment. Its Child Apraxia Treatment initiative supports resources and research related to evidence-based assessment and treatment of childhood apraxia of speech.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 1,039 grants totaling $10,715,876. Grant amounts ranged from $3 to $2.5 million, with a median grant of $350. The largest listed grants included $2.5 million to UT Southwestern Medical Center for general support, $1 million to Fort Worth Zoo for general support, and $410,949 to the University of Colorado for general support. Other listed awards included $366,667 to Children’s National Research Institute, $275,000 to Texas Health Resources (Harris Methodist Foundation), and two grants of $250,000 each to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, all for general support.
Ready to take the next step with Once Upon a Time Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, Texas recipients received 56% of grant dollars. Other leading recipient states or jurisdictions were North Carolina (7%), District of Columbia (5%), Pennsylvania (5%), and Colorado (4%). The listed grants and initiatives include organizations in Texas and other parts of the United States.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 1,039 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $2.4M (2020) to $17.7M (2023). In 2024 it made 1,039 grants totaling $10.7M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was UT Southwestern Medical Center ($3.0M across 4 grants). Together the top 10 received $6.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
1,974 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 1,824 grants of 1,974 (92%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UT Southwestern Medical Center Dallas, TX | General Support | $2,500,000 |
| Fort Worth Zoo Fort Worth, TX | General Support | $1,000,000 |
| University of Colorado Boulder, CO | General Support | $410,949 |
| Children's National Research Institute Washington, DC | General Support | $366,667 |
| UT Southwestern Medical Center Dallas, TX | General Support | $320,000 |
| Texas Health Resources (Harris Methodist Foundation) Arlington, TX | General Support | $275,000 |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC | General Support | $250,000 |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC | General Support | $250,000 |
| Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD | General Support | $225,000 |
| Texas Children's Hospital Houston, TX | General Support | $200,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grant sum | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $276,746,212 | $2,359,642 | $14,717,708 | $10,715,876 | 1,039 |
| 2023 | $269,806,059 | $138,880 | $19,919,989 | $17,677,034 | 335 |
| 2022 | $226,156,369 | -$12,186,780 | $9,016,134 | $7,463,583 | 303 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $276,746,212 | $269,806,059 | $226,156,369 |
| Revenue | $2,359,642 | $138,880 | $-12,186,780 |
| Expenses | $14,717,708 | $19,919,989 | $9,016,134 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $13,841,328 | $19,369,989 | $8,447,135 |
| Net Investment Income | $30,617,542 | $26,335,810 | $12,870,788 |
| Distributable Amount | $12,938,152 | $11,660,000 | $10,198,291 |
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 Patrick W. Dunne as director, president, and treasurer; Geoffrey P. Raynor as director; Paul E. Christensen as director and secretary; and Montana Raynor as vice president.
Once Upon a Time Foundation is led by Patrick W. Dunne, Director, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2023; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Patrick W. Dunne
Director, President & Treasurer
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Geoffrey P. Raynor
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paul E. Christensen
Director & Secretary
Director → Director & Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Montana Raynor
Vice President
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Noel Nesser (2020–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Pat Dunne (2020–2022) — President & Treasurer
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: 301 Commerce Street 3200, Fort Worth, TX 76102
Phone: (817) 332-5572
Website: https://onceuponatime.org
Frequently asked questions about Once Upon a Time Foundation
How much does Once Upon a Time Foundation give each year?
Once Upon a Time Foundation gave $10.7M across 1,039 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $17.7M across 335 grants.
What is Once Upon a Time Foundation's typical grant size?
Once Upon a Time Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $350, and its average grant was $10,314, across 1,039 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Once Upon a Time Foundation that year got $18K on average.
Where does Once Upon a Time Foundation give grants?
Once Upon a Time Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 56% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were North Carolina (7%) and District of Columbia (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Fort Worth, TX (574 grants), College Station, TX (34 grants), Austin, TX (22 grants) and Madison, WI (21 grants).
Does Once Upon a Time Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 86% of Once Upon a Time Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (895 of 1,039) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "The Raynor Cerebellum Project" (72 grants), "The Philanthropy Lab" (63 grants) and "The Cas Teen Meet-up Program" (9 grants).
Who are Once Upon a Time Foundation's largest grantees?
Once Upon a Time Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include UT Southwestern Medical Center ($3,045,000 across 4 grants), Fort Worth Zoo ($1,002,750 across 2 grants) and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ($571,495 across 3 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Once Upon a Time Foundation?
Once Upon a Time Foundation reported $276.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $13.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $12.9M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Once Upon a Time Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website does not state a single formal mission. It says it supports organizations that provide benefits in arts and humanities, community affairs, health and medicine, human services, and education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Once Upon a Time Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Once Upon a Time Foundation's EIN?
Once Upon a Time Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-2765224. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Once Upon a Time 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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