The Scanlan Foundation is a private foundation based in Houston, Texas, established to further the Roman Catholic Church within the state of Texas through support of religious, charitable, and educational institutions. Founded on January 25, 1947, by sisters Lillian and Stella Scanlan, the foundation has grown from an initial $4 million estate to become a significant philanthropic force in Catholic philanthropy across Texas.
Key facts about Scanlan Foundation
- EIN
- 74-1297212
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $5,292,190
- Grants made (2024)
- 77
- Average grant
- $68,730
- Median grant
- $35,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 22% first-time grantees (17 of 77, 2024)
- Total assets
- $260,148,700
- Primary geography
- Texas (98% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Two grant sessions annually (Spring and Fall). Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 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.
Who Scanlan Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Scanlan Foundation's 77 itemized 2024 grants were Texas (98%). The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (27 grants), San Antonio, TX (4 grants), Austin, TX (3 grants) and El Paso, TX (3 grants). None of its 77 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Support Catholic Charitable Activities" (13 grants), "To Support Catholic Religious and Charitable Activities" (12 grants) and "To Support Catholic Educational and Social Activities" (11 grants).
Is Scanlan Foundation open to new grantees?
22%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 17 of 77 grantees (22%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $23K; repeat grants $82K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $40K repeat.
- 68% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+7%). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Scanlan Foundation
- How to evaluate Scanlan Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$260.1M
+9.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.3M
-3.5% YoY
Grant Count
77
+8.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$69K
-11.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: The Scanlan Foundation's mission is to contribute to the support of religious, charitable, and educational institutions and works within the fifteen dioceses in the State of Texas, exclusively in order to further the Roman Catholic religion within the State of Texas.
Strategic Pillars: The foundation organizes its grantmaking around a culture of vocations as the foundational cornerstone, supporting four main mission-furthering pillars:
- Vocations (foundational to all funding decisions)
- Marriage & Holy Families
- Catholic Education
- Evangelization & Discipleship
- Life & Human Dignity
The foundation adopted a 25-year strategic plan leading up to its 75th anniversary in 2022, with revised funding procedures implemented in October 2021.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$10,000 to $200,000
Average Grant
Approximately $78,000 (2023)
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Scanlan Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Scanlan Foundation funds exclusively within the State of Texas, specifically supporting work across all fifteen Catholic dioceses in Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 77 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2023):
- Total Assets: $237.8 million to $238 million
- Total Revenue: $13.95 million to $14 million
- Total Expenses: $6.97 million to $6.97 million
- Total Liabilities: $5,740
Tax Status: 501(c)(3) organization; tax-exempt since September 1948; EIN: 74-1297212
Historical Impact: Over $150 million awarded in grants throughout the foundation's 75+ year history.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $260,148,700 | $237,809,800 | $213,789,376 |
| Revenue | $25,182,271 | $13,953,882 | $14,315,582 |
| Expenses | $6,859,535 | $6,968,481 | $7,714,368 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $23,977,656 | $12,513,519 | $12,052,152 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
458 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
5 open opportunities from Scanlan Foundation
Scanlan Foundation Grant: Campus Ministry
Scanlan Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Scanlan Foundation Grant: Diocese
Scanlan Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Scanlan Foundation Grant: Higher Education
Scanlan Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston ($516,463), St Peter Catholic School ($500,000), Archdiocese of San Antonio ($275,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ARCHDIOCESE OF GALVESTON-HOUSTON HOUSTON, TX | TO SUPPORT CATHOLIC RELIGIOUS, SOCIAL AND CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $516,463 |
| ST PETER CATHOLIC SCHOOL HOUSTON, TX | TO SUPPORT CATHOLIC EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES | $500,000 |
| ARCHDIOCESE OF SAN ANTONIO SAN ANTONIO, TX | TO SUPPORT CATHOLIC RELIGIOUS, SOCIAL AND CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $275,000 |
| DIOCESE OF AUSTIN AUSTIN, TX | TO SUPPORT CATHOLIC RELIGIOUS, SOCIAL AND CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $255,000 |
| DIOCESE OF BROWNSVILLE BROWNSVILLE, TX | TO SUPPORT CATHOLIC RELIGIOUS, SOCIAL AND CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $185,000 |
| DIOCESE OF LUBBOCK LUBBOCK, TX | TO SUPPORT CATHOLIC RELIGIOUS, SOCIAL AND CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $175,000 |
| DIOCESE OF AMARILLO AMARILLO, TX | TO SUPPORT CATHOLIC RELIGIOUS, SOCIAL AND CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $170,000 |
| DIOCESE OF BEAUMONT BEAUMONT, TX | TO SUPPORT CATHOLIC RELIGIOUS, SOCIAL AND CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $170,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF ST THOMAS HOUSTON, TX | TO SUPPORT CATHOLIC EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES | $155,936 |
| DIOCESE OF EL PASO EL PASO, TX | TO SUPPORT CATHOLIC RELIGIOUS, SOCIAL AND CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $155,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Most Reverend Joe S. Vásquez — Archbishop of Galveston-Houston
- His Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo — Archbishop Emeritus of Galveston-Houston
- Larry W. Massey, Jr. — President
- William H. Cravens — Executive Vice President
- Kirk M. Pfeffer — Treasurer
- Paul H. Layne — Secretary
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kirk M Pfeffer | Treasurer/Director | 0.5 | — |
| Larry W Massey Jr | President/Director | 50 | $90,000 |
| Paul H Layne | Secretary/Director | 0.5 | — |
| Daniel Cardinal Dinardo | Director | 0.25 | — |
| William H Cravens | Executive Vice President/D | 50 | $90,000 |
Contact Information
Address: 4550 Post Oak Place Drive, Suite 241, Houston, Texas 77027-3117
Phone: 713-783-3169
Email: grants@scanlanfoundation.org
Website: https://scanlanfoundation.org
Office Hours: Meetings by appointment only
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Scanlan Foundation fund?
**Mission Statement:** The Scanlan Foundation's mission is to contribute to the support of religious, charitable, and educational institutions and works within the fifteen dioceses in the State of Texas, exclusively in order to further the Roman Catholic religion within the State of Texas. **Strategic Pillars:** The foundation organizes its grantmaking around a culture of vocations as the foundational cornerstone, supporting four main mission-furthering pillars: • **Vocations** (foundational to…
How do I apply for a grant from Scanlan Foundation?
Two grant sessions annually (Spring and Fall). Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does Scanlan Foundation make grants?
The Scanlan Foundation funds exclusively within the State of Texas, specifically supporting work across all fifteen Catholic dioceses in Texas.
What size grants does Scanlan Foundation award?
In 2024, Scanlan Foundation awarded 77 grants totaling $5.3M — an average of about $69K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Scanlan Foundation's EIN?
Scanlan Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-1297212. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Scanlan 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.