Sterling-Turner Foundation
The Sterling-Turner Foundation is a private foundation based in Houston, Texas. It supports eligible charitable organizations and government agencies in five Texas counties: Tom Green, Kerr, Travis, Fort Bend, and Harris. Its 2024 filing reports 106 grants totaling $3,440,000.
Sterling-Turner Foundation at a glance
In short: Sterling-Turner Foundation gave $3.4M across 106 grants in 2024 (avg $32K), mostly in Texas. 33% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,440,000
- +18.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 106
- +55.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $32,453
- -24.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $13,990,288
- +12.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (33 of 99, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Texas (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Sterling-Turner Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation accepts requests through an application form on its website, with supporting documents submitted through the website’s upload instructions. It considers applications from 501(c)(3) nonprofits and qualifying governmental agencies. Its guidelines require the applicant’s office, financial management of the requested funds, and supported services to be within the five eligible counties. The document checklist calls for an IRS determination letter, the most recent completed tax document with all schedules, and, if applicable, audited financial statements and a detailed program or project budget.
- Review Cycle
- The website says requests are typically accepted from August of the prior year through February 15 at 5 p.m. The 2026 cycle deadline was February 15, 2026, and has passed.
- Deadline
- The website says requests are typically accepted from August of the prior year through February 15 at 5 p.m.
- Contact
Application contact: Sterling-Turner Foundation - Patric
Mailing address: 800 Bering Dr Suite 202, Houston, TX 77057
Phone: (713) 237-1117
Website: https://www.sterlingturnerfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Sterling-Turner Foundation
Who Sterling-Turner Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The Museum of Fine Arts Houston ($200K across 4 grants). Together the top 10 received $895K.
Grant Size Distribution
327 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 274 grants of 327 (84%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website identifies Tom Green, Kerr, Travis, Fort Bend, and Harris counties as the eligible counties. Its guidelines say that applicants must have an office in one of those counties, manage the granted funds there, and limit the supported services to those counties. The 2024 filing reports that all grant dollars went to recipients in Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 106 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Sterling-Turner Foundation open to new grantees?
33%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 33 of 99 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $29K; repeat grants $38K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $30K repeat.
- 46% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 103% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 95% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.3M (2022) to $3.4M (2024). In 2024 it made 106 grants totaling $3.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Crossway Bible Church San Antonio, TX | Residency program | $120,000 |
| Houston Food Bank Houston, TX | General support | $100,000 |
| The Museum of Fine Arts Houston Houston, TX | Reinzi Endowment | $100,000 |
| Star of Hope Mission Houston, TX | General support | $80,000 |
| Forge for Families Houston, TX | General support | $60,000 |
| Open Door Mission Houston, TX | General support | $60,000 |
| Texas Education Works Houston, TX | General support | $60,000 |
| 1 Hope for Kids Inc San Antonio, TX | Support for 10 families | $50,000 |
| Camp for All Foundation Houston, TX | General support | $50,000 |
| Hope and Healing Center & Institute Houston, TX | General support | $50,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Sterling-Turner Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $13,990,288 | $5,392,957 | $3,896,852 | $3,440,000 | 106 | $3,630,744 | $5,199,732 | $3,816,080 |
| 2023 | $12,450,079 | $2,931,213 | $3,256,885 | $2,914,000 | 68 | $3,072,859 | $2,793,173 | $3,538,450 |
| 2022 | $12,764,415 | $4,003,819 | $1,729,200 | $1,315,000 | 67 | $1,495,423 | $3,823,184 | $3,126,091 |
| 2021 | $10,528,811 | $4,683,442 | $2,109,258 | $1,695,000 | 38 | $1,873,352 | $4,507,856 | $2,384,219 |
| 2020 | $7,993,071 | $3,827,852 | $2,055,230 | $1,695,000 | 48 | — | $3,688,671 | $1,871,521 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sterling-Turner Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation does not state a mission in the supplied materials. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in areas including food assistance, homelessness and recovery services, education, arts and culture, and conservation. For example, Houston Food Bank describes its mission as providing food for better lives, while Star of Hope Mission says it mobilizes the city to serve people facing homelessness. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston describes its work as connecting Houston communities with diverse histories of art, and Houston Botanic Garden says it works to enrich life through discovery, education, and conservation of plants and the natural environment.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 106 grants totaling $3,440,000. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $120,000, with a median of $25,000. Notable grants included $120,000 to Crossway Bible Church for a residency program; $100,000 each to Houston Food Bank for general support and The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston for its Rienzi Endowment; and $80,000 to Star of Hope Mission for general support. Other listed grants included $60,000 each to Forge for Families, Open Door Mission, and Texas Education Works, and $50,000 each to 1 Hope for Kids, Camp for All Foundation, Hope and Healing Center & Institute, Houston Botanic Garden, and Houston’s Amazing Place.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists T R Reckling III as President/Director; Isla C Reckling as Treasurer/Director; L David Winston as Vice President/Director; Christiana R McConn as Secretary/Director; and Chaille W Hawkins as Assistant Secretary/Director. It also lists Carroll R Goodman, Michael D Hawkins, Isla C Jornayvaz, James S Reckling, and John B Reckling as Assistant Secretaries.
Sterling-Turner Foundation is led by T R Reckling III, President & Director since 2023 (on filings since 2020); all 14 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
T R Reckling III
President & Director
President → President & Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$100 (2021) → $100 (2024)
Chaille W Hawkins
Assistant Secretary & Director
Assistant Secretary → Assistant Secretary & Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$100 (2022) → $100 (2024)
Christiana R McConn
Secretary & Director
Secretary → Secretary & Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$100 (2021) → $100 (2024)
Isla C Reckling
Treasurer & Director
Treasurer → Treasurer & Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$100 (2021) → $100 (2024)
L David Winston
Vice President & Director
Vice President → Vice President & Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$100 (2022) → $100 (2024)
Carroll R Goodman
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$100 (2021) → $100 (2024)
E Carroll Schuler
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$100 (2022) → $100 (2024)
Isla C Jornayvaz
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$100 (2021) → $100 (2024)
James S Reckling
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$100 (2022) → $100 (2024)
John B Reckling
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$100 (2021) → $100 (2024)
Stephen M Reckling Jr.
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$100 (2023) → $100 (2024)
Thomas R Cliffe Reckling
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$100 (2021) → $100 (2024)
Lauren E Reckling
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$100 (2022) → $100 (2024)
Michael D Hawkins
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$100 (2022) → $100 (2024)
Former officers (1)
- Former: T R Reckling IV (2020) — Assistant Secretary
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $100, to T R Reckling III (President/Director). 15 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Sterling-Turner Foundation
How much does Sterling-Turner Foundation give each year?
Sterling-Turner Foundation gave $3.4M across 106 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.9M across 68 grants.
What is Sterling-Turner Foundation's typical grant size?
Sterling-Turner Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $32,453, across 106 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sterling-Turner Foundation that year got $29K on average.
Where does Sterling-Turner Foundation give grants?
Sterling-Turner Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (77 grants), Kerrville, TX (6 grants), San Angelo, TX (4 grants) and San Antonio, TX (3 grants).
Does Sterling-Turner Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 88% of Sterling-Turner Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (93 of 106) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Sterling-Turner Foundation's largest grantees?
Sterling-Turner Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include The Museum of Fine Arts Houston ($200,000 across 4 grants), Crossway Bible Church ($120,000) and Houston Food Bank ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 12% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Sterling-Turner Foundation?
Sterling-Turner Foundation reported $14.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Sterling-Turner Foundation fund?
The foundation does not state a mission in the supplied materials. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in areas including food assistance, homelessness and recovery services, education, arts and culture, and conservation. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sterling-Turner Foundation?
The foundation accepts requests through an application form on its website, with supporting documents submitted through the website’s upload instructions. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Sterling-Turner Foundation's EIN?
Sterling-Turner Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-1460482. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Sterling-Turner Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Sterling-Turner Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sterling-turner-foundation-morg_750a63d717464be6b092614b38140984
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_741460482_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Sterling-Turner Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sterling-turner-foundation-morg_750a63d717464be6b092614b38140984},
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 Sterling-Turner Foundation'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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