The Cross Foundation
The Cross Foundation is a private foundation based in Houston, Texas, established in 2016. It operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and has been tax-exempt since July 2019. The foundation functions as a grantmaking organization that provides networking opportunities, financial resources, and business consulting to nonprofits.
Key facts about The Cross Foundation
- EIN
- 83-6765443
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,132,578
- Grants made (2024)
- 45
- Average grant
- $25,168
- Median grant
- $6,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 41% first-time grantees (18 of 44, 2024)
- Total assets
- $139,230
- Primary geography
- Texas (66% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who The Cross Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Cross Foundation's 45 itemized 2024 grants were Texas (66%), Florida (15%) and New Mexico (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (15 grants), Spring, TX (2 grants) and Orlando, FL (2 grants). 20% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Missionary Support" (14 grants), "Projects" (13 grants) and "Event" (6 grants).
Is The Cross Foundation open to new grantees?
41%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 18 of 44 grantees (41%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $23K; repeat grants $28K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $9K repeat.
- 41% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 90% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 The Cross Foundation
- How to evaluate The Cross Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
- Draft an LOI to The Cross Foundation with AI
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$139K
-80.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.1M
+435.4% YoY
Grant Count
45
+60.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$25K
+233.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Cross Foundation reported a distributable amount of $10K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Cross Foundation's mission is to provide networking opportunities, financial resources, and business consulting for nonprofits across the world, seeking to improve quality of life for individuals and to strengthen their communities.
The foundation's core activities include:
- Networking Opportunities: Hosting events to connect people to colleagues, mentors, and potential donors
- Organizational Consulting: Providing business consulting to help nonprofits identify and correct inefficiencies
- Financial Resources: Offering support through monthly funding, matching funds, or one-time grants
Recent grant activity indicates funding for missionary support, general support, sponsorships, scholarships, and foster care ministry initiatives.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 53 grants in 2023. Recent grantees have included:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports initiatives across multiple U.S. cities and states, including major cities like Austin, Dallas, and Houston in Texas, as well as California, Florida, New Jersey, and other states. The foundation also funds nonprofits across the world.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 45 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $139,000
- Total Revenue: $739,025
- Total Expenses: $1,301,918
- Net Income: -$562,893
- Total Liabilities: $120
Prior Year Data (2023):
- Total Assets: $704,338
- Total Revenue: $1,079,000
- Total Expenses: $402,056
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $139,230 | $704,338 | $31,138 |
| Revenue | $739,025 | $1,079,000 | $1,160,000 |
| Expenses | $1,301,918 | $402,056 | $1,780,346 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,300,980 | $399,599 | $1,779,703 |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | $10,160 | $1,538 | $9,525 |
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
204 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Reach The Rest ($200,000), International Generosity Foundation ($165,000), Sport Catalyst ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Reach The Rest Bryan, TX | Projects | $200,000 |
| International Generosity Foundation Clearwater, FL | Projects | $165,000 |
| Sport Catalyst Spring, TX | Projects | $100,000 |
| Second Baptist Church Houston, TX | Tithe | $96,745 |
| Glorieta Adventure Camps Glorieta, NM | Projects | $75,000 |
| Revival Sports Inc The Woodlands, TX | General Giving/Projects | $56,000 |
| Mission of Hope Cedar Park, TX | Projects | $50,076 |
| Marine Reach Midland, TX | Projects | $50,000 |
| New Covenant Missions Inc Coeur D Alene, ID | Projects | $50,000 |
| Full Gospel Korean Chruch of Houston Houston, TX | Tithe/General | $40,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is managed by trustees Bradley Cross and Young Me Cross, both of whom serve without compensation.
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bradley Cross | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Young Me Cross | Trustee | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: PO Box 701443, Houston, TX 77270-0018
Telephone: 832-269-5525
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Cross Foundation fund?
The Cross Foundation's mission is to provide networking opportunities, financial resources, and business consulting for nonprofits across the world, seeking to improve quality of life for individuals and to strengthen their communities. The foundation's core activities include: • **Networking Opportunities**: Hosting events to connect people to colleagues, mentors, and potential donors • **Organizational Consulting**: Providing business consulting to help nonprofits identify and correct ineffic…
How do I apply for a grant from The Cross Foundation?
The foundation made 53 grants in 2023. Recent grantees have included: • Arabian World Partnership (Missionary Support - $24,420) • Axia International (Missionary Support - $12,000) • Misfit Mission (Missionary Support/General Giving - $7,000) • Marine Reach The foundation treats each sponsorship as a partnership and indicates openness to working with organizations over time.
Where does The Cross Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports initiatives across multiple U.S. cities and states, including major cities like Austin, Dallas, and Houston in Texas, as well as California, Florida, New Jersey, and other states. The foundation also funds nonprofits across the world.
What size grants does The Cross Foundation award?
In 2024, The Cross Foundation awarded 45 grants totaling $1.1M — an average of about $25K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Cross Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Cross Foundation reported a distributable amount of $10K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Cross Foundation's EIN?
The Cross Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 83-6765443. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.