The Deason Foundation
The Deason Foundation is a private foundation based in Dallas, Texas. In 2024, it made 17 grants totaling $2,842,500 to charitable organizations, including a university, philanthropic organizations, a museum, and other nonprofits.
The Deason Foundation at a glance
In short: The Deason Foundation gave $2.8M across 17 grants in 2024 (avg $167K), mostly in Texas. 24% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,842,500
- -3.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 17
- +6.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $167,206
- -8.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $42,610,692
- -41.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (4 of 17, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Texas (55% 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 The Deason Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3953 Maple Avenue 150, Dallas, TX 75219
Phone: (214) 378-3600
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Deason Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Southern Methodist University ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $2.8M.
Grant Size Distribution
68 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 31 grants of 68 (46%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars went to recipients in Texas (55%), Virginia (32%), Illinois (10%), the District of Columbia (3%), and Colorado (0%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Deason Foundation open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 17 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $216K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $80K repeat.
- 76% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 22% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 108% 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $2.8M (2022) to $3.6M (2021). In 2024 it made 17 grants totaling $2.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX | General Support | $1,000,000 |
| Stand Together Foundation Arlington, VA | General Support | $900,000 |
| Turning Point USA Lemont, IL | General Support | $290,000 |
| National Medal of Honor Museum Arlington, TX | General Support | $250,000 |
| America First Policy Institute Arlington, TX | General Support | $100,000 |
| UT Southwestern Dallas, TX | General Support | $100,000 |
| Blexit Foundation Inc Washington, DC | General Support | $80,000 |
| SM Wright Foundation Dallas, TX | General Support | $25,000 |
| Southwestern Diabetic Foundation Inc Whitesboro, TX | General Support | $25,000 |
| First Liberty Plano, TX | Genral Support | $20,000 |
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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 | $42,610,692 | $8,929,513 | $2,991,791 | $2,842,500 | 17 | $2,891,756 | $3,746,972 | $2,673,534 |
| 2023 | $72,823,954 | $8,605,114 | $3,086,697 | $2,930,000 | 16 | $2,988,323 | $3,421,927 | $2,830,260 |
| 2022 | $55,040,907 | $10,643,340 | $3,030,007 | $2,825,000 | 14 | $2,909,231 | $2,839,645 | $2,788,581 |
| 2021 | $72,270,320 | $12,601,628 | $3,725,663 | $3,621,430 | 11 | $3,664,259 | $2,483,364 | $3,179,681 |
| 2020 | $64,447,252 | $12,174,033 | $3,389,763 | $3,261,665 | 10 | — | $2,052,905 | $2,479,109 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Deason Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement or specific funding priorities are provided. The 2024 grants show support for organizations working in several areas. Southern Methodist University describes its mission as education through research and teaching. The National Medal of Honor Museum says it works to preserve and present the stories of Medal of Honor recipients. The Southwestern Diabetic Foundation says it provides an activities camp for diabetic children that teaches diabetes management and lifestyle modification. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 17 grants totaling $2,842,500. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $1,000,000, with a median of $25,000. Listed purposes were generally support.
The largest grants were $1,000,000 to Southern Methodist University, $900,000 to Stand Together Foundation, $290,000 to Turning Point USA, and $250,000 to the National Medal of Honor Museum. Other notable grants included $100,000 each to America First Policy Institute and UT Southwestern, and $80,000 to Blexit Foundation Inc.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Darwin Deason as president and treasurer, Douglas Deason as vice president, Nick Foster as vice president and secretary, and Scott Letier as advisory employee.
The Deason Foundation is led by Darwin Deason, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; 3 of 4 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Darwin Deason
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Douglas Deason
Vice President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$2K (2020) → $34K (2024)
Scott Letier
Advisory Employee
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
$15K (2021) → $8K (2024)
Nick Foster
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2022
7.5 hrs/week
$37K (2022) → $33K (2024)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Asher Ladner (2020–2022) — Vice President & Secretary - Partial
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 $34K, to Douglas Deason (Vice President). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Deason Foundation
How much does The Deason Foundation give each year?
The Deason Foundation gave $2.8M across 17 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.9M across 16 grants.
What is The Deason Foundation's typical grant size?
The Deason Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $167,206, across 17 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Deason Foundation that year got $8K on average.
Where does The Deason Foundation give grants?
The Deason Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 55% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Virginia (32%) and Illinois (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Dallas, TX (6 grants) and Arlington, TX (2 grants).
Does The Deason Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 94% of The Deason Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (16 of 17) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Deason Foundation's largest grantees?
The Deason Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Southern Methodist University ($1,000,000), Stand Together Foundation ($900,000) and Turning Point USA ($290,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 77% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Deason Foundation?
The Deason Foundation reported $42.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.7M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Deason Foundation fund?
No mission statement or specific funding priorities are provided. The 2024 grants show support for organizations working in several areas. Southern Methodist University describes its mission as education through research and teaching. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Deason Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Deason Foundation's EIN?
The Deason Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-2715549. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Deason Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Deason Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Deason Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Deason Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-deason-foundation-morg_682c56197e774fbbb2b5b1b01a156f79
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_752715549_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Deason Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-deason-foundation-morg_682c56197e774fbbb2b5b1b01a156f79},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 The Deason 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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