The Gayden Family Foundation
The Gayden Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Dallas, Texas. It makes grants to charitable organizations, with 91% of its 2024 grant dollars going to recipients in Texas.
Key facts about The Gayden Family Foundation
In short: The Gayden Family Foundation gave $5.4M across 55 grants in 2024 (avg $99K), mostly in Texas. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 75-6563143
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $5,421,500
- Grants made (2024)
- 55
- Average grant
- $98,573
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $104,419,134
- Primary geography
- Texas (91% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. 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
$104.4M
+15.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.4M
+35.3% YoY
Grant Count
55
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$99K
+35.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Gayden Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.9M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How The Gayden Family Foundation gives
- 91% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 31% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 111% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in areas including homelessness services, food access, animal welfare, science education, child advocacy, and religious outreach.
Among its grantees, Austin Street Center describes its mission as providing emergency shelter and related services to people experiencing homelessness. North Texas Food Bank says it works through feeding partners to provide access to nutritious food and address the root causes of hunger. Operation Kindness describes its work as providing lifesaving care, programs, and community resources for pets and the people who love them. The Perot Museum of Nature & Science says it aims to inspire minds through nature and science. Dallas CASA says its volunteer advocates help children affected by abuse and neglect.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 55 grants totaling $5,421,500. Grants ranged from $1,500 to $1,200,000, with a median of $50,000. It reported 55 grants totaling $4,006,500 in 2023 and 55 grants totaling $3,921,500 in 2022.
The largest 2024 grants included $1,200,000 to The Stewpot for general funding; $400,000 to Highland Park Presbyterian Church for general funding; $350,000 to Trinity Christian Academy for general funding; and $200,000 each to Austin Street Center, North Texas Food Bank, Salvation Army, Tunnel to Towers Foundation, and Visiting Nurses Association. Other notable grants included $150,000 to Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation for St. Phillip’s Community Care Clinic and $150,000 to Operation Kindness.
How to Apply
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and contributes only to preselected charitable organizations.
Ready to take the next step with The Gayden Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Texas organizations received 91% of the foundation’s 2024 grant dollars. Recipients in New York received 4%, Georgia 2%, Maryland 1%, and Virginia 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 55 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $3.1M (2020) to $5.4M (2024). In 2024 it made 55 grants totaling $5.4M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The Stewpot ($1.2M). Together the top 10 received $3.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
167 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 65 grants of 167 (39%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Stewpot Dallas, TX | General Funding | $1,200,000 |
| Highland Park Presbyterian Church Dallas, TX | General Funding | $400,000 |
| Trinity Christian Academy Dallas, TX | General Funding | $350,000 |
| Austin Street Center Dallas, TX | General Funding | $200,000 |
| North Texas Food Bank Dallas, TX | General Funding | $200,000 |
| Salvation Army Dallas, TX | General Funding | $200,000 |
| Tunnel to Towers Foundation Staten Island, NY | General Funding | $200,000 |
| Visiting Nurses Association Dallas, TX | Meals on Wheels | $200,000 |
| Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation Dallas, TX | St. Phillip's Community Care Clinic | $150,000 |
| Operation Kindness Carrollton, TX | General Funding | $150,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $104,419,134 | $12,023,062 | $5,512,945 | $5,421,500 | 55 |
| 2023 | $90,302,178 | $6,099,783 | $4,127,653 | $4,006,500 | 55 |
| 2022 | $77,896,464 | $6,527,149 | $4,196,589 | $3,921,500 | 55 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $104,419,134 | $90,302,178 | $77,896,464 |
| Revenue | $12,023,062 | $6,099,783 | $6,527,149 |
| Expenses | $5,512,945 | $4,127,653 | $4,196,589 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $5,425,540 | $4,010,423 | $3,925,110 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,264,575 | $1,605,091 | $1,754,801 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,902,606 | $4,163,108 | $4,017,647 |
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 Cynthia N. Gayden, Elizabeth G. Williams, and Katherine G. Keenan as co-trustees, and Stacy Brock as a director.
The Gayden Family Foundation's 2024 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Cynthia N. Gayden
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth G. Williams
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Katherine G. Keenan
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stacy Brock
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: William K. Gayden (2020–2022) — Co-Trustee · Filing note: Deceased
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: 13727 Noel Road Suite 1200, Dallas, TX 75240
Phone: (972) 701-8377
Frequently asked questions about The Gayden Family Foundation
How much does The Gayden Family Foundation give each year?
The Gayden Family Foundation gave $5.4M across 55 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $4.0M across 55 grants.
What is The Gayden Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Gayden Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $98,573, across 55 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Gayden Family Foundation give grants?
The Gayden Family Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 91% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Dallas, TX (29 grants) and Houston, TX (9 grants).
Does The Gayden Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 85% of The Gayden Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (47 of 55) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Gayden Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Gayden Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include The Stewpot ($1,200,000), Highland Park Presbyterian Church ($400,000) and Trinity Christian Academy ($350,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Gayden Family Foundation?
The Gayden Family Foundation reported $104.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4.9M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Gayden Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in areas including homelessness services, food access, animal welfare, science education, child advocacy, and religious outreach. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Gayden Family Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Gayden Family Foundation's EIN?
The Gayden Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-6563143. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Gayden Family 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 October 2026.
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