The Horizon Foundation
The Horizon Foundation is a private charitable foundation established in 2001 and based in Plano, Texas. The organization is designated as a 501(c)(3) private grantmaking foundation committed to land and water conservation, with a focus on protecting iconic landscapes and natural resources for future generations.
Key facts about The Horizon Foundation
- EIN
- 75-2947962
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $7,856,524
- Grants made (2024)
- 38
- Average grant
- $206,751
- Median grant
- $67,550
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (9 of 27, 2024)
- Total assets
- $25,516,176
- Primary geography
- Virginia (42% 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 Horizon Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Horizon Foundation's 38 itemized 2024 grants were Virginia (42%), Texas (30%) and Oklahoma (28%). The most frequent recipient cities were Dallas, TX (7 grants), Austin, TX (6 grants), Arlington, VA (4 grants) and Alpine, TX (4 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is The Horizon Foundation open to new grantees?
33%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 27 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $54K; repeat grants $409K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $63K repeat.
- 44% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 725% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 772% of 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 Horizon Foundation
- How to evaluate The Horizon Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
- Draft an LOI to The Horizon Foundation with AI
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$25.5M
+43.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$7.9M
+79.1% YoY
Grant Count
38
+46.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$207K
+22.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Horizon Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Horizon Foundation's mission is to ensure that iconic landscapes and natural resources remain for future generations. The foundation's grant-making priorities include:
- Land and water resource protection
- Conservation easements and fee simple land protection
- Environmental education
- Education
- Human services
- Philanthropy and voluntarism
The foundation emphasizes supporting the land trust community, conservation non-profit organizations, and other entities working to protect land and water resources.
Grantmaking
The Horizon Foundation has established a challenge grant program to support land protection efforts. The board of directors has committed to funding $20 million over four years for fee simple and conservation easement land protection efforts.
Ready to take the next step with The Horizon Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grant-making focuses primarily on:
- Texas
- Virginia
- Oklahoma
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 38 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Total Assets: $25,516,176 (most recent filing)
Total Giving: $7,856,524 (most recent filing)
Annual Revenue: $516,000 (2023)
Annual Expenses: $4,480,000 (2023)
Total Liabilities: $0 (2023)
The foundation has maintained tax-exempt status since August 2001.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $25,516,176 | $17,849,477 | $15,936,488 |
| Revenue | $9,378,083 | $515,900 | $-185,664 |
| Expenses | $8,079,418 | $4,475,361 | $3,585,630 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $8,001,821 | $4,386,590 | $3,481,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,300,585 | $428,015 | $283,135 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,036,612 | $843,896 | $1,044,119 |
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
110 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include The Nature Conservancy ($3,300,000 across 4 grants), Ou Foundation ($2,080,000), Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation ($615,000 across 6 grants).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY Arlington, VA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $2,500,000 |
| OU FOUNDATION Okalhoma City, OK | GENERAL SUPPORT | $2,080,000 |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY Arlington, VA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $500,000 |
| MANE GAIT McKinney, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $250,000 |
| TEXAS AGRICULTURAL LAND TRUST San Antonio, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $200,000 |
| TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE FOUNDATION Dallas, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $200,000 |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY Arlington, VA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $150,000 |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY Arlington, VA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $150,000 |
| TRINITY PARK CONSERVANCY Dallas, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $140,000 |
| BORDERLANDS RESEARCH INSTITUTE Alpine, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $125,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Rod Sanders — President and CEO of Highland Homes. Serves on the board of the Gulf of Mexico Trust and has been a board member of The Nature Conservancy for over twenty years.
Anne Brown — Executive Director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. Brings over 25 years of experience in national nonprofit management, including previous work with the National Audubon Society.
Nancy Sanders — Board member. An award-winning documentary filmmaker who has executive produced documentaries focused on outdoor conservation and environmental issues.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rodger M Sanders | Chairman/Pres/Treas | 1 | — |
| Nancy Sanders | Director | 1 | — |
| Robert Potts | VP | 1 | — |
| Anne Brown | Executive Director | 20 | $90,474 |
| Carter Smith | Director | 1 | — |
| Sally Anderson | Secretary | 1 | — |
| Lunette Mesecke | Asst Secretary | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Horizon Foundation fund?
The Horizon Foundation's mission is to ensure that iconic landscapes and natural resources remain for future generations. The foundation's grant-making priorities include: • Land and water resource protection • Conservation easements and fee simple land protection • Environmental education • Education • Human services • Philanthropy and voluntarism The foundation emphasizes supporting the land trust community, conservation non-profit organizations, and other entities working to protect land and…
How do I apply for a grant from The Horizon Foundation?
The Horizon Foundation has established a challenge grant program to support land protection efforts. The board of directors has committed to funding $20 million over four years for fee simple and conservation easement land protection efforts. **Grant Applications:** Grant applications are accepted by invitation only on a rolling basis. Interested organizations should contact abrown@tpwf.org for information. **Typical Award Range:** $10,000 to $2,500,000 **Recent Financial Activity:** Total givi…
Where does The Horizon Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grant-making focuses primarily on: • Texas • Virginia • Oklahoma
What size grants does The Horizon Foundation award?
In 2024, The Horizon Foundation awarded 38 grants totaling $7.9M — an average of about $207K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Horizon Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Horizon Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.0M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Horizon Foundation's EIN?
The Horizon Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-2947962. 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.