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.
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.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grant-making focuses primarily on:
- Texas
- Virginia
- Oklahoma
Grant Distribution by State
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 |
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 include The Nature Conservancy ($2,500,000), Ou Foundation ($2,080,000), The Nature Conservancy ($500,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BIG BEND CONSERVANCY ALPINE, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| BIG BEND CONSERVANCY ALPINE, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,174 |
| BIG BROTHERSSISTERS GREATER TARRANT CO ARLINGTON, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| BORDERLANDS RESEARCH INSTITUTE ALPINE, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $125,000 |
| BORDERLANDS RESEARCH INSTITUTE ALPINE, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $75,000 |
| CADDO LAKE INSTITUTE KARNACK, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $30,000 |
| CAMP FIRE CENTRAL TEXAS AUSTIN, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| DEVILS RIVER CONSERVANCY AUSTIN, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $125,000 |
| FRIENDS OF CIBILO WILDERNESS BOERNE, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $46,000 |
| HEROES AND HORSES BELGRADE, MT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $50,000 |
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 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.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Horizon Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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