The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation
The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation is a private foundation based in Plano, Texas. It made 53 grants totaling $886,250 in filing year 2024 to charitable organizations, including organizations involved in music, community leadership, religious activities, and public policy.
Key facts about The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation
In short: The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation gave $886K across 53 grants in 2024 (avg $17K), mostly in Texas. 23% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 27-2530561
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $886,250
- Grants made (2024)
- 53
- Average grant
- $16,722
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (12 of 53, 2024)
- Total assets
- $12,928,124
- Primary geography
- Texas (67% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). 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
$12.9M
-0.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$886K
+0.6% YoY
Grant Count
53
+20.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$17K
-16.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation reported a distributable amount of $768K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation open to new grantees?
23%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 12 of 53 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $18K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 60% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−6%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 153% 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2024 grants went to organizations with varied missions. For example, the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra says it works to inspire and cultivate excellence in young people through music education, ensemble building, and performance opportunities. Dallas Leadership Foundation says its mission is to identify, affirm, and develop leaders to transform communities.
Other 2024 grantees describe their work as promoting public policy, supporting pregnancy services, conducting vision research and treatment, or encouraging a culture of life. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not a stated mission of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 53 grants totaling $886,250. Grant amounts ranged from $250 to $100,000, with a median of $10,000. Among the largest listed awards were $100,000 to UNT Foundation toward the Commercial Music Excellence Fund; $75,000 to Dallas Leadership Foundation for its Workforce Development Program and general operations; and $50,000 each to Prince of Peace Catholic Church toward an organ capital campaign, PSC Patriots toward the Lake Fork Challenge, and St John the Evangelist Catholic Church toward construction of a new sanctuary.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In filing year 2024, Texas recipients received 67% of grant dollars, followed by recipients in New York (12%), Washington, DC (6%), Virginia (3%), and California (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 53 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $766K (2020) to $939K (2021). In 2024 it made 53 grants totaling $886K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was UNT Foundation ($100K). Together the top 10 received $470K.
Grant Size Distribution
255 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 233 grants of 255 (91%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UNT Foundation Denton, TX | Towards the Commercial Music Excellence Fund | $100,000 |
| Dallas Leadership Foundation Dallas, TX | Towards the Workforce Development Program ($25,000) and general operations ($50,000) | $75,000 |
| Prince of Peace Catholic Church Plano, TX | Towards the capital campaign for the organ | $50,000 |
| PSC Patriots Yantis, TX | Towards the Lake Fork Challenge | $50,000 |
| St John the Evangelist Catholic Chu Emory, TX | Towards construction of a new sanctuary | $50,000 |
| Camp Agape Buffalo, NY | Towards Camp in a Box | $40,000 |
| Canisius College Buffalo, NY | Towards the Luke J '30 and John L Strauss '61 Scholarship Fund | $30,000 |
| ACT for America Education Inc Virginia Beach, VA | Towards ACT in Faith | $25,000 |
| Birth Choice Dallas, TX | General pregnancy support | $25,000 |
| Canisius High School Buffalo, NY | Towards the Artist in Residence Program | $25,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $12,928,124 | $1,469,580 | $1,517,123 | $886,250 |
| 2023 | $12,975,667 | $384,358 | $1,500,965 | $880,622 |
| 2022 | $14,092,274 | $409,371 | $1,431,423 | $816,500 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $12,928,124 | $12,975,667 | $14,092,274 |
| Revenue | $1,469,580 | $384,358 | $409,371 |
| Expenses | $1,517,123 | $1,500,965 | $1,431,423 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,176,649 | $1,167,378 | $1,087,001 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,131,868 | $54,154 | $94,846 |
| Distributable Amount | $767,945 | $718,843 | $769,264 |
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 John L Strauss as President, Bonnie P Strauss as V.P./Secretary, and Chris P Stanton as Treasurer/Executive Director.
The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation is led by Chris P Stanton, Treasurer & Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Chris P Stanton
Treasurer & Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$150K (2020) → $160K (2024)
John L Strauss
President
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bonnie P Strauss
V.p. & Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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 $160K, to Chris P Stanton (Treas/Exec Dir).
Contact
Mailing address: 5301 Village Creek Drive E, Plano, TX 75093
Phone: (214) 368-9009
Frequently asked questions about The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation
How much does The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation give each year?
The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation gave $886K across 53 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $881K across 44 grants.
What is The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation's typical grant size?
The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $16,722, across 53 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation that year got $12K on average.
Where does The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation give grants?
The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 67% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (12%) and District of Columbia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Dallas, TX (12 grants), Plano, TX (6 grants), Buffalo, NY (4 grants) and Washington, DC (4 grants).
Does The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 17% of The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (9 of 53) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Tuition assistance" (3 grants).
Who are The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation's largest grantees?
The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include UNT Foundation ($100,000), Dallas Leadership Foundation ($75,000) and Prince of Peace Catholic Church ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 25% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation?
The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation reported $12.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $768K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation fund?
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2024 grants went to organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation's EIN?
The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-2530561. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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