The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation
The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation is a private foundation based in Dallas, Texas. In 2025, it awarded 49 grants totaling $2.7 million to charitable organizations, including organizations working in health care and research, conservation, animal rescue, and education.
The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation at a glance
In short: The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation gave $2.7M across 49 grants in 2025 (avg $55K), mostly in Texas. 14% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,700,000
- -0.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 49
- +6.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $55,102
- -6.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $5,605,760
- -11.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 14% first-time grantees (5 of 36, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Texas (92% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Josephine Hughes Sterling 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: PO Box 700397, Dallas, TX 75370
Phone: (972) 417-3977
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Memorial Park Conservancy ($783K). Together the top 10 received $2.2M.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 individual scholarships ($35,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
158 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 109 grants of 158 (69%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 92% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas, 4% to recipients in New Mexico, and 4% to recipients in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 49 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation open to new grantees?
14%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 36 grantees (14%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $22K; repeat grants $82K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $26K repeat.
- 83% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 93% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 100% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $975K (2021) to $2.7M (2024). In 2025 it made 49 grants totaling $2.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Memorial Park Conservancy Houston, TX | Rooted & Resilient | $782,500 |
| Childrens Medical Center Foundation Dallas, TX | Bone marrow regeneration | $300,000 |
| The UT MD Anderson Cancer Center Houston, TX | Cutaneous lymphoma/Radiation oncology | $200,000 |
| UT Southwestern Health Systems Dallas, TX | Hepatobiliary Cancers/Targeting CD47 | $165,000 |
| Eastwood Ranch Foundation Los Angeles, CA | Lifesaving Operations Rescue center | $100,000 |
| Houston Methodist Hospital Houston, TX | JHSF Neurogastroenterology | $100,000 |
| Texas Health Resources Foundation Dallas, TX | Mobile Health Program | $100,000 |
| New Mexico Community Trust Albuquerque, NM | Las Campanas Community Fund Scholarships | $75,000 |
| Sherman ISD Education Foundation Sherman, TX | Scholarships & teacher grants | $65,000 |
| UT Southwestern Health Systems Dallas, TX | Ultra Sound/Heart Disease | $60,500 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $5,605,760 | $2,434,578 | $3,179,962 | $2,700,000 | 49 | $3,012,985 | $2,293,601 | $3,019,978 |
| 2024 | $6,351,144 | $2,415,863 | $3,195,923 | $2,722,500 | 46 | $3,025,245 | $2,278,185 | $3,089,618 |
| 2023 | $7,131,204 | $2,018,446 | $2,717,455 | $2,257,500 | 35 | $2,551,861 | $1,877,352 | $2,950,730 |
| 2022 | $7,830,228 | $1,961,112 | $1,863,307 | $1,400,000 | 19 | $1,692,028 | $1,815,833 | $2,531,457 |
| 2021 | $7,732,408 | $1,937,089 | $1,397,552 | $975,000 | 9 | $1,247,880 | $1,805,417 | $1,660,795 |
| 2020 | $7,192,871 | $1,780,577 | $1,977,418 | $1,565,000 | 12 | — | $1,651,629 | $1,237,934 |
| 2019 | $7,389,712 | $1,815,903 | $2,295,912 | $1,888,000 | 22 | — | $1,693,945 | $1,933,903 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.0M for 2025 — 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 for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations in several fields. For example, Memorial Park Conservancy describes its mission as preserving, restoring, and enhancing Houston’s Memorial Park for public enjoyment, recreation, and education. Children’s Medical Center Foundation says it secures philanthropic contributions to support Children’s Health System of Texas and its mission to improve children’s lives. Eastwood Ranch Foundation describes its work as supporting animal sanctuaries, rescue groups, and no-kill shelters, as well as public education on animal rescue and adoption.
Education-related grants included support for scholarships and teacher grants through school education foundations. Sherman ISD Education Foundation describes its role as providing additional funding for educational projects in the district.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 49 grants totaling $2,700,000. Grants ranged from $3,000 to $782,500, with a median grant of $25,000.
Among its largest 2025 grants were $782,500 to Memorial Park Conservancy for “Rooted & Resilient”; $300,000 to Children’s Medical Center Foundation for bone marrow regeneration; $200,000 to The UT MD Anderson Cancer Center for cutaneous lymphoma and radiation oncology; and $165,000 to UT Southwestern Health Systems for hepatobiliary cancers and targeting CD47. Other grants included $100,000 each to Eastwood Ranch Foundation for lifesaving operations at a rescue center, Houston Methodist Hospital for JHSF Neurogastroenterology, and Texas Health Resources Foundation for a mobile health program.
The foundation also awarded $75,000 to New Mexico Community Trust for Las Campanas Community Fund scholarships, $65,000 to Sherman ISD Education Foundation for scholarships and teacher grants, $60,500 to UT Southwestern Health Systems for ultrasound and heart disease, and $45,000 each to Gainesville ISD Education Foundation and Sanger Education Foundation for scholarships and teacher grants.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Carolyn Ann Huckabee as president, treasurer, and director; Raymond A Krell as vice president, treasurer, and director; and Robert H Kroney, Angela Krell, and Jaime Macon as directors.
The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation is led by Carolyn Ann Huckabee, President, Treasurer & Director on every filing since 2019; all 5 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Carolyn Ann Huckabee
President, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2019
30 hrs/week
$60K (2019) → $60K (2025)
Raymond A Krell
Vice President, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2019
20 hrs/week
$60K (2019) → $60K (2025)
Robert H Kroney
Director
On filings since 2019
20 hrs/week
$60K (2019) → $60K (2025)
Angela Krell
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
$3K (2022) → $10K (2025)
Jaime Macon
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
$3K (2022) → $10K (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $60K, to Carolyn Ann Huckabee (Pres/Treas/Dir). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation
How much does The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation give each year?
The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation gave $2.7M across 49 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.7M across 46 grants.
What is The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation's typical grant size?
The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $55,102, across 49 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation that year got $22K on average.
Where does The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation give grants?
The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 92% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Dallas, TX (16 grants), Houston, TX (5 grants), Sherman, TX (5 grants) and Gainesville, TX (2 grants).
Does The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 8% of The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (4 of 49) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Scholarships & teacher grants" (13 grants).
Who are The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation's largest grantees?
The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Memorial Park Conservancy ($782,500), UT Southwestern Health Systems ($383,500 across 10 grants) and Childrens Medical Center Foundation ($300,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 2 individual scholarships ($35,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 54% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation?
The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation reported $5.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.0M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations in several fields. For example, Memorial Park Conservancy describes its mission as preserving, restoring, and enhancing Houston’s Memorial Park for public enjoyment, recreation, and education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Josephine Hughes Sterling 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 Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation's EIN?
The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-3664186. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Josephine Hughes Sterling 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.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS September 1, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 1, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 24, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 23, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Live grants for the work The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-josephine-hughes-sterling-foundation-morg_94995caffd704ea1a315b62c51698eff
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_273664186_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Josephine Hughes Sterling Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-josephine-hughes-sterling-foundation-morg_94995caffd704ea1a315b62c51698eff},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. 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 Josephine Hughes Sterling 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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