The Link Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker Austin, TX EIN: 74-2387802 Website

The Link Foundation is a private foundation established in 1985 and located in Austin, Texas. It operates as an independent 501(c)(3) organization with its own corporate Board of Directors and three regional advisory boards with delegated grant-making authority. The foundation was created alongside LINKBANK to generate lasting positive change within its service communities.

Key facts about The Link Foundation

EIN: 74-2387802
Latest 990 filing: Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024): $40,000
Grants made (2024): 1
Average grant: $40,000
Median grant: $40,000
Total assets: $8,431,811
Primary geography: Texas (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
How to apply: Application deadline: September 30. Full details ↓
Deadline: September 30

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

How The Link Foundation gives

Giving fell 93% from 2021 to 2024. Method
In 2024 it paid out 9% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

Next steps with The Link Foundation

How to evaluate The Link Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$8.4M

+7.9% YoY

Annual Giving

$40K

-95.6% YoY

Grant Count

-66.7% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$40K

-86.8% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Link Foundation reported a distributable amount of $521K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's mission is to strengthen the communities it serves and positively impact lives by funding initiatives focused on three core pillars:

Promoting Financial Literacy — Programs that improve knowledge and behaviors for informed financial decision-making
Developing Future Leaders — Programs designed to cultivate leadership skills in young individuals, enabling their growth and success
Fortifying Personal & Professional Development — Programs that help individuals assess their skills, clarify life goals, and develop strategies to maximize their potential, including professional growth initiatives that broaden experiences and enhance skillsets

The foundation also provides funding for human services, health care, and relief organizations.

Grantmaking

Grant Range

approximately $5,000

Average Grant

approximately $5,000

Review Cycle

September 30

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation has a national scope with grants distributed across the United States, though Austin, Texas is the preferred service area. The foundation also serves Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, D.C., and Pennsylvania.

Grant Distribution by State

Texas $40K (100%)

Share of all 1 itemized 2024 grant dollars.

States

California Minnesota New York Texas

Cities

AustinNew YorkAlamedaSan FranciscoSt PaulHouston

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of December 2024:

Total Assets: $8,431,811
Total Revenues: $762,672
Total Expenses: $76,706
Investment Income and Dividends: $271,642
Net Gain from Sale of Non-Inventory Assets: $491,030

As of December 2023:

Total Assets: $8,431,811
Total Revenues: $6,784,112
Total Grants, Contributions: $6,569,576

The foundation has zero employees and operates as a private foundation.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$8,431,811	$7,816,060	$1,955,746
Revenue	$762,672	$6,784,112	$66,747
Expenses	$76,706	$923,798	$68,153
Qualifying Distributions	$45,056	$911,365	$57,500
Net Investment Income	$733,847	$203,142	$61,720
Distributable Amount	$520,526	$205,155	$188,082

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

March 2, 2026 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 1 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

45 grants across all recorded years

Open Grants

3 open opportunities from The Link Foundation

Foundation

Link Foundation: Energy Fellowship Grant

The Link Foundation

Amount

US $35,000 - US $70,000

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Foundation

Modeling, Simulation, and Training Fellowships Grant

The Link Foundation

Amount

US $35,000

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Foundation

Ocean Engineering and Instrumentation Ph.D. Fellowship Grant

The Link Foundation

Amount

US $35,000

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include American Short Fiction Inc ($40,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
AMERICAN SHORT FICTION INC Austin, TX	SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S EXEMPT PURPOSE	$40,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Ian S Bratcher — President
Brigid Anne Cockrum — Director
Madison Goforth — Secretary
Wendy Albrecht — Director
Joe W. Bratcher III — Donor

Compensation Overview

No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.

From 2024 IRS filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
Ian S Bratcher	Pres/Treas	1	—
Madison Goforth	Sec/V.P.	1	—
Wendy Albrecht	Director	1	—
Brigid Anne Cockrum	Director	1	—

Contact Information

Address: 901 South Mopac Expressway, Austin, TX 78746-5776
Phone: 512-480-0269 or 512-480-0010
EIN: 74-2387802

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Link Foundation fund?

The foundation's mission is to strengthen the communities it serves and positively impact lives by funding initiatives focused on three core pillars: • **Promoting Financial Literacy** — Programs that improve knowledge and behaviors for informed financial decision-making • **Developing Future Leaders** — Programs designed to cultivate leadership skills in young individuals, enabling their growth and success • **Fortifying Personal & Professional Development** — Programs that help individuals as…

How do I apply for a grant from The Link Foundation?

Application deadline: September 30. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

Where does The Link Foundation make grants?

What size grants does The Link Foundation award?

In 2024, The Link Foundation awarded 1 grant totaling $40K — an average of about $40K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Link Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Link Foundation reported a distributable amount of $521K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.