The Lunsford Foundation
The Lunsford Foundation is a private foundation based in Dallas, Texas. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations in several states, including grants for religious, education, and community purposes.
The Lunsford Foundation at a glance
In short: The Lunsford Foundation gave $2.3M across 16 grants in 2024 (avg $146K), mostly in Kansas. 50% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,338,900
- +122.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 16
- +14.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $146,181
- +94.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $14,834
- Total assets
- $2,290,675
- -19.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (8 of 16, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Kansas (77% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Lunsford Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 5950 Berkshire Lane Suite 900, Dallas, TX 75225
Phone: (972) 241-8300
Website: https://holtlunsford.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Lunsford Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The Signatry DAF ($1.8M). Together the top 10 received $2.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
181 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 142 grants of 181 (78%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars were reported as 77% to Kansas recipients and 23% to Texas recipients. The largest grant, to The Signatry DAF in Overland Park, Kansas, accounts for much of the reported Kansas share. The filing also lists recipients in North Carolina and Ohio, each representing 0% of grant dollars.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Lunsford Foundation open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 8 of 16 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $234K; repeat grants $58K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $33K repeat.
- 31% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 245% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $679K (2021) to $4.3M (2022). In 2024 it made 16 grants totaling $2.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Signatry DAF Overland Park, KS | Various | $1,795,013 |
| First Liberty Plano, TX | Religious | $200,000 |
| Ceoc Plano, TX | Education | $100,000 |
| Evantell Dallas, TX | Religious | $62,550 |
| Abilene Christian University Abilene, TX | Education - Scholarships | $50,000 |
| Lionheart Children's Academy Bedford, TX | Education | $50,000 |
| Ami Fort Worth Unknown, TX | Community | $15,000 |
| Dallas Leadership Foundation Dallas, TX | Community | $15,000 |
| Pine Cove Tyler, TX | Community | $14,667 |
| Camp John Marc Foundation Inc Dallas, TX | Religious | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Lunsford Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,290,675 | $2,953,102 | $2,464,022 | $2,338,900 | 16 | $2,338,900 | $1,116,782 | $42,056 |
| 2023 | $2,832,336 | $4,859,883 | $1,212,843 | $1,053,787 | 14 | $1,053,787 | $1,867,562 | $84,721 |
| 2022 | $2,833,065 | $4,969,945 | $4,343,284 | $4,264,605 | 43 | $4,264,605 | $1,904,847 | $42,800 |
| 2021 | $4,141,756 | $8,522,726 | $713,766 | $678,625 | 47 | $678,625 | $3,711,354 | — |
| 2020 | $1,645,223 | $4,699,040 | $2,753,584 | $2,747,153 | 61 | — | $1,945,141 | — |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Lunsford Foundation reported a distributable amount of $42K for 2024 — 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 2024 grants show support for religious organizations, education—including scholarships—and community purposes.
Some grantees describe their own work as follows: Abilene Christian University says it educates students for Christian service and leadership; Lionheart Children’s Academy says it provides early learners with opportunities to grow and develop; and Dallas Leadership Foundation says it identifies, affirms, and develops leaders to transform communities. EvanTell describes its mission as proclaiming the Gospel and equipping and encouraging churches and ministry partners. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 16 grants totaling $2,338,900. Grant amounts ranged from $170 to $1,795,013, with a median of $14,834. The largest listed grants were $1,795,013 to The Signatry DAF for “various” purposes, $200,000 to First Liberty for religious purposes, and $100,000 to CEOC for education. Other listed grants included $62,550 to EvanTell, $50,000 each to Abilene Christian University and Lionheart Children’s Academy, and $15,000 to Dallas Leadership Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists R Holt Lunsford, Kaye Dawn Lunsford, Richard Holden Lunsford, Ridley Hutton Lunsford, and Reed Hayden Lunsford as directors.
The Lunsford Foundation's 2024 filing lists 5 officers; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Kaye Dawn Lunsford
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
R. Holt Lunsford
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Reed Hayden Lunsford
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard Holden Lunsford
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ridley Hutton Lunsford
Director
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Lunsford Foundation
How much does The Lunsford Foundation give each year?
The Lunsford Foundation gave $2.3M across 16 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.1M across 14 grants.
What is The Lunsford Foundation's typical grant size?
The Lunsford Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $14,834, and its average grant was $146,181, across 16 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Lunsford Foundation that year got $234K on average.
Where does The Lunsford Foundation give grants?
The Lunsford Foundation gives mostly in Kansas: 77% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Texas (23%). The most frequent recipient cities were Dallas, TX (4 grants), Plano, TX (2 grants) and Abilene, TX (2 grants).
Does The Lunsford Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on The Lunsford Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Religious" (6 grants), "Community" (5 grants) and "Education" (3 grants).
Who are The Lunsford Foundation's largest grantees?
The Lunsford Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include The Signatry DAF ($1,795,013), First Liberty ($200,000) and Ceoc ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 90% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Lunsford Foundation?
The Lunsford Foundation reported $2.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $42K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Lunsford Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for religious organizations, education—including scholarships—and community purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Lunsford Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Lunsford Foundation's EIN?
The Lunsford Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-3739768. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Lunsford Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Lunsford Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Lunsford Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-lunsford-foundation-morg_3ccaa615e68c498180dad11456c5b3dc
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_263739768_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Lunsford Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-lunsford-foundation-morg_3ccaa615e68c498180dad11456c5b3dc},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Lunsford 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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