The Moody Foundation
The Moody Foundation is a private foundation based in Galveston, Texas. Founded in 1942, it supports charitable projects intended to strengthen Texas communities through innovative ideas and long-term improvements. Its filing describes annual grantmaking of more than $80 million across the state; in 2024, it reported 373 grants totaling $121,331,301.
The Moody Foundation at a glance
In short: The Moody Foundation gave $121.3M across 373 grants in 2024 (avg $325K), mostly in Texas. 58% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $121,331,301
- +34.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 373
- +39.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $325,285
- -3.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $70,000
- Total assets
- $3,534,764,351
- +58.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 58% first-time grantees (200 of 342, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Texas (98% 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 Moody Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation accepts unsolicited requests through its inquiry process. Eligible applicants include public charities recognized as 501(c)(3) organizations, governmental or public entities, certain supporting organizations, and private operating foundations. Grant funds must be spent in Texas. The Foundation does not consider requests from private foundations that are not private operating foundations, political organizations, political candidates, lobbyists, or related organizations. Moody Scholars applicants should consult the Foundation’s website for program eligibility and application details.
- Review Cycle
- The Foundation welcomes grant inquiries throughout the year. Moody Scholars applications must be received by November 30 of the student’s high school senior year.
- Deadline
- The Foundation welcomes grant inquiries throughout the year.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2302 Post Office Street, Galveston, TX 77550
Phone: (409) 797-1500
Website: https://moodyf.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from The Moody Foundation
Who The Moody Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University of Texas at Austin Dept of Intercollegiate Athletics ($30.0M). Together the top 10 received $74.0M.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($325,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
1,502 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 577 grants of 1,502 (38%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation funds projects statewide in Texas. Its FAQ identifies Galveston, Austin, and Dallas as key areas of focus and says it gives special attention to rural areas with less access to philanthropic funding. In 2024, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas; the filing also reports grants to recipients in Washington, D.C., Minnesota, New York, and Massachusetts, each representing 1% or less of grant dollars.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 373 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Moody Foundation open to new grantees?
58%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 200 of 342 grantees (58%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $371K; repeat grants $324K. How we count
Medians: $74K first-time, $75K repeat.
- 23% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 64% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 74% 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 (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 $74.1M (2021) to $121.3M (2024). In 2024 it made 373 grants totaling $121.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Texas at Austin Dept of Intercollegiate Athletics Austin, TX | Assistance supporting the mission & purpose of University of Texas at Austin. | $30,000,000 |
| Rice University Houston, TX | Assistance with The Moody Center for Student Life and Opportunity | $10,000,000 |
| Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX | Assistance with funding for Moody School of Graduate & Advanced Studies. | $10,000,000 |
| Moody Gardens Galveston, TX | Assitance with Attraction and Site Improvements - Moody Gardens | $7,000,000 |
| University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston Galveston, TX | General support | $5,000,000 |
| Children's Medical Center Foundation Dallas, TX | General support | $3,313,577 |
| Lubbock County Expo Center Lubbock, TX | Assistance with Lubbock County Expo Center Arena | $2,000,000 |
| Galveston Island Day SchoolMoody Early Childhood Center Galveston, TX | Assistance with Moody Early Childhood Center-the Next Steps | $1,966,666 |
| Charles Butt Foundation San Antonio, TX | Assistance with the TXRL Program | $1,863,500 |
| Abilene Christian University Abilene, TX | Assistance completing second and final phase of renovations to Moody Coliseum | $1,800,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Moody 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 | $3,534,764,351 | $1,432,337,894 | $145,013,039 | $121,331,301 | 373 | $125,159,610 | $204,196,280 | $169,763,721 |
| 2023 | $2,228,364,246 | $162,839,323 | $106,548,134 | $90,155,967 | 268 | $96,203,098 | $98,063,416 | $118,777,962 |
| 2022 | $2,172,073,057 | $1,332,537,378 | $135,495,452 | $106,115,981 | 276 | $109,468,093 | $1,295,169,073 | $97,169,703 |
| 2021 | $975,031,131 | $132,742,251 | $82,687,952 | $74,104,087 | 282 | $77,255,289 | $99,212,991 | $103,491,624 |
| 2020 | $924,976,832 | $110,084,569 | $88,014,500 | $80,512,536 | 303 | — | $74,501,963 | $74,965,587 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Moody Foundation reported a distributable amount of $169.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s website identifies education, social services and family well-being, health and wellness, and the arts as current areas of focus. Its FAQ says it supports organizations of different sizes, from large institutions and universities to small community-based groups. It prefers specific programs or projects but will consider general operating, program, and capital requests.
The Foundation’s Education M-Pact Fund is an annual grantmaking initiative focused on early learning and postsecondary success. It is part of the Foundation’s commitment of $1 billion for Texas education over 20 years.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of grantees. Southern Methodist University describes its mission as education through research and teaching. Children’s Medical Center Foundation says it secures philanthropic contributions to support the charitable purposes of Children’s Health System of Texas and related entities. Galveston Independent School District Educational Foundation says it provides financial support to educators, schools, and students to enrich education and prepare students for the future.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Foundation reported 373 grants totaling $121,331,301. Awards ranged from $1,500 to $30 million, with a median grant of $70,000. Examples of larger 2024 grants include $30 million to the University of Texas at Austin Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, $10 million each to Rice University and Southern Methodist University, and $7 million to Moody Gardens. Other recipients included the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Children’s Medical Center Foundation, Lubbock County Expo Center, Galveston Independent School District, and Waco Family Medicine Foundation.
The Foundation welcomes inquiries throughout the year through its online grant inquiry process. Eligible organizations submit a brief description of the organization and proposed project, an estimated total budget, and the amount requested. If an inquiry advances, the grants team sends a full application; finalized applications undergo a compliance review before being presented to trustees at one of four regular meetings each year. The Foundation says the process commonly takes up to six months from inquiry to funding decision. Organizations may have only one active grant at a time unless an exception has been discussed with staff, and generally cannot submit a new inquiry until they have submitted the final report for a previous project.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Frances A Moody-Dahlberg as Trustee, Chair, CEO, and President; Ross R Moody as Trustee and Vice Chair; and Elizabeth Moody as Trustee, Secretary, Treasurer, Senior Vice President, Grants, and Chief Compliance Officer.
The Moody Foundation is led by Frances A Moody-Dahlberg, Trustee, Chair, CEO & President since 2024 (on filings since 2020); all 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Frances A Moody-Dahlberg
Trustee, Chair, CEO & President
Trustee & Chair → Trustee, Chair, CEO & President, 2024
On filings since 2020
37.5 hrs/week
$84K (2020) → $215K (2024)
Elizabeth Moody
Trustee, Secretary, Treasurer, Senior Vice President, Grants & CCO
Trustee, Secretary & Treasurer → Trustee, Secretary, Treasurer, Senior Vice President, Grants & CCO, 2024
On filings since 2020
47.5 hrs/week
$84K (2020) → $271K (2024)
Ross R Moody
Trustee & Vice Chair
V Chair & Trustee → Trustee & Vice Chair, 2021
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$84K (2020) → $100K (2024)
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 $271K, to Elizabeth Moody (Trustee/Sec/Treas/Sr VP/Grants/CCO). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Moody Foundation
How much does The Moody Foundation give each year?
The Moody Foundation gave $121.3M across 373 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $90.2M across 268 grants.
What is The Moody Foundation's typical grant size?
The Moody Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $70,000, and its average grant was $325,285, across 373 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Moody Foundation that year got $371K on average.
Where does The Moody Foundation give grants?
The Moody Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Austin, TX (81 grants), Dallas, TX (63 grants), Galveston, TX (60 grants) and Houston, TX (26 grants).
Does The Moody Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 7% of The Moody Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (27 of 373) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Assist to purchase school supplies" (4 grants).
Who are The Moody Foundation's largest grantees?
The Moody Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include University of Texas at Austin Dept of Intercollegiate Athletics ($30,000,000), Rice University ($10,000,000) and Southern Methodist University ($10,000,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($325,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 41% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Moody Foundation?
The Moody Foundation reported $3.5B in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $125.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $169.8M (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 Moody Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s website identifies education, social services and family well-being, health and wellness, and the arts as current areas of focus. Its FAQ says it supports organizations of different sizes, from large institutions and universities to small community-based groups. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Moody Foundation?
The Foundation accepts unsolicited requests through its inquiry process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Moody Foundation's EIN?
The Moody Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-1403105. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Moody Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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 October 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 Moody Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Moody Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-moody-foundation-morg_de98ffac899e497ba990f3194e84dcb7
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_741403105_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Moody Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-moody-foundation-morg_de98ffac899e497ba990f3194e84dcb7},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Moody 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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