The Muse Family Foundation is a private family foundation based in Dallas, Texas, established in 1999. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) philanthropic organization with a broad approach to grantmaking across diverse communities throughout the United States.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$50.0M
+6.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.9M
+32.4% YoY
Grant Count
24
-17.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$79K
+60.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Muse Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary giving focus is education. The foundation does not specify particular subject areas beyond this general focus and supports a wide range of philanthropic efforts without narrowly defined thematic restrictions.
Grantmaking
The foundation maintains significant grantmaking activity with the following characteristics:
Grant Range
**: Typical awards range from $1,000 to $500,000
Average Grant
**: Approximately $216
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports a wide range of cities and communities across the United States, including major urban centers such as New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington DC, as well as smaller communities. Primary funding states include California, Texas, New York, Colorado, and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $50,035,277 (most recent filing)
- Total Annual Giving: $1,900,043
- Annual Revenue: $755,641
- Annual Expenses: Approximately $2 million
- Number of Staff: 2 employees
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $50,035,277 | $46,867,318 | $43,294,817 |
| Revenue | $1,825,938 | $755,641 | $2,003,872 |
| Expenses | $2,283,026 | $2,006,691 | $2,900,916 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,149,512 | $1,808,321 | $2,724,146 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,770,302 | $1,237,356 | $2,142,883 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,388,833 | $2,526,370 | $2,088,327 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
166 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Air Force Academy Foundation ($500,000), Air Force Academy Foundation ($250,000), Year-up ($250,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ABINGTON HEALTH FOUNDATION ABINGTON, PA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| AIR FORCE ACADEMY FOUNDATION USAF ACADEMY, CO | MUSE FAMILY NCLS SPKR FD | $250,000 |
| AIR FORCE ACADEMY FOUNDATION USAF ACADEMY, CO | FALCON STADIUM RENOVATION | $500,000 |
| BUSINESS EXECUTIVES FOR NATIONAL SECURITY WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| CENTER FOR STRATEGIC & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| CHILD POVERTY ACTION LAB DALLAS, TX | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $200,000 |
| DELIGHTED TO DOULA PROSPER, TX | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| EMPOWERING THE MASSES CEDAR HILL, TX | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| EPIPHANY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION DALLAS, TX | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $1,000 |
| FIDELITY CHARITABLE GIVING CINCINNATI, OH | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $50,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Whitney Muse McKnight serves as Executive Director with an annual compensation of $170,000. The foundation is led by members of the Muse family.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN R MUSE | DIRECTOR/PRES/TREAS | 1 | — |
| LYN R MUSE | DIRECTOR/EXEC VP & SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| MICHAEL J MUSE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JOHN TYLER MUSE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| WHITNEY MUSE MCKNIGHT | DIRECTOR/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $167,541 |
| MORGAN MUSE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ELIZABETH MUSE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MALLORY MUSE | VP, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT | 40 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 3131 Turtle Creek Blvd Suite 1020, Dallas, TX 75219-5439
Telephone: 214-740-7236
EIN: 75-2824936
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Muse Family Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary giving focus is education. The foundation does not specify particular subject areas beyond this general focus and supports a wide range of philanthropic efforts without narrowly defined thematic restrictions.
How do I apply for a grant from The Muse Family Foundation?
The foundation maintains significant grantmaking activity with the following characteristics: • **Total Annual Giving**: Approximately $1.9 million in recent years • **Grant Range**: Typical awards range from $1,000 to $500,000 • **Average Grant Size**: Approximately $216 • **Grant Volume**: The foundation awarded 8,348 grants in the previous year • **Openness to New Applicants**: Yes, with approximately 12% of new applicants funded
Where does The Muse Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports a wide range of cities and communities across the United States, including major urban centers such as New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington DC, as well as smaller communities. Primary funding states include California, Texas, New York, Colorado, and the District of Columbia.
What size grants does The Muse Family Foundation award?
In 2024, The Muse Family Foundation awarded 24 grants totaling $1.9M — an average of about $79K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Muse Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Muse Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Muse Family Foundation's EIN?
The Muse Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-2824936. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Muse Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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