The Prairie Foundation is a private family foundation of the Dickson family established in 1957 and based in Midland, Texas. The foundation operates as a grantmaking organization supporting nonprofit initiatives across multiple states.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$35.0M
+31.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.4M
+107.7% YoY
Grant Count
65
+41.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$21K
+47.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Prairie Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's funding priorities include:
- Education
- Social services
- Health
- Children and youth, including at-risk youth
- Arts and culture
- Animal rescue organizations
- Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking
Grantmaking
The foundation provides general operating and project support to nonprofit organizations.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Prairie Foundation primarily supports organizations in:
- Texas: Midland, Odessa, Laredo, Austin, College Station, New Braunfels, and San Antonio
- California: San Francisco Bay area
- Washington
The majority of grants are directed to organizations in Midland, Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (as of December 2024):
- Total assets: $34,992,819
- Total revenues: $9,934,572
- Total expenses: $1,477,655
- Total grants awarded: $1,244,500
Investment Performance:
- Investment income and dividends: $1,252,205 (2024)
- Total grants, contributions, etc.: $9,000,000 (2024)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $34,992,819 | $26,535,902 | $14,650,062 |
| Revenue | $9,934,572 | $12,647,206 | $4,419,172 |
| Expenses | $1,477,655 | $761,366 | $584,122 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,350,000 | $650,000 | $455,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,309,705 | $652,859 | $450,482 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,383,358 | $803,478 | $590,266 |
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
205 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include St Helena Montessori School ($140,000), St Helena Hospital Foundation ($100,000), Head for the Cure Foundation ($72,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY AUSTIN, TX | *TO ASSIST NAMED RECIPIENT TO CARRY OUT ITS EXEMPT PURPOSE. | $10,000 |
| AUSTIN SUNSHINE CAMPS AUSTIN, TX | *TO ASSIST NAMED RECIPIENT TO CARRY OUT ITS EXEMPT PURPOSE. | $10,000 |
| BASIN DREAM CENTER FOR ORPHANS MIDLAND, TX | *SEE ABOVE | $20,000 |
| BETHANY HOUSE OF LAREDO INC LAREDO, TX | *SEE ABOVE | $32,000 |
| BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA MIDLAND, TX | *SEE ABOVE | $20,000 |
| BRANNAN CENTER MIDLAND, TX | *SEE ABOVE | $20,000 |
| BUCKNER CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES MIDLAND, TX | *SEE ABOVE | $10,000 |
| BYNUM SCHOOL MIDLAND, TX | *SEE ABOVE | $10,000 |
| CAMEO CINEMA FOUNDATION ST HELENA, CA | *SEE ABOVE | $25,000 |
| CARMEL BACH FESTIVAL INC CARMEL, CA | *SEE ABOVE | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by an uncompensated board of directors:
- Julie Dickson, President/Director
- Lynda James, Vice President/Director
- Charles F. Hedges Jr., Secretary/Director
- Sean McDaniel, Treasurer/Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JULIE DICKSON | PRES./DIRECTOR | — | — |
| LYNDA JAMES | V.P./DIRECTOR | — | — |
| CHARLES F HEDGES JR | SEC./DIRECTOR | — | — |
| SEAN MCDANIEL | TREAS./DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 6101 Holiday Hill Road Midland, TX 79707-1631
Telephone: 432-687-1777
Tax Status:
- EIN: 75-6012458
- 501(c)(3) organization
- Tax-exempt since September 1959
- Private non-operating foundation
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Prairie Foundation fund?
The foundation's funding priorities include: • Education • Social services • Health • Children and youth, including at-risk youth • Arts and culture • Animal rescue organizations • Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking
How do I apply for a grant from The Prairie Foundation?
**Grant Activity & Amounts:** • Made 46 grants in 2024, totaling approximately $1,244,500 • Typical grant awards range from $1,000 to $75,000 • Recent grantees include St Helena Montessori School ($140,000), St. Helena Hospital Foundation ($100,000), and Project2fourteen ($72,000) **Types of Support:** The foundation provides general operating and project support to nonprofit organizations.
Where does The Prairie Foundation make grants?
The Prairie Foundation primarily supports organizations in: • **Texas:** Midland, Odessa, Laredo, Austin, College Station, New Braunfels, and San Antonio • **California:** San Francisco Bay area • **Washington** The majority of grants are directed to organizations in Midland, Texas.
What size grants does The Prairie Foundation award?
In 2024, The Prairie Foundation awarded 65 grants totaling $1.4M — an average of about $21K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Prairie Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Prairie Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Prairie Foundation's EIN?
The Prairie Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-6012458. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Prairie 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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