The Tolleson Family Foundation
The Tolleson Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Dallas, Texas. In its 2024 filing, it reported grants to organizations in Texas supporting activities that included faith and spirituality, education, animal welfare, older adults, community initiatives, arts and culture, and healthcare and wellness.
The Tolleson Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Tolleson Family Foundation gave $670K across 17 grants in 2024 (avg $39K), mostly in Texas. 13% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $670,350
- +32.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 17
- -32.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $39,432
- +95.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $16,500
- Total assets
- $3,787,605
- +6.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (2 of 15, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Texas (100% 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 Tolleson Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 5500 Preston Road 250, Dallas, TX 75205
Phone: (214) 252-3250
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Tolleson Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Highland Park United Methodist Church ($400K). Together the top 10 received $665K.
Grant Size Distribution
108 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 95 grants of 108 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars in 2024 went to recipients in Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Tolleson Family Foundation open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 15 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $550; repeat grants $51K. How we count
Medians: $550 first-time, $20K repeat.
- 80% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 48% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 251% of 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 $330K (2022) to $670K (2024). In 2024 it made 17 grants totaling $670K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Highland Park United Methodist Church Dallas, TX | Faith/Spiritual | $400,000 |
| The Episcopal School of Dallas Dallas, TX | Education | $50,000 |
| Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX | Education | $50,000 |
| Highland Park Education Foundation Dallas, TX | Education | $30,000 |
| Dallas Pets Alive Dallas, TX | Animal Welfare - Operational Support | $25,000 |
| St Philip's School and Community Center Dallas, TX | Education | $25,000 |
| Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX | Education | $25,000 |
| The Senior Source Dallas, TX | Older Adults | $20,000 |
| United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Dallas, TX | Community/Local Initiatives | $16,500 |
| Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX | Arts & Culture | $15,000 |
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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 | $3,787,605 | $342,220 | $778,364 | $670,350 | 17 | $670,350 | $215,342 | $266,850 |
| 2023 | $3,572,262 | $226,491 | $569,916 | $504,500 | 25 | $504,500 | $151,994 | $256,739 |
| 2022 | $3,941,186 | $158,133 | $394,070 | $330,000 | 14 | $330,000 | $112,114 | $264,779 |
| 2021 | $4,177,123 | $538,153 | $537,210 | $452,500 | 24 | $452,500 | $436,598 | $301,906 |
| 2020 | $4,176,180 | $-123,081 | $671,920 | $614,650 | 28 | — | $31,625 | $267,375 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Tolleson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $267K 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 organizations working in education, faith and spirituality, animal welfare, older-adult services, community initiatives, arts and culture, and healthcare and wellness.
The grantees describe their own missions in varied terms. Southern Methodist University says its mission is education through research and teaching. St. Philip’s School and Community Center says it serves children and families, with particular emphasis on low- and moderate-income families, through education, Christian principles, and community services. Dallas Pets Alive says it works to eliminate the killing of companion animals through resources, education, and programs. These are grantees’ descriptions, not statements of the foundation’s mission.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 17 grants totaling $670,350. Individual grants ranged from $100 to $400,000, with a median of $16,500.
The largest reported grants included $400,000 to Highland Park United Methodist Church for faith and spirituality; $50,000 each to The Episcopal School of Dallas and Southern Methodist University for education; and $30,000 to Highland Park Education Foundation for education. Other grants included $25,000 each to Dallas Pets Alive for animal-welfare operational support, St. Philip’s School and Community Center for education, and Southern Methodist University for education.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Debra J. Tolleson as president, John C. Tolleson as vice-president, John Carter Tolleson Jr. as treasurer, and Amy Tolleson Baldwin as secretary.
The Tolleson Family Foundation is led by Debra J. Tolleson, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Debra J. Tolleson
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amy Tolleson Baldwin
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John C. Tolleson
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Carter Tolleson Jr.
Treasurer
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 Tolleson Family Foundation
How much does The Tolleson Family Foundation give each year?
The Tolleson Family Foundation gave $670K across 17 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $505K across 25 grants.
What is The Tolleson Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Tolleson Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $16,500, and its average grant was $39,432, across 17 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Tolleson Family Foundation that year got $550 on average.
Where does The Tolleson Family Foundation give grants?
The Tolleson Family Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Dallas, TX (16 grants).
Does The Tolleson Family Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 6% of The Tolleson Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 17) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Healthcare/Wellness" (5 grants) and "Education" (5 grants).
Who are The Tolleson Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Tolleson Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Highland Park United Methodist Church ($400,000), Southern Methodist University ($90,000 across 3 grants) and The Episcopal School of Dallas ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 81% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Tolleson Family Foundation?
The Tolleson Family Foundation reported $3.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $670K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $267K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Tolleson Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in education, faith and spirituality, animal welfare, older-adult services, community initiatives, arts and culture, and healthcare and wellness. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Tolleson Family Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Tolleson Family Foundation's EIN?
The Tolleson Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-2567318. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Tolleson Family 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
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Tolleson Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-tolleson-family-foundation-morg_0352cda8282a424691bf10d0f28886fa
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_752567318_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Tolleson Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-tolleson-family-foundation-morg_0352cda8282a424691bf10d0f28886fa},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. 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 Tolleson Family 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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