The Wilson Foundation
The Wilson Foundation is a private foundation based in Dallas, Texas. Its 2024 grants supported organizations working in education, the arts, medical research, and other charitable areas, with the largest share of grant dollars going to recipients in North Carolina.
The Wilson Foundation at a glance
In short: The Wilson Foundation gave $1.1M across 14 grants in 2024 (avg $76K), mostly in North Carolina. 36% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,060,707
- +83.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 14
- -12.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $75,765
- +109.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $11,750
- Total assets
- $9,647,316
- -4.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 36% first-time grantees (5 of 14, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (75% 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 Wilson Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3608 Euclid Avenue, Dallas, TX 75205
Phone: (213) 683-8790
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Wilson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Duke University ($800K). Together the top 10 received $1.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
92 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 79 grants of 92 (86%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 75% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina, 11% to New York, 6% to Texas, 3% to Connecticut, and 2% to Colorado.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Wilson Foundation open to new grantees?
36%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 14 grantees (36%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $114K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 57% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 43% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 166% 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 $579K (2023) to $1.9M (2021). In 2024 it made 14 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Duke University Durham, NC | Education Including Scholarships | $800,152 |
| AIDS Research Foundation (Amfar) New York, NY | Research for the Cure to End AIDS | $60,000 |
| Nasher Sculpture Center Dallas, TX | Advancing the Public's Appreciation of the Arts | $51,333 |
| Tate Americas Foundation New York, NY | Advancing the Public's Appreciation of the Arts | $43,722 |
| Children's Diabetes Foundation Aurora, CO | The Children's Diabetes Foundation is the fundraising arm of the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, focusing on patient support, diabetes research, and public awareness. | $25,000 |
| The Tiny Miracles Foundation Darien, CT | Helping Families of Infants Born Prematurely | $20,000 |
| Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX | To support education through research and teaching that shapes engaged citizens and future leaders who positively impact their communities and the global society | $13,500 |
| Alliance High School Foundation of Alliance Ohio Alliance, OH | General Operating Support | $10,000 |
| Near and Far Animal Foundation Inc Staten Island, NY | To support for animal and rescuer in need | $10,000 |
| Christ and Holy Trinity Episcopal Church Westport, CT | Charitable Contribution | $7,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Wilson 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 | $9,647,316 | $851,040 | $1,347,095 | $1,060,707 | 14 | $1,194,869 | $708,391 | $721,235 |
| 2023 | $10,143,371 | $199,142 | $847,710 | $578,916 | 16 | $765,252 | $120,418 | $693,772 |
| 2022 | $10,796,738 | $120,572 | $1,549,539 | $1,258,353 | 21 | $1,312,328 | $73,845 | $569,778 |
| 2021 | $12,266,041 | $886,804 | $2,171,867 | $1,858,033 | 23 | $1,884,944 | $739,881 | $720,032 |
| 2020 | $13,570,143 | $6,578,828 | $2,021,019 | $1,739,341 | 18 | — | $2,923,197 | $729,324 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Wilson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $721K 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
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for education, including scholarships; arts and cultural organizations; medical research; and organizations serving families, animals, and students.
Among its grantees, the Nasher Sculpture Center describes its mission as advancing the study, installation, conservation, and inspiration of modern and contemporary art. The Children’s Diabetes Foundation says it raises funds to support the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, where patients receive diabetes care. The Tiny Miracles Foundation says it supports families of premature infants in parts of Connecticut. Alliance High School Foundation says it primarily provides scholarships to graduating seniors for post-secondary education.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 14 grants totaling $1,060,707. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $800,152, with a median grant of $11,750.
The largest grant was $800,152 to Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, for education, including scholarships. Other large grants included $60,000 to AIDS Research Foundation (amfAR) for research to end AIDS; $51,333 to the Nasher Sculpture Center for advancing public appreciation of the arts; and $43,722 to Tate Americas Foundation for the same stated purpose. Other 2024 recipients included the Children’s Diabetes Foundation ($25,000), The Tiny Miracles Foundation ($20,000), and Southern Methodist University ($13,500).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Derek Wilson and Gary Wilson as trustees.
The Wilson Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; 1 of 2 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Derek Wilson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$110K (2020) → $125K (2024)
Gary Wilson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $125K, to Derek Wilson (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about The Wilson Foundation
How much does The Wilson Foundation give each year?
The Wilson Foundation gave $1.1M across 14 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $579K across 16 grants.
What is The Wilson Foundation's typical grant size?
The Wilson Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $11,750, and its average grant was $75,765, across 14 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Wilson Foundation that year got $8K on average.
Where does The Wilson Foundation give grants?
The Wilson Foundation gives mostly in North Carolina: 75% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (11%) and Texas (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (3 grants) and Dallas, TX (2 grants).
Does The Wilson Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 7% of The Wilson Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Advancing the Public's Appreciation of the Arts" (3 grants).
Who are The Wilson Foundation's largest grantees?
The Wilson Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Duke University ($800,152), AIDS Research Foundation (Amfar) ($60,000) and Nasher Sculpture Center ($51,333), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 86% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Wilson Foundation?
The Wilson Foundation reported $9.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $721K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Wilson Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for education, including scholarships; arts and cultural organizations; medical research; and organizations serving families, animals, and students. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Wilson Foundation?
The foundation states that it 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 Wilson Foundation's EIN?
The Wilson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4400754. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Wilson 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 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
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Browse active grant opportunities in The Wilson Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Wilson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-wilson-foundation-morg_040ecb136ce74ac1b83fe217d5264104
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_954400754_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Wilson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-wilson-foundation-morg_040ecb136ce74ac1b83fe217d5264104},
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 Wilson 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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