The Wilson Sexton Foundation
The Wilson Sexton Foundation is a private foundation based in Prosper, Texas, established in 2001. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping others "get a leg up" so they have the opportunity to grow. The foundation makes financial contributions to organizations that create significant positive differences within their local communities.
Key facts about The Wilson Sexton Foundation
- EIN
- 74-2952010
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $371,075
- Grants made (2024)
- 134
- Average grant
- $2,769
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $3,889,701
- Primary geography
- California (58% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Wilson Sexton Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Wilson Sexton Foundation's 134 itemized 2024 grants were California (58%), Colorado (10%) and Texas (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Diego, CA (15 grants), Washington, DC (12 grants), New York, NY (9 grants) and Denver, CO (8 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.9M
+2.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$371K
-27.1% YoY
Grant Count
134
-17.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$3K
-11.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Wilson Sexton Foundation reported a distributable amount of $485K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's guiding principle centers on providing support to help individuals and communities advance. The foundation focuses its grantmaking across several areas including:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Religion-related nonprofits
- Christianity
- Elementary and secondary schools
- Community development
- Cultural education
Grantmaking
The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations.
Grant Range
$2,000
Average Grant
amount: $4,000
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with The Wilson Sexton Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- California
- Texas
- Colorado
- Louisiana
These four states account for approximately 59% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 27 states total.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 134 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total assets: $3,808,332
- Total revenues: $1,221,251
- Total expenses: $598,430
- Investment income and dividends: $148,442
Historical Growth:
- Total assets grew from $729,000 in 2011 to approximately $3.9 million by 2024
- Annual income reported at $1.5 million
- Annual giving grew from $415,000 in 2021 to $509,000 in 2023
- Highest grantmaking activity occurred in 2022 with $1.2 million distributed across 238 grants
Staffing: The foundation operates with 0 employees.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,889,701 | $3,808,332 | $3,094,417 |
| Revenue | $546,778 | $1,221,251 | $658,232 |
| Expenses | $464,883 | $598,430 | $698,612 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $397,346 | $548,625 | $602,720 |
| Net Investment Income | $505,141 | $1,178,252 | $562,340 |
| Distributable Amount | $484,593 | $446,445 | $487,200 |
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
619 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Las Patronas ($50,000), Ucsd Shiley Eyemobile for Children ($40,000), Scripps Health Foundation ($21,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| LAS PATRONAS LA JOLLA, CA | GENERAL OPERATIONS TO SUPPORT MISSION | $50,000 |
| UCSD SHILEY EYEMOBILE FOR CHILDREN LA JOLLA, CA | GENERAL OPERATIONS TO SUPPORT MISSION | $40,000 |
| SCRIPPS HEALTH FOUNDATION LA JOLLA, CA | GENERAL OPERATIONS TO SUPPORT MISSION | $21,000 |
| YOUTH TENNIS SAN DIEGO SAN DIEGO, CA | GENERAL OPERATIONS TO SUPPORT MISSION | $19,000 |
| LUIS PALAU ASSOCIATION PORTLAND, OR | GENERAL OPERATIONS TO SUPPORT MISSION | $16,100 |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY STANFORD, CA | GENERAL OPERATIONS TO SUPPORT MISSION | $15,000 |
| SAN DIEGO ZOO WILDLIFE ALLIANCE SAN DIEGO, CA | GENERAL OPERATIONS TO SUPPORT MISSION | $10,000 |
| FEEDING SAN DIEGO SAN DIEGO, CA | GENERAL OPERATIONS TO SUPPORT MISSION | $5,500 |
| SUPPORT THE ENLISTED PROJECT SAN DIEGO, CA | GENERAL OPERATIONS TO SUPPORT MISSION | $5,000 |
| THE EVANS SCHOOL FOUNDATION LA JOLLA, CA | GENERAL OPERATIONS TO SUPPORT MISSION | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Wilson B. "Rusty" Sexton (1936–2023) was the founder and namesake of the foundation. The foundation is governed by 7 officers and trustees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| W B SEXTON JR | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| SUSAN SEXTON HORN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| JEAN T JOHNSON SEXTON | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| SUSAN STONE | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| JEAN E MCGOWAN | DIRECTOR | 2.5 | $8,000 |
| MICHAEL LOGAN WRAY | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| RICHARD LOGAN WRAY | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Wilson Sexton Foundation fund?
The foundation's guiding principle centers on providing support to help individuals and communities advance. The foundation focuses its grantmaking across several areas including: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Religion-related nonprofits • Christianity • Elementary and secondary schools • Community development • Cultural education
How do I apply for a grant from The Wilson Sexton Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 96 grants in 2023 • Historical grantmaking has totaled approximately $2.1 million across 508 grants • Median grant size: $2,000 • Average grant amount: $4,000 • Individual grants have ranged from $100 to $40,000 • Typical awards fall in the $25,000–$50,000 range **Recent Grant Examples (2023):** • Luis Palau Association: $27,000 • Youth Tennis San Diego: $22,400 • Las Patronas: $15,575 **Application Process:** The foundation only makes contributions to preselected cha…
Where does The Wilson Sexton Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • California • Texas • Colorado • Louisiana These four states account for approximately 59% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 27 states total.
What size grants does The Wilson Sexton Foundation award?
In 2024, The Wilson Sexton Foundation awarded 134 grants totaling $371K — an average of about $3K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Wilson Sexton Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Wilson Sexton Foundation reported a distributable amount of $485K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Wilson Sexton Foundation's EIN?
The Wilson Sexton Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-2952010. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Wilson Sexton 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.