Thomas & Lillian Sowell Charitable Trust

Private foundation · Grantmaker Dallas, TX EIN: 59-7247352

Thomas & Lillian Sowell Charitable Trust is a private foundation, based in Dallas, TX. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $23.8M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 4 grants totaling $1.7M. Net investment income was $2.4M.

Key facts about Thomas & Lillian Sowell Charitable Trust

In short: Thomas & Lillian Sowell Charitable Trust gave $1.7M across 4 grants in 2025 (avg $419K), mostly in Texas. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
59-7247352
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$1,677,552
Grants made (2025)
4
Average grant
$419,388
Median grant
$461,327
Total assets
$23,832,373
Primary geography
Texas (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$23.8M

+3.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$1.7M

+71.5% YoY

Grant Count

4

+0.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$419K

+71.5% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Thomas & Lillian Sowell Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $1.5M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

How Thomas & Lillian Sowell Charitable Trust gives

  • Giving grew 34% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 118% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 4 itemized grants.

States

Cities

Dallas

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$500K$1M$1.5M$2M4 grants2020 4 grants2021 4 grants2022 4 grants2023 4 grants2024 4 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $978K (2024) to $1.7M (2025). In 2025 it made 4 grants totaling $1.7M.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 4 recipients in 2025

United Way Fdn of Metropolitan Dallas: $671KUnited Way Fdn of MetropolitanDallas$671KPresbyterian Healthcare Foundation: $503KPresbyterian HealthcareFoundation$503KPark Cities Presbyterian Church: $419KPark Cities PresbyterianChurch$419KThanks-Giving Square Foundation: $84KThanks-Giving SquareFoundation$84K

The largest 2025 recipient was United Way Fdn of Metropolitan Dallas ($671K). Together the top 4 received $1.7M.

Grant Size Distribution

20 grants across all recorded years

1<$50K4$50–100K1$100–250K10$250–500K4$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was in the $250–500K range: 10 grants of 20 (50%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
United Way Fdn of Metropolitan Dallas Dallas, TXUnrestricted General$671,021
Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation Dallas, TXUnrestricted General$503,265
Park Cities Presbyterian Church Dallas, TXUnrestricted General$419,388
Thanks-Giving Square Foundation Dallas, TXUnrestricted General$83,878

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$2M$4M$6M$8M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$23,832,373$23,072,410$22,424,782
Revenue$2,800,990$1,168,714$866,108
Expenses$2,088,246$1,375,312$1,700,499
Qualifying Distributions$1,769,467$1,064,159$1,369,847
Net Investment Income$2,416,877$753,621$967,947
Distributable Amount$1,501,367$1,453,061$1,411,521

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 29, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Thomas & Lillian Sowell Charitable Trust's only listed officer is Bank Of America N A, Trustee on every filing since 2020 (compensated).

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Bank Of America N A

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    $183K (2020) → $226K (2025)

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

Bank of America N a — Trustee: $226KBank of America N aTrustee$226K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $226K, to Bank of America N a (Trustee).

Frequently asked questions about Thomas & Lillian Sowell Charitable Trust

How much does Thomas & Lillian Sowell Charitable Trust give each year?

Thomas & Lillian Sowell Charitable Trust gave $1.7M across 4 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $978K across 4 grants.

What is Thomas & Lillian Sowell Charitable Trust's typical grant size?

Thomas & Lillian Sowell Charitable Trust's median grant in 2025 was $461,327, and its average grant was $419,388, across 4 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Thomas & Lillian Sowell Charitable Trust give grants?

Thomas & Lillian Sowell Charitable Trust gives mostly in Texas: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Dallas, TX (4 grants).

Does Thomas & Lillian Sowell Charitable Trust give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of Thomas & Lillian Sowell Charitable Trust's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (4 of 4) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

How large is Thomas & Lillian Sowell Charitable Trust?

Thomas & Lillian Sowell Charitable Trust reported $23.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.5M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What is Thomas & Lillian Sowell Charitable Trust's EIN?

Thomas & Lillian Sowell Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 59-7247352. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

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