The William A Solomene Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Dallas, Texas (6339 Chesley Ln, Dallas TX 75214-2120). The foundation was established to honor William A Solemene, a longtime Dallas advertising executive who was known for his generous philanthropy, civic service, and active citizenship. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with an IRS ruling year of 2017 (EIN: 81-3593260).
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$7.9M
-7.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$900K
+50.0% YoY
Grant Count
18
-5.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$50K
+58.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, William a Solomene Charitable reported a distributable amount of $371K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on honoring the spirit of active citizenship and love of country that characterized William A Solemene's life. Primary funding areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
Grantmaking
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on:
- Texas
- Massachusetts
- California
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $7,944,508
- Total Annual Giving: $900,000
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,944,508 | $8,580,137 | $9,008,839 |
| Revenue | $387,821 | $296,759 | $378,733 |
| Expenses | $1,023,450 | $722,605 | $696,753 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $933,912 | $631,354 | $597,250 |
| Net Investment Income | $254,669 | $170,106 | $210,849 |
| Distributable Amount | $371,397 | $430,765 | $460,234 |
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
94 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include St Phillips Catholic Church ($250,000), Free Enterprise Institute ($155,000), Utsw Medical Center ($130,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ST PHILLIPS CATHOLIC CHURCH DALLAS, TX | GENERAL | $250,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF DALLAS IRVING, TX | GENERAL | $50,000 |
| FREE ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE HOUSTON, TX | GENERAL | $155,000 |
| PATRIOT PAWS SERVICE DOGS ROCKWALL, TX | GENERAL | $10,000 |
| HOMES FOR OUR TROOPS TAUNTON, MA | GENERAL | $50,000 |
| UTSW MEDICAL CENTER DALLAS, TX | GENERAL | $130,000 |
| MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER HOUSTON, TX | GENERAL | $30,000 |
| ANIMAL REFUGE FOUNDATION SHERMAN, TX | GENERAL | $40,000 |
| BONTON FARMS COMMUNITIES FDN DALLAS, TX | GENERAL | $30,000 |
| PAWS FOR PURPLE HEARTS SAN ANTONIO, TX | GENERAL | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| THOMAS W PAUKEN | CHAIRMAN | — | $7,500 |
| LYNN O SURLS | VICE PRESIDE | — | $7,500 |
| RON HINDS | DIRECTOR | — | $7,500 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation continues to support the William A. Solemene Scholarship Essay Contest at the University of Dallas, with the 10th annual contest scheduled for the 2026-27 school year. The deadline for the 2026 essay contest is April 10, 2026.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does William a Solomene Charitable fund?
The foundation's mission centers on honoring the spirit of active citizenship and love of country that characterized William A Solemene's life. Primary funding areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services
How do I apply for a grant from William a Solomene Charitable?
**Grant Amounts:** Typical awards range from $2,000 to $300,000. **Annual Giving:** The foundation distributed $900,000 in grants based on the most recent IRS 990 filing (2024). **Recent Grants:** Recent documented grants include: • $25,000 to the University of Dallas for the William A. Solemene Scholarship Essay Contest (2026 award cycle) • $15,000 to New Oxford Review (2024) • Support to Animal Refuge Foundation in Sherman, Texas **Scholarship Program:** The foundation sponsors the William A.…
Where does William a Solomene Charitable make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on: • Texas • Massachusetts • California
What size grants does William a Solomene Charitable award?
In 2024, William a Solomene Charitable awarded 18 grants totaling $900K — an average of about $50K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is William a Solomene Charitable required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, William a Solomene Charitable reported a distributable amount of $371K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is William a Solomene Charitable's EIN?
William a Solomene Charitable's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-3593260. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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