The BNSF Railway Foundation appears to make targeted, high-value gifts to cultural institutions that preserve regional history. In this dataset its giving is focused on supporting a state historical society, suggesting an interest in heritage preservation—likely tied to the regions BNSF serves and to rail-related history and museums. The foundation's single recorded grant is a sizable investment rather than many small donations.
Concentrated, large-dollar grants to individual cultural institutions rather than many small grants; likely occasional targeted support for major projects or capital needs.
The Bnsf Railway Foundation’s recent giving shows a strong tilt toward heritage, education, and rail-linked community support, with repeated five- and six-figure gifts alongside much smaller scholarship awards. One of the clearest signals is its multi-year support for the Montana Historical Society, which received $500,000 in 2023, 2024, and 2025. That pattern points to sustained investment rather than one-off sponsorships. The foundation also backed the American Heart Association in Dallas with $500,000 grants in 2024 and 2025, showing that health and human services sit alongside cultural preservation in its portfolio. Additional support has gone to institutions such as Texas Christian University, the National Juneteenth Museum, and the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation, which together suggest interest in education, civic memory, and public-facing cultural institutions. At the smaller end, the foundation’s scholarship activity reaches students through administered programs and direct awards, including BNSF-linked scholarships for dependent students and partner-run scholarship channels. Across these gifts, the foundation combines large institutional grants with targeted scholarship support and community funding tied to BNSF-served places.
Cultural and historical preservation is a visible thread in the foundation’s recent grantmaking. In that area, it gave $500,000 to the Montana Historical Society in 2025, following the same amount in 2024 and 2023. It also supported the National Juneteenth Museum with $400,000 in 2025 and the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation with $200,000 in 2025. Education appears in both institutional and scholarship forms. The foundation gave $400,000 to Texas Christian University in 2023 and $150,000 to Northwestern University in 2025. It also funded North Dakota State University Development Foundation with $100,000 in 2025. Health and human services are another clear category. The American Heart Association received $500,000 in 2025, while The Salvation Army of North Texas received $100,000 in 2024 and Tulsa Dream Center Inc received $100,000 in 2023. Civic and community work shows up through grants to National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Event Facilities Fort Worth Inc.
$7M
$23M
$28.3M
$7.1M
Most grants fall between $500 and $5K, with a median of $3K.
25th Percentile
$500
Median
$3K
75th Percentile
$5K
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Notable grantees: Montana Historical Society
The Bnsf Railway Foundation’s typical grant size is modest compared with its largest awards: p25 is $500, the median is $2,500, and p75 is $5,000. That points to a large volume of smaller grants with a smaller set of high-dollar institutional gifts. The dataset also shows repeat support to the same recipients across multiple years, including the Montana Historical Society, American Heart Association, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and Event Facilities Fort Worth Inc. The foundation is a regular funder, not a donor-advised fund, and it accepts unsolicited applications for several grant and scholarship channels, including community grants and local-government or first-responder pathways.
Grantmaking is national, but Texas receives the largest share of grants by count, with 37% of awards going to recipients in the foundation’s headquarters state. Recent Texas recipients include Dallas, Fort Worth, and Arlington organizations, while Helena, Montana appears in repeated support for the Montana Historical Society. The recipient map also reaches beyond Texas to places such as Evanston, Illinois; Manhattan, Kansas; Fargo, North Dakota; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Wittmann, Arizona. All recorded recipient-country data are in the United States.
Recent grants show a mix of cultural institutions, education organizations, health and human services groups, and civic/community nonprofits. Repeated recipients include the Montana Historical Society, the American Heart Association, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and universities such as Texas Christian University and Northwestern University.
Yes. Several listed programs accept unsolicited applications, including Community Grants, General Grants, and the local government/first responder/tribal application pathway. The scholarship side also includes direct and partner-administered programs such as BNSF College Scholarship Program and UNCF, AISES, and FFA scholarships.
The foundation’s typical grant size is small relative to its largest awards: the 25th percentile is $500, the median is $2,500, and the 75th percentile is $5,000. At the same time, the recent grants list includes much larger institutional gifts, including multiple $500,000 awards.
Community grants are directed to nonprofits located in or serving communities in close proximity to BNSF rail lines in the United States. The foundation also has application pathways for local governments, first responders, and Native American tribes serving those same areas.
Yes. The foundation funds a BNSF College Scholarship Program for dependent students of employees, retirees, or furloughed employees, and it also supports partner-administered scholarships through UNCF, AISES, and the National FFA. Those programs include students from Tarrant County, Texas, and from selected BNSF-served states.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Bnsf Railway Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Applicant must be a qualifying local government, first responder or federally recognized tribe serving or located near BNSF rail lines.
Who can apply: See Policies: tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status or local government division; serve BNSF communities; program alignment with Foundation interests.
Deadline: No deadline; rolling intake.
Who can apply: 501(c)(3) organizations, divisions of local government, and federally recognized tribal governments that are physically located in or serve communities in close proximity to BNSF rail lines. Priority given to organizations with an established relationship with the BNSF Railway Foundation.
Deadline: Not specified / appears to accept applications on an ongoing (rolling) basis via the online portal
Who can apply: Applicants must be a 501(c)(3) public charity, division of local government, or eligible federally recognized tribal government; be located in or serve a community near a BNSF rail line; demonstrate broad purpose and impact, program effectiveness, credibility, sustainability, and a charitable purpose aligned with the Foundation mission. Preference is given to organizations with significant BNSF employee participation or tangible rail-industry connections and to organizations with at least two years of successful community track record. Start-ups, private foundations, individuals, political organizations, fundraising events, athletic teams, and numerous other excluded categories are ineligible.
Deadline: Open application system; applications may be submitted at any time. Applicants may apply once per calendar year.
Who can apply: 501(c)(3) public charities meeting location and program fit criteria in Foundation policies.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION | DALLAS, TX | $500,000 | 2026 | HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES |
| MONTANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY | HELENA, MT | $500,000 | 2026 | CULTURAL |
| NATIONAL JUNETEENTH MUSEUM | FORT WORTH, TX | $400,000 | 2026 | CULTURAL |
| NATIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR MUSEUM FOUNDATION | ARLINGTON, TX | $200,000 | 2026 | CULTURAL |
| DOWNTOWN FORT WORTH INITIATIVES INC | FORT WORTH, TX | $200,000 | 2026 | CIVIC |
| NATIONAL FFA FOUNDATION | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $102,500 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2026 | CIVIC |
| UNITED WAY OF TARRANT CO | FORT WORTH, TX | $100,000 | 2026 | HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES |
| WHITMAN COLLEGE | WALLA WALLA, WA | $100,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| YELLOWSTONE ICE FOUNDATION | BILLINGS, MT | $100,000 | 2026 | YOUTH |
| U W DANIEL J EVANS GRAD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIR | SEATTLE, WA | $100,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA | HURST, TX | $100,000 | 2026 | YOUTH |
| NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY DEVELOPMENT FDN | FARGO, ND | $100,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | SHAWNEE MISSION, KS | $75,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| VAN CLIBURN FOUNDATION | FORT WORTH, TX | $70,000 | 2026 | CULTURAL |
| UNITED WAY OF TARRANT CO | FORT WORTH, TX | $62,000 | 2026 | UNITED WAY/RED CROSS |
| KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | SHAWNEE MISSION, KS | $58,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| TRANSFORM 1012 N MAIN STREET | FORT WORTH, TX | $50,000 | 2026 | CIVIC |
| AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION | FORT WORTH, TX | $50,000 | 2026 | HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES |
| THE COMMUNITY FDN OF THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY INC | KERRVILLE, TX | $50,000 | 2026 | HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES |
| LIFEPOINT FELLOWSHIP CHURCH OF HASLET | HASLET, TX | $37,631 | 2026 | MATCHING GIFTS 1 |
| LINCOLN PARKS AND RECREATION FOUNDATION | LINCOLN, NE | $33,333 | 2026 | CIVIC |
| UNITED WAY OF GREATER KANSAS CITY | KANSAS CITY, MO | $30,000 | 2026 | UNITED WAY/RED CROSS |
| UNITED WAY OF KNOX COUNTY INC | GALESBURG, IL | $30,000 | 2026 | UNITED WAY/RED CROSS |
| OMAHA CHILDRENS MUSEUM INC | OMAHA, NE | $30,000 | 2026 | CULTURAL |
| CITY OF MOORHEAD | MOORHEAD, MN | $30,000 | 2026 | YOUTH |
| GREATER TWIN CITIES UNITED WAY | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $30,000 | 2026 | UNITED WAY/RED CROSS |
| GLACIER NATIONAL PARK CONSERVANCY | COLUMBIA FALLS, MT | $26,000 | 2026 | CULTURAL |
| UNITED WAY OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2026 | UNITED WAY/RED CROSS |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GREATER MEMPHIS | MEMPHIS, TN | $25,000 | 2026 | YOUTH |
| UNITED WAY OF KAW VALLEY | TOPEKA, KS | $25,000 | 2026 | UNITED WAY/RED CROSS |
| TEXAS FUTURE FARMERS OF AMERICA FOUNDATION INC | AUSTIN, TX | $25,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| FORT WORTH BIBLE CHURCH | FORT WORTH, TX | $25,000 | 2026 | CIVIC |
| UNITED WAY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA | SCOTTSBLUFF, NE | $25,000 | 2026 | UNITED WAY/RED CROSS |
| EXP | CARSON, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| UNITED WAY OF GREATER LOS ANGELES | LOS ANGELES, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | UNITED WAY/RED CROSS |
| FORT WORTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ASSOCIATION INC | FORT WORTH, TX | $25,000 | 2026 | CULTURAL |
| NATIONAL CHILDRENS MUSEUM | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2026 | CULTURAL |
| FORT WORTH CRADLE TO CAREER | FORT WORTH, TX | $25,000 | 2026 | HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES |
| BURTON ADVENTIST ACADEMY | ARLINGTON, TX | $24,100 | 2026 | MATCHING GIFTS 1 |
| CHRIST THE KING CHURCH AND EARLY LEARNING CENTER | TOPEKA, KS | $23,930 | 2026 | MATCHING GIFTS 1 |
| UNITED WAY OF LINCOLN AND LANCASTER COUNTY | LINCOLN, NE | $22,000 | 2026 | UNITED WAY/RED CROSS |
| FATHER MCCARTAN MEMORIAL SCHOOL FOUNDATION | MARCELINE, MO | $20,000 | 2026 | MATCHING GIFTS 1 |
| THE 100 CLUB OF ILLINOIS | CHICAGO, IL | $20,000 | 2026 | CIVIC |
| ENGAGE HOPE MINISTRIES | PLANO, TX | $20,000 | 2026 | MATCHING GIFTS 1 |
| BOYS CLUB OF CICERO | CICERO, IL | $20,000 | 2026 | YOUTH |
| ARIZONA STATE RAILROAD MUSEUM FOUNDATION | WILLIAMS, AZ | $20,000 | 2026 | MATCHING GIFTS 1 |
| SAINT TERESA OF CALCUTTA PARISH | ROANOKE, TX | $20,000 | 2026 | MATCHING GIFTS 1 |
| GREATER TOPEKA PARTNERSHIP FOUNDATION | TOPEKA, KS | $20,000 | 2026 | CIVIC |
| CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF FT WORTH ADVANCEMENT FDN | FORT WORTH, TX | $20,000 | 2026 | MATCHING GIFTS 1 |
MONTANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
$500,000CULTURAL
NATIONAL JUNETEENTH MUSEUM
$400,000CULTURAL
NATIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR MUSEUM FOUNDATION
$200,000CULTURAL
DOWNTOWN FORT WORTH INITIATIVES INC
$200,000CIVIC
EDUCATION
WHITMAN COLLEGE
$100,000EDUCATION
YELLOWSTONE ICE FOUNDATION
$100,000YOUTH
U W DANIEL J EVANS GRAD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIR
$100,000EDUCATION
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
$100,000YOUTH
NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY DEVELOPMENT FDN
$100,000EDUCATION
KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION
$58,000EDUCATION
AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION
$50,000HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
LIFEPOINT FELLOWSHIP CHURCH OF HASLET
$37,631MATCHING GIFTS 1
LINCOLN PARKS AND RECREATION FOUNDATION
$33,333CIVIC
UNITED WAY OF KNOX COUNTY INC
$30,000UNITED WAY/RED CROSS
OMAHA CHILDRENS MUSEUM INC
$30,000CULTURAL
CITY OF MOORHEAD
$30,000YOUTH
TEXAS FUTURE FARMERS OF AMERICA FOUNDATION INC
$25,000EDUCATION
FORT WORTH BIBLE CHURCH
$25,000CIVIC
UNITED WAY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA
$25,000UNITED WAY/RED CROSS
EXP
$25,000EDUCATION
NATIONAL CHILDRENS MUSEUM
$25,000CULTURAL
BURTON ADVENTIST ACADEMY
$24,100MATCHING GIFTS 1
CHRIST THE KING CHURCH AND EARLY LEARNING CENTER
$23,930MATCHING GIFTS 1
FATHER MCCARTAN MEMORIAL SCHOOL FOUNDATION
$20,000MATCHING GIFTS 1
THE 100 CLUB OF ILLINOIS
$20,000CIVIC
ENGAGE HOPE MINISTRIES
$20,000MATCHING GIFTS 1
ARIZONA STATE RAILROAD MUSEUM FOUNDATION
$20,000MATCHING GIFTS 1
SAINT TERESA OF CALCUTTA PARISH
$20,000MATCHING GIFTS 1
CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF FT WORTH ADVANCEMENT FDN
$20,000MATCHING GIFTS 1