The Carlton Family Foundation Trust concentrates its giving on regional institutions that provide education, health and human services, and community development. They fund a mix of higher education, disability services, healthcare for indigent patients, local arts organizations, and entrepreneurial support—often through substantial, multi-thousand-dollar gifts and repeat funding to the same organizations. Grants skew toward Arkansas and nearby Texas beneficiaries, indicating a geographically focused philanthropic footprint.
Carlton Family Foundation Trust repeatedly makes large grants to a small set of education, disability, health, and community organizations, with Baylor University and Easter Seals of Arkansas standing out in the recent record. The trust’s pattern is clear in the scale of its gifts: $200,000 went to Baylor University in 2023 and again to Start Up Waco in 2025, while Easter Seals of Arkansas received $135,000 in both 2023 and 2024. Those awards sit alongside gifts for arts programming, private education, and aid for low-income families, showing a mix of institutional support and direct community benefit. The trust also gives repeated support to organizations serving Arkansas communities, including Baptist Health Foundation, Act II Argenta, Arkansas Baptist School, and River City Ministry. Its grantmaking includes both six-figure and smaller operating or program grants, suggesting a funder that backs ongoing institutional needs rather than one-time projects only. The recent record points to a regional approach with Arkansas organizations receiving most of the attention, while nearby Texas grantees appear in several higher-dollar awards.
Education is a consistent thread in the trust’s giving. In 2024, it gave $100,000 to Baylor University for school needs, and it supported Arkansas Baptist School with $20,000 in both 2023 and 2024 for private education. Disability services are another clear priority. Easter Seals of Arkansas received $135,000 in 2023 and again in 2024, followed by an additional $25,000 in 2024, all for assistance for the disabled. The trust also funds healthcare access and medical aid. Baptist Health Foundation received $30,000 in 2023 and two separate $30,000 grants in 2024 for assistance to indigent families, while Carti Foundation received $25,000 in 2023 for cancer treatment aid. Arts and entrepreneurship appear in the recent record as well, through $100,000 to Act II Argenta for the arts and $200,000 to Start Up Waco to assist and support entrepreneurs.
Typical grants cluster in the mid-five-figure range: the 25th percentile is $21,250, the median is $27,500, and the 75th percentile is $82,500. The recent record also includes several much larger awards, including $200,000 grants and $100,000 grants. The trust shows repeated support to the same organizations across multiple years, including grants to Easter Seals of Arkansas, Baptist Health Foundation, Arkansas Baptist School, and Baylor University. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than isolated gifts. It does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. The trust appears to operate as a grantmaking family foundation trust with a regional footprint.
$310K
$439K
$220K
$312K
Most grants fall between $21K and $83K, with a median of $28K.
25th Percentile
$21K
Median
$28K
75th Percentile
$83K
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Relatively concentrated giving with several large grants and repeat funding to core grantees; a mix of multi‑year or multi‑installment gifts rather than many small one‑offs; geographically focused on Arkansas and nearby Texas communities.
Notable grantees: Baylor University, Easter Seals of Arkansas, Start Up Waco, Act II Argenta, Baptist Health Foundation
Arkansas is the main recipient state, with 79% of grants going to organizations there. Recent gifts landed in Little Rock and North Little Rock, alongside several awards in Waco, Texas. The recipient base is entirely U.S.-based in the available record. Within Arkansas, Little Rock appears frequently across health, disability, education, and poverty-relief grants, while Waco, Texas, appears in the largest education and entrepreneurship awards.
Its recent grants go to universities, disability services, healthcare-related charities, arts organizations, schools, and community groups. Examples in the record include Baylor University for school needs, Easter Seals of Arkansas for assistance for the disabled, Act II Argenta for the arts, and Baptist Health Foundation for assistance to indigent families.
Typical grants are in the mid-five-figure range. The 25th percentile is $21,250, the median is $27,500, and the 75th percentile is $82,500. The recent record also includes larger $100,000 and $200,000 awards.
Yes. The recent record shows repeat grants to Easter Seals of Arkansas in 2023, 2024, and again for a separate 2024 award; Baptist Health Foundation in 2023 and 2024; Arkansas Baptist School in 2023 and 2024; and Baylor University in 2023 and 2024.
Arkansas receives most of the trust’s grants, accounting for 79% of grants in the available data. Recent Arkansas recipients include organizations in Little Rock and North Little Rock, while several larger awards also went to Waco, Texas.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| START UP WACO | WACO, TX | $200,000 | 2025 | ASSIST AND SUPPORT ENTREPRENEURS |
| ACT II ARGENTA | NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR | $100,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT THE ARTS |
| RISE COLLECTIVE GLOBAL INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | BRING CHRIST TO EARLY CAREER WOMEN |
| EASTER SEALS OF ARKANSAS | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $135,000 | 2024 | ASSISTANCE FOR THE DISABLED |
| BAYLOR UNIVERSITY | WACO, TX | $100,000 | 2024 | ASSIST UNIVERSITY WITH SCHOOL NEEDS |
| BAPTIST HEALTH FOUNDATION | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $30,000 | 2024 | ASSISTANCE TO INDIGENT FAMILIES |
| BAPTIST HEALTH FOUNDATION | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $30,000 | 2024 | ASSISTANCE TO INDIGENT FAMILIES |
| EASTER SEALS OF ARKANSAS | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $25,000 | 2024 | ASSISTANCE FOR THE DISABLED |
| ACT II ARGENTA | NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR | $25,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT THE ARTS |
| ARKANSAS BAPTIST SCHOOL | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $20,000 | 2024 | PRIVATE EDUCATION |
| CKS FOUNDATION | DALLAS, TX | $17,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST COVENANT KNIGHT SCHOOLS |
| RIVER CITY MINISTRY | NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR | $5,000 | 2024 | ASSISTANCE TO INDIGENT FAMILIES |
| BAYLOR UNIVERSITY | WACO, TX | $200,000 | 2023 | ASSIST UNIVERSITY WITH SCHOOL NEEDS |
| EASTER SEALS OF ARKANSAS | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $135,000 | 2023 | ASSISTANCE FOR THE DISABLED |
| BAPTIST HEALTH FOUNDATION | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $30,000 | 2023 | ASSISTANCE TO INDIGENT FAMILIES |
| CARTI FOUNDATION | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $25,000 | 2023 | CANCER TREATMENT AID |
| ARKANSAS BAPTIST SCHOOL | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $20,000 | 2023 | PRIVATE EDUCATION |
START UP WACO
$200,000ASSIST AND SUPPORT ENTREPRENEURS
ACT II ARGENTA
$100,000SUPPORT THE ARTS
RISE COLLECTIVE GLOBAL INC
$10,000BRING CHRIST TO EARLY CAREER WOMEN
EASTER SEALS OF ARKANSAS
$135,000ASSISTANCE FOR THE DISABLED
ASSISTANCE TO INDIGENT FAMILIES
ACT II ARGENTA
$25,000SUPPORT THE ARTS
ARKANSAS BAPTIST SCHOOL
$20,000PRIVATE EDUCATION
CKS FOUNDATION
$17,000TO ASSIST COVENANT KNIGHT SCHOOLS
RIVER CITY MINISTRY
$5,000ASSISTANCE TO INDIGENT FAMILIES
ARKANSAS BAPTIST SCHOOL
$20,000PRIVATE EDUCATION