The Dan Kirkland Wells Foundation focuses its giving on conservative Christian education and local community institutions in and around Clifton, Texas. The foundation directs most of its funds to a small set of recurring recipients—notably a Churches of Christ college and the local church—while also supporting the regional museum, indicating interest in faith-based higher education, local congregational support, and community cultural life.
Concentrated, donor-directed giving: few, relatively large gifts focused on repeat grantees in the donor's local community and religious network rather than many small or geographically diverse grants.
The Dan Kirkland Wells Foundation’s giving is anchored by recurring support for Freed-Hardeman University, with grants of $144,500 in 2024 and $135,500 in 2023. That pattern points to a funder with a sustained interest in faith-based higher education rather than one-time project funding. In the same recent-grants record, the foundation also repeatedly supported Clifton Church of Christ, including grants of $87,050 and $43,600 in 2025, showing a parallel commitment to a local congregation in Clifton. Bosque Museum appears as another repeated recipient, which adds a cultural-institution layer to the foundation’s profile. The mix of a Churches of Christ university, a Clifton church, and a local museum suggests a grantmaker that concentrates on conservative Christian education, congregational life, and community institutions tied to Clifton and Bosque County. Grants in the recent file range from smaller $5,000 awards to six-figure support for higher education, indicating a spread of giving sizes within a relatively focused recipient set. The latest 990 year on file is 2025.
Faith-based education is a central thread in the foundation’s recent grants. Freed-Hardeman University received $144,500 in 2024 and $135,500 in 2023, and Abilene Christian University also appears multiple times, including $5,000 gifts in 2025 and 2023. The foundation’s support for Churches of Christ institutions is also visible in the grant to Schreiner University, which received $16,000 in 2025 and $10,000 in 2024 and 2023. Local religious support is another clear area: Clifton Church of Christ received $87,050 and $43,600 in 2025, alongside earlier grants in 2024 and 2023. Cultural giving shows up through Bosque Museum in Clifton, with awards of $45,200 and $12,900 in 2025 and 2024, plus another $10,000 in 2025. This combination ties the foundation to church-based education, congregational support, and Bosque County institutions.
Typical grant size is modest relative to the largest awards, with a p25 of $500, a median of $2,500, and a p75 of $10,000. The recent record shows repeated support to the same organizations across multiple years, especially Freed-Hardeman University, Clifton Church of Christ, Bosque Museum, and Schreiner University. That pattern indicates renewal-style giving rather than many one-off grants. The foundation is a private foundation with annual grants of $834,765 and total assets of $4,410,042. It does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
$186K
$4.4M
$234K
$232K
Most grants fall between $500 and $10K, with a median of $3K.
25th Percentile
$500
Median
$3K
75th Percentile
$10K
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Notable grantees: Freed–Hardeman University, Clifton Church of Christ, Bosque Museum
Giving is highly concentrated in Texas, which accounts for 69% of grants, and the foundation’s top state by grant count is TX. Clifton appears repeatedly as a recipient city, with grants to Clifton Church of Christ, Bosque Museum, and Bosque Arts Center. Other Texas recipients include Dallas, Kerrville, Houston, Abilene, and Clifton itself. Outside Texas, the foundation gives to Henderson, Tennessee; Downingtown, Pennsylvania; Branson, Missouri; and Sarasota, Florida. All recorded grants in the recent file are to US recipients.
Its recent grants center on Churches of Christ congregations and faith-based higher education, along with local cultural institutions. Examples in the record include Clifton Church of Christ, Freed-Hardeman University, Schreiner University, Abilene Christian University, and Bosque Museum.
Yes. Freed-Hardeman University appears in 2023 and 2024, Clifton Church of Christ appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025, Bosque Museum appears in 2024 and 2025, and Schreiner University appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution is p25 $500, median $2,500, and p75 $10,000. The recent grants list also includes larger awards, including $144,500 to Freed-Hardeman University in 2024.
Texas is the top state by grant count, with 69% of grants going to recipients in TX. Clifton is a recurring recipient city, alongside Dallas, Kerrville, Houston, and Abilene.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLIFTON CHURCH OF CHRIST | CLIFTON, TX | $87,050 | 2026 | DONATION |
| FREED HARDEMAN UNIVERSITY | HENDERSON, TN | $26,500 | 2026 | DONATION |
| FARA | DOWNINGTOWN, PA | $15,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| ST MARKS SCHOOL OF TEXAS | DALLAS, TX | $10,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| SCHREINER UNIVERSITY | KERRVILLE, TX | $10,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| BOSQUE MUSEUM | CLIFTON, TX | $10,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| KAA | BRANSON, MO | $8,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIV | ABILENE, TX | $5,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| CENTER FOR PURSUIT | HOUSTON, TX | $5,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| LEAH DEMAREE DOUGLAS IMAGINATON FOU | Clifton, TX | $2,500 | 2026 | DONATION |
| CAMP JOHN MARC | DALLAS, TX | $1,800 | 2026 | DONATION |
| MT MORIAH CEMETARY ASSOCIATION | OBION, TN | $1,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| BOSQUE ARTS CENTER | CLIFTON, TX | $1,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| TEMPLE COLLEGE FOUNDATION | TEMPLE, TX | $500 | 2026 | DONATION |
| BAYLOR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM FOUNDATIO | DALLAS, TX | $500 | 2026 | DONATION |
| CAESAR KLEBERG WILDLIFE RESEARCH IN | KINGSVILLE, TX | $500 | 2026 | DONATION |
| HIGHLAND PARK EDUCATION FOUNDATION | DALLAS, TX | $500 | 2026 | DONATION |
| CARE FOR CATS | CLIFTON, TX | $250 | 2026 | DONATION |
| SALADO CHURCH OF CHRIST MISSION FUN | SALADO, TX | $200 | 2026 | DONATION |
| THE ONE PROJECT INC | KERNERSVILLE, NC | $200 | 2026 | DONATION |
| LOVE OF CHRIST FOOD PANTRY INC | TEMPLE, TX | $200 | 2026 | DONATION |
| MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN | MILWAUKEE, WI | $200 | 2026 | DONATION |
| FIRST METHODIST CHURCH | TEMPLE, TX | $200 | 2026 | DONATION |
| BOSQUE MUSEUM | CLIFTON, TX | $45,200 | 2025 | DONATION |
| CLIFTON CHURCH OF CHRIST | CLIFTON, TX | $43,600 | 2025 | DONATION |
| FREED HARDEMAN UNIVERSITY | HENDERSON, TN | $21,500 | 2025 | DONATION |
| BOSQUE ARTS CENTER | CLIFTON, TX | $17,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| SCHREINER UNIVERSITY | KERRVILLE, TX | $16,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| FARA | DOWNINGTOWN, PA | $15,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| ST MARKS SCHOOL OF TEXAS | DALLAS, TX | $11,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| KAA | BRANSON, MO | $8,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIV | ABILENE, TX | $5,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| ST MARTHA CATHOLIC SCHOOL LIBRARY F | SARASOTA, FL | $5,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| CENTER FOR PURSUIT | HOUSTON, TX | $5,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| LEAH DEMAREE DOUGLAS IMAGINATON FOU | CRANSFILL GAP, TX | $2,500 | 2025 | DONATION |
| CAMP JOHN MARC | DALLAS, TX | $1,700 | 2025 | DONATION |
| MT MORIAH CEMETARY ASSOCIATION | OBION, TN | $1,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| OBION COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY | UNION CITY, TN | $500 | 2025 | DONATION |
| BOSQUE SPAY NEUTER | CLIFTON, TX | $500 | 2025 | DONATION |
| COMMUNITY BIBLE CHURCH | UNION CITY, TN | $500 | 2025 | DONATION |
| BELTON CHURCH OF CHRIST | BELTON, TX | $200 | 2025 | DONATION |
| NORTHSIDE CHURCH OF CHRIST | TEMPLE, TX | $200 | 2025 | DONATION |
| SALADO CHURCH OF CHRIST MISSION FUN | SALADO, TX | $200 | 2025 | DONATION |
| BELTON EDUCATION ENRICHMENT FOUNDAT | BELTON, TX | $200 | 2025 | DONATION |
| FREED HARDEMAN UNIVERSITY | HENDERSON, TN | $144,500 | 2024 | DONATION |
| CLIFTON CHURCH OF CHRIST | CLIFTON, TX | $33,000 | 2024 | DONATION |
| FARA | DOWNINGTOWN, PA | $15,000 | 2024 | DONATION |
| BOSQUE MUSEUM | CLIFTON, TX | $12,900 | 2024 | DONATION |
| SCHREINER UNIVERSITY | KERRVILLE, TX | $10,000 | 2024 | DONATION |
| ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIV | ABILENE, TX | $5,000 | 2024 | DONATION |
CLIFTON CHURCH OF CHRIST
$87,050DONATION
ST MARKS SCHOOL OF TEXAS
$10,000DONATION
BOSQUE MUSEUM
$10,000DONATION
KAA
$8,000DONATION
LEAH DEMAREE DOUGLAS IMAGINATON FOU
$2,500DONATION
CAMP JOHN MARC
$1,800DONATION
MT MORIAH CEMETARY ASSOCIATION
$1,000DONATION
BOSQUE ARTS CENTER
$1,000DONATION
CAESAR KLEBERG WILDLIFE RESEARCH IN
$500DONATION
CARE FOR CATS
$250DONATION
SALADO CHURCH OF CHRIST MISSION FUN
$200DONATION
THE ONE PROJECT INC
$200DONATION
LOVE OF CHRIST FOOD PANTRY INC
$200DONATION
FIRST METHODIST CHURCH
$200DONATION
BOSQUE MUSEUM
$45,200DONATION
CLIFTON CHURCH OF CHRIST
$43,600DONATION
BOSQUE ARTS CENTER
$17,000DONATION
FARA
$15,000DONATION
ST MARKS SCHOOL OF TEXAS
$11,000DONATION
KAA
$8,000DONATION
ST MARTHA CATHOLIC SCHOOL LIBRARY F
$5,000DONATION
LEAH DEMAREE DOUGLAS IMAGINATON FOU
$2,500DONATION
CAMP JOHN MARC
$1,700DONATION
MT MORIAH CEMETARY ASSOCIATION
$1,000DONATION
OBION COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
$500DONATION
BOSQUE SPAY NEUTER
$500DONATION
COMMUNITY BIBLE CHURCH
$500DONATION
BELTON CHURCH OF CHRIST
$200DONATION
NORTHSIDE CHURCH OF CHRIST
$200DONATION
SALADO CHURCH OF CHRIST MISSION FUN
$200DONATION
BELTON EDUCATION ENRICHMENT FOUNDAT
$200DONATION
CLIFTON CHURCH OF CHRIST
$33,000DONATION
BOSQUE MUSEUM
$12,900DONATION