The Dora Roberts Foundation makes a small number of large, unrestricted grants to local community institutions across education, emergency services, faith-based social services, and medical education. Grants are typically general operating support and go to civic institutions (a K–12 academy, volunteer fire department, Salvation Army post, a Methodist church) and a major medical school, suggesting a focus on sustaining essential community anchors rather than program-specific projects. Giving appears place-based but not limited to a single city — they fund both congregations and public-safety organizations in smaller communities as well as higher-education/medical institutions.
A 700,000 grant to Runnels Academy in Big Spring, Texas, captures the Dora Roberts Foundation - Fi Xxxxx4008’s pattern of making a small number of large, unrestricted awards to anchor institutions. The foundation’s recent giving is built around general support rather than program-specific funding, with major commitments to schools, emergency services, faith-based organizations, social service posts, and medical education. That mix includes repeated support for Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, alongside local institutions in Big Spring such as the Salvation Army of Big Spring, Howard County Volunteer Fire Department, and First United Methodist Church. The result is a portfolio that helps sustain essential civic infrastructure rather than short-term projects. Across the grants list, the foundation appears to favor organizations that serve as steady community fixtures: a K–12 academy, a volunteer fire department, a church, a Salvation Army post, a humane society, a college foundation, and a medical school. Several recipients receive support in more than one year, which points to ongoing institutional relationships rather than isolated awards. The funding is concentrated in Texas and often lands in smaller communities, especially Big Spring, where multiple recipient organizations operate in education, public safety, aging services, and community life.
Education support is a clear thread in the foundation’s grantmaking. In 2024, it gave $700,000 to Runnels Academy in Big Spring for general support, and in both 2024 and 2025 it awarded $224,000 to Howard College Foundation in Big Spring. Public safety and emergency response are another visible area. The foundation gave $450,000 in 2024 and $300,000 in 2025 to Howard County Volunteer Fire Department, both as general grants. Faith-based and social-service institutions also receive recurring support. First United Methodist Church in Big Spring received $400,000 in 2024 and $335,000 in 2025, while Salvation Army of Big Spring received $440,000 in 2024 and $500,000 in 2025. Health-related funding includes major medical education. Baylor College of Medicine in Houston received $350,000 in 2024 and $500,000 in 2025.
Typical grant size is large: the distribution sits at $40,000 at the 25th percentile, $75,000 at the median, and $224,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent record shows repeated grants to the same recipients across 2024 and 2025, including several institutions that appear in both years, which suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time awards. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. The grants shown are all general support, indicating an operating-support approach rather than project-restricted funding.
$4M
$112.7M
$57.6M
$5M
Most grants fall between $40K and $224K, with a median of $75K.
25th Percentile
$40K
Median
$75K
75th Percentile
$224K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in TX.
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Concentrated: very few (5) large grants that cover general operating support; no small distributed grants. The foundation funds a mix of distinct community anchors rather than repeat annual payments to the same grantees.
Notable grantees: Runnels Academy, Howard County Volunteer Fire Department, Salvation Army of Big Spring, First United Methodist Church, Baylor College of Medicine
The grants are entirely U.S.-based, and Texas is the top giving state by grant count. Big Spring appears most often in the recipient list, with additional Texas recipients in Houston, Fort Davis, Denton, Midland, and Dallas. Outside that Texas concentration, the Houston awards stand out as medical-education support, while most other grants are directed to community institutions in smaller Texas cities and counties.
The recent grants point to community anchor institutions: an academy, a college foundation, a volunteer fire department, a church, Salvation Army posts, humane societies, aging-services organizations, and a medical school. The awards are consistently marked as general support.
Yes. Several recipients appear in both 2024 and 2025, including Baylor College of Medicine, Howard County Volunteer Fire Department, First United Methodist Church, Salvation Army of Big Spring, Howard College Foundation, and Friends of the Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo.
The grant-size distribution is large: the 25th percentile is $40,000, the median is $75,000, and the 75th percentile is $224,000. Recent grants also include several awards in the $300,000 to $700,000 range.
Texas is the top state by grant count, and Big Spring shows up repeatedly among recipient cities. Other Texas recipients in the recent list include Houston, Fort Davis, Denton, Midland, and Dallas.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SALVATION ARMY OF BIG SPRING | BIG SPRING, TX | $500,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE | HOUSTON, TX | $500,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| HAPPY DAY HUMANE SOCIETY | BIG SPRING, TX | $400,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH | BIG SPRING, TX | $335,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| HOWARD COUNTY VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT | BIG SPRING, TX | $300,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| HOWARD COLLEGE FOUNDATION | BIG SPRING, TX | $224,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| FRIENDS OF THE BIG SPRING COWBOY REUNION AND RODEO | BIG SPRING, TX | $179,800 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| BIG SPRING YOUNG MENS CHRISTIAN ASSO | BIG SPRING, TX | $160,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| HOWARD COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATION INC | BIG SPRING, TX | $152,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| HOWARD COUNTY COUNCIL ON AGING | BIG SPRING, TX | $131,529 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| YARD SPORTS COMPLEX | BIG SPRING, TX | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| CASA OF WEST TEXAS | MIDLAND, TX | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| EVANGELICAL DEVELOPMENT MINISTRY | DALLAS, TX | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| RANCH HANDS RESCUE | DENTON, TX | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| GRAND COMPANIONS HUMANE SOCIETY | FORT DAVIS, TX | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| SAN ANGELO AREA FOUNDATION | BIG SPRING, TX | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| HERITAGE MUSEUM OF BIG SPRING | BIG SPRING, TX | $95,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| BIG SPRING SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION IN | BIG SPRING, TX | $75,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| HOWARD COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT | BIG SPRING, TX | $75,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| RAPE CRISIS SERVICES OF BIG SPRING | BIG SPRING, TX | $60,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| FOOD 2 KIDS INC | ODESSA, TX | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| RUNNELS ACADEMY | BIG SPRING, TX | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| WEST TEXAS COMMUNITY MEDIATION CENTER | BIG SPRING, TX | $44,500 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| PERMIAN BASIN HONOR FLIGHT INC | ODESSA, TX | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY OF HOWARD COUNTY | BIG SPRING, TX | $10,323 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| BUCKNER CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES INC | MIDLAND, TX | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| WEST SIDE COMMUNITY DAYCARE CENTER | BIG SPRING, TX | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| HELP OUR PUPILS EXCEL FOUNDATION INC | BIG SPRING, TX | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| RUNNELS ACADEMY | BIG SPRING, TX | $700,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| HOWARD COUNTY VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT | BIG SPRING, TX | $450,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| SALVATION ARMY OF BIG SPRING | BIG SPRING, TX | $440,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH | BIG SPRING, TX | $400,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE | HOUSTON, TX | $350,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| HOWARD COUNTY COUNCIL ON AGING | BIG SPRING, TX | $240,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| HOWARD COLLEGE FOUNDATION | BIG SPRING, TX | $224,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| BIG SPRING YOUNG MENS CHRISTIAN ASSO | BIG SPRING, TX | $192,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| FRIENDS OF THE BIG SPRING COWBOY REUNION AND RODEO | BIG SPRING, TX | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| HERITAGE MUSEUM OF BIG SPRING | BIG SPRING, TX | $85,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| EVANGELICAL DEVELOPMENT MINISTRY | DALLAS, TX | $85,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| GRAND COMPANIONS HUMANE SOCIETY | FORT DAVIS, TX | $80,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| HOWARD COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT | BIG SPRING, TX | $75,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| CASA OF WEST TEXAS | MIDLAND, TX | $75,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| RAPE CRISIS SERVICES OF BIG SPRING | BIG SPRING, TX | $60,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| SAFE PLACE OF THE PERMIAN BASIN | MIDLAND, TX | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| BIG SPRING SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION IN | BIG SPRING, TX | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| PERMIAN BASIN HONOR FLIGHT INC | ODESSA, TX | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| HOWARD COUNTY 4-H | BIG SPRING, TX | $40,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| HOWARD COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATION INC | BIG SPRING, TX | $40,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| HOWARD COUNTY YOUTH HORSEMAN CLUB | BIG SPRING, TX | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| WEST TEXAS COMMUNITY MEDIATION CENTER | BIG SPRING, TX | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
SALVATION ARMY OF BIG SPRING
$500,000GENERAL
HAPPY DAY HUMANE SOCIETY
$400,000GENERAL
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
$335,000GENERAL
HOWARD COUNTY VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
$300,000GENERAL
HOWARD COLLEGE FOUNDATION
$224,000GENERAL
FRIENDS OF THE BIG SPRING COWBOY REUNION AND RODEO
$179,800GENERAL
BIG SPRING YOUNG MENS CHRISTIAN ASSO
$160,000GENERAL
HOWARD COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATION INC
$152,000GENERAL
HOWARD COUNTY COUNCIL ON AGING
$131,529GENERAL
YARD SPORTS COMPLEX
$100,000GENERAL
CASA OF WEST TEXAS
$100,000GENERAL
EVANGELICAL DEVELOPMENT MINISTRY
$100,000GENERAL
GRAND COMPANIONS HUMANE SOCIETY
$100,000GENERAL
SAN ANGELO AREA FOUNDATION
$100,000GENERAL
HERITAGE MUSEUM OF BIG SPRING
$95,000GENERAL
BIG SPRING SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION IN
$75,000GENERAL
HOWARD COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT
$75,000GENERAL
RAPE CRISIS SERVICES OF BIG SPRING
$60,000GENERAL
FOOD 2 KIDS INC
$50,000GENERAL
RUNNELS ACADEMY
$50,000GENERAL
WEST TEXAS COMMUNITY MEDIATION CENTER
$44,500GENERAL
PERMIAN BASIN HONOR FLIGHT INC
$25,000GENERAL
FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY OF HOWARD COUNTY
$10,323GENERAL
WEST SIDE COMMUNITY DAYCARE CENTER
$10,000GENERAL
HELP OUR PUPILS EXCEL FOUNDATION INC
$10,000GENERAL
RUNNELS ACADEMY
$700,000GENERAL
HOWARD COUNTY VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
$450,000GENERAL
SALVATION ARMY OF BIG SPRING
$440,000GENERAL
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
$400,000GENERAL
HOWARD COUNTY COUNCIL ON AGING
$240,000GENERAL
HOWARD COLLEGE FOUNDATION
$224,000GENERAL
BIG SPRING YOUNG MENS CHRISTIAN ASSO
$192,000GENERAL
FRIENDS OF THE BIG SPRING COWBOY REUNION AND RODEO
$100,000GENERAL
HERITAGE MUSEUM OF BIG SPRING
$85,000GENERAL
GRAND COMPANIONS HUMANE SOCIETY
$80,000GENERAL
HOWARD COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT
$75,000GENERAL
RAPE CRISIS SERVICES OF BIG SPRING
$60,000GENERAL
BIG SPRING SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION IN
$50,000GENERAL
PERMIAN BASIN HONOR FLIGHT INC
$50,000GENERAL
HOWARD COUNTY 4-H
$40,000GENERAL
HOWARD COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATION INC
$40,000GENERAL
HOWARD COUNTY YOUTH HORSEMAN CLUB
$25,000GENERAL
WEST TEXAS COMMUNITY MEDIATION CENTER
$25,000GENERAL