The Mary Hays Institute predominantly funds Texas-based conservative civic advocacy and education groups, prioritizing policy research, grassroots civic engagement, and pro-liberty legal/political efforts. Grants skew toward organizations focused on school choice and homeschool advocacy, fiscal and government accountability research, and Second Amendment or broader ‘liberty’ causes, indicating an ideological tilt toward limited government and family-centered education. The foundation concentrates significant dollars into a small set of organizations that operate at the state level rather than broad national philanthropy.
Mary Hays Institute’s largest recent grants go to Texas organizations working in conservative civic advocacy, education, and liberty-focused legal and policy efforts. In 2024, the foundation gave $807,400 to Citizens New Guild for general support and $554,400 to Fiscal Index Foundation for general support, placing a heavy emphasis on core funding rather than narrowly restricted project grants. The pattern extends to groups involved in school choice, homeschool advocacy, government accountability, and Second Amendment work, with Texas recipients making up every grant in the recent list. The foundation’s giving reaches a small set of state-level organizations that appear to function as policy, education, and mobilization hubs. True Texas Education received $392,500 for general support, while Texas Family Project Fdn received $389,500, indicating sustained support for groups operating in the same civic ecosystem. Texas Gun Rights Foundation, TFVC Educational Foundation, and Texas Homeschool Coalition also appear among the larger awards, reinforcing a grantmaking profile centered on limited-government and family-centered causes. The overall picture is of a donor that concentrates substantial resources in a narrow Texas advocacy network.
A central theme in Mary Hays Institute’s grantmaking is state-level policy research and civic advocacy. Fiscal Index Foundation received $554,400 for general support, and Advancing Integrity Fdn received $222,200 for general support, pointing to backing for organizations tied to fiscal or governmental accountability. Education reform is another clear area. True Texas Education was awarded $392,500 for general support, and Texas Homeschool Coalition received $226,700 for general support, both aligning with school choice and homeschool-related advocacy. The foundation also supports pro-liberty legal and political work. Texas Gun Rights Foundation received $471,000 for general support, while For Liberty and Justice received $76,125 for general support. Those grants sit alongside support for civic engagement groups that operate in Texas politics and public policy.
Mary Hays Institute’s recent grant sizes are substantial: the 25th percentile is $223,325, the median is $391,000, and the 75th percentile is $456,625. That distribution suggests it makes large general-support awards rather than small exploratory grants. The recent list also points to a concentrated, recurring funding approach. Several recipients appear in the 2024 slate as part of the same Texas-based civic network, and every listed grant went to a Texas organization. The foundation is not a donor-advised fund, does not fund individuals, and the grants shown are all described as general support.
$3.6M
$313K
$4.2M
$4.1M
Most grants fall between $223K and $457K, with a median of $391K.
25th Percentile
$223K
Median
$391K
75th Percentile
$457K
MICAH DUNN
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Concentrated giving: a small number of large grants make up most of the portfolio, with heavy, targeted funding of state-level advocacy organizations rather than many small, varied grants. Gifts appear strategic and programmatic (policy research, advocacy campaigns, education initiatives) and geared to influence Texas public policy and civic life.
Notable grantees: Citizens New Guild, Fiscal Index Foundation, Texas Gun Rights Foundation, True Texas Education, Texas Homeschool Coalition
Mary Hays Institute’s recent giving is entirely Texas-based, with 100% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. The most common recipient city is Leander, with grants to Citizens New Guild, Fiscal Index Foundation, and Advancing Integrity Fdn. Other Texas recipient cities in the list include Hudson Oaks, Keller, Grapevine, Weatherford, Lubbock, Fort Worth, and Georgetown. The distribution shows a local grantmaker focused on organizations operating within a single state.
Its recent grants go to Texas organizations involved in conservative public-policy research, civic advocacy, school choice, homeschool advocacy, and pro-liberty legal or political work. The named recipients include groups tied to fiscal accountability, education reform, and gun-rights advocacy.
The recent grant distribution is large and fairly tight: the 25th percentile is $223,325, the median is $391,000, and the 75th percentile is $456,625. That puts most awards in the low-to-mid hundreds of thousands of dollars.
All of the recent grants shown went to Texas recipients, and Texas is the top state by grant count. Recipient cities in the list include Leander, Hudson Oaks, Keller, Grapevine, Weatherford, Lubbock, Fort Worth, and Georgetown.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals, and the recent grants shown are all to nonprofit organizations for general support.
The recent grants are consistently labeled general support. That indicates a preference for core operating funding rather than narrowly designated project awards.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citizens New Guild | Leander, TX | $807,400 | 2024 | General Support |
| Fiscal Index Foundation | Leander, TX | $554,400 | 2024 | General Support |
| Texas Gun Rights Foundation | Hudson Oaks, TX | $471,000 | 2024 | General Support |
| TFVC Educational Foundation | Keller, TX | $413,500 | 2024 | General Support |
| True Texas Education | Grapevine, TX | $392,500 | 2024 | General Support |
| Texas Family Project Fdn | Weatherford, TX | $389,500 | 2024 | General Support |
| Texas Homeschool Coalition | Lubbock, TX | $226,700 | 2024 | General Support |
| Advancing Integrity Fdn | Leander, TX | $222,200 | 2024 | General Support |
| For Liberty and Justice | Fort Worth, TX | $76,125 | 2024 | General Support |
| American Stewards of Liberty | Georgetown, TX | $21,200 | 2024 | General Support |
Fiscal Index Foundation
$554,400General Support
Texas Gun Rights Foundation
$471,000General Support
TFVC Educational Foundation
$413,500General Support
True Texas Education
$392,500General Support
Texas Family Project Fdn
$389,500General Support
Texas Homeschool Coalition
$226,700General Support
Advancing Integrity Fdn
$222,200General Support
For Liberty and Justice
$76,125General Support
American Stewards of Liberty
$21,200General Support