The Sook Family Foundation concentrates its philanthropy into a small number of large operating grants, primarily supporting higher-education institutions and organizations that serve vulnerable youth. Most gifts are unrestricted or for operating support, indicating a preference for flexible funding to institutional partners. The foundation shows a regional bent toward Texas and nearby states and occasionally supports national youth-service organizations.
Highly concentrated giving: very few (5) grants but large dollar amounts, primarily unrestricted operating support; mix of repeat support (University of Oklahoma received multiple grants) and single large investments in both universities and youth-service nonprofits.
A defining feature of Sook Family Foundation’s philanthropy is the seven-figure operating support it gave to Covenant House in Fort Worth, one of the largest grants in its recent record. That gift fits a broader pattern: the foundation uses flexible, unrestricted funding to back institutions that provide education, shelter, and other services for people in need. Recent giving also includes major operating support for Usf Foundation in Tampa and two separate operating gifts to the Univ of Oklahoma Foundation in Norman, showing repeated investment in university partners. The pattern is not limited to higher education. Sook Family Foundation also funds youth-serving organizations such as Treecovery Lahaina and Metrocrest Services, along with arts and civic institutions including Carnegie Hall Corp and NYC Opera. Across these awards, the foundation appears to favor a small set of sizable grants rather than many small transactions, with operating support as the common thread. The grant record suggests a regional reach centered on Texas and nearby states, while still extending to select national organizations when they fit the foundation’s interests.
Higher education is a clear pillar of the foundation’s giving. It awarded $500,000 to Twu Foundation in Denton for operating support, and $300,000 to Univ of Oklahoma Foundation in Norman for operating support in both 2024 and 2025. The university pattern is reinforced by additional support for Twu Emergency Fund in Denton, also for operating support. Youth and housing-related services are another recurring theme. Sook Family Foundation gave $100,000 to Treecovery Lahaina for operating support, and it supported Covenant House in Fort Worth with both a $10,000 grant and a separate $766 gift, again for operating support. The foundation also backs community institutions beyond education and human services. Its grants include $75,000 to Carnegie Hall Corp in New York and $50,000 to NYC Opera, both for operating support, plus $10,000 to Fw Museum of Science & History in Fort Worth.
Sook Family Foundation’s typical grant size sits at $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $37,500 at the median, and $68,750 at the 75th percentile. The recent record shows a strong tilt toward larger operating gifts, including repeated awards to the same recipient across years: Univ of Oklahoma Foundation received grants in 2024 and 2025, and Covenant House appeared in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The foundation is structured as a private foundation, not a fund for individuals, and it does not make program-related investments. Operating support is the dominant form of assistance in the recent grants listed.
$2.2M
$67.7M
$20.5M
$2.3M
Most grants fall between $10K and $69K, with a median of $38K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$38K
75th Percentile
$69K
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Notable grantees: Covenant House, USF Foundation, University of Oklahoma Foundation, TWU Foundation
The foundation gives most often in Texas, which accounts for 43% of grants to recipients in the state where it also has headquarters. Recent Texas recipients include Fort Worth, Denton, Carrollton, Tulsa, Houston, and another Fort Worth award. Beyond Texas, grants reached Norman, Oklahoma; Tampa, Florida; Lahaina, Hawaii; New York, New York; Bristol, Pennsylvania; Gibsonia, Pennsylvania; Alpharetta, Georgia; and Washington, DC. All recent grants in the dataset went to US recipients.
Its recent grants focus on operating support for higher-education institutions and organizations serving vulnerable youth. The record also includes gifts to arts, civic, and community-service groups, but education and youth services appear repeatedly among the named recipients.
Operating support is the dominant pattern in the recent grant list. Examples include awards to Twu Foundation, Univ of Oklahoma Foundation, Treecovery Lahaina, and Carnegie Hall Corp, all labeled operating support.
Typical grant size is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $37,500 at the median, and $68,750 at the 75th percentile. The recent list also includes much larger awards, including a seven-figure gift to Covenant House and a $655,000 grant to Usf Foundation.
Yes. Univ of Oklahoma Foundation received operating support in both 2024 and 2025. Covenant House also appears multiple times across 2023, 2024, and 2025, showing that the foundation sometimes renews support for the same recipient.
Texas is the top state by grant count, with 43% of grants going to recipients in Texas. Recent Texas recipients include Fort Worth, Denton, Carrollton, Tulsa, Houston, and multiple gifts tied to Fort Worth organizations.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COVENANT HOUSE | FORT WORTH, TX | $1,010,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| USF FOUNDATION | TAMPA, FL | $655,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| UNIV OF OKLAHOMA FOUNDATION | NORMAN, OK | $300,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| TREECOVERY LAHAINA | LAHAINA, HI | $100,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| CARNEGIE HALL CORP | NEW YORK, NY | $75,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| BROADWAY DREAMS FOUNDATION | ALPHARRETTA, GA | $25,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| TWU EMERGENCY FUND | DENTON, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| TWU FOUNDATION | DENTON, TX | $500,000 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| UNIV OF OKLAHOMA FOUNDATION | NORMAN, OK | $300,000 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| METROCREST SERVICES | CARROLLTON, TX | $100,000 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| BRISTOL RIVERSIDE THEATER | BRISTOL, PA | $75,000 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| NYC OPERA | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| EDEN VILLAGE OF TULSA | TULSA, OK | $50,000 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ST BARNABAS HEALTH SYSTEM | GIBSONIA, PA | $50,000 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| BROADWAY DRAMS FOUNDATION | ALPHARRETTA, GA | $25,000 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| COVENANT HOUSE | FORT WORTH, TX | $10,000 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| BRISTOL RIVERSIDE THEATER | BRISTOL, PA | $25,000 | 2023 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| FW MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY | FORT WORTH, TX | $10,000 | 2023 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| THE WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2023 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ODYSSEY OF THE MIND | HOUSTON, TX | $5,000 | 2023 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| COVENANT HOUSE | FORT WORTH, TX | $766 | 2023 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
COVENANT HOUSE
$1,010,000OPERATING SUPPORT
TREECOVERY LAHAINA
$100,000OPERATING SUPPORT
BROADWAY DREAMS FOUNDATION
$25,000OPERATING SUPPORT
TWU EMERGENCY FUND
$10,000OPERATING SUPPORT
TWU FOUNDATION
$500,000OPERATING SUPPORT
NYC OPERA
$50,000OPERATING SUPPORT
ST BARNABAS HEALTH SYSTEM
$50,000OPERATING SUPPORT
BROADWAY DRAMS FOUNDATION
$25,000OPERATING SUPPORT
COVENANT HOUSE
$10,000OPERATING SUPPORT
THE WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN
$10,000OPERATING SUPPORT
ODYSSEY OF THE MIND
$5,000OPERATING SUPPORT
COVENANT HOUSE
$766OPERATING SUPPORT