The Gayden Family Foundation concentrates philanthropic support in the Dallas area, making a small number of large, unrestricted gifts to faith-based institutions and local safety-net services. Their funding pattern emphasizes Christian congregations and affiliated education, plus neighborhood social services, suggesting a preference for faith-led community impact and operating support.
Highly concentrated: very few, large general operating grants (multi-six-figure to seven-figure), including repeat support to core faith-based grantees; geographically focused on Dallas/Fort Worth.
The Gayden Family Foundation’s recent giving is anchored by a $1.2 million general grant to The Stewpot in Dallas, followed by repeated large support for Highland Park Presbyterian Church. That combination points to a funder that backs both direct social services and faith-based institutions, with most of its recent grants staying in Dallas and surrounding North Texas. The pattern is not limited to one organization type: the foundation has also made substantial grants to North Texas Food Bank, Austin Street Center, Salvation Army, and Visiting Nurses Association, showing a mix of hunger relief, shelter, and home-delivered meals. Christian education is another recurring thread, with Trinity Christian Academy and Texas Christian University appearing in the recent-gifts list. Across these awards, the foundation tends to write sizable checks and often uses general funding, which suggests a preference for flexible support rather than narrowly restricted project grants. Its recent portfolio shows sustained attention to local congregations and neighborhood-serving nonprofits that deliver everyday assistance to Dallas residents.
Faith communities are a clear part of the foundation’s portfolio. In that area, it gave $500,000 in 2024 and $400,000 in 2025 to Highland Park Presbyterian Church, both as general funding, and another $250,000 to Grace Church Lake Highlands for general funding. The foundation also supports Christian education: Trinity Christian Academy received $350,000 in 2025, and Texas Christian University received $150,000 in 2023. On the basic-needs side, North Texas Food Bank received $300,000 in 2023, $300,000 in 2024, and $200,000 in 2025, indicating sustained support for hunger relief. Health-related giving appears as well, including $150,000 to Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation for St. Phillip's Community Care Clinic and $100,000 to Children's Medical Center Foundation for Food Allergy Research.
Typical grants are sized at $20,000 at the 25th percentile, $50,000 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile, with recent awards often well above that range. The grant list shows repeated support to the same organizations across multiple years, including Highland Park Presbyterian Church, North Texas Food Bank, The Stewpot, Austin Street Center, Salvation Army, CitySquare, Visiting Nurses Association, and Tunnel to Towers Foundation. Most awards are listed as general funding, which fits a flexible operating-support style. The foundation also funds individuals, and it does not make program-related investments.
$5.4M
$104.4M
$12M
$5.5M
Most grants fall between $20K and $100K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$100K
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Notable grantees: The Stewpot, Highland Park Presbyterian Church, Trinity Christian Academy
Grantmaking is heavily concentrated in Texas, which accounts for 87% of grants. Dallas is the dominant recipient city, appearing across churches, food relief, shelter, health, and meal-service awards. Other Texas recipients include Carrollton, Fort Worth, and nearby North Texas communities. Outside Texas, the recent-grants list includes Tunnel to Towers Foundation in Staten Island, New York. The recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based.
Recent grants show a strong mix of faith-based institutions and local direct-service nonprofits. Examples include Highland Park Presbyterian Church for general funding, Trinity Christian Academy for general funding, North Texas Food Bank for general funding, and The Stewpot for general funding.
The foundation’s typical grant size is $20,000 at the 25th percentile, $50,000 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards also include several larger gifts, such as $1.2 million to The Stewpot and $500,000 to Highland Park Presbyterian Church.
Yes. Texas is the top state by grant count, and 87% of grants go to recipients in Texas. Dallas is the main recipient city in the recent-grants list, with additional Texas awards in Carrollton and Fort Worth.
Yes. Several organizations appear in multiple years, including Highland Park Presbyterian Church, North Texas Food Bank, The Stewpot, Austin Street Center, Salvation Army, CitySquare, Visiting Nurses Association, and Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
Most recent awards are listed as general funding, and the foundation also makes support grants for specific needs such as Meals on Wheels for Visiting Nurses Association, St. Phillip's Community Care Clinic at Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation, and Food Allergy Research at Children's Medical Center Foundation.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Stewpot | Dallas, TX | $1,200,000 | 2025 | General Funding |
| Highland Park Presbyterian Church | Dallas, TX | $400,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUNDING |
| Trinity Christian Academy | Dallas, TX | $350,000 | 2025 | General Funding |
| Visiting Nurses Association | Dallas, TX | $200,000 | 2025 | Meals on Wheels |
| Austin Street Center | Dallas, TX | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUNDING |
| Salvation Army | Dallas, TX | $200,000 | 2025 | General Funding |
| Tunnel to Towers Foundation | Staten Island, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | General Funding |
| North Texas Food Bank | Dallas, TX | $200,000 | 2025 | General Funding |
| Operation Kindness | Carrollton, TX | $150,000 | 2025 | General Funding |
| Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation | Dallas, TX | $150,000 | 2025 | ST. PHILLIP'S COMMUNITY CARE CLINIC |
| Dallas CASA | Dallas, TX | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUNDING |
| The Bridge | Dallas, TX | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUNDING |
| First Presbyterian Church of San Antonio | San Antonio, TX | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUNDING |
| Intouch Ministries | Atlanta, GA | $100,000 | 2025 | General Funding |
| Forefront Living Foundation The T Boone Pickens Hospice Center | Dallas, TX | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUNDING |
| OurCalling | Dallas, TX | $100,000 | 2025 | General Funding |
| Perot Museum of Nature & Science | Dallas, TX | $100,000 | 2025 | General Funding |
| Children's Medical Center Foudation | Dallas, TX | $100,000 | 2025 | Food Allergy Research |
| Children's Medical Center Foudation | Dallas, TX | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUNDING |
| Straydog Inc | Gun Barrel City, TX | $75,000 | 2025 | General Funding |
| HEROS | Richardson, TX | $75,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUNDING |
| Second Chance Farms | Granbury, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | General Funding |
| ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION GREATER DALLAS CHAPTER | Dallas, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUNDING |
| Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network | McLean, VA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUNDING |
| Genesis Woman's Shelter | Dallas, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUNDING |
| Kid's Meals Inc | Houston, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | General Funding |
| Make a Wish Foundation of North Texas | Addison, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | General Funding |
| Southwestern Medical Foundation | Dallas, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | General Funding |
| Cystic Fibrosis Foundation | Bethesda, MD | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUNDING |
| Main Street Ministries | Houston, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | General Funding |
| Humane Society of North Texas | Fort Worth, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | General Funding |
| National Eczema Association | San Rafael, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | General Funding |
| American Heart Association | Dallas, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUNDING |
| Salvation Army | Dallas, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | Disaster Relief |
| Houston Food Bank | Houston, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | General Funding |
| Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston | Houston, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | Meals on Wheels |
| Trinity River Audubon Center | Dallas, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | General Funding |
| Boykin Spaniel Rescue Inc | Boiling Springs, SC | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUNDING |
| Nehemiah Center Inc | Houston, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | General Funding |
| Caf Momentum | Dallas, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUNDING |
| Brother Bill's Helping Hand | Dallas, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUNDING |
| Make a Wish Foundation of the Texas Gulf Coast & Louisiana | Houston, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | General Funding |
| Parent Compass Inc | Dallas, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | General Funding |
| Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary | Austin, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUNDING |
| Bo's Place | Houston, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUNDING |
| Youth Believing in Change | Dallas, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | General Funding |
| Panhandle Plains Historical Society | Canyon, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | Museum |
| The Dallas Woman's Club Foundation | Dallas, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIP |
| Houston SPCA | Houston, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | General Funding |
| Voice of Hope | Dallas, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | General Funding |
The Stewpot
$1,200,000General Funding
Highland Park Presbyterian Church
$400,000GENERAL FUNDING
Visiting Nurses Association
$200,000Meals on Wheels
Salvation Army
$200,000General Funding
North Texas Food Bank
$200,000General Funding
Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation
$150,000ST. PHILLIP'S COMMUNITY CARE CLINIC
The Bridge
$100,000GENERAL FUNDING
First Presbyterian Church of San Antonio
$100,000GENERAL FUNDING
Intouch Ministries
$100,000General Funding
HEROS
$75,000GENERAL FUNDING
Second Chance Farms
$50,000General Funding
Main Street Ministries
$50,000General Funding
National Eczema Association
$50,000General Funding
Salvation Army
$50,000Disaster Relief
Trinity River Audubon Center
$50,000General Funding
Boykin Spaniel Rescue Inc
$25,000GENERAL FUNDING
Parent Compass Inc
$20,000General Funding
Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
$20,000GENERAL FUNDING
The Dallas Woman's Club Foundation
$20,000SCHOLARSHIP
Voice of Hope
$20,000General Funding