The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation appears to make targeted, high-value gifts to support collegiate music programs, demonstrated by a six-figure grant to the University of North Texas for its Commercial Music Excellence Fund. Their giving suggests an interest in strengthening music industry training and performance programs at higher-education institutions, likely with a regional (North Texas) focus.
A $100,000 grant to the UNT Foundation for the Commercial Music Excellence Fund is the clearest recent signal of The John and Bonnie Strauss Foundation’s priorities. The foundation repeatedly backs collegiate music training and related scholarship support, especially at the University of North Texas, where it also gave $45,000 in each of 2023 and 2024 to the Strauss Foundation Jazz Make a Difference Endowment Scholarship. That pattern points to sustained support for higher-education music programs rather than isolated gifts. The same portfolio shows a broader interest in Catholic education and faith-based programming, with grants to the Catholic Foundation, Prince of Peace Catholic Church, and St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church for preaching, sanctuary, and organ projects. It also supports workforce development and student assistance, including funding for Dallas Leadership Foundation’s Workforce Development Program and tuition assistance at Notre Dame of Dallas School. Across recent grants, the foundation combines project-specific support with operating and scholarship funding for Texas institutions and select national organizations.
In music and arts education, the foundation gave $100,000 to the UNT Foundation for the Commercial Music Excellence Fund and $32,000 to Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra for Jazz Scholarships and Jazz Community Engagement, showing support for training and participation at different levels. Its faith-related giving includes $50,000 to The Catholic Foundation for the Institute of Homiletics Preaching for Encounter and $25,000 to Center for Urban Renewal and Education for the Clergy National Policy Summit, linking clergy formation with religious programming. The foundation also funds workforce and student-support work. Dallas Leadership Foundation received $75,000 for the Workforce Development Program and general operations, while Notre Dame of Dallas School received $32,500 for student tuition assistance and general operations.
Typical grant size clusters around a median of $15,000, with a p25 of $3,000 and a p75 of $25,000. Even so, the recent record includes larger targeted awards, including six-figure and multiple $50,000 gifts. The same recipients often appear across more than one year: UNT Foundation, Canisius College, PSC Patriots, Birth Choice, The Catholic Foundation, Prince of Peace Catholic Church, St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, and Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra all recur. The foundation is a regular funder rather than a DAF, and the grants mix project-specific support, operating support, scholarships, and capital funding.
$886K
$12.9M
$1.5M
$1.5M
Most grants fall between $3K and $25K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$25K
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Concentrated, single large gift to a university program—appears to favor targeted institutional support (one-time or project-restricted) rather than many small or diversified grants.
Notable grantees: UNT Foundation (Commercial Music Excellence Fund)
Grantmaking is concentrated in Texas, where 62% of grants go and where the top recipient cities include Dallas, Denton, Plano, Emory, Austin, and Yantis. Denton appears through UNT Foundation; Dallas through Dallas Leadership Foundation, Birth Choice, The Catholic Foundation, Notre Dame of Dallas School, and Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra; and Plano through Prince of Peace Catholic Church. Outside Texas, recurring recipients include Buffalo, New York, plus Washington, DC, Memphis, Tennessee, Virginia Beach, Virginia, Sherman Oaks, California, and Buffalo-area institutions.
Recent grants show a strong emphasis on collegiate music and arts education, especially at the University of North Texas and Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra. The foundation also funds Catholic education and clergy programming, plus workforce development and student tuition assistance in Texas.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution centers on a p25 of $3,000, a median of $15,000, and a p75 of $25,000. Recent awards also include larger gifts such as $100,000 and several $50,000 grants.
Yes. Several recipients recur across years, including UNT Foundation, Canisius College, PSC Patriots, Birth Choice, The Catholic Foundation, Prince of Peace Catholic Church, St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, and Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra.
Texas is the top state by grant count, with 62% of grants going to recipients in TX. Recent Texas recipients include Dallas, Denton, Plano, Emory, Austin, and Yantis.
Its recent grants include project-specific support, general operating support, scholarships and endowed support, capital campaign funding, and program support. Examples include workforce development, tuition assistance, a commercial music excellence fund, and construction or organ capital projects.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNT Foundation | Denton, TX | $100,000 | 2025 | Towards the Commercial Music Excellence Fund |
| Dallas Leadership Foundation | Dallas, TX | $75,000 | 2025 | Towards the Workforce Development Program ($25,000) and general operations ($50,000) |
| Prince of Peace Catholic Church | Plano, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | Towards the capital campaign for the organ |
| St John the Evangelist Catholic Chu | Emory, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | Towards construction of a new sanctuary |
| PSC Patriots | Yantis, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | Towards the Lake Fork Challenge |
| Camp Agape | Buffalo, NY | $40,000 | 2025 | Towards Camp in a Box |
| Canisius College | Buffalo, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | Towards the Luke J '30 and John L Strauss '61 Scholarship Fund |
| Birth Choice | Dallas, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | General pregnancy support |
| Canisius High School | Buffalo, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | Towards the Artist in Residence Program |
| Center for Urban Renewal and Educat | Washington, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | Towards Clergy National Policy Summit |
| Society of St Vincent de Paul | Dallas, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | Support for the Pharmacy Program |
| ACT for America Education Inc | Virginia Beach, VA | $25,000 | 2025 | Towards ACT in Faith |
| The Heritage Foundation | Washington, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | Towards School Choice, CRT & Border Security |
| St Jude Children's Research Hospita | Memphis, TN | $25,000 | 2025 | Towards support of St. Jude's mission |
| Texas Public Policy Foundation | Austin, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | Towards the People First Initiative |
| Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra | Dallas, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | Jazz Scholarships & Jass Community Engagements |
| Prager University Foundation | Sherman Oaks, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | Towards PragerU Kids |
| Our Lady of Perpetual Help | Dallas, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | Tuition assistance |
| Heroic Media | Austin, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | Towards expansion and growth of Maximum OAASYS Reach |
| Bishop Dunne Catholic School | Dallas, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | Towards the Collegiate Institute |
| Vitae Foundation | Jefferson City, MO | $20,000 | 2025 | Towards a Digital Marketing Strategy |
| Retina Foundation of the Southwest | Dallas, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | Towards the Age-Related Macular Degeneration Program |
| Fr Cedric Ministries | Bainbridge Island, WA | $15,000 | 2025 | Towards Production of Programs |
| 222 Foundation | Wheaton, IL | $15,000 | 2025 | Towards Enabling & Sustaining Growth in Texas ($10,000) and end of year match campaign ($5,000) |
| Notre Dame School of Dallas | Dallas, TX | $15,000 | 2025 | Financial aid for students |
| Order of Malta American Association | New York, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | American Association Campaign |
| The Storehouse of Collin County | Plano, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | Support for Neighbors Pathway out of Poverty |
| My Possibilities | Plano, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | Multi-year funding towards career services |
| Holy Trinity Catholic School | Dallas, TX | $5,000 | 2025 | Tuition assistance |
| Heroes Ranch | Quitman, TX | $5,000 | 2025 | General operating support |
| Safe Haven Animal Rescue of East Te | Yantis, TX | $5,000 | 2025 | Towards the Wood County Animal Rescue |
| West Dallas Community School | Dallas, TX | $5,000 | 2025 | Towards student scholarships |
| White Rose Women's Center | Dallas, TX | $5,000 | 2025 | Towards pregnancy counseling |
| Biblica Inc | Colorado Springs, CO | $5,000 | 2025 | Towards the Treaure Hunt Bible for Central Asia |
| Mount St Michael Catholic School | Dallas, TX | $5,000 | 2025 | Tuition assistance |
| Dallas Jazz Piano Society | Plano, TX | $3,000 | 2025 | Towards support for concerts |
| East Texas Food Bank | Tyler, TX | $2,500 | 2025 | Support for Thanksgiving Meals |
| Roxies Place Animal Santuary | Point, TX | $2,500 | 2025 | Towards dog care and kennel maintenance |
| American Wheelchair Foundation | Henderson, NV | $2,500 | 2025 | Towards providing wheelchairs |
| Plano Police Assocation Charities | Plano, TX | $2,500 | 2025 | Annual fund |
| North Texas Food Bank | Plano, TX | $2,500 | 2025 | General operating support |
| Operation Kindness | Carollton, TX | $2,500 | 2025 | General operating support |
| Unbound Now | Waco, TX | $2,500 | 2025 | Towards services for youth survivors of commercial sexual exploitation |
| Meals on Wheels Collin County | McKinney, TX | $2,500 | 2025 | General operating support |
| Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundati | Washington, DC | $1,000 | 2025 | Towards Reagan's American Values |
| Sisters of St Mary | Buffalo, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | Support for retired sisters |
| Boys Town | Boys Town, NE | $1,000 | 2025 | General support of a child in need |
| Christencom College | Front Royal, VA | $1,000 | 2025 | Support for Christendom's mission |
| Hillsdale College | Washington, DC | $1,000 | 2025 | Annual fund |
| Guide Dogs in the Desert | Palm Springs, CA | $1,000 | 2025 | Support for training service dogs |
UNT Foundation
$100,000Towards the Commercial Music Excellence Fund
Towards the Workforce Development Program ($25,000) and general operations ($50,000)
Prince of Peace Catholic Church
$50,000Towards the capital campaign for the organ
St John the Evangelist Catholic Chu
$50,000Towards construction of a new sanctuary
PSC Patriots
$50,000Towards the Lake Fork Challenge
Camp Agape
$40,000Towards Camp in a Box
Canisius College
$30,000Towards the Luke J '30 and John L Strauss '61 Scholarship Fund
Birth Choice
$25,000General pregnancy support
Canisius High School
$25,000Towards the Artist in Residence Program
Center for Urban Renewal and Educat
$25,000Towards Clergy National Policy Summit
Society of St Vincent de Paul
$25,000Support for the Pharmacy Program
ACT for America Education Inc
$25,000Towards ACT in Faith
Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra
$25,000Jazz Scholarships & Jass Community Engagements
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
$20,000Tuition assistance
Heroic Media
$20,000Towards expansion and growth of Maximum OAASYS Reach
Bishop Dunne Catholic School
$20,000Towards the Collegiate Institute
Towards the Age-Related Macular Degeneration Program
Fr Cedric Ministries
$15,000Towards Production of Programs
222 Foundation
$15,000Towards Enabling & Sustaining Growth in Texas ($10,000) and end of year match campaign ($5,000)
Notre Dame School of Dallas
$15,000Financial aid for students
Order of Malta American Association
$10,000American Association Campaign
Holy Trinity Catholic School
$5,000Tuition assistance
Heroes Ranch
$5,000General operating support
Safe Haven Animal Rescue of East Te
$5,000Towards the Wood County Animal Rescue
White Rose Women's Center
$5,000Towards pregnancy counseling
Biblica Inc
$5,000Towards the Treaure Hunt Bible for Central Asia
Mount St Michael Catholic School
$5,000Tuition assistance
Dallas Jazz Piano Society
$3,000Towards support for concerts
East Texas Food Bank
$2,500Support for Thanksgiving Meals
Roxies Place Animal Santuary
$2,500Towards dog care and kennel maintenance
Plano Police Assocation Charities
$2,500Annual fund
Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundati
$1,000Towards Reagan's American Values
Sisters of St Mary
$1,000Support for retired sisters
Boys Town
$1,000General support of a child in need
Christencom College
$1,000Support for Christendom's mission
Hillsdale College
$1,000Annual fund
Guide Dogs in the Desert
$1,000Support for training service dogs