The Lunsford Foundation concentrates its giving on conservative evangelical Christian institutions and related civic/legal efforts, with substantial support for churches, faith-based universities, ministry networks, and religious-liberty work. A large share of its funds are routed through donor-advised vehicles and a few sizeable, repeat awards rather than many small grants, and it also makes selected community and international children’s grants.
A defining feature of The Lunsford Foundation is its repeated support for religious-liberty legal work and evangelical Christian institutions, alongside a smaller set of community and international children’s grants. In the recent grants list, First Liberty received $500,000 in 2023 and another $200,000 in 2025, placing legal defense at the center of its giving pattern. The foundation also backed Prestonwood Baptist Church with $350,000 in 2023 and $150,000 in 2024, showing sustained support for large church ministries. Its faith-based education giving includes $305,000 to Dallas Baptist University in 2023 and later scholarship-oriented awards to Abilene Christian University. Beyond those core priorities, the foundation made selected grants to groups such as The Urban Alternative, Denison Forum on Truth and Culture, and Rwanda Children, indicating a mix of religious, educational, and community-centered support. The portfolio is concentrated in a small number of sizeable awards rather than many small ones, with multiple repeat grantees appearing across years.
Religious-liberty and legal defense work appears prominently in the foundation’s grant record. First Liberty received $500,000 in 2023 and $200,000 in 2025, both coded as religious grants. Faith-based education is another clear thread: Dallas Baptist University received $305,000 in 2023, and Abilene Christian University received $56,555 in 2024, $50,000 in 2025, and $30,000 in 2023 for scholarships. Church support also shows up in large, direct awards, including Prestonwood Baptist Church at $350,000 in 2023 and $150,000 in 2024. The foundation also supports ministries and teaching organizations, such as The Urban Alternative at $250,000 in 2024 and Denison Forum on Truth and Culture at $200,000 in 2023.
Typical grant size sits at $5,100 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $56,555 at the 75th percentile, which points to a mix of smaller awards and larger institutional gifts. The record also shows repeat recipients across multiple years, including First Liberty, Prestonwood Baptist Church, Abilene Christian University, and Rwanda Children. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time support. The foundation does not make program-related investments and does not fund individuals. Its recent activity also includes major grants routed through donor-advised or philanthropic vehicles, including National Philanthropic Trust and The Signatry DAF.
$2.3M
$2.3M
$3M
$2.5M
Most grants fall between $5K and $57K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$57K
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Concentrated giving: a small number of large grants (including multi-grant relationships) and significant passthroughs via DAFs/philanthropic trusts; heavy emphasis on repeat grantees in the conservative evangelical ecosystem.
Notable grantees: National Philanthropic Trust, The Signatry DAF, First Liberty, Prestonwood Baptist Church, Dallas Baptist University
Giving is heavily Texas-centered: 84% of grants go to recipients in TX, and Texas locations appear across Dallas, Plano, Abilene, DeSoto, Irving, Bedford, and Plano again in the recent list. Outside Texas, the foundation has made grants to Jenkintown, PA; Overland Park, KS; Scottsdale, AZ; Colorado Springs, CO; Agoura Hills, CA; and Avon, CO. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 73 grants in the United States.
The recent grants show a strong emphasis on conservative evangelical Christian institutions, religious-liberty legal work, and faith-based education. Recipients include churches, universities, ministry networks, and legal-defense organizations, with additional grants to selected community and children’s groups.
Yes. Scholarship-oriented grants appear in the record for Abilene Christian University, including $56,555 in 2024, $50,000 in 2025, and $30,000 in 2023. The foundation’s topic taxonomy also includes scholarships for education, tuition assistance, and student financial aid.
The 25th percentile grant size is $5,100, the median is $25,000, and the 75th percentile is $56,555. The recent grants list also includes much larger gifts, such as $2,034,105 to National Philanthropic Trust and $1,795,013 to The Signatry DAF.
Texas is the dominant recipient state, accounting for 84% of grants. Recent Texas recipients include organizations in Dallas, Plano, Abilene, DeSoto, Irving, and Bedford.
Yes. First Liberty received grants in 2023 and 2025, Prestonwood Baptist Church in 2023 and 2024, Abilene Christian University in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and Rwanda Children in 2023 and 2024. That suggests recurring support for several organizations.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE SIGNATRY DAF | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $1,795,013 | 2025 | VARIOUS |
| FIRST LIBERTY | PLANO, TX | $200,000 | 2025 | RELIGIOUS |
| CEOC | PLANO, TX | $100,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| EVANTELL | DALLAS, TX | $62,550 | 2025 | RELIGIOUS |
| LIONHEART CHILDREN'S ACADEMY | BEDFORD, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY | ABILENE, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION - SCHOLARSHIPS |
| DALLAS LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION | DALLAS, TX | $15,000 | 2025 | COMMUNITY |
| AMI FORT WORTH | UNKNOWN, TX | $15,000 | 2025 | COMMUNITY |
| PINE COVE | TYLER, TX | $14,667 | 2025 | COMMUNITY |
| LIVESTRONG FOUNDATION | AUSTIN, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | COMMUNITY |
| RWANDA CHILDREN | ABILENE, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | COMMUNITY |
| CAMP JOHN MARC FOUNDATION INC | DALLAS, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | RELIGIOUS |
| MESA GLOBAL | CHARLOTTE, NC | $5,000 | 2025 | RELIGIOUS |
| CRISTO REY DALLAS COLLEGE PREP | DALLAS, TX | $1,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| RIVERPOINT CHURCH | FORT WORTH, TX | $500 | 2025 | RELIGIOUS |
| AMERICAN HERITAGE GIRLS | CINCINNATI, OH | $170 | 2025 | RELIGIOUS |
| THE URBAN ALTERNATIVE | DESOTO, TX | $250,000 | 2024 | COMMUNITY |
| RWANDA CHILDREN | ABILENE, TX | $175,000 | 2024 | COMMUNITY |
| PRESTONWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH | DALLAS, TX | $150,000 | 2024 | RELIGIOUS |
| CEOC | PLANO, TX | $100,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| FAMILY LEGACY | IRVING, TX | $100,000 | 2024 | RELIGIOUS |
| RREACH | PLANO, TX | $100,000 | 2024 | RELIGIOUS |
| ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY | ABILENE, TX | $56,555 | 2024 | EDUCATION - SCHOLARSHIPS |
| BETTERMAN | DALLAS, TX | $50,000 | 2024 | RELIGIOUS |
| ABIDING FATHERS | DALLAS, TX | $25,000 | 2024 | RELIGIOUS |
| THE GATEHOUSE | SOUTHLAKE, TX | $25,000 | 2024 | COMMUNITY |
| PINE COVE | TYLER, TX | $10,132 | 2024 | COMMUNITY |
| DALLAS LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION | DALLAS, TX | $5,100 | 2024 | COMMUNITY |
| ROBERT REID | PLANO, TX | $5,000 | 2024 | RELIGIOUS |
| SEMONES FAMILY YMCA | DALLAS, TX | $2,000 | 2024 | COMMUNITY |
| NATIONAL PHILANTHROPIC TRUST | JENKINTOWN, PA | $2,034,105 | 2023 | COMMUNITY |
| FIRST LIBERTY | PLANO, TX | $500,000 | 2023 | RELIGIOUS |
| PRESTONWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH | DALLAS, TX | $350,000 | 2023 | RELIGIOUS |
| DALLAS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY | DALLAS, TX | $305,000 | 2023 | EDUCATION |
| DENISON FORUM ON TRUTH AND CULTURE | DALLAS, TX | $200,000 | 2023 | RELIGIOUS |
| THE VAIL CHURCH | AVON, CO | $100,000 | 2023 | RELIGIOUS |
| CHRISTIAN WORKS FOR CHILDREN | DALLAS, TX | $75,000 | 2023 | RELIGIOUS |
| EAST-WEST MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL | PLANO, TX | $65,000 | 2023 | RELIGIOUS |
| VOICE OF HOPE MINISTRIES | DALLAS, TX | $50,225 | 2023 | RELIGIOUS |
| ALLIANCE DEFENDING FREEDOM | SCOTTSDALE, AZ | $50,000 | 2023 | RELIGIOUS |
| RWANDA CHILDREN | ABILENE, TX | $50,000 | 2023 | COMMUNITY |
| EVANTELL | DALLAS, TX | $50,000 | 2023 | RELIGIOUS |
| MEN OF NEHEMIAH INC | DALLAS, TX | $50,000 | 2023 | COMMUNITY |
| JONI & FRIENDS | AGOURA HILLS, CA | $45,225 | 2023 | COMMUNITY |
| EXCELLENCE IN GIVING LLC | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $32,500 | 2023 | COMMUNITY |
| ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY | ABILENE, TX | $30,000 | 2023 | EDUCATION - SCHOLARSHIPS |
| DALLAS LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION | DALLAS, TX | $26,500 | 2023 | COMMUNITY |
| THE GATEHOUSE | SOUTHLAKE, TX | $25,250 | 2023 | COMMUNITY |
| COACHES OUTREACH | DALLAS, TX | $25,000 | 2023 | COMMUNITY |
| BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE DALLAS FOUNDATION | DALLAS, TX | $25,000 | 2023 | COMMUNITY |
THE SIGNATRY DAF
$1,795,013VARIOUS
CEOC
$100,000EDUCATION
LIONHEART CHILDREN'S ACADEMY
$50,000EDUCATION
EDUCATION - SCHOLARSHIPS
AMI FORT WORTH
$15,000COMMUNITY
PINE COVE
$14,667COMMUNITY
CAMP JOHN MARC FOUNDATION INC
$10,000RELIGIOUS
MESA GLOBAL
$5,000RELIGIOUS
CRISTO REY DALLAS COLLEGE PREP
$1,000EDUCATION
RIVERPOINT CHURCH
$500RELIGIOUS
AMERICAN HERITAGE GIRLS
$170RELIGIOUS
PRESTONWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH
$150,000RELIGIOUS
CEOC
$100,000EDUCATION
FAMILY LEGACY
$100,000RELIGIOUS
RREACH
$100,000RELIGIOUS
ABIDING FATHERS
$25,000RELIGIOUS
THE GATEHOUSE
$25,000COMMUNITY
PINE COVE
$10,132COMMUNITY
ROBERT REID
$5,000RELIGIOUS
SEMONES FAMILY YMCA
$2,000COMMUNITY
PRESTONWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH
$350,000RELIGIOUS
DENISON FORUM ON TRUTH AND CULTURE
$200,000RELIGIOUS
THE VAIL CHURCH
$100,000RELIGIOUS
EAST-WEST MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL
$65,000RELIGIOUS
EXCELLENCE IN GIVING LLC
$32,500COMMUNITY
THE GATEHOUSE
$25,250COMMUNITY