The Marilyn and Sonny Oates Foundation concentrates most of its assets into a large donor-advised transfer to the Communities Foundation of Texas while otherwise funding a small portfolio of local and national operational needs. Grants favor health (notably MD Anderson), faith-based institutions and ministries, disaster/faith-driven relief, youth development, and major Dallas civic fundraising events. Most awards are unrestricted or for general operations, indicating a preference to support organizations' core capacity rather than targeted program pilots.
The Marilyn and Sonny Oates Foundation’s largest recent grant was a 2025 transfer of $10,461,482 to Communities Foundation of Texas, recorded as an operations grant and asset transfer to a donor-advised fund. That single award accounts for most of the foundation’s recent activity and points to a structure that combines charitable asset placement with a smaller set of direct operating grants. Beyond that transfer, the foundation has repeatedly supported major health, faith, relief, and Dallas civic organizations, with awards ranging from five figures to the mid-six figures. M D Anderson Cancer Center received multiple operating grants, including two $350,000 awards in 2024 and a $200,000 award in 2023. Other recurring support went to First Baptist Church of Dallas, Samaritan’s Purse, and Dabs - Friends of the Dallas Arboretum, all on an operating basis. The recent record also includes grants to Community Partners of Dallas, The Salvation Army - Dallas, Bonton Farms, St Jude's, National Psoriasis Foundation, Doctors Without Borders, and Salesmanship Club of Dallas Inc. The pattern is consistent with unrestricted support for established institutions rather than project-specific funding.
Health is one of the clearest areas in the foundation’s recent giving. M D Anderson Cancer Center in Houston received three operating grants in the recent record: $350,000 in 2024, another $350,000 in 2024, and $200,000 in 2023. Another health-related grant went to St Jude's in Memphis for $10,000 in 2025. Faith-based institutions also appear prominently. The foundation gave $100,000 to First Baptist Church of Dallas in 2025, after earlier operating grants of $50,000 in 2024 and $50,000 in 2024. It also supported Dorroh Lake Baptist Assembly with $150,000 in 2023. In community and relief work, the record includes $200,000 to The Salvation Army - Dallas in 2025, $105,000 to Community Partners of Dallas in 2025, and $50,000 to Tunnel to Towers in 2025. Civic and local quality-of-life support appears through grants to Crystal Charity Ball, Dallas YMCA, Bonton Farms, and Dallas Arboretum-related giving.
The typical grant size is $4,000 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $50,000 at the 75th percentile, which shows a core pattern of modest operating grants alongside a very large asset transfer. The foundation’s 2025 donor-advised transfer to Communities Foundation of Texas is the clear outlier in size. Most named recipients in the recent record appear more than once, including M D Anderson Cancer Center, First Baptist Church of Dallas, Samaritan's Purse, and Dabs - Friends of the Dallas Arboretum, indicating recurring support rather than one-time awards. Grants are recorded as operations, and the foundation does not make program-related investments or grants to individuals.
$11.3M
$0
$818K
$11.5M
Most grants fall between $4K and $50K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$4K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$50K
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Highly concentrated by dollar value (one very large asset transfer to a community foundation) with the remainder distributed as moderate-sized operational grants; mix of repeat grantees (MD Anderson, First Baptist) and one-off gifts; emphasis on unrestricted/operations support rather than restricted programmatic funding.
Notable grantees: Communities Foundation of Texas, M D Anderson Cancer Center, First Baptist Church of Dallas, Samaritan's Purse, Crystal Charity Ball
The foundation gives primarily in Texas: 79% of grants go to recipients in its HQ state, and Texas is also the top state by grant count. Dallas is the most visible recipient city, with grants to Communities Foundation of Texas, The Salvation Army - Dallas, Community Partners of Dallas, First Baptist Church of Dallas, Crystal Charity Ball, Bonton Farms, Dallas YMCA, and Salesmanship Club of Dallas Inc. Houston, Arlington, and McAllen also appear in Texas, while a smaller set of grants reached Boone, Memphis, Philadelphia, Portland, and Hagerstown. All recent grants in the dataset went to U.S. recipients.
Its recent grants favor health care, faith-based institutions, disaster and relief organizations, and Dallas-area civic and community groups. Examples in the record include M D Anderson Cancer Center, First Baptist Church of Dallas, Samaritan's Purse, The Salvation Army - Dallas, and Community Partners of Dallas.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including M D Anderson Cancer Center, First Baptist Church of Dallas, Samaritan's Purse, and Dabs - Friends of the Dallas Arboretum. The pattern suggests repeated operating support rather than isolated awards.
The distribution is centered at $25,000, with a 25th percentile of $4,000 and a 75th percentile of $50,000. The recent record also includes one much larger transfer of $10,461,482 to Communities Foundation of Texas.
Texas is the top state by grant count, and 79% of grants go to recipients in Texas. Dallas appears most often among recipient cities, followed by other Texas locations such as Houston, Arlington, and McAllen.
The foundation made a large 2025 transfer of $10,461,482 to Communities Foundation of Texas as an asset transfer to a donor-advised fund at a public charity. Outside that transfer, its grants are recorded as operating support.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMMUNITIES FOUNDATION OF TEXAS | DALLAS, TX | $10,461,482 | 2025 | OPERATIONS AND TRANSFER OF ASSETS TO DONOR ADVISED FUND AT PUBLIC CHARITYCONTRIBUTIONS OF CASH $171,827SECURITIES - BASIS $10,289,655TOTAL CONTRIBUTION ON 990-PF $10,461,482SECURITIES - FAIR MARKET VALUE $23,801,243TOTAL VALUE OF CONTRIBUTIONS $23,973,070 |
| MEDIALLIANCE INTERNATIONAL | ARLINGTON, TX | $250,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONS |
| THE SALVATION ARMY - DALLAS | DALLAS, TX | $200,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONS |
| COMMUNITY PARTNERS OF DALLAS | DALLAS, TX | $105,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONS |
| FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF DALLAS | DALLAS, TX | $100,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONS |
| SAMARITAN'S PURSE | BOONE, NC | $100,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONS |
| TUNNEL TO TOWERS | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $50,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONS |
| DABS - FRIENDS OF THE DALLAS ARBORETUM | DALLAS, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONS |
| ST JUDE'S | MEMPHIS, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONS |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS | HAGERSTOWN, MD | $5,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONS |
| NATIONAL PSORIASIS FOUNDATION | PORTLAND, OR | $5,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONS |
| SALESMANSHIP CLUB OF DALLAS INC | DALLAS, TX | $1,500 | 2025 | OPERATIONS |
| HIGHLAND PARK EDUCATION FOUNDATION | DALLAS, TX | $1,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONS |
| VOLUNTEER SERVICES COUNCIL FOR DENTON STATE SUPPORTED LIVING CENTER | DENTON, TX | $1,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONS |
| M D ANDERSON CANCER CENTER | HOUSTON, TX | $350,000 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| M D ANDERSON CANCER CENTER | HOUSTON, TX | $350,000 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF DALLAS | DALLAS, TX | $50,000 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF DALLAS | DALLAS, TX | $50,000 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| DABS - FRIENDS OF THE DALLAS ARBORETUM | DALLAS, TX | $25,000 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| DABS - FRIENDS OF THE DALLAS ARBORETUM | DALLAS, TX | $25,000 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| SAMARITAN'S PURSE | BOONE, NC | $20,000 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| SAMARITAN'S PURSE | BOONE, NC | $20,000 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| DOG LOVERS' LEAGUE | BRUCE, MS | $1,000 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| DOG LOVERS' LEAGUE | BRUCE, MS | $1,000 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| HIGHLAND PARK EDUCATION FOUNDATION | DALLAS, TX | $1,000 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| FRIENDS OF HIGHLAND PARK LIBRARY | DALLAS, TX | $1,000 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| HIGHLAND PARK EDUCATION FOUNDATION | DALLAS, TX | $1,000 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| FRIENDS OF HIGHLAND PARK LIBRARY | DALLAS, TX | $1,000 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| M D ANDERSON CANCER CENTER | HOUSTON, TX | $200,000 | 2023 | OPERATIONS |
| DORROH LAKE BAPTIST ASSEMBLY | CALHOUN CITY, MS | $150,000 | 2023 | OPERATIONS |
| CRYSTAL CHARITY BALL | DALLAS, TX | $100,000 | 2023 | OPERATIONS |
| BONTON FARMS | DALLAS, TX | $50,000 | 2023 | OPERATIONS |
| M D ANDERSON CANCER CENTER | HOUSTON, TX | $50,000 | 2023 | OPERATIONS |
| CIRCLE TEN COUNCIL (BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA) | DALLAS, TX | $50,000 | 2023 | OPERATIONS |
| STARS SCHOLARSHIP FUND | MCALLEN, TX | $25,000 | 2023 | OPERATIONS |
| DABS - FRIENDS OF THE DALLAS ARBORETUM | DALLAS, TX | $25,000 | 2023 | OPERATIONS |
| DABS - FRIENDS OF THE DALLAS ARBORETUM | DALLAS, TX | $25,000 | 2023 | OPERATIONS |
| DALLAS YMCA | DALLAS, TX | $5,000 | 2023 | OPERATIONS |
COMMUNITIES FOUNDATION OF TEXAS
$10,461,482OPERATIONS AND TRANSFER OF ASSETS TO DONOR ADVISED FUND AT PUBLIC CHARITYCONTRIBUTIONS OF CASH $171,827SECURITIES - BASIS $10,289,655TOTAL CONTRIBUTION ON 990-PF $10,461,482SECURITIES - FAIR MARKET VALUE $23,801,243TOTAL VALUE OF CONTRIBUTIONS $23,973,070
MEDIALLIANCE INTERNATIONAL
$250,000OPERATIONS
THE SALVATION ARMY - DALLAS
$200,000OPERATIONS
COMMUNITY PARTNERS OF DALLAS
$105,000OPERATIONS
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF DALLAS
$100,000OPERATIONS
OPERATIONS
TUNNEL TO TOWERS
$50,000OPERATIONS
DABS - FRIENDS OF THE DALLAS ARBORETUM
$25,000OPERATIONS
ST JUDE'S
$10,000OPERATIONS
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS
$5,000OPERATIONS
NATIONAL PSORIASIS FOUNDATION
$5,000OPERATIONS
SALESMANSHIP CLUB OF DALLAS INC
$1,500OPERATIONS
HIGHLAND PARK EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$1,000OPERATIONS
VOLUNTEER SERVICES COUNCIL FOR DENTON STATE SUPPORTED LIVING CENTER
$1,000OPERATIONS
M D ANDERSON CANCER CENTER
$350,000OPERATIONS
M D ANDERSON CANCER CENTER
$350,000OPERATIONS
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF DALLAS
$50,000OPERATIONS
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF DALLAS
$50,000OPERATIONS
DABS - FRIENDS OF THE DALLAS ARBORETUM
$25,000OPERATIONS
DABS - FRIENDS OF THE DALLAS ARBORETUM
$25,000OPERATIONS
DOG LOVERS' LEAGUE
$1,000OPERATIONS
DOG LOVERS' LEAGUE
$1,000OPERATIONS
FRIENDS OF HIGHLAND PARK LIBRARY
$1,000OPERATIONS
HIGHLAND PARK EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$1,000OPERATIONS
FRIENDS OF HIGHLAND PARK LIBRARY
$1,000OPERATIONS
M D ANDERSON CANCER CENTER
$200,000OPERATIONS
DORROH LAKE BAPTIST ASSEMBLY
$150,000OPERATIONS
BONTON FARMS
$50,000OPERATIONS
M D ANDERSON CANCER CENTER
$50,000OPERATIONS
STARS SCHOLARSHIP FUND
$25,000OPERATIONS
DABS - FRIENDS OF THE DALLAS ARBORETUM
$25,000OPERATIONS
DABS - FRIENDS OF THE DALLAS ARBORETUM
$25,000OPERATIONS
DALLAS YMCA
$5,000OPERATIONS