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    5. Sumners Foundation
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    Sumners Foundation

    ActiveCrime & Legal-RelatedFunds Individuals
    IRVING, TXWebsite2142202128

    About Sumners Foundation

    The Summners Foundation concentrates its giving on legal education and student scholarships, with a strong Texas orientation and an emphasis on preparing the next generation of lawyers and civic leaders. Major gifts support bar-related training programs, law school scholarships, and youth civic programming (notably Texas Youth & Government). The foundation gives relatively few but large grants and routinely funds the same institutional partners alongside direct individual scholarships.

    Focus Areas

    Legal education and bar training programs (State Bar of Texas–focused)Law school scholarship programs (SMU Dedman School of Law, OCU School of Law)Individual educational scholarships for college and law studentsYouth civic leadership programs in Texas (Texas Youth & Government / YMCA of Austin)

    Who They Fund

    students and youth (K-12 and college-aged)teachers and civic educatorsSumners scholars / scholarship recipientsTexas-based youth and civic organizationsRohingya language and literacy learners

    About Sumners Foundation

    The Sumners Foundation’s clearest pattern is its repeated support for scholarships tied to civic leadership and political philosophy. In recent years, the foundation has paired direct individual educational awards with institutional scholarship programs at Texas and Oklahoma schools, while also funding civic-education work that trains students, teachers, and future public leaders. A 2025 grant of $856,100 for educational scholarships sits alongside a $666,190 award to the State Bar of Texas for training the next generation, showing how the foundation connects academic support with public-service formation. The foundation also backs longer-running scholarship pathways. It awarded $200,000 to SMU Dedman School of Law for the Sumners Scholarship Program and $257,500 to OCU School of Law for scholarships, both part of a broader approach that combines endowed and institution-administered awards with individual scholarship giving. Alongside those education grants, it has supported civic programming such as Texas Youth and Government through the YMCA of Austin and public-facing civic events through the Texas Tribune Festival. The result is a grantmaking profile centered on students, law, and civic formation, with Texas organizations appearing often in the recent record.

    What Sumners Foundation Funds

    Legal education is a core thread in the foundation’s giving. It awarded $666,190 to the State Bar of Texas for training the next generation and $374,300 for a teacher training institute on the founding documents, pairing professional formation with civic instruction. Student scholarships are another major area. The foundation gave $257,500 to OCU School of Law for scholarships and $200,000 to SMU Dedman School of Law for the Sumners Scholarship Program, reflecting a recurring commitment to law-school support. Youth civic leadership also appears consistently. The YMCA of Austin received $200,000 for Texas Youth and Government in 2024, and the same program received $175,000 in 2025. The foundation also funded the YMCA Oklahoma City and YMCA Albuquerque Central NM for youth and government programming. Public-facing civic programming shows up as well. The Texas Tribune received $100,000 for the Texas Tribune Festival in 2025, after similar support in 2024 and 2023 for festival and event programming.

    How Sumners Foundation Gives

    The Sumners Foundation’s typical grant size is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $48,125 at the 75th percentile, but many recent awards are far larger because of scholarship and institutional-program commitments. The recent record shows repeated support for the same partners across multiple years, especially scholarship programs and youth civic education. It uses a regular-funder structure and also funds individuals directly through scholarships. Applications are accepted through the foundation’s web portal for several scholarship and fellowship programs, and some awards are institution-administered rather than open to direct applicants.

    Financial Snapshot

    Annual Giving

    $2.8M

    Total Assets

    $74.1M

    Total Revenue

    $3.1M

    Total Expenses

    $4.6M

    Typical Grant Size

    Most grants fall between $10K and $48K, with a median of $25K.

    25th Percentile

    $10K

    Median

    $25K

    75th Percentile

    $48K

    Geographic Reach

    Regional17 states funded

    About 55% of grants go to recipients in TX.

    Funding intensity
    Low
    High
    Headquarters

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    EIN: 75-2734032
    4 filings on record
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    Giving Approach

    Concentrated portfolio of relatively large grants (multiple six-figure gifts) to a small set of recurring institutional grantees plus sizable blocks of direct individual scholarships; mix of multigrant relationships and one-off scholarship awards.

    Funding Style

    scholarships/direct financial support to individualscapacity building for educators (teacher training)programmatic support for internships and fellowshipsgeneral/unrestricted supportendowment/multi-year funding

    Notable grantees: State Bar of Texas (law-focused training programs), YMCA of Austin (Texas Youth & Government), SMU Dedman School of Law (Summners scholarship program), OCU School of Law, Direct individual scholarship programs (multiple grants to scholarship recipients)

    Topics

    civic education and civic engagementconstitutional and founding-documents educationyouth leadership development (Youth & Government, debate)internship and fellowship pathways to public servicedepolarization and bridge-building programscivic events and public-facing civic journalism (festivals, reporting)

    Where Sumners Foundation Makes Grants

    Grantmaking is heavily Texas-oriented: 54% of grants go to recipients in Texas, and the most frequent recipient state is also Texas. Recent grants land in Irving, Dallas, Austin, Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, and Washington, DC. The record also shows regional scholarship eligibility across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Colorado, but recipient locations in the grant list are overwhelmingly US-based. All 162 tracked grants in the country distribution are in the United States.

    Frequently Asked Questions About Sumners Foundation

    What does The Sumners Foundation focus on?

    Its recent grantmaking centers on scholarships, legal education, and civic formation. Named programs include educational scholarships, law-school scholarships at SMU Dedman School of Law and OCU School of Law, teacher training on the founding documents, and youth civic leadership work such as Texas Youth and Government.

    Does The Sumners Foundation support individual students?

    Yes. The foundation funds individuals through scholarship awards, including direct educational scholarships and scholarship programs for undergraduates, law students, and Ph.D. candidates in political philosophy. The recent record also includes large scholarship distributions made to support multiple individual recipients.

    How large are typical grants from The Sumners Foundation?

    Its grant-size distribution is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $48,125 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards can be much larger when the foundation is funding scholarship programs or institutional partners, such as the six-figure grants shown in the recent grants list.

    Which regions and states are part of its scholarship geography?

    The foundation’s scholarship programs reach students connected to Texas and Oklahoma, with some undergraduate awards also open to residents of Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Texas. Recent grants also show recipient organizations in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Washington, DC.

    Can applicants apply directly to any of its programs?

    Several active scholarship and fellowship programs accept unsolicited applications through the Sumners Foundation web portal, including political-philosophy PhD awards and at-large scholarships. Other scholarships are institution-administered at partner schools, so applicants apply through the school rather than the foundation.

    Latest 990 Filing

    2025

    Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.

    Recent Grants

    Most recent grants reported to the IRS.

    RecipientLocationAmountYearPurpose
    SCHOLARSHIPS GIVENIRVING, TX$856,1002025EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS
    LAW FOCUSED EDUCSTATE BAR OF TEXASDALLAS, TX$666,1902025TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION
    YMCA OF AUSTINAUSTIN, TX$175,0002025TEXAS YOUTH AND GOVERNMENT
    UNITED STATES ASSN OF FORMER MEMBERWASHINGTON, DC$132,0002025SUMNERS SCHOLARS
    YMCA ALBUQUERQUE CENTRAL NMALBUQUERQUE, NM$125,0002025YOUTH AND GOVERNMENT
    YMCA OKLAHOMA CITYOKLAHOMA CITY, OK$125,0002025YOUTH AND GOVERNMENT
    TEXAS TRIBUNEAUSTIN, TX$100,0002025TEXAS TRIBUNE FESTIVAL
    AMERICAN LEGION TEXAS BOYS STATEAUSTIN, TX$75,0002025GENERAL SUPPORT
    FUND FOR AMERICAN STUDIESWASHINGTON, DC$65,4002025SCHOLARSHIPS TO ATTEND 2024 TFAS DC SUMMER PROGRAM
    TEXAS FFA FOUNDATIONAUSTIN, TX$60,0002025LEGISLATIVE LEAD
    BRAVER ANGELSNEW YORK, NY$57,0002025DEPOLARIZATION PROJECT
    FORT WORTH REPORTFORT WORTH, TX$50,0002025CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
    UNIVERSITY OF DALLASIRVING, TX$45,0002025SUMNERS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS
    BAYLOR UNIVERSITYWACO, TX$40,0002025iENGAGE SUMMER CIVICS
    TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITYFORT WORTH, TX$38,8252025INEGAGE & TCU WASHINGTON INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
    FIRST LIBERTY INSTITUTEPLANO, TX$35,0002025INTERNSHIP PRORAM FOR SUMNERS SCHOLARS
    WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCILDALLAS, TX$30,0002025SUMNERS CIVICS LECTURES
    DALLAS HOLOCAUST HUMAN RIGHTS MUSEUDALLAS, TX$25,0002025RULE OF LAW SERIES
    LUCY BURNS INSTITUTE DBA BALLOTPEDIMIDDLETON, WI$25,0002025SUMMER BALLOTPEDIA FELLOWSHIP
    PHILANTHROPY ROUNDTABLEWASHINGTON, DC$20,0002025ADVANCE CIVIC EDUCATION
    OKLAHOMA CITY UNIVERSITYOKLAHOMA CITY, OK$20,0002025CANDIDATE RECRUITING
    LIBERTAS ACADEMYTAMPA, FL$18,0002025SPRING CIVICS INSTITUTE: INSTRUCTION AND CURRICULUM
    COOK CHILDREN'S HOSPITALFORT WORTH, TX$15,0002025GENERAL SUPPORT
    SAN ANTONIO REPORTSAN ANTONIO, TX$15,0002025CIVIC ENGAGEMENT REPORTING
    AUSTIN COLLEGESHERMAN, TX$7,7002025CONSTITUTION DAY PROGRAM ON CAMPUS
    HOWARD PAYNE UNVERSITYBROWNWOOD, TX$7,68520252024 SCHOLAR TRAVEL
    SCHREINER UNIVERSITYKERRVILLE, TX$7,5002025SUMNERS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
    TEXAS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITYFORT WORTH, TX$5,0002025SUMNERS SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT
    POWER FOR PARKINSON'SAUSTIN, TX$1,0102025GENERAL SUPPORT
    UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTONHOUSTON, TX$1,0002025CANDIDATE RECRUITING
    individual scholarships givenirving, TX$577,1712024educational scholarships
    LAW FOCUSED EDUCSTATE BAR OF TEXASDALLAS, TX$374,3002024TEACHER TRAINING INSTITUTE ON THE FOUNDING DOCUMENTS
    OCU SCHOOL OF LAWOKLAHOMA CITY, OK$257,5002024SCHOLARSHIPS
    LAW FOCUSED EDUCSTATE BAR OF TEXASDALLAS, TX$203,2552024TEXAS CITIZEN BEE AND CIVIC TRAINERS
    SMU-DEDMAN SCHOOL OF LAWDALLAS, TX$200,0002024SUMNERS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
    YMCA OF AUSTINAUSTIN, TX$200,0002024TEXAS YOUTH AND GOVERNMENT
    28 SCHOLARSHIPS GIVENIRVING, TX$193,5082024EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS
    YMCA OF AUSTINAUSTIN, TX$175,0002024TEXAS YOUTH AND GOVERNMENT
    YMCA ALBUQUERQUE CENTRAL NMALBUQUERQUE, NM$113,0002024YOUTH AND GOVERNMENT
    YMCA OKLAHOMA CITYOKLAHOMA CITY, OK$106,0002024YOUTH AND GOVERNMENT
    TEXAS TRIBUNEAUSTIN, TX$100,0002024TEXAS TRIBUNE FESTIVAL
    YMCA OKLAHOMA CITYOKLAHOMA CITY, OK$100,0002024YOUTH AND GOVERNMENT
    BRAVER ANGELSNEW YORK, NY$90,0002024YOUTH PROGRAMS
    UNIVERSITY OF DALLASIRVING, TX$80,0002024SUMNERS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS
    FUND FOR AMERICAN STUDIESWASHINGTON, DC$70,0002024SCHOLARSHIPS TO ATTEND 2022 TFAS DC SUMMER PROGRAM
    UNIVERSITY OF DALLASIRVING, TX$68,0002024SUMNERS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS
    TEXAS TRIBUNEAUSTIN, TX$50,0002024TRIBUNE EVENTS AND FESTIVAL
    TEXAS FFA FOUNDATIONAUSTIN, TX$50,00020242022 LEGISLATIVE LEAD
    US ASSN OF FORMER MEMBERS OF CONGREWASHINGTON, DC$50,0002024SCHOLARSHIP ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM
    TEXAS BOYS STATEAUSTIN, TX$50,0002024GENERAL SUPPORT

    SCHOLARSHIPS GIVEN

    $856,100
    IRVING, TX2025

    EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS

    LAW FOCUSED EDUCSTATE BAR OF TEXAS

    $666,190
    DALLAS, TX2025

    TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION

    YMCA OF AUSTIN

    $175,000
    AUSTIN, TX2025

    TEXAS YOUTH AND GOVERNMENT

    UNITED STATES ASSN OF FORMER MEMBER

    $132,000
    WASHINGTON, DC2025

    SUMNERS SCHOLARS

    YMCA ALBUQUERQUE CENTRAL NM

    $125,000
    ALBUQUERQUE, NM2025

    YOUTH AND GOVERNMENT

    YMCA OKLAHOMA CITY

    $125,000
    OKLAHOMA CITY, OK2025

    YOUTH AND GOVERNMENT

    Open Grant Opportunities

    Current and upcoming funding from Sumners Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.

    Open nowCloses Aug 1, 2026

    General Grant Program (Grants to Qualified Organizations)

    democracy reformcivic educationcivic engagement+6 more

    Who can apply: Applications are considered from qualified, tax-exempt organizations. For purposes other than scholarships or fellowships, grants are made only to organizations qualified as Section 501(c)(3) charities. The Foundation does not fund loans, grants-in-aid, or fellowships directly to individuals, does not fund political or propaganda purposes, and does not cover indirect costs.

    Deadline: Annual deadline August 1 at 5:00 PM Central; trustee decisions made in October or November; funds distributed in December.

    TEXAS TRIBUNE

    $100,000
    AUSTIN, TX2025

    TEXAS TRIBUNE FESTIVAL

    AMERICAN LEGION TEXAS BOYS STATE

    $75,000
    AUSTIN, TX2025

    GENERAL SUPPORT

    FUND FOR AMERICAN STUDIES

    $65,400
    WASHINGTON, DC2025

    SCHOLARSHIPS TO ATTEND 2024 TFAS DC SUMMER PROGRAM

    TEXAS FFA FOUNDATION

    $60,000
    AUSTIN, TX2025

    LEGISLATIVE LEAD

    BRAVER ANGELS

    $57,000
    NEW YORK, NY2025

    DEPOLARIZATION PROJECT

    FORT WORTH REPORT

    $50,000
    FORT WORTH, TX2025

    CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

    UNIVERSITY OF DALLAS

    $45,000
    IRVING, TX2025

    SUMNERS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS

    BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

    $40,000
    WACO, TX2025

    iENGAGE SUMMER CIVICS

    TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

    $38,825
    FORT WORTH, TX2025

    INEGAGE & TCU WASHINGTON INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

    FIRST LIBERTY INSTITUTE

    $35,000
    PLANO, TX2025

    INTERNSHIP PRORAM FOR SUMNERS SCHOLARS

    WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL

    $30,000
    DALLAS, TX2025

    SUMNERS CIVICS LECTURES

    DALLAS HOLOCAUST HUMAN RIGHTS MUSEU

    $25,000
    DALLAS, TX2025

    RULE OF LAW SERIES

    LUCY BURNS INSTITUTE DBA BALLOTPEDI

    $25,000
    MIDDLETON, WI2025

    SUMMER BALLOTPEDIA FELLOWSHIP

    PHILANTHROPY ROUNDTABLE

    $20,000
    WASHINGTON, DC2025

    ADVANCE CIVIC EDUCATION

    OKLAHOMA CITY UNIVERSITY

    $20,000
    OKLAHOMA CITY, OK2025

    CANDIDATE RECRUITING

    LIBERTAS ACADEMY

    $18,000
    TAMPA, FL2025

    SPRING CIVICS INSTITUTE: INSTRUCTION AND CURRICULUM

    COOK CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL

    $15,000
    FORT WORTH, TX2025

    GENERAL SUPPORT

    SAN ANTONIO REPORT

    $15,000
    SAN ANTONIO, TX2025

    CIVIC ENGAGEMENT REPORTING

    AUSTIN COLLEGE

    $7,700
    SHERMAN, TX2025

    CONSTITUTION DAY PROGRAM ON CAMPUS

    HOWARD PAYNE UNVERSITY

    $7,685
    BROWNWOOD, TX2025

    2024 SCHOLAR TRAVEL

    SCHREINER UNIVERSITY

    $7,500
    KERRVILLE, TX2025

    SUMNERS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

    TEXAS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

    $5,000
    FORT WORTH, TX2025

    SUMNERS SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT

    POWER FOR PARKINSON'S

    $1,010
    AUSTIN, TX2025

    GENERAL SUPPORT

    UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON

    $1,000
    HOUSTON, TX2025

    CANDIDATE RECRUITING

    individual scholarships given

    $577,171
    irving, TX2024

    educational scholarships

    LAW FOCUSED EDUCSTATE BAR OF TEXAS

    $374,300
    DALLAS, TX2024

    TEACHER TRAINING INSTITUTE ON THE FOUNDING DOCUMENTS

    OCU SCHOOL OF LAW

    $257,500
    OKLAHOMA CITY, OK2024

    SCHOLARSHIPS

    LAW FOCUSED EDUCSTATE BAR OF TEXAS

    $203,255
    DALLAS, TX2024

    TEXAS CITIZEN BEE AND CIVIC TRAINERS

    SMU-DEDMAN SCHOOL OF LAW

    $200,000
    DALLAS, TX2024

    SUMNERS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

    YMCA OF AUSTIN

    $200,000
    AUSTIN, TX2024

    TEXAS YOUTH AND GOVERNMENT

    28 SCHOLARSHIPS GIVEN

    $193,508
    IRVING, TX2024

    EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS

    YMCA OF AUSTIN

    $175,000
    AUSTIN, TX2024

    TEXAS YOUTH AND GOVERNMENT

    YMCA ALBUQUERQUE CENTRAL NM

    $113,000
    ALBUQUERQUE, NM2024

    YOUTH AND GOVERNMENT

    YMCA OKLAHOMA CITY

    $106,000
    OKLAHOMA CITY, OK2024

    YOUTH AND GOVERNMENT

    TEXAS TRIBUNE

    $100,000
    AUSTIN, TX2024

    TEXAS TRIBUNE FESTIVAL

    YMCA OKLAHOMA CITY

    $100,000
    OKLAHOMA CITY, OK2024

    YOUTH AND GOVERNMENT

    BRAVER ANGELS

    $90,000
    NEW YORK, NY2024

    YOUTH PROGRAMS

    UNIVERSITY OF DALLAS

    $80,000
    IRVING, TX2024

    SUMNERS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS

    FUND FOR AMERICAN STUDIES

    $70,000
    WASHINGTON, DC2024

    SCHOLARSHIPS TO ATTEND 2022 TFAS DC SUMMER PROGRAM

    UNIVERSITY OF DALLAS

    $68,000
    IRVING, TX2024

    SUMNERS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS

    TEXAS TRIBUNE

    $50,000
    AUSTIN, TX2024

    TRIBUNE EVENTS AND FESTIVAL

    TEXAS FFA FOUNDATION

    $50,000
    AUSTIN, TX2024

    2022 LEGISLATIVE LEAD

    US ASSN OF FORMER MEMBERS OF CONGRE

    $50,000
    WASHINGTON, DC2024

    SCHOLARSHIP ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM

    TEXAS BOYS STATE

    $50,000
    AUSTIN, TX2024

    GENERAL SUPPORT

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    Deadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.