The William S & Ann Atherton Foundation concentrates large, targeted gifts to cultural, classical education, and medical institutions. Their giving emphasizes Western heritage and classical education initiatives, with occasional major support for prominent healthcare providers. Grants are few but sizable, and they favor organizations with national profiles or strong programmatic alignment to classical/heritage missions.
A $1.1 million general-fund grant to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum stands out as the largest recent gift and points to the William S & Ann Atherton Foundation’s recurring support for Western heritage institutions. The foundation also made a $650,000 building-fund grant to Hillsdale College, showing a separate strand of support for classical and conservative-leaning higher education. Across recent filings, its grants tend to be targeted, with repeated awards to the same organizations over multiple years rather than a wide spread of one-off gifts. Classically Formed Inc received three grants in the recent list, including a $510,500 award in 2025 and two earlier general-fund gifts. Folds of Honor Foundation also appears more than once, with both general support and a memorial-related grant. Medical giving is present as well, including support for Mayo Clinic. The pattern is institution-focused: museums, colleges, policy organizations, and mission-aligned nonprofits rather than broad community grantmaking. Several recipients are based in Oklahoma, but the foundation also gives to organizations in Michigan, Minnesota, Washington, DC, Virginia, Arizona, Maryland, and elsewhere.
Western heritage is one of the clearest themes in the foundation’s portfolio. The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum received $1.1 million for general support in 2024, plus a $150,000 membership-related gift in 2023 and a $100,000 general-fund grant in 2025. Classical education is another repeated area. Classically Formed Inc received $510,500 in 2025, along with $250,000 grants in both 2023 and 2024, all listed as general fund support. The foundation also backs institutions tied to civic and ideological education. Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs received $150,000 in 2025 and two $60,000 grants in 2024 and 2023. Prager University Foundation received sponsorship grants of $35,000 in 2025, $30,000 in 2024, and $30,000 in 2023 for Prager U Kids.
Typical grant size is $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $25,000 at the 75th percentile, but the recent list also includes several six- and seven-figure institutional awards. The pattern leans toward repeated support: Hillsdale College, Classically Formed Inc, Folds of Honor Foundation, Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, Prager University Foundation, and Voices of Oklahoma each appear in multiple years. The foundation is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it funds individuals. Recent grants include general-fund support, building funds, sponsorships, membership support, and memorial-related giving.
$1.3M
$15.4M
$1.6M
$2M
Most grants fall between $5K and $25K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$25K
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Highly concentrated giving: a very small number of large grants (multi-hundred-thousand to million-dollar gifts), repeat support to select education recipients, and preference for established national institutions over many small local grants.
Notable grantees: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Hillsdale College, Classically Formed Inc, Mayo Clinic
Grant recipients are entirely U.S.-based in the recent list. Oklahoma is prominent, with recipients in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, and 29% of grants go to organizations in the foundation’s HQ state. Washington, DC is the top state by grant count, reflecting repeated support for national-policy and education groups there. Other recipient locations include Hillsdale, Michigan; Rochester, Minnesota; Phoenix, Arizona; Owings Mills, Maryland; Arlington, Virginia; and Lexington, Virginia.
Its recent grants center on Western heritage institutions, classical education organizations, conservative or classical-leaning colleges, and select medical and policy groups. Named recipients in the recent list include the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Hillsdale College, Classically Formed Inc, Mayo Clinic, and Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years. Classically Formed Inc received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Folds of Honor Foundation appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs and Prager University Foundation also each received multiple grants across different years.
The grant-size distribution is $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $25,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent grants list also shows larger institutional awards, including gifts of $100,000, $250,000, $510,500, $650,000, and $1.1 million.
Washington, DC is the top state by grant count. Oklahoma is also significant, with 29% of grants going to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. The recipient list also includes organizations in Michigan, Minnesota, Arizona, Maryland, Virginia, and other U.S. locations.
The recent grants include general-fund support, building-fund gifts, sponsorships, membership support, and a memorial grant. Examples in the list show all of those categories, which suggests the foundation uses a mix of operating support and project-specific funding.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLASSICALLY FORMED INC | TULSA, OK | $510,500 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| FOLDS OF HONOR FOUNDATION | TULSA, OK | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| OKLAHOMA COUNCIL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS | OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | $150,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| NAT'L COWBOY & WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM | OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| TURNING POINT USA | PHOENIX, AZ | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| PRAGER UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | OWING MILLS, MD | $35,000 | 2025 | PRAGER U KIDS SPONSORSHIP |
| VOICES OF OKLAHOMA | TULSA, OK | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| GODSPEED FLIGHT DEMONSTRATION TEAM INC | TULSA, OK | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| THE FUND FOR AMERICAN STUDIES | WASHINGTON, DC | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| JOHN BROWN UNIVERSITY | SILOAM SPRINGS, AR | $12,500 | 2025 | PIZZA HUT SCHOLARSHIP |
| INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE | OAKLAND, CA | $12,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| CONSTITUTING AMERICA | COLLEYVILLE, TX | $12,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| USA SHOOTING | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| STATE POLICY NETWORK | ARLINGTON, VA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| UNIVERSITY OF THE CUMBERLANDS | WILLIAMSBURG, KY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| VICTIMS OF COMMUNISM MEMORIAL FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| MEDIA RESEARCH CENTER | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $7,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| TULSA WARBIRD FOUNDATION | TULSA, OK | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| YOUNG AMERICANS AGAINST SOCIALISM | LOS ANGELAS, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | INTRO TO SOCIALISM CURRICULUM |
| THE LITTLE LIGHT HOUSE | TULSA, OK | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA FOUNDATION | NORMAN, OK | $1,000 | 2025 | CAMP BLUE HAWK |
| NAT'L COWBOY & WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM | OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | $1,100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| HILLSDALE COLLEGE | HILLSDALE, MI | $650,000 | 2024 | BUILDING FUND |
| CLASSICALLY FORMED INC | TULSA, OK | $250,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| FOLDS OF HONOR FOUNDATION | TULSA, OK | $250,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| MAYO CLINIC | ROCHESTER, MN | $250,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| OKLAHOMA COUNCIL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS | OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | $60,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| PRAGER UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | OWING MILLS, MD | $30,000 | 2024 | PRAGER U KIDS SPONSORSHIP |
| VALERIES HOUSE | FT MEYERS, FL | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE | ARLINGTON, VA | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| LITESPEED AIRSHOW | TULSA, OK | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| FRANK PHILLIPS FOUNDATION | BARTLESVILLE, OK | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| VOICES OF OKLAHOMA | TULSA, OK | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| THE FUND FOR AMERICAN STUDIES | WASHINGTON, DC | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| TURNING POINT USA | PHOENIX, AZ | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| YOUNG AMERICA'S FOUNDATION | HERNDON, VA | $15,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| JOHN BROWN UNIVERSITY | SILOAM SPRINGS, AR | $12,500 | 2024 | PIZZA HUT SCHOLARSHIP |
| INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE | OAKLAND, CA | $12,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| STUDENTS FOR LIBERTY | MCLEAN, VA | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| CONSTITUTING AMERICA | COLLEYVILLE, TX | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| STATE POLICY NETWORK | ARLINGTON, VA | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| UNIVERSITY OF THE CUMBERLANDS | WILLIAMSBURG, KY | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| INSTITUTE FOR ENERGY RESEARCH | WASHINGTON, DC | $8,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| MOVING PICTURE INSTITUTE | NEW YORK CITY, NY | $8,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| JUDICIAL WATCH | WASHINGTON, DC | $7,500 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| CAPITAL RESEARCH CENTER | WASHINGTON, DC | $7,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| THE LITTLE LIGHT HOUSE | TULSA, OK | $6,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| BIT BY BIT EQUESTRIAN FOUNDATION | OAKLAND, MI | $5,075 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| THE NEW CRITERION | DENVILLE, NJ | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
NAT'L COWBOY & WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM
$100,000GENERAL FUND
TURNING POINT USA
$50,000GENERAL FUND
PRAGER U KIDS SPONSORSHIP
VOICES OF OKLAHOMA
$25,000GENERAL FUND
GODSPEED FLIGHT DEMONSTRATION TEAM INC
$25,000GENERAL FUND
JOHN BROWN UNIVERSITY
$12,500PIZZA HUT SCHOLARSHIP
CONSTITUTING AMERICA
$12,000GENERAL FUND
TULSA WARBIRD FOUNDATION
$5,000GENERAL FUND
YOUNG AMERICANS AGAINST SOCIALISM
$5,000INTRO TO SOCIALISM CURRICULUM
NAT'L COWBOY & WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM
$1,100,000GENERAL FUND
FOLDS OF HONOR FOUNDATION
$250,000GENERAL FUND
MAYO CLINIC
$250,000GENERAL FUND
LITESPEED AIRSHOW
$25,000GENERAL FUND
FRANK PHILLIPS FOUNDATION
$25,000GENERAL FUND
VOICES OF OKLAHOMA
$25,000GENERAL FUND
TURNING POINT USA
$20,000GENERAL FUND
YOUNG AMERICA'S FOUNDATION
$15,000GENERAL FUND
JOHN BROWN UNIVERSITY
$12,500PIZZA HUT SCHOLARSHIP
STUDENTS FOR LIBERTY
$10,000GENERAL FUND
CONSTITUTING AMERICA
$10,000GENERAL FUND
BIT BY BIT EQUESTRIAN FOUNDATION
$5,075GENERAL FUND
THE NEW CRITERION
$5,000GENERAL FUND