About Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference Inc directs almost all of its funding to member universities and affiliated collegiate athletics organizations, providing very large, routine annual distributions that support higher education institutions and their athletic programs. Grants are concentrated among Big 12 schools (and some conference partners), indicating the foundation’s primary role is redistributing conference revenues to campus partners rather than funding a broad array of community nonprofits. Its giving is institutional and system-focused, favoring established universities and athletics entities over small or new grantees.
Focus Areas
Annual institutional support for Big 12 member universities (e.g., flagship public and private campuses)Collegiate athletics organizations and conference-related athletic operationsHigher education endowment/operational distributions to university unitsRegional university system support across Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and neighboring states
Giving Approach
Highly concentrated, large-dollar, repeat annual distributions to a small set of core institutional grantees (multi-million to >$80M grants); few total grants but very high total giving, focused on sustaining member universities and athletic bodies.
Funding Style
annual/recurring distribution
About Big 12 Conference
The largest recent grant in the file went to Texas Christian University: $48,258,005 in 2024 as an annual distribution. That pattern defines The Big 12 Conference Inc’s role. The organization’s grantmaking is built around recurring institutional payments to member universities and conference athletics entities, with each award landing at a scale far above typical nonprofit grants. The recent-grants list shows the same structure across multiple schools and years, including $45,195,567 to the University of Oklahoma in 2024 and $44,711,453 to the University of Texas in 2024, both labeled annual distribution. Those payments are aimed at higher education institutions rather than community-based charities, and they support the conference’s affiliated campus partners across a regional footprint. In practice, the funder functions as a distribution hub for collegiate athletics and university support, moving conference revenues to established schools and athletic organizations. Its recent giving is highly repeatable, with the same institutions appearing in consecutive years and receiving comparable amounts.
What Big 12 Conference Funds
The Big 12 Conference Inc primarily funds collegiate athletics and university operating support. For athletics-related work, it gave $44,104,036 in 2024 to Kansas Athletics Inc for annual distribution, showing that campus sports organizations are part of its regular funding structure. Higher education institutions are the other clear focus: it awarded $44,754,912 in 2023 to Baylor University for annual distribution and $43,663,496 in 2024 to Texas Tech University for the same purpose. The recent-grants list also includes major payments to public universities such as Iowa State, Oklahoma State University, West Virginia University, and Kansas State University, each recorded as annual distributions. The shared purpose text suggests these are not project grants but recurring institutional allocations tied to conference membership and athletic participation.
How Big 12 Conference Gives
Typical grant size is tightly clustered: p25 is $42,952,030, median is $43,938,324, and p75 is $44,722,318. The amounts in the recent-grants list are consistent with that range, which points to a standardized annual distribution model rather than highly variable project funding. Recipients also recur across years: the University of Oklahoma, Kansas State University, Oklahoma State University, Baylor University, Texas Tech University, University of Texas, Iowa State, West Virginia University, Kansas Athletics Inc, and Texas Christian University all appear more than once. The funder is classified as a regular funder and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$557M
Total Assets
$59.6M
Total Revenue
$610.9M
Total Expenses
$609.4M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $43M and $44.7M, with a median of $43.9M.
25th Percentile
$43M
Median
$43.9M
75th Percentile
$44.7M
Geographic Reach
Regional5 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
CATRINA GIBSON
Accepts unsolicited proposals
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