The Eugene McDermott Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The foundation's stated fields are educational, cultural, social-service and civic and community work, so an organisation working in one of these areas has a plausible fit.
- The filing states no geographic focus, and while most of its grants reported there went to Texas, that is not a rule about who may apply.
- A typical grant falls between $10,000 and $1,000,000, the median grant is $50,000, and half of its grants are $50,000 or less, so a modest request in that region is realistic, though its largest grant was $10,000,000.
- Repeat funding is significant, with 53% of its grant dollars going to organisations it had also funded in earlier filings, so a relationship helps.
- The filing gives no submission deadlines and says no prescribed form is required, so a short letter is a reasonable first step, though the timing of its decisions is not stated.
Overview
The Eugene McDermott Foundation is a US private foundation based in Dallas, TX.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and web pages about the foundation (tshaonline.org), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 12 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation gives grants in support of educational, cultural and social-service work, and other civic and community ventures. Its grant record includes support for schools and universities, arts and cultural institutions, health and social-service organisations, community initiatives, food assistance, parks and environmental work. The grants include operational, programme, capital and endowment support. The available sources describe broad fields of giving but do not set out eligibility requirements, a general grant-size range or a published application programme. Its application information says no prescribed form is required and gives no submission deadlines.
Themes
- Educational
- Cultural
- Social-service
- Civic and community ventures
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Texas.
How to apply
No prescribed form is required.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 53% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 362 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: <1%
- The largest single recipient received 9% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 53% of grant dollars went to organisations The Eugene McDermott Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 5% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 140 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $75,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Dallas Opera · To help Meet ODonnell Foundation Matching Grant$7,000,0002024 tax year
- Southern Gateway Public Green Foundation · For Construction of Park$5,000,0002024 tax year
- Health Equity Foundation of Greater · For Operations$5,000,0002024 tax year
- North Texas Public Broadcasting · For The Future of KERA$5,000,0002024 tax year
- Resource Center of Dallas · To Change Landscape ofHealthcare for LGBTQIA$3,000,0002024 tax year
- United Way of Metropolitan Dallas · For Social Innovation Lab & DataCapacity Bldg$2,000,0002024 tax year
- Compass School of Texas · For Curriculum Development$1,500,0002024 tax year
- Texas Trees Foundation · For Cool Schools$1,000,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Grace Cook — Trustee
- Joe Hubach — Trustee
- Liza Lee — Trustee
- Sam Self — Trustee
- Patricia Brown — Assistant Secretary
- J H Cullum Clark — Trustee
- Mary McDermott Cook — President Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $21,859,397 | $20,532,900 | $265,714,865 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $62,050,172 | $60,792,500 | $249,573,652 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $56,627,094 | $55,464,000 | $204,713,403 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to The Eugene McDermott Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (214) 369-9222
- Dallas, TX
Applying to The Eugene McDermott Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (214) 369-9222
- Dallas, TX