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Zierk Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$2.7M
Grant Range
$25K - $2.0M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2,700,000 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $25,000 - $2,000,000
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily Dallas, TX with some national giving
  • Assets: $41.1 million (2024)

Contact Details

Address: 5373 Wenonah Dr, Dallas, TX 75209

Note: The foundation does not provide public contact information and does not accept unsolicited funding requests.

Overview

The Zierk Family Foundation was established in 2013 as a private independent foundation based in Dallas, Texas. With total assets of $41.1 million as of 2024, the foundation distributed approximately $2.7 million in charitable grants in 2024 to a select group of preselected organizations. Since 2015, the foundation has awarded 153 individual grants totaling $24.3 million. The foundation's mission focuses on providing funds to education and health-related organizations, with particular emphasis on children and their needs to ensure a quality childhood and smooth transition to adulthood. David and Dawn Zierk, who moved to Dallas in late 2019, lead the foundation and have become significant philanthropic contributors to the Dallas community, most notably through their leadership gift to St. Mark's School of Texas that resulted in the naming of the Zierk Athletic Center.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates through trustee-directed grantmaking without formal grant programs or application cycles. Grant amounts typically range from approximately $25,000 to $2,000,000, with a median grant size of around $50,000.

Priority Areas

Children's Education: The foundation's primary focus area, particularly supporting educational institutions that serve children and youth. Recent major support includes a $2 million grant to St. Mark's School of Texas.

Youth Development: Programs that help young people develop life skills and positive pathways to adulthood, including organizations like First Tee SF ($300,000) which teaches golf to youth.

Health and Medical Research: Support for medical education and research institutions, particularly those affiliated with children's health. Recent grants include $100,000 to UT Southwestern Medical Center for academic, research, and public service activities.

Workforce Development: Organizations creating opportunities for individuals facing barriers to employment, such as REDF ($300,000) which creates jobs for people facing significant barriers.

Local Dallas Community: Strong emphasis on Dallas-area organizations and institutions, particularly those where the Zierk family has personal connections through the St. Mark's School community.

What They Don't Fund

The foundation's 990 filings indicate exclusive focus on education, health, and youth development. Based on their grantmaking patterns, they do not appear to fund:

  • Arts and culture organizations
  • Environmental causes
  • International development
  • Political or advocacy organizations
  • Individual scholarships or direct aid to individuals

Governance and Leadership

David K. Zierk - President & Treasurer
Reports 1 hour per week of service, receives no compensation.

Dawn M. Zierk - Vice President & Secretary
Reports 1 hour per week of service, receives no compensation.

The Zierks moved to Dallas in late 2019 and quickly became integrated into the philanthropic community. Regarding their support for St. Mark's School of Texas, they stated: "The St. Mark's community welcomed us when we moved here in late 2019. Our support is our way of also saying thank you to the many St. Mark's families who helped us make Dallas our home." They also noted they had "full confidence in this next vital project for the school" after seeing the success of a previous building project.

The foundation is managed as a family foundation with both officers taking an active but limited time commitment role in grantmaking decisions.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

All grants are made at the discretion of the trustees (David and Dawn Zierk) to organizations they have identified and selected based on their philanthropic priorities and community connections.

Getting on Their Radar

The Zierk Family Foundation identifies grant recipients through their personal connections and involvement in the Dallas community, particularly through relationships established via the St. Mark's School of Texas community. The foundation appears to support organizations where they have direct relationships or where they have witnessed impact firsthand. Their philanthropic engagement includes membership in giving societies such as the Café Momentum Momentum Society, suggesting they participate in Dallas philanthropic networks.

Since moving to Dallas in 2019, the Zierks have demonstrated a pattern of supporting institutions that welcomed them into the community, suggesting that relationship-building within Dallas's educational and nonprofit sectors may be relevant for organizations seeking to connect with their philanthropic interests.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As a trustee-directed foundation, decisions are made on the trustees' timeline without fixed deadlines or review periods.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications.

Application Success Factors

Given the foundation's invitation-only approach, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, analysis of their grantmaking patterns reveals:

Relationship-Driven Giving: The foundation's largest grants have gone to organizations with which the Zierk family has direct personal connections, most notably St. Mark's School of Texas, which they credit with helping them establish themselves in Dallas after their 2019 move.

Dallas Community Focus: The majority of grants support Dallas-area organizations, reflecting the Zierks' commitment to their adopted community. As they stated, their giving is "our way of also saying thank you to the many St. Mark's families who helped us make Dallas our home."

Children and Education Priority: Organizations that align with the foundation's stated mission to support "children and their needs to ensure a quality childhood and smooth transition to adulthood" receive the most significant support.

Proven Impact: The Zierks noted they had "full confidence" in St. Mark's athletic complex project after witnessing the success of a previous building project, suggesting they value demonstrated track records and successful project execution.

Workforce and Opportunity: Recent grants to organizations like REDF (which creates jobs for people facing barriers to employment) indicate interest in programs that create tangible opportunities for vulnerable populations.

National Organizations with Clear Impact: While Dallas-focused, the foundation also supports national organizations like First Tee SF and REDF that have clear, measurable impact models in youth development and workforce creation.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Invitation Only: This foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals or applications. Organizations cannot apply for funding.
  • Dallas Community Connection: The strongest factor in receiving support appears to be connection to the Dallas community and specifically to networks associated with St. Mark's School of Texas.
  • Relationship-Based: The Zierks' giving is highly relationship-driven, supporting organizations they know personally and communities that have welcomed them.
  • Education-Centered: Children's education is the foundation's primary philanthropic priority, as evidenced by their $2 million gift to St. Mark's School.
  • Quality Over Quantity: With only 13 grants made in 2023 totaling nearly $3 million, the foundation makes fewer, larger, more strategic investments rather than broad distributions.
  • Multi-Year Perspective: The foundation appears to value organizations with proven track records and successful project histories.
  • Personal Engagement: The Zierks are members of giving societies (like Café Momentum's Momentum Society), suggesting they value personal engagement with causes they support.

References

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