← Back to US Funders Directory

Stoller Foundation

Annual Giving
$7.5M
000

Stoller Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $7,494,740 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $846.95 million (2023)
  • Average Grant: ~$53,000
  • Number of Awards: 141 (2023)
  • Geographic Focus: National/International (focus on evangelism worldwide)
  • Application Method: Letter of inquiry (invitation process)

Contact Details

Address: 10750 Hammerly Blvd Ste 200, Houston, TX 77043

Phone: (713) 461-5012

Email: info@stollerfoundation.org

Website: www.stollerfoundation.org

Overview

The Stoller Foundation was founded in 2006 by Jerry Stoller and the Stoller Group. With assets of $846.95 million and annual giving of approximately $7.5 million, the foundation serves as a grantmaking organization empowering Christ-centered organizations with a vision for the Gospel to reach all nations. The foundation's distinctive approach focuses on incubating and accelerating nonprofits dedicated to evangelism and volunteerism, providing resources to help ministries address capacity needs, pursue solutions to critical community issues, and create volunteer opportunities. The foundation has demonstrated consistent growth, increasing from 47 awards in 2020 to 141 awards in 2023, reflecting an expanding commitment to supporting Christian ministries worldwide.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates a selective accelerator program, awarding grants to a limited number of nonprofits each year. While specific grant ranges are not publicly disclosed, the average grant in 2023 was approximately $53,000, with total charitable disbursements of $9.04 million across 141 awards.

Application Method: Letter of inquiry followed by full application (by invitation only)

Priority Areas

The Stoller Foundation explicitly prioritizes organizations that meet the following criteria:

  • Evangelism Focus: Partner organizations must verbally share Jesus Christ with those they serve through their ministry, emphasizing that "Jesus came to love us, forgive our sins, and offer a relationship with God to those who believe in Him as their Lord and Savior"
  • Volunteer Mobilization: Launching new programs that mobilize volunteers to serve and evangelize
  • Sustainability: Organizations working toward becoming sustainable entities
  • Christ-Centered Programs: All supported programs must actively evangelize and verbally proclaim Jesus Christ
  • Capacity Building: Addressing organizational capacity needs to increase effectiveness
  • Community Impact: Pursuing solutions to critical community issues through ministry

What They Don't Fund

While specific exclusions are not detailed in available sources, the foundation's strict requirements effectively limit funding to:

  • Only Christian 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations
  • Only organizations with active evangelism components
  • Organizations must verbally share the Gospel with those they serve

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership:

  • Eddy Hallock, Trustee/Executive Director (since February 2018) - Compensation: $161,692 salary + $3,320 other (2023)
  • Sam Yoon, Chief Financial Officer - Compensation: $117,203 salary + $7,264 other (2023)
  • Maday Redd, Trustee/Associate Director - Compensation: $115,604 salary + $25,851 other (2023)
  • Nam Baek, Associate Director - Compensation: $114,857 salary + $600 other (2023)
  • Seongae Kim, Trustee/Associate Director - Compensation: $86,336 salary + $8,417 other (2023)

The foundation also includes five trustees compensated at $12,000 annually.

Founder: Jerry Stoller founded the Stoller Foundation in 2006, funded by Jerry Stoller and the Stoller Group.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Stoller Foundation operates through a two-stage application process:

  1. Letter of Inquiry: The application process begins with submitting a letter of inquiry
  2. Full Application: If the letter of inquiry is approved, applicants are invited to submit a full application with details about their ministry, program and project plan

Important Note: While the foundation has a formal application process beginning with a letter of inquiry, the foundation's approach suggests a selective, relationship-based process where not all inquiries lead to full application invitations.

Eligibility Requirements

To be considered for funding, organizations must:

  • Be a Christian 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
  • Demonstrate evangelism focus
  • Operate on or incorporate a volunteer basis
  • Show path to sustainability
  • Actively and verbally share Jesus Christ with those served through their ministry

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. Applicants should expect a multi-stage review process beginning with letter of inquiry evaluation.

Success Rates

The foundation made 141 awards in 2023 out of total applications received (specific application numbers not publicly available). The foundation describes itself as awarding "a limited number of grants each year to non-profits selected to be part of its accelerator program," suggesting a selective, competitive process.

Reapplication Policy

Information about reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants is not publicly available. Prospective applicants should contact the foundation directly to inquire about reapplication guidelines.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's stated priorities and approach, successful applications demonstrate:

  1. Clear Evangelism Component: The foundation explicitly requires that "partner organizations must verbally share Jesus Christ with those they serve through their ministry." Applications must demonstrate how the Gospel will be actively proclaimed, not just modeled through service.

  2. Volunteer Mobilization Strategy: The foundation prioritizes organizations "launching new programs mobilizing volunteers to serve and evangelize." Successful applications show concrete plans for volunteer engagement and management.

  3. Sustainability Planning: With sustainability listed as a key evaluation factor, applications should demonstrate a path toward organizational self-sufficiency and long-term viability beyond grant funding.

  4. Capacity Building Needs: The foundation describes helping ministries "by providing resources to address capacity needs." Applications should clearly articulate specific capacity gaps (staff, systems, infrastructure) that grant funding would address.

  5. Alignment with Great Commission: The foundation's mission explicitly focuses on "empowering ministries & collaborating with partners to evangelize the world" and organizations "that have a vision for the Gospel to reach all nations." Applications should connect their work to broader evangelism goals.

  6. Christ-Centered Operations: Beyond serving Christians, organizations must emphasize "that Jesus came to love us, forgive our sins, and offer a relationship with God to those who believe in Him as their Lord and Savior" in their programming.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Evangelism is Non-Negotiable: This foundation requires active, verbal Gospel proclamation in all funded programs. Organizations focused solely on Christian service without evangelism will not align with funding priorities.

  • Average Grant Size: With approximately $53,000 average grants in 2023, applicants should calibrate budget requests accordingly, though the foundation's significant assets ($846.95 million) suggest capacity for larger strategic investments.

  • Growing Portfolio: The foundation has nearly tripled its number of awards from 47 (2020) to 141 (2023), indicating expanding grantmaking activity and potentially increasing opportunities.

  • Accelerator Model: The foundation describes its approach as "incubating and accelerating nonprofits," suggesting preference for organizations in growth phases rather than established ministries or brand-new startups without proof of concept.

  • Letter of Inquiry First: Do not submit a full proposal without invitation. The two-stage process requires initial letter of inquiry approval before proceeding.

  • Volunteer Integration Critical: With volunteer mobilization as a stated priority, applications should detail specific volunteer roles, recruitment strategies, and how volunteers will participate in evangelism efforts.

  • Strong Financial Position: The foundation's substantial asset base ($846.95 million) and significant annual contributions ($741.70 million in 2023) suggest financial stability and potential for multi-year support relationships.

References

← Back to US Funders Directory