Sterling-Turner Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Sterling-Turner Foundation is worth approaching only if your organisation is a 501(c)(3) charity, or a government agency treated like one, with its offices, grant-fund management and supported services within Tom Green, Kerr, Travis, Fort Bend or Harris counties in Texas; individuals and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) recognition are not funded.
- Most of its recorded grants are for general support, and about 8 in 10 of its grants to organisations fall between $10,000 and $50,000, with a median of $25,000, so a modest request in that range fits its typical pattern, though that band is not a ceiling and its largest grant was $500,000.
- Requests are typically accepted from August until 15 February at 5 pm, with the application form emailed and all supporting documents uploaded through its instruction webpage, and the foundation prefers that you call first about possible qualifications.
- Trustees read the application information closely, so supply it fully and correctly.
- In the filing, 70% of grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, so existing relationships appear to matter and a first approach should be prepared with particular care.
Overview
Sterling-Turner Foundation is a US private foundation based in Houston, TX.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Foundation says it supports only organisations that qualify as 501(c)(3) charities or government agencies treated like 501(a)(3) organisations, with applicant offices, grant-fund management and supported services kept within its named Texas counties. Its grants reach a broad mix of organisations, including food banks, churches, schools and education providers, museums, hospitals and counselling services, charities serving children and families, botanic gardens and volunteer fire departments. Most recorded grants are for general support; other stated purposes include education and outreach, facilities, programmes and endowments.
Geographic Focus
Tom Green; Kerr; Travis; Fort Bend; Harris.
What They Don't Fund
- Individuals
- Nonprofits without a 501(c)(3) recognition
How to apply
Applicants email the application form; all supporting documents are uploaded through the instruction webpage.
Deadlines: Requests are typically accepted from August of the prior year until 15 February at 5 pm.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 70% 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 241 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The Foundation prefers applicants to call about possible qualifications or other issues.
- Applicants should supply application information fully and correctly because trustees read that part of the request.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 7% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 70% of grant dollars went to organisations Sterling-Turner Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- <1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 106 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $25,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Crossway Bible Church · Residency program$120,0002024 tax year
- Houston Food Bank · General support$100,0002024 tax year
- Museum of Fine Arts Houston · Reinzi Endowment$100,0002024 tax year
- Star of Hope Mission · General support$80,0002024 tax year
- Forge for Families · General support$60,0002024 tax year
- Texas Education Works · General support$60,0002024 tax year
- Open Door Mission · General support$60,0002024 tax year
- Memorial Hermann Foundation · General support$50,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- E Carroll Schuler — Assistant Secretary
- Thomas R Cliffe Reckling — Assistant Secretary
- Thomas K Reckling — Assistant Secretary
- Stephen M Reckling Jr — Assistant Secretary
- Lauren E Reckling — Assistant Secretary
- John B Reckling — Assistant Secretary
- James S Reckling — Assistant Secretary
- Isla C Jornayvaz — Assistant Secretary
- Michael D Hawkins — Assistant Secretary
- Carroll R Goodman — Assistant Secretary
- Chaille W Hawkins — Assistant Secretary / Director
- Christiana R McConn — Secretary / Director
- L David Winston — Vice President / Director
- Isla C Reckling — Treasurer / Director
- T R Reckling III — President / Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $1,729,200 | $1,315,000 | $71,498,622 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $3,256,885 | $2,914,000 | $70,089,751 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $3,896,852 | $3,440,000 | $74,811,701 | 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
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At a glance
Applying to Sterling-Turner Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (713) 237-1117
- pstilley@ictft.org
- jeannie.arnold@stfdn.org
- Houston, TX
- sterlingturnerfoundation.org/index.html
Applying to Sterling-Turner Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (713) 237-1117
- pstilley@ictft.org
- jeannie.arnold@stfdn.org
- Houston, TX
- sterlingturnerfoundation.org/index.html