The Brumley Foundation

Quick Stats

• EIN: 75-2089705
• Annual Giving: $1,161,813 (recent year)
• Total Assets: $21,218,064 - $22,900,000
• Founded: 1985 (IRS ruling 1986)
• Grant Range: Information not publicly available
• Geographic Focus: Upper 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle, with emphasis on Potter, Randall, and Moore counties
• Application Deadline: August 1 for Fall review cycle

Contact Details

Mailing Address:
The Brumley Foundation
P.O. Box 9294
Amarillo, TX 79105-9294

Website: www.brumleyfoundation.org

Phone/Email: Contact information available through website contact page

Overview

The Brumley Foundation was chartered in 1985 by Dixie Brumley and her sisters, members of one of Amarillo's oldest and most respected families, and received its IRS 501(c)(3) ruling in 1986. This private non-operating foundation focuses on assisting needy and low-income individuals in the Texas Panhandle. With total assets exceeding $22 million and annual grant distribution of approximately $1.2 million, the foundation honors the legacy of its founding family, who were careful stewards of their ranch property in Moore County. The foundation's philosophy emphasizes "spending little on themselves in order to maximize the amount available for the less fortunate," reflecting the founding family's commitment to helping people help themselves and supporting those most in need.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation accepts applications year-round, with grants awarded after review meetings. Specific grant amounts are not publicly disclosed, though the foundation distributed $1,161,813 in grants in a recent year.

Known Grant Recipients:

• Amarillo College Moore County Campus (including a $50,000 grant for Instrument Technology program)
• Brumley Foundation Moore County Scholarship (for students at Moore County Campus)
• Amarillo Habitat for Humanity (listed among donors for housing projects)

Priority Areas

The foundation's funding philosophy is to provide as much benefit for as many persons as possible, with particular emphasis on:

• Helping people help themselves - Programs that enable self-sufficiency
• Helping those most in need - Serving needy and low-income individuals
• Direct operating assistance - Support for program operations
• Equipment replacement - Funding for necessary equipment purchases
• Repairs and renovations - Needed improvements to existing facilities
• Multi-purpose projects - Organizations accomplishing more than one charitable objective, such as providing work opportunities for students who will, in turn, provide beneficial services to the community

Geographic Service Area

The foundation has designated its geographic area for grant purposes to be the upper 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle, with emphasis on:

• Potter County (includes Amarillo)
• Randall County (includes Canyon)
• Moore County (where the foundation's ranch lands were located)

What They Don't Fund

Based on available information:

• Endowments - With the occasional exception of endowed scholarships, the foundation will generally not consider funding endowments for other charitable organizations
• Expansion projects - While expansion requests will be considered, they are not the foundation's preference

Governance and Leadership

Specific information about current trustees, directors, and officers is not publicly available in standard nonprofit databases. The foundation was chartered by Dixie Brumley and her sisters in 1985, and continues to operate according to the founding family's values of careful stewardship and maximizing resources for the less fortunate.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The foundation accepts grant applications through their website at www.brumleyfoundation.org. Organizations whose missions coincide with the foundation's funding philosophy are invited to submit grant proposals.

Eligibility: Charitable organizations dedicated to helping people who live within the Texas Panhandle, qualifying as 501(c)(3) exempt organizations.

Decision Timeline

• Application acceptance: Year-round
• Deadline for Fall review: August 1
• Grant meeting: Fall
• Decision notification: Generally by the end of the year for applications received by the August 1 deadline
• Confirmation: Applicants receive an automated email confirming their submission

Success Rates

Specific success rates and application volumes are not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

Information about reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants is not publicly available.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's stated funding philosophy, successful applications are likely to demonstrate:

1. Alignment with helping people help themselves - Projects that enable self-sufficiency rather than creating dependency
2. Focus on those most in need - Clear demonstration of serving needy and low-income populations in the Texas Panhandle
3. Operational efficiency - The foundation values careful stewardship, reflecting the founding family's approach of maximizing resources for charitable purposes
4. Multi-faceted impact - The foundation shows preference for organizations accomplishing more than one charitable objective with a proposed project
5. Practical needs - Direct operating assistance, equipment replacement, or facility repairs/renovations rather than expansion projects
6. Geographic connection - Strong ties to Potter, Randall, or Moore counties, or clear service to residents of the upper 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle
7. Long-term sustainability - Given the emphasis on helping people help themselves, projects that build capacity may be favored

The foundation's preference for "direct operating assistance for programs, or to fund equipment replacement and needed repairs and renovations to existing facilities" suggests practical, maintenance-focused requests may be particularly well-received.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Submit by August 1 to be considered in the Fall grant cycle; year-round applications accepted
• Emphasize self-sufficiency - Frame projects around helping people help themselves, not creating dependency
• Focus on operational needs - Direct operating support, equipment, repairs, and renovations are preferred over expansion
• Demonstrate efficiency - Honor the founding family's legacy of careful stewardship by showing how you maximize resources
• Geographic specificity - Clearly demonstrate service to the upper 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle, especially Potter, Randall, and Moore counties
• Avoid endowment requests - Generally not funded except for scholarships
• Multi-purpose impact - Highlight if your project serves multiple charitable objectives or provides reciprocal community benefits

References

• Charity Navigator Profile: https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/752089705
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/752089705
• The Brumley Foundation website: https://www.brumleyfoundation.org/
• Funding Philosophy page: https://www.brumleyfoundation.org/funding-philosophy
• Amarillo College Named Scholarship Funds: https://www.actx.edu/foundation/named-scholarship-funds
• News Channel 10, "Amarillo Habitat for Humanity completes 122nd home for area family," August 2025: https://www.newschannel10.com/2025/08/13/amarillo-habitat-humanity-completes-122nd-home-area-family/
• My High Plains, "Amarillo College's Moore Campus to celebrate 25 year anniversary": https://www.myhighplains.com/news/local-news/amarillo-colleges-moore-campus-to-celebrate-25-year-anniversary/
• Accessed: February 11, 2026