The Summerlee Foundation

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $2.9 million (2024)
Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
Decision Time: 2-6 months (depending on board meeting cycle)
Grant Range: $5,000 - $55,000
Geographic Focus: Animal Protection: Americas and British Isles; Texas History: Texas only
Total Assets: $76.4 million (2024)

Contact Details

Website: https://summerlee.org/
Email: info@summerlee.org
Phone: 214-363-9000
Address: 5556 Caruth Haven Lane, Dallas, TX 75225

Program-Specific Contacts:

Animal Protection Program Director: Mitchell Fox
Texas History Program Director: Jessica L. Hamlin (jhamlin@summerlee.org)
Applicants are encouraged to contact program directors before applying

Overview

Founded in 1988 by Dallas philanthropist Annie Lee Roberts, the Summerlee Foundation is a mission-driven, proactive grantmaker with approximately $76.4 million in assets and $2.9 million in annual giving (2024). The Foundation has awarded $65 million in grants since inception. Governed by a seven-member board of animal and history experts and community leaders, Summerlee focuses exclusively on two areas: alleviating fear, pain, and suffering of animals and promoting animal protection; and researching, promoting, and documenting Texas history. The Foundation emphasizes supporting underserved communities and organizations where their contributions can have an "out-sized impact." Summerlee has been recognized as the Outstanding Foundation by the Greater Dallas Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and remains actively involved in national and regional philanthropy networks including Animal Grantmakers, Exponent Philanthropy, and Philanthropy Southwest.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Animal Protection Program: $5,000 - $30,000 (average: $10,000; cat grants average $5,000)

Three funding cycles per year (February, May, September board meetings)
Online application portal opens at designated times
Portal closes upon reaching 150 submissions (can fill within hours)

Texas History Program: $5,000 - $55,000 (average: $10,000)

Application portal opens periodically for board consideration
Pre-application consultation strongly recommended

Priority Areas

Animal Protection Program:

Cats: Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs in rural/underserved communities in US and Canada (Note: cat TNR funding is now directed through United Spay Alliance)
Dogs: Sterilization, vaccination, and humane euthanasia programs outside the US, particularly in Latin America and First Nations communities
Wildlife/Carnivores: Mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, and black bears through ethical research and advocacy/educational campaigns
Marine Mammals: Marine mammal health, well-being, and anti-captivity efforts (dolphins and orcas)
Sanctuaries: GFAS-accredited sanctuaries for hands-on animal care, emergency rescue, food, medications, and housing improvements
Farmed Animal Welfare: Programs addressing suffering of farmed animals
Emergency Animal Cruelty Cases: Funding for crisis situations

Geographic Focus: The Americas and British Isles, with special emphasis on underserved and challenged communities

Texas History Program:

Archaeology, archives, libraries, media, museums, educational institutions, preservation, publications, and scholarly research
Strong preference for projects in underserved cultural and geographic areas of Texas
Projects with National Register Status or Texas Historical Commission designation
Well-qualified participants/consultants and strong community support

What They Don't Fund

Animal Protection Program:

Individuals
Capital campaigns, endowments, or buildings
Government agencies
Organizations with large cash reserves
Endangered species reintroduction programs
Land preservation
Emergency grants
Organizations where animal protection is not the primary purpose

Texas History Program:

Individuals (except independent scholars with 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor)
Religious purposes
Monuments and memorials
Courthouse restoration
Lobbying efforts
General operating support (with rare exceptions)
Salaries/overhead (except in special circumstances)

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors (2025-2026):

Chairman: John W. Crain
Vice Chair: Mary Volcansek, Ph.D.
Treasurer: Jim Bruseth, Ph.D.
Secretary: Joan Casey
Assistant Secretary: Hon. David D. Jackson (Founding Director)
Directors: Melanie K. Anderson, Ron Tyler, Ph.D., Kimberly F. Williams

Officers:

President: Gary N. Smith (retiring February 28, 2026)
Incoming President: Jessica L. Hamlin (effective 2026, currently Texas History Program Director)
Animal Protection Program Director: Mitchell Fox
Director of Administration: Amy J. Askari

Leadership Transition: Jessica Lee Hamlin, who served for eleven years as Executive Director of Shumla Archaeological Research and Education Center (a global leader in rock art research), will assume the presidency in 2026. Gary N. Smith will transition to Co-Trustee with the Summerfield G. Roberts Foundation.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Animal Protection Program:

Online application portal through Foundant grants management system
Next portal opens: July 1, 2026 at 10:00 AM Central Time for September 2026 grant cycle
Portal closes upon reaching 150 Letter of Interest submissions (can happen within several hours)
No applications accepted by mail or email
Review guidelines before creating account to ensure proposal alignment

Texas History Program:

Online application portal opens February 2, 2026 for May 2026 board consideration
Strongly recommended: Contact Jessica Hamlin (jhamlin@summerlee.org) to discuss project before submitting Letter of Interest
Applications submitted through Foundant online portal

General Application Guidance:

Foundation will answer questions about funding priorities and requirements
Will provide guidance on what they expect in proposals without sharing previous successful proposals
Will not decline proposals for requesting too much money, but expect requests tailored to their funding history
Research recent grant lists to understand typical funding patterns

Decision Timeline

Board meetings held three times annually: February, May, and September
Timeline from Letter of Interest submission to decision varies by cycle (approximately 2-6 months)
Applicants notified of decisions after board meetings

Success Rates

188-190 grants awarded in 2024 from total assets of $76.4 million
Portal closes after 150 submissions for Animal Protection Program, suggesting highly competitive process
One source indicates 0% of new applicants were funded, suggesting preference for organizations with existing relationships or alignment

Reapplication Policy

Organizations must wait 18 months between receiving a Summerlee grant and applying for another
This policy allows the Foundation to "reach more and new organizations rather than fund the same organizations year after year"
Unsuccessful applicants may reapply in subsequent cycles

Application Success Factors

Strategic Alignment:

The Foundation states it "rarely funds an organization indefinitely" and expects applicants to understand this
Tailor grant requests to the Foundation's funding history—review recent grant lists to understand typical amounts and project types
For Texas History: projects in underserved geographic/cultural areas of Texas have higher priority
For Animal Protection: focus on "the most overlooked, underfunded, and heavily exploited animals" with emphasis on "small and medium-sized lean and agile groups"

Mission Fit:

Animal protection must be the organization's primary purpose for Animal Protection grants
Foundation emphasizes supporting organizations where their contribution can be "utilized quickly with an out-sized impact"
Projects should align with specific priority areas (cats, dogs, wildlife, marine mammals, sanctuaries) or Texas history disciplines

Pre-Application Engagement:

For Texas History grants, contacting the program director before applying is strongly recommended
Foundation staff will provide guidance on funding priorities and requirements
"Good communication is the key to maintaining a relationship of mutual respect and trust"

Application Quality:

Proposals should be tailored to the Foundation's funding history and priorities
Include well-qualified participants/consultants (Texas History)
Demonstrate strong community support (Texas History)
Show how project serves underserved communities

Organizational Characteristics:

Must be 501(c)(3) public charity (or governmental unit for Texas History)
Organizations with large cash reserves are excluded
Preference for lean, agile organizations

Recent Funded Projects as Examples:

Animal Protection (FY 2024-2025):

Project Coyote: $30,000 for "Capacity Building for Wild Carnivore Advocacy"
Animal Place: $25,000 for "Sanctuary Self-Guided Tour Audio-Visual & Educational Signage"
Animal Balance: $24,000 for "Galapagos Islands Humane Population Control and Disease Management Program"
American Wild Horse Conservation: $20,000 for "Virginia Range Humane Fertility Control Program"
Project Chimps: $15,000 for "Lifelong Sanctuary: Forever Care for Retired Lab Chimps"

Texas History (Recent Cycle):

Museum of the Big Bend: $55,000 for "Yana and Marty Davis Map Research Center"
Witte Museum: $35,000 for "Texas Preservation: From the Alamo to the Astrodome"
University of North Texas: $35,000 for "The Texas Yawp: A Collaboratively Built, Open-Source Texas History Textbook Project"
University of Texas at Austin: $25,000 for "Voces of the Vietnam War"
Sugarloaf Pictures LLC: $20,000 for "Tonkawa Documentary"

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Act quickly when portal opens: The Animal Protection portal closes after 150 submissions and can fill within hours—be prepared to submit immediately when it opens
Pre-application contact is critical: Especially for Texas History grants, contact program directors before applying to discuss your project and ensure alignment
Study recent grants: Review their grant lists to understand typical funding amounts and project types—they expect requests tailored to their funding history
Emphasize underserved focus: Highlight how your project serves underserved communities, overlooked animals, or underserved geographic/cultural areas of Texas
Show outsized impact: Demonstrate how you are a "lean and agile" organization where their grant can be "utilized quickly with an out-sized impact"
Wait 18 months between applications: Plan your funding requests strategically given the mandatory 18-month waiting period between grants
Be patient with competitiveness: With approximately 190 grants awarded annually and high competition (portal fills in hours), persistence may be necessary

References

The Summerlee Foundation Official Website: https://summerlee.org/ (Accessed January 2026)
"What We Fund" - The Summerlee Foundation: https://summerlee.org/what-we-fund/ (Accessed January 2026)
"Animal Protection Program Overview" - The Summerlee Foundation: https://summerlee.org/animal-protection-program-overview/ (Accessed January 2026)
"Texas History Program Overview" - The Summerlee Foundation: https://summerlee.org/texas-history-program-overview/ (Accessed January 2026)
"FAQs" - The Summerlee Foundation: https://summerlee.org/faqs/ (Accessed January 2026)
"How to Apply" - The Summerlee Foundation: https://summerlee.org/animal-protection-program-overview/how-to-apply/ (Accessed January 2026)
"Our Founder" - The Summerlee Foundation: https://summerlee.org/our-founder/ (Accessed January 2026)
"Officers and Directors" - The Summerlee Foundation: https://summerlee.org/oﬃcers-and-directors/ (Accessed January 2026)
"Animal Protection Recent Grant List" - The Summerlee Foundation: https://summerlee.org/animal-protection-program-overview/animal-protection-recent-grant-list/ (Accessed January 2026)
"Texas History Recent Grant List" - The Summerlee Foundation: https://summerlee.org/texas-history-program-overview/texas-history-recent-grant-list/ (Accessed January 2026)
Summerlee Foundation Profile - Cause IQ: https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/summerlee-foundation,752252355/ (Accessed January 2026)
Summerlee Foundation 990 Report - Instrumentl: https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/summerlee-foundation (Accessed January 2026)