The Karakin Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The filings state that the foundation does not accept unsolicited requests, so a small charity should not send a cold application and should first look for a route to an invitation.
- Repeat giving is strong: 82% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, so an existing connection or track record is likely to matter.
- Half of its grants to organisations were $35,000 or less, with a median of $35,000, and about 8 in 10 fall between $5,000 and $250,000; that is a typical band rather than a limit, and its largest grant was $3,000,000, to Community Foundation of Abilene, which regrants to other organisations.
- Its funding covers a broad mix, including schools, health services, food banks, housing, animal welfare, arts and legal or human-rights work, and it gives both operating support and money for renovations, equipment or defined programmes.
- No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Texas and California, which describes past giving rather than a rule on who may apply.
Overview
The Karakin Foundation is a US private foundation based in Abilene, TX.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation's recorded grants support a broad mix of charitable organisations and projects. They include community heritage and cultural facilities, schools and universities, health services and hospitals, humanitarian and disaster relief, and work for children, veterans and people with disabilities. Other grants support food banks, housing and water projects, animal welfare, arts and cultural activities, and legal or human-rights work. Some contributions provide operating support; others fund renovations, construction, equipment or defined programmes. Recipients include local organisations in Abilene and elsewhere in Texas, as well as organisations working across the United States and overseas.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Texas and California.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 82% 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 383 grants to organisations were $35,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 13%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 10%
- The largest single recipient received 8% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 82% of grant dollars went to organisations The Karakin Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- 2% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Cambodia).
- 12% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 120 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $32,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Community Foundation of Abilene · To support abilene heritage square project$3,000,0002024 tax year
- Abilene Youth Sports Authority · Soccer fields$1,000,0002024 tax year
- Grover Nelson Park Zoological Foundation · Capital expansion$1,000,0002024 tax year
- West Texas Rehabilitation Center Foundation · Capital project$833,3332024 tax year
- Hendrick Medical Center Foundation · A foundation for the future$800,0002024 tax year
- Hardin-Simmons University · School of nursing$500,0002024 tax year
- Healthy Kids Brighter Future · Healthy learners$500,0002024 tax year
- EverFree · Freedom lifemap$500,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Sarah Comerford — Grants Officer
- Margaret Matthews Frederick — Assistant Vice President / Grants
- Brenda Casselberry — Property / Administrator
- Elyse Lewis — Secretary / Senior Grants Officer
- Watt R Matthews — Executive Vice President / CIO
- Aaron Miller — Vice President / Treasurer / CFO
- Jeff Blanks — Senior Vice President / Operations Offic
- John A Matthews Jr — Vice President
- Joseph E Canon — Executive Vice President / Executive D
- Kade L Matthews — Chairman / President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $17,446,254 | $13,456,915 | $271,248,058 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $18,174,121 | $14,716,337 | $327,917,625 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $20,245,695 | $16,362,428 | $365,368,339 | 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 The Karakin Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Abilene, TX
Applying to The Karakin Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Abilene, TX