Abell-Hanger Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 75-6020781 · since 1955abell-hanger.org·Texas·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$11.7M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$500 to $75,000

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$6,250

Typical grant (median)

382 grants in the latest filing

Open to applications

Fixed application deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

Abell-Hanger Foundation funds nonprofit work in arts, culture and humanities; education; health and human services; public society benefit; and religion, with priority given to 27 counties of West Texas; organisations headquartered outside that area can still be considered when their services benefit it and they can demonstrate concrete activity.
Most grants are modest: about eight in ten of its 1,035 grants fall between $500 and $75,000, and the median grant is $6,250, so a modest request fits best, though the foundation has occasionally made much larger grants, up to $2,250,000.
New or lapsed applicants should start with a Pre-Proposal Questionnaire, while returning applicants submit an Intent to Apply or Letter of Intent, before moving on to a full submission through the grant portal; deadlines are reset annually, so check the current dates before applying.
With 91% of its grant dollars going to organisations it had also funded in the two previous filings, this looks like a relationship-led funder where repeat support dominates, so new applicants should expect it to be competitive.
It does not fund loans or grants to individuals, university or college requests must come through the institution's development office, and applicants should also be seeking funding for the same proposal from other sources.

Overview

Abell-Hanger Foundation is a US private foundation based in Midland, 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 makes grants to nonprofit organisations undertaking benevolent, charitable or educational work for the public welfare. Its five impact areas are arts, culture and humanities; education; health and human services; public society benefit; and religion. It invests in proven and promising programmes, systemic solutions, general operating support and capacity building. The trustees direct a preponderance of the annual grant budget to Midland and twenty-six counties in West Texas. Organisations headquartered outside that area can be considered when their services benefit the area and they demonstrate concrete activity.

Themes

Arts, Culture & Humanities
Education
Health & Human Services
Public Society Benefit
Religion

Geographic Focus

Priority: 27 counties of West Texas.

What They Don't Fund

Loans or grants to individuals

How to apply

New or lapsed applicants submit a Pre-Proposal Questionnaire (PPQ); returning applicants submit an Intent to Apply or Letter of Intent (LOI). Approved PPQs and LOIs proceed to a comprehensive grant submission through the grant portal.

Deadlines: Submission deadlines are reset annually by the foundation.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 91% 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 1,035 grants to organisations were $6,250 or less.

What the foundation says:

Applicants should seek funding for the same proposal from various sources.
University and college requests should be approved and submitted by the institution’s development office.
Organisations headquartered outside the giving area can be considered when they serve it and demonstrate concrete activity.
A concise PPQ case summary helps trustees assess their interest in reviewing a full application.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

Texas94%

Virginia1%

Georgia1%

Colorado1%

Maryland<1%

District of Columbia<1%

6 other states: 1%

The largest single recipient received 13% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 91% of grant dollars went to organisations Abell-Hanger Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
2% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

382 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $6,250

How much do they typically give?

Share of 382 grants in tax year 2024 by size

Under $1k18%

$1k–$2.5k11%

$2.5k–$5k9%

$5k–$10k26%

$10k–$25k13%

$25k–$50k8%

$50k–$100k9%

$100k–$250k3%

$250k–$500k2%

$500k–$1M1%

$1M and over<1%

Median $6,250 (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Permian Basin Behavioral Health Center · General operating support for the permian basin behavioral health center
$1,150,0002024 tax year
Harmony Public Schools · Constructing and operating an open-enrollment charter school in midland, texas
$850,0002024 tax year
Midland Habitat for Humanity · New frontier addition
$800,0002024 tax year
YMCA of Midland · Northwest midland expansion campaign
$700,0002024 tax year
Midland Memorial Foundation · Midland health facility project
$650,0002024 tax year
Midland College Foundation · College and career connections (c3)
$385,7882024 tax year
Midland College Foundation · Legacy scholarship program
$326,4802024 tax year
Midland Shared Spaces · Upgraded hybrid video conferencing and training systems project
$300,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Gladys H Abell - Deceased — Foundation MGR (Deceased)
George T Abell - Deceased — Foundation MGR (Deceased)
Wade Kuehler — CFO
Mark Palmer — Executive VP
Karen Sparks — Trustee
Roy Nelson — Trustee
Wes Perry — Trustee
Laura Roman — Trustee
Richard Coats — Trustee
John Bergman — Trustee
Chas Perry — Trustee
Jack F Harper — Trustee

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$11,092,084	$8,421,466	$193,480,508	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$13,502,458	$10,669,536	$230,659,511	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$14,913,166	$11,693,004	$249,079,125	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.