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CFP Foundation

Annual Giving
$4.0M
Grant Range
$115K - $1.0M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $4,020,205 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $115,000 - $1,000,000+ (based on known grants)
  • Geographic Focus: Texas (primarily Houston and North Texas)
  • Total Assets: $63 million (2024)

Contact Details

Address: 11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 2600, Houston, TX 77046

Phone: (713) 830-3400

Note: No public website or email address available. This is a private family foundation.

Overview

The CFP Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1997 and granted tax-exempt status in August 1998. Founded and led by Gary Crum (MBA '72, UT Austin) and Sylvie Crum (BA '74, UT Austin), the foundation focuses primarily on educational issues in Texas. With total assets of $63 million and annual giving of approximately $4 million, the foundation has supported a range of educational institutions and programs. The Crums serve as the founding trustees and chief executive officers of the foundation. Their son, Clayton Crum Harkness, serves as Executive Director with compensation of $128,000. The foundation made 54 grants in 2023, distributing over $4 million. The Crums are also noted philanthropists at Southern Methodist University and the University of Texas at Austin, where they have funded scholarships, athletic facilities, and leadership development programs.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The CFP Foundation operates as a private family foundation without formal grant programs or public application processes. Grant decisions are made at the discretion of the trustees.

Known Grant Recipients (2023):

  • St. John's School (Houston): $525,000 (General Support)
  • Yellowstone Schools: $160,000 (General Support)
  • Camp For All Foundation: $115,000 (General Support)

Major Initiative:

  • Subiendo Endowed Scholarship for Rising Leaders at UT Austin McCombs School of Business: $1 million endowment established in 2016, providing full tuition and room and board every other year for economically disadvantaged high school students participating in the Subiendo leadership program

Priority Areas

  • K-12 Education: Private school support, educational programs
  • Higher Education: Scholarship programs, particularly for economically disadvantaged students
  • Leadership Development: Programs supporting diverse students from underrepresented populations
  • Youth Programs: Camps and recreational programs for children
  • Athletics and Recreation: Support for educational institutions' athletic programs

The foundation has a particular interest in supporting educational opportunities for economically disadvantaged students and increasing diversity in higher education leadership.

What They Don't Fund

Information about explicit exclusions is not publicly available. As a private family foundation, they appear to focus exclusively on Texas-based educational initiatives.

Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees:

  • Gary T. Crum, President/Treasurer (unpaid): MBA '72 from UT Austin, serves on the SMU Board of Trustees and Cox School of Business Executive Board. Major benefactor to both SMU and UT Austin.
  • Sylvie P. Crum, Executive Vice President (unpaid): BA '74 in French from UT Austin. Co-founder and trustee of the foundation.

Staff:

  • Clayton M. Crum Harkness, Executive Director (compensated $128,000): BBA '12 from UT Austin, former captain of the Women's Lacrosse Team at UT Austin, currently serves as Lacrosse Coach at St. John's School in Houston.

Quote from Gary Crum (on the Subiendo Scholarship): "College graduates from diverse backgrounds are increasingly playing a larger part in the leadership and management of our state."

The Crum family has three children: Ashley, Christopher, and Clayton, all of whom played lacrosse in their youth. The family's philanthropic interests reflect their personal connections to education, athletics, and Texas institutions.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The CFP Foundation does not have a public application process. As a private family foundation, grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees, Gary and Sylvie Crum. The foundation does not maintain a public website, published grant guidelines, or accept unsolicited proposals.

Grants appear to be made to organizations with which the trustees have personal connections or to institutions where they have existing philanthropic relationships.

Getting on Their Radar

The CFP Foundation supports institutions where the Crum family has personal connections, including:

  • St. John's School in Houston, where Clayton Crum Harkness serves as a lacrosse coach
  • University of Texas at Austin, where both Gary and Sylvie Crum are alumni
  • Southern Methodist University, where the Crums are major benefactors

Organizations seeking support from this foundation would need to establish relationships with the trustees through these institutional connections or shared educational missions in Texas.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As a private family foundation with trustee discretion, decisions are made on the trustees' timeline.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Application Success Factors

Since the CFP Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, based on their known grants and philanthropic patterns:

Factors Associated with CFP Foundation Support:

  1. Personal Connection: Organizations where the Crum family has direct involvement, such as St. John's School where their son works, receive support.

  2. Educational Focus in Texas: All known grants support educational institutions or programs in Texas, particularly in Houston and at institutions where the Crums are alumni (UT Austin, SMU).

  3. Economic Diversity and Inclusion: The foundation's major scholarship initiative specifically supports "economically disadvantaged high school students" and aims to increase diverse representation in leadership. As Gary Crum stated, "College graduates from diverse backgrounds are increasingly playing a larger part in the leadership and management of our state."

  4. Leadership Development: The Subiendo program for "Rising Leaders" demonstrates interest in developing future leaders from underrepresented populations.

  5. General Operating Support: Recent grants show support for "General Support" rather than restricted project funding, suggesting the foundation trusts recipient organizations to allocate funds where most needed.

  6. Long-term Institutional Relationships: The Crums' decades-long relationships with SMU and UT Austin (including naming gifts for Crum Commons, Crum Basketball Center, Crum Lacrosse Field, and various scholarship programs) demonstrate a preference for sustained support of institutions over time.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This foundation operates by trustee discretion only and does not accept unsolicited proposals.

  • Relationship-Based Grantmaking: Support flows to organizations where the Crum family has personal connections, particularly educational institutions in Texas where they are alumni or have family involvement.

  • Education Focus: The foundation concentrates exclusively on educational causes, from K-12 through higher education, with emphasis on Texas institutions.

  • Economic Diversity Priority: The foundation has demonstrated interest in supporting access to education for economically disadvantaged students and increasing diversity in educational leadership.

  • Significant Grant Sizes: Known grants range from $115,000 to over $1 million, suggesting capacity for substantial support when aligned with trustees' interests.

  • Family Foundation: With only three officers (two unpaid family trustees and one compensated family member as Executive Director), this is a classic family foundation structure where personal values and connections drive funding decisions.

  • Alternative Approach: Rather than seeking grants directly from CFP Foundation, organizations might consider connecting with the broader Crum family philanthropic network through SMU, UT Austin, or St. John's School.

References

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