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Sook Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$2.2M
Grant Range
$1K - $0.5M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2,182,207 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $766 - $500,000
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily Texas, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, with grants made nationally

Contact Details

The foundation does not provide public contact information or maintain a public website. The registered address is in Flower Mound, TX.

Overview

The Sook Family Foundation was established in 2021 by Perry Sook, Chairman and CEO of Nexstar Media Group, and his wife Dr. Sandra (Sandy) Sook, an educator with a Ph.D. in Rhetoric and over 30 years of experience in Talented and Gifted Education. The foundation received tax-exempt status in June 2021 and has grown rapidly to manage assets of $67.7 million as of 2024. The foundation made $2,182,207 in charitable disbursements in 2024, up from $1,160,000 in 2023. The foundation focuses primarily on education, human services, and philanthropic initiatives, with a particular emphasis on supporting educational institutions and programs. The Sooks have demonstrated their commitment to education through major gifts such as the $500,000 donation to Texas Woman's University to establish the Dr. Phyllis J. Bridges Arts and Sciences Endowed Scholarship in 2022.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates through trustee-directed grantmaking rather than formal grant programs. Based on available data:

  • Grant amounts range from $766 to $500,000
  • Average grant size: approximately $128,889
  • The foundation made 9 grants in both 2023 and 2024

Priority Areas

Education: Strong emphasis on higher education institutions and scholarships, particularly in the arts, sciences, and talented/gifted education

Human Services: Support for community-based organizations addressing social needs

Geographic Focus: While headquartered in Texas, the foundation has supported organizations across multiple states including Texas, Georgia, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C. Supported cities include Alpharetta, Bristol, Carrollton, Denton, Fort Worth, Gibsonia, Houston, New York, Norman, Tulsa, and Washington.

What They Don't Fund

No explicit exclusions are publicly documented, though the foundation appears to focus on established institutions rather than grassroots organizations.

Governance and Leadership

Perry Sook (President): Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Nexstar Media Group, one of the largest television broadcasting companies in the United States. Perry also serves as Chairman of the Nexstar Media Charitable Foundation. He is a 1980 graduate of Ohio University. Perry has stated that "Service to the community is one of Nexstar's core values," reflecting his philanthropic philosophy.

Dr. Sandra (Sandy) Sook (Secretary): Holds a Ph.D. in Rhetoric from Texas Woman's University (2015), along with Bachelor's and Master of Education degrees in Middle School Education and Talented and Gifted Education from Ohio University. She has over 30 years of experience in Talented and Gifted Education and 30+ years of involvement with Odyssey of the Mind. She served on the TWU Foundation Board of Directors from 2015 to 2018. Sandy's educational background strongly influences the foundation's focus on education and gifted programming.

Laura Duncombe (Director)

Victoria Sook (Director)

Perry Sook Jr. (Director)

All board members serve on a voluntary basis without compensation.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Sook Family Foundation operates as a private family foundation with grants made through trustee discretion. There is no application portal, no published guidelines, and no solicitation of proposals from organizations the foundation does not already know.

Grants are typically made to organizations with which the family has existing connections or relationships, often in communities where they have personal or professional ties.

Getting on Their Radar

Given the foundation's connection to Nexstar Media Group, organizations in markets served by Nexstar television stations may have greater visibility. The foundation has shown particular interest in higher education institutions, especially those with connections to the Sook family (such as Texas Woman's University and Ohio University).

Dr. Sandy Sook's background in Talented and Gifted Education suggests that programs serving gifted students or innovative educational approaches may align with her interests.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As a trustee-directed foundation, decisions are made at the discretion of the board without fixed timelines.

Success Rates

Not applicable for public applications, as the foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as there is no public application process.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, this section focuses on what their giving patterns reveal about their priorities:

Major Institutional Giving: The foundation's $500,000 gift to Texas Woman's University demonstrates capacity for significant grants to institutions where they have personal connections. This scholarship honored Dr. Phyllis J. Bridges, who served TWU for 50 years and was Sandy Sook's mentor.

Multi-Disciplinary Educational Support: The Dr. Phyllis J. Bridges Arts and Sciences Endowed Scholarship supports students across multiple disciplines including Dance, Drama, English, History, Music, and Multicultural Women's and Gender Studies, suggesting an appreciation for broad-based liberal arts education.

Legacy and Recognition: The foundation's naming gift resulted in the Dr. Phyllis J. Bridges Auditorium in Hubbard Hall at TWU, indicating willingness to support naming opportunities that honor significant individuals.

Geographic Diversity: Despite being a Texas-based foundation, grants have been made across multiple states, suggesting that strong programmatic alignment and personal connections may matter more than geographic proximity.

Steady Growth: The foundation has grown rapidly since its 2021 inception, more than doubling its charitable disbursements from 2023 to 2024, suggesting increasing philanthropic capacity and ambition.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This is not a funding source for cold outreach - the foundation operates exclusively through trustee discretion and does not accept unsolicited applications
  • Focus on education - particularly higher education, gifted education, and arts & sciences programs
  • Family connections matter - grants appear to be made to institutions and communities where the Sook family has personal or professional relationships
  • Capacity for major gifts - demonstrated ability to make six-figure grants to aligned organizations
  • Growing philanthropy - the foundation is expanding its grantmaking, with disbursements increasing significantly year over year
  • Values alignment - organizations embodying "service to the community," a stated value of Perry Sook, may resonate with the foundation's mission
  • Nexstar markets - organizations in communities served by Nexstar Media Group stations may have indirect connection points

References

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