FundersTexas

Charles & Lois Marie Bright

Nacogdoches, TX · EIN 75-2717755. Reported 226 grants totalling $6,442,228 to 90 organizations across tax years 2020-2023. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.

Yesaccepts unsolicited requests
$10,000median grant
$6,442,228granted, 2020-2023
90organizations funded
73%of grantees funded again the next year
$35.7Massets, latest filing

Does this foundation accept applications?

Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. Charles & Lois Marie Bright did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.

This is the foundation's own statement to the IRS, not our judgement, and it says nothing about whether they have a form, a deadline, or an appetite for new grantees. Treat it as the reason this foundation is worth your research time, not as an invitation. Many small foundations of this kind have no website and no application process -- a letter of inquiry is the normal first step.

How big are its grants?

The median grant is $10,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $5,000 and $26,000; the smallest was $227 and the largest $300,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.

Under $1,000
9 grants
$1,000 - $5,000
41 grants
$5,000 - $10,000
49 grants
$10,000 - $25,000
63 grants
$25,000 - $50,000
19 grants
$50,000 - $100,000
20 grants
$100,000 and Up
25 grants

Every organization it funded

This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which the organization received money -- more than one means a real relationship rather than a one-off.

OrganizationLocationTotal receivedGrantsYears fundedLast
Millard's CrossingNacogdoches, TX$1,154,9301442023
Friends of Historic NacogdochesNacogdoches, TX$448,974842023
Humane Society of Nacogdoches CountyNacogdoches, TX$352,000542023
First Christian ChurchNacogdoches, TX$331,000642023
Love IncNacogdoches, TX$323,358642023
Stephen F Austin State UniversityNacogdoches, TX$319,905442023
Sfasu FoundationNacogdoches, TX$309,028432023
Nacogdoches Airport Improvement FoundationNacogdoches, TX$300,000332023
Nacogdoches Federation of Womens ClubNacogdoches, TX$300,000112021
Mission Nacnew HorizonsNacogdoches, TX$210,000432022
The Village NacNacogdoches, TX$197,000332023
Keep Nacogdoches BeautifulNacogdoches, TX$140,000112020
Nacogdoches Senior CenterNacogdoches, TX$130,000432023
Christian Women's Job CorpNacogdoches, TX$114,000442023
Solid Foundation AssociationNacogdoches, TX$104,887632023
Texas A&m UniversityCollege Station, TX$99,975542023
The University of Texas at TylerTyler, TX$97,096442023
The University of Texas at AustinAustin, TX$96,247442023
Nacogdoches County Hospital DistrictNacogdoches, TX$96,099112021
Nacogoches Law Enforcement FoundationNacogdoches, TX$91,787222023
County of NacogdochesNacogdoches, TX$77,400632022
Glory Gang MinistriesNacogdoches, TX$70,000222023
The Fellowship of Christian AthleteNacogdoches, TX$70,000222021
Heartbeat Pregnancy CenterNacogdoches, TX$59,500332023
Le Tourneau UniversityLongview, TX$58,752442023
Boys and Girls Club of Deep East TxNacogdoches, TX$50,000112022
Fairview Methodist ChurchNacogdoches, TX$50,000112023
Melrose VfdNacogdoces, TX$46,000332023
Tarleton State UniversityStephenville, TX$42,991332022
Nacogdoches County Youth Livestock AssociationNacogdoches, TX$42,400222023
Bridges InternationalAustin, TX$40,000442023
Cal Farley's Boys RanchAmarillo, TX$40,000442023
Tyler Junior CollegeTyler, TX$36,007442023
Nac Foster RescueNacogdoches, TX$30,500442023
United Way of Nacogdoches CountyNacogdoches, TX$30,000222021
City of NacogdochesNacogdoches, TX$29,784112021
Guiding Eyes for the BlindYorktown Heights, NY$25,000442023
Lamp-Lite TheaterNacogdoches, TX$25,000112023
Community RxNacogdoches, TX$24,000442023
Texas Woman's UniversityDenton, TX$22,919222021
Texas State Technical CollegeWaco, TX$16,761222023
City of GarrisonGarrison, TX$15,800222023
Calvary Baptist ChurchNacogdoches, TX$15,600332023
Panola CollegeCarthage, TX$15,215442023
Nacogdoches County Sheriff's OfficeNacogdoches, TX$15,124112021
East Texas Food BankTyler, TX$15,000332023
The University of Texas at DallasRichardson, TX$14,675222023
Texas Tech UniversityLubbock, TX$14,663442023
Nacogdoches County Youth Commercial Heifer ShowGarrison, TX$14,000112023
Habitat for HumanityNacogdoches, TX$12,386112022
Angelina CollegeLufkin, TX$12,311442023
Loco Valley Volunteer Fire DepartmentNacogdoches, TX$12,153222023
Nacogdoches County Chamber FoundationNacogdoches, TX$11,000332023
African American Heritage ProjectNacogdoches, TX$10,000112021
Wiley HotelGarrison, TX$10,000112022
Womens Shelter of East TexasLufkin, TX$10,000112021
Southwestern Assemblies of God UniversityWaxahachie, TX$9,000112020
Texas State UniversitySan Marcos, TX$8,946222023
Nacogdoches County Probation DepartmentNacogdoches, TX$8,000112022
Trail LifeNacogdoches, TX$7,500112023
Kilgore CollegeKilgore, TX$6,427332023
Etoile Volunteer Fire DepartmentEtoile, TX$6,296112022
Concerned Black MenNacogdoches, TX$6,000442023
Stonewall Nac Community CenterNacogdoches, TX$6,000222023
Appleby Volunteer Fire DeparmentNacogdoches, TX$5,000112021
Cushing Volunteer Fire DepartmentCushing, TX$5,000112021
Douglass Volunteer Fire DepartmentDouglass, TX$5,000112021
Driving JacksNacogdoches, TX$5,000112023
Garrison Volunteer Fire DepartmentGarrison, TX$5,000112021
Gloria Russell Children's MinistryLufkin, TX$5,000112022
Lake Nacogdoches Volunteer Fire DepartmentNacogdoches, TX$5,000112021
Libertlooneyville Volunteer Fire DepartmentCushing, TX$5,000112021
Nacogdoches County Chamber of CommerceNacogdoches, TX$5,000112021
Sacred Heart of Catholic ChurchNacogdoches, TX$5,000112020
South Nacogdoches Volunteer Fire DepartmentNacogdoches, TX$5,000112021
Texas Archeological SocietySan Marcos, TX$5,000112022
Nine Flags MuseumNacogdoches, TX$4,100222021
Jacksonville CollegeJacksonville, TX$4,071442023
Nacogdoches Crime StoppersNacogdoches, TX$2,500112020
John S Roberts Chapter 443 Usd 1812Nacogdoches, TX$1,800112020
Sam Houston State UniversityHuntsville, TX$1,570112020
Texas A&m University CorpusCorpus Christi, TX$1,501112022
Nacogdoches Isd Education FoundationNacogdoches, TX$1,500112022
East Texas Baptist UniversityMarshall, TX$1,000112023
Greater East Texas Community Action ProgramNacogdoches, TX$1,000112023
Savannah Collge of Art & DesignSavannah, GA$1,000112021
University of Houston DowntownHouston, TX$1,000112023
Blinn CollegeBrenham, TX$684112022
Lamar UniversityBeaumont, TX$606112023
Mission UpreachLongview, TX$500112023

49 of 90 (54%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold.

Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 73%, across 3 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is about typical. A high number means its list is close to settled and a newcomer has to displace someone; a low one means it is still moving money around, which is where an opening is.

What the money was for

Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.

What kind of organizations it funds

By the recipient's own IRS classification, for the 71 grants where we could identify the organization. These are assigned categories, not our guesses.

Education
19 grants
Arts & Culture
12 grants
Human Services
11 grants
Philanthropy & Grantmaking
6 grants
Animal Welfare
4 grants
Religion
4 grants
Community Improvement
4 grants
Public & Societal Benefit
3 grants

Giving by year

Tax yearGrantsTotalMedian grant
202044$1,510,995$10,000
202166$1,661,661$10,000
202262$1,744,354$10,000
202354$1,525,218$10,000

Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.

Where its money goes

Foundations concentrate geographically far more than their mission statements suggest. 100% of this one's giving went to organizations in Texas. If you are outside its footprint, that matters more than how well your programme fits.

Texas
$6.4M
New York
$25K
Georgia
$1K

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Funders that support the same organizations

These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are the strongest available signal that two funders have overlapping priorities, and a funder already backing your peers is a far warmer prospect than one that merely lists your cause.

Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund13 shared recipientsAmerican Endowment Foundation7 shared recipientsDonor Advised Charitable Giving Inc7 shared recipientsThe Robert a Welch Foundation6 shared recipientsNatl Christian Charitable Fdn Inc6 shared recipientsEnterprise Holdings Foundation6 shared recipients

How to approach this foundation

  1. Check you are its size. The median grant is $10,000. Asking for ten times that is the most common way small organizations waste a submission.
  2. Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Texas.
  3. Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
  4. Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.

Related guides

Foundations funding education in TexasEvery funder in this group, rankedFoundations funding arts & culture in TexasEvery funder in this group, rankedFoundations funding human services in TexasEvery funder in this group, ranked

Where these numbers come from

Everything above is taken from Charles & Lois Marie Bright's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2020-2023). Nothing here is scraped, inferred, or estimated.

Address of record on the latest return: Po Box 635001, Nacogdoches, TX, 75963. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.

EIN 75-2717755 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this

This is history, not an open call. Foundation returns are published about a year after the tax year ends. Nothing on this page is a deadline. It is a record of who this foundation has actually funded, which is the best available predictor of who it will fund next -- and a much better basis for deciding whether to write to them than a mission statement.

Is something here wrong about your foundation? Email [email protected] and we will correct it.