O’Donnell Foundation

OVERVIEW: The Dallas-based O’Donnell Foundation supports K-12 education, higher education, arts and culture and public health, with a strong emphasis on the state of Texas. 

IP TAKE: The O’Donnell Foundation provides a handful of organizations with ongoing support, often in the multimillion-dollar range. This is a crowded grant space, which makes it harder for new outfits to get noticed. However, on the bright side, it’s clear that this foundation likes to offer extended support. While education is its largest area of giving, recent years have seen an increase in its healthcare and arts grantmaking. Texas is its geographic priority. 

This funder maintains a low profile and is not accessible or approachable. However, contact information is provided below. It is unclear what impact the O’Donnell’s death will have on the foundation’s future grantmaking.

PROFILE: The Dallas, Texas-based O’Donnell Foundation was founded in 1957 by the late securities investor Peter O’Donnell, Jr. and his wife, Edith. According to a 2013 article in the Dallas News, the foundation aims to “strengthen the nation’s education system at every level” The foundation often donates large amounts to universities and education nonprofits anonymously. In recent years, the foundation has broadened its grantmaking to include arts and culture and public health, mainly in the Dallas area. This low-profile funder does not articulate specific goals for its funding and does not appear to accept unsolicited proposals. 

Grants for K-12 Education 

For the past several years, the O’Donnell Foundation has given large sums to the National Science and Math Initiative, a nonprofit that aims to improve the quality of science and math instruction across the U.S. and improve student outcomes broadly. Another grantee to receive multi-year support, Big Thought, uses arts education to enhance socio-emotional learning and give voice to marginalized students. 

Grants for Higher Education 

The O’Donnell Foundation does not outline priorities for its higher education giving. Grantees include the University of Texas campuses at Austin and Dallas, the University of Colorado Boulder and the United Negro College Fund. Significantly, the foundation also gave $100 million to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center to endow its public-health school, the Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health. In 2023, the foundation gave $30 million to Southern Methodist University to endow its data-science institute and strengthen engineering programs.

Grants for Public Health

Public health grantmaking prioritizes the state of Texas. The University of Texas’s Southwestern Medical Center has received many millions in recent years. The Dallas-based Cooper Institute, which conducts research on preventative health measures, has also received ongoing support. 

Grants for Arts and Culture 

O’Donnell’s arts and culture grantmaking mainly serves organizations in Dallas. Grantees include the Dallas Center for Performing Arts, the Dallas Symphony, the Dallas Opera, the Dallas Theater Center and the Dallas Museum of Art. Outside of Texas, the foundation has given to New York’s Metropolitan Opera. 

Important Grant Details:

The O’Donnell Foundation makes about $25 million in grants a year in amounts up to $10 million. While education is its largest area of giving, the foundation has demonstrated an increased interest in health and arts and culture in recent years. For additional information about past grantmaking, see the foundation’s recent tax filings. 

This funder does not maintain a website and does not appear to accept unsolicited proposals for funding. The foundation’s phone number is 214-871-5800. A mailing address is provided below. 

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CONTACT: 

O’Donnell Foundation 

100 Crescent Ct. Ste. 1660

Dallas, TX 75201

(214) 871-5800