15th Street Foundation

The 15th Street Foundation is a young, rapidly growing private family foundation with an unusually accessible application posture for its category. Unlike most family foundations of its size, it reports accepting applications from 'ANY' applicant type with no stated deadlines — making it a viable prospecting target for health-related scholarship programs.

The foundation's focus is narrow and clearly defined: scholarship fund contributions to health-related foundations and medical institutions. Every grant in both 2023 and 2024 was classified as a scholarship fund contribution. This means the most effective approach is to frame your request explicitly around healthcare education, medical training scholarships, or health workforce pipeline development.

The optimal contact strategy is direct outreach to Deborah Dykstra, President, at (972) 877-1282. She works 7 hours per week on foundation activities and appears to be the primary decision-maker. The foundation's secretary, Jocelyn Ansley, also works 7 hours per week and may handle initial inquiries.

Key positioning recommendations: 1. Lead with your organization's role in healthcare education or scholarship administration — this is the only demonstrable funding category. 2. If you are a health foundation, hospital foundation, or medical education institution, emphasize your existing scholarship infrastructure and track record of student support. 3. The foundation operates nationally (9+ states in 2024), so geographic alignment is less critical than programmatic fit. 4. Given the foundation's rapid growth trajectory ($6M to $44M in two years with ongoing contributions), organizations that establish relationships now may benefit from significantly larger grants as the endowment continues to grow. 5. The Crescent Court address (Suite 800) in Uptown Dallas suggests a professional office environment; formal written correspondence in addition to phone outreach is appropriate.

The 15th Street Foundation is one of the fastest-growing private foundations in the Dallas area, having increased its asset base 7x in just two years. The Dykstra family has contributed over $40 million since founding the foundation in 2022.

Key financial trajectory: - 2022 (founding year): $6.1M assets, $6.1M contributions received, $0 grants awarded - 2023 (first active year): $25.0M assets, $20.2M contributions received, $1.3M in 7 grants - 2024: $44.2M assets, $17.2M contributions received, $2.2M in 12 grants

The 2024 distribution rate of approximately 5% ($2.2M on $44M) aligns with the IRS minimum distribution requirement for private foundations, suggesting the foundation has moved from a startup accumulation phase into a steady-state grantmaking pattern.

Grant characteristics (2024): - Number of grants: 12 - Total distributed: $2.2M - Grant range: $250 to $400,000 - Median grant: approximately $160,000 - Average grant: approximately $182,000

All grants are categorized as 'scholarship fund contributions' directed to health-related foundations. The largest individual awards ($400K each) went to Baptist Health Foundation and St. Luke's Health Foundation. The Kansas University Endowment Association received $340K.

Revenue composition shows the foundation is not purely endowment-driven: 80% of 2024 revenue came from new contributions ($17.2M), with investment returns contributing the remainder through asset sales ($3.7M) and dividends ($681K). This suggests the Dykstra family intends to continue building the foundation's endowment significantly.

The 15th Street Foundation is unusually young and fast-growing compared to established Dallas-area private foundations. Its $44M asset base already places it among significant Texas family foundations, though its two-year operating history makes direct peer comparison imprecise.

Notable observations: The 15th Street Foundation's exclusive focus on healthcare scholarships is more narrow than any peer in this table. Its open application policy and accessible contact information are unusual for a family foundation of this size. The rapid asset growth trajectory ($6M to $44M in two years) suggests it could reach $100M+ within the next 3-5 years if the Dykstra family continues contributing at the current rate.

The 15th Street Foundation's 2024 filing represents its most active grantmaking year to date, with 12 grants totaling $2.2 million — nearly doubling both the number and dollar amount of its 2023 grants (7 grants, $1.3M).

All 2024 grants were classified as scholarship fund contributions to health-related organizations. The two largest awards ($400,000 each) went to: - Baptist Health Foundation — supporting healthcare scholarship programs - St. Luke's Health Foundation — supporting healthcare education

Other significant awards include: - Kansas University Endowment Association — $340,000 - Additional grants ranging from $250 to $400,000 to health foundations in Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Georgia, California, and Missouri

The foundation's asset base grew to $44.2 million in 2024, driven by $17.2 million in new contributions from the Dykstra family and $3.7 million in investment gains. The foundation carries no liabilities.

All four officers continue to serve without compensation. Deborah Dykstra (President) and Jocelyn Ansley (Secretary) each work 7 hours per week, while Donald Dykstra (Vice President) works 0.5 hours/week and Ryan Dykstra (Vice President) works 0.25 hours/week. This leadership structure suggests Deborah Dykstra and Jocelyn Ansley handle the foundation's day-to-day operations.

The 15th Street Foundation is one of the more accessible private family foundations for healthcare scholarship funding. Here is how to approach them effectively.

1. Confirm your program fits the scholarship model. Every grant the foundation has ever made is classified as a 'scholarship fund contribution' to a health-related organization. If your request is for general operating support, capital campaigns, or non-healthcare programs, this foundation is not a match.

2. Call Deborah Dykstra directly. Phone: (972) 877-1282. The foundation reports accepting applications from 'ANY' applicant type, and the president's listed phone number suggests a willingness to receive direct inquiries. Be concise — describe your healthcare scholarship program, the number of students supported, and the amount requested.

3. Demonstrate scholarship infrastructure. The foundation funds established health foundations and endowment associations — organizations with existing scholarship administration capacity. If you are a smaller organization, emphasize your scholarship selection process, disbursement track record, and student outcomes data.

4. Request within the demonstrated range. Typical grants range from $150K to $400K, with a median around $160K. Requests significantly above $400K may exceed the foundation's current per-grant ceiling.

5. Follow up in writing. The foundation's office is at 300 Crescent Ct, Suite 800, Dallas, TX 75201. A formal letter summarizing your phone conversation and scholarship program details is appropriate given the professional office setting.

6. Consider multi-year relationship building. The foundation is growing rapidly ($6M to $44M in two years) and expanding its grantee portfolio (7 to 12 grants year over year). Organizations that establish early relationships may receive larger grants as the endowment grows.

7. Do not rely on the website. The foundation's site (15thstreet.org) is a minimal Wix page with no substantive program content. Phone and mail are the primary communication channels.