Chrest Foundation Inc.

## Approach Strategy

The Chrest Foundation was established in 1999 by Jeff Jensen and Lou Anne King Jensen as a family philanthropy vehicle. Based in Irving, Texas, the foundation has evolved significantly since its founding, with the Jensen children joining in 2017 and adding criminal justice reform and environmental conservation as core program areas.

The foundation operates on four guiding principles that shape its grantmaking:

1. Communities Know Best: Grants are primarily directed to community-based organizations in Colorado and Texas, reflecting a belief that local organizations best understand and can solve their own community challenges.

2. Long-Term Partnership: Rather than one-time grants, the foundation seeks ongoing relationships with grantees, offering multi-year funding, capacity building support, and research assistance. This is reflected in repeat grants to organizations like Trust for Public Land ($375,000 over 2020-2022) and Texas Public Policy Foundation ($400,000 over the same period).

3. Institutional Integrity: Grantees must demonstrate sound management, transparent reporting, and the ability to leverage additional funding from other sources.

4. Program Evaluation: Organizations develop their own evaluation frameworks as part of proposals, with final reports used for institutional learning rather than punitive accountability.

The foundation is family-run with minimal overhead. Lou Anne King Jensen serves as President (30 hours/week, no compensation), while Jeff Jensen, William Jensen, and Haley Jensen serve as officers at 1 hour/week each with no compensation. Elizabeth Jensen serves as Senior Director of Operations, the foundation's only compensated position ($93,000). This lean structure means decisions are made within the family, with professional staff managing operations and grantee relationships.

## Funding Patterns

The Chrest Foundation distributes approximately $1.9 million annually across 24 grants, funded entirely by its $37.8 million endowment.

2024 Financial Overview: - Total Assets: $37.8 million - Total Revenue: $1.61 million (54.3% dividends, 45.7% asset sales) - Total Expenses: $1.85 million - Charitable Disbursements: $1.91 million - Officer/Staff Compensation: $92,973 (Elizabeth Jensen only) - Contributions Received: $0 (fully endowed)

Grant Distribution (2024): - Number of Grants: 24 - Grant Range: $10,000 to $150,000 - Median Grant: $80,000 - Total Giving: ~$1.9 million

Major 2024 Recipients (Criminal Justice): - Recidiviz Inc: $150,000 (criminal justice data platform) - Texas Public Policy Foundation: $150,000 (criminal justice accountability) - Southern Methodist University: $125,000 (pretrial detention research)

Major 2024 Recipients (Environment): - Trust for Public Land: $200,000 (two grants — greenspace and conservation) - World Wildlife Fund: $100,000 (grassland conservation) - Montana Wilderness Association: $100,000 (land protection)

Historical Giving (2020-2022 Cumulative): - Criminal Justice: Girls Embracing Mothers ($150K), Lone Star Justice Alliance ($210K), Recidiviz ($250K), SMU ($400K), Texas Appleseed ($200K), TPPF ($400K), Buried Alive Project ($110K), Unlocking Doors ($20K) - Environment: Conservation Colorado Education Fund ($250K), Protect Our Winters ($175K), Trust for Public Land ($375K), Greenspace Dallas ($75K), Montana Wilderness Association ($50K), Boulder Climbing Community ($10K)

Key Pattern: The foundation maintains long-term relationships with a core group of grantees, providing repeat multi-year funding. This is consistent with its stated preference for partnership over transactional grantmaking.

## Peer Comparison

The Chrest Foundation operates at the intersection of criminal justice reform and environmental conservation, a distinctive combination. Below is a comparison with peer foundations in these spaces:

Positioning: The Chrest Foundation is a small-to-mid-sized funder in both the criminal justice reform and environmental conservation spaces. In criminal justice, it is dwarfed by Arnold Ventures and the Koch network but occupies an important niche in Texas-focused reform — funding both progressive organizations (Texas Appleseed, Lone Star Justice Alliance) and conservative-leaning policy groups (Texas Public Policy Foundation), reflecting a bipartisan approach to justice reform. In environment, its focus on land conservation and outdoor recreation access distinguishes it from climate-focused environmental funders.

Notable Bipartisan Approach: The foundation funds organizations across the political spectrum on criminal justice — a distinctive trait that positions it as a bridge-builder in a policy area where left-right coalitions have proven effective (e.g., the FIRST STEP Act). This bipartisan character is unusual among foundations of this size.

## Recent Activity

Criminal Justice Reform Portfolio (2024): The foundation continues to invest in data-driven criminal justice reform. Recidiviz ($150,000) builds technology platforms that help state governments track and reduce incarceration, using data analytics to identify people eligible for release or alternative sentencing. Southern Methodist University ($125,000) conducts research on pretrial detention — a critical reform area where people await trial in jail because they cannot afford bail. Texas Public Policy Foundation ($150,000) advocates for conservative criminal justice reform approaches, including reducing incarceration costs and improving reentry outcomes.

Environmental Conservation (2024): The Trust for Public Land received $200,000 across two grants for greenspace creation and land conservation projects. The World Wildlife Fund received $100,000 for grassland conservation — protecting native prairies and rangelands that are among the most threatened ecosystems in North America. Montana Wilderness Association ($100,000) works to protect public lands and wilderness areas in Montana.

Foundation Evolution: Since the Jensen children joined the board in 2017, the foundation has shifted from its earlier focus (which included Turkish civil society organizations) toward a stronger domestic emphasis on criminal justice and environment. The 2024 grantee list shows a maturing portfolio with repeat, multi-year relationships rather than new exploratory grants.

Financial Stability: With $37.8 million in assets generating $1.61 million in investment income against $1.85 million in expenses, the foundation is drawing down slightly (net loss of $245K in 2024). This is within normal range for private foundations meeting their 5% distribution requirement, but bears monitoring if investment returns underperform over multiple years.

## Application Tips

Important: The Chrest Foundation only accepts solicited grant applications. However, unlike many invitation-only foundations, the Chrest Foundation provides a structured pathway for new grantees.

How to Get Solicited:

1. Referrals from current/previous grantees are accepted. The foundation explicitly states that referrals from organizations in its network will be considered. If your organization has relationships with Recidiviz, Texas Appleseed, Trust for Public Land, Conservation Colorado, or other Chrest grantees, ask them to make an introduction.

2. Contact the foundation directly. Call +1.972.999.4518 or visit chrestfoundation.org/contact-us/ to inquire about alignment. The foundation is more transparent than most invitation-only funders — it publishes its focus areas, FAQs, and grantmaking principles openly.

3. Part I applications can be submitted anytime once you receive a link from foundation staff. This means there is no application window to miss — the key hurdle is getting the invitation.

Application Process Details: - Part I: Submitted through online portal after receiving link from staff. Reviewed within 30 days. - Part II: Requested only if Part I aligns with priorities. Includes supporting documentation. - Part II Quarterly Deadlines (2026): February 6, May 3, August 4, October 30. - Funding disbursement: 2-3 weeks after approval.

Maximizing Your Chances:

4. Align with Colorado or Texas geography. The foundation explicitly focuses on community-based organizations in these two states. National organizations are funded, but local Colorado/Texas groups are preferred.

5. Criminal justice applicants: Focus on data-driven approaches, pretrial reform, sentencing reform, reentry support, or support for incarcerated people's families. The foundation funds across the political spectrum — both progressive and conservative approaches to justice reform.

6. Environmental applicants: Focus on land conservation, greenspace access, outdoor recreation access, or grassland/prairie protection. Climate advocacy and clean energy are secondary interests.

7. Discuss grant amounts with staff before submitting. The foundation explicitly advises this. Most grants are $10,000-$150,000 with a median of $80,000.

8. Demonstrate capacity for self-evaluation. The foundation expects grantees to develop their own evaluation metrics and report on outcomes. Include a clear evaluation framework in your proposal.

9. Multi-year requests are welcome. The foundation explicitly supports multi-year endeavors, and its giving history shows repeat multi-year grants to core partners.