Hatton W. Sumners Foundation for the Study and Teaching of Self-Government is a grantmaking organization that gives grants to non-profits and provides higher education scholarships to promote the values of civic participation and self-government.

Founding and History

The Hatton W. Sumners Foundation for the Study and Teaching of Self-Government was founded by former Dallas-area U.S. Rep. Hatton Sumners (D-TX) in 1949. ¹ Sumners was a proponent of state sovereignty and opposed President Franklin Roosevelt’s court-packing plans. When he announced his retirement from Congress in 1946, he spoke out against the centralization of power in the federal government and stated that he planned to work towards reestablishing state sovereignty and reducing the power of the federal government. ^{2 3}

Since its establishment, the foundation has worked to promote self-government through grantmaking, educational seminars, and scholarships to select universities and law schools in Texas and Oklahoma. ^{4 5}

Financial Information

At the end of fiscal year 2019, the Hatton W. Sumners Foundation had $2,431,561 in revenue, of which $ 170,602 was derived from contributions, $393,786 was derived from interest, $1,074,076 was derived from investment income, and $984,800 was derived from other sources of income. The foundation had $4,106,672 in expenses, of which $1,615,692 was spent on administrative expenses, including $749,362 in staff and director compensation, and $2,490,980 in contributions and grants. The foundation ended fiscal year 2019 with $66,485,850 in net assets. ⁶

Programs

The Hatton W. Sumners Foundation awards full tuition and allowances to five or six law students every year at Oklahoma City University School of Law and Southern Methodist University School of law. The foundation also funds two-year scholarships at Austin College, Howard Payne University, Schreiner University, and Texas Wesleyan University. In addition, the foundation has at-large scholarship opportunities for students from select states who are attending college at a school in Oklahoma or Texas. Students who are accepted into the programs have access to speaking events and programs hosted by the foundation. ⁷

1. “The Sumners Foundation Leadership.” SumnersFoundation.org. Accessed January 28, 2021. https://www.sumnersfoundation.org/leadership/leadership/.
2. “The Sumners Foundation Legacy.” SumnersFoundation.org. Accessed January 28, 2021. https://www.sumnersfoundation.org/legacy/hatton-w-sumners/.
3. Sumners, Hon Hatton W. “APPENDIX TO THE CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: Hon. Hatton W. Sumners, of Texas, Will Not Seek Reelection,” March 11, 1946. Accessed January 28, 2021.
4. “Grants from The Sumners Foundation.” SumnersFoundation.org. Accessed January 28, 2021. https://www.sumnersfoundation.org/grants/.
5. “The Sumners Scholarship.” SumnersFoundation.org. Accessed January 28, 2021. https://www.sumnersfoundation.org/scholarships/.
6. Hatton W. Sumners Foundation for the Study & Teaching of Self-Govt, IRS (Form 990 PF), 2019, Part 1
7. “The Sumners Scholarship.” SumnersFoundation.org. Accessed January 28, 2021. https://www.sumnersfoundation.org/scholarships/.