Welcome to the Summerlee Foundation
Founded in 1988, the Summerlee Foundation is a mission-driven organization dedicated to the support of animal welfare and the preservation of Texas history.
The foundation is governed by a seven member Board of Directors composed of animal and history experts and community leaders. Our Board of Directors and staff are actively involved in the broader philanthropic sector as members of national and regional philanthropy serving organizations including Animal Grantmakers, Exponent Philanthropy, and Philanthropy Southwest.
The Summerlee Foundation has been recognized as an Outstanding Foundation by the Greater Dallas Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
Leadership Transition
Jessica Lee Hamlin became President and Texas History Program Director of the Summerlee Foundation on January 1, 2026. Jessica, who for the past eleven years has served as Executive Director of Shumla Archaeological Research and Education Center, succeeds Gary N. Smith, who served the Summerlee Foundation for the past ten years.
Jessica has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology/Archaeology and Spanish from Texas A&M University and a Master of Arts degree in Human Geography from the University of Texas. Shumla is a global leader in rock art research and education using advanced science and technology to preserve the information held in the oldest “books” in North America — the ancient murals of the Lower Pecos Canyonlands of Texas.
Prior to taking the helm at Shumla, Jessica was a Senior Consultant in the Communications and Change Management practice at Willis Towers Watson, an international consulting firm. She has also worked in administration at the Smithsonian Institution and in travel programming at Crow Canyon Archaeological Center.
Gary will assume the position of Co-Trustee with the Summerfield G. Roberts Foundation in 2026. The Roberts Foundation is a Summerlee-related foundation that makes grants in three areas: Texas history, graduate business school scholarships, and medical research.
Animal Protection Program
The Animal Protection application portal will next opens for Letters of Interest on July 1, 2026 at 10:00 AM Central Time. The portal will close upon reaching 150 submissions. Please be advised it can happen very quickly – in just several hours. This is for organizations wishing to apply for our September 2026 grant cycle. Thank you.
Texas History Program
The next opportunity to apply will be our Fall 2026 grant cycle. The online application portal will open on July 6, 2026. Contact Texas History Program Director, Jessica Hamlin, at jhamlin@summerlee.org to schedule an appointment to discuss your project in May or June.
What We Fund
The Foundation makes grants for two specific purposes: to alleviate fear, pain and suffering of animals and to promote animal protection and the prevention of cruelty to animals, and to research, promote and document all facets of Texas History.
