Thirteen years ago, Midlanders celebrated the grand opening of the $81 million state-of-the-art Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center that promised to spur growth between Midland and Odessa. Grant Billingsley served as the committee chairman who helped guide development, design, and fundraising for the Wagner Noel. After a career that included leading the Midland Chamber of Commerce, serving as the first president of the Midland Development Corporation, and spending 25 years as Manager of Public Affairs for Wagner & Brown, Ltd., Mr. Billingsley already had made Midland a better place in 2011 than he found it when he moved from Oklahoma in 1975.
Before opening night at the performing arts center that he helped create, Billingsley had signed on as the first executive director of the newly formed Scharbauer Foundation. With only three board members and less than $50 million in assets, the Foundation awarded 12 grants totaling $1.6 million in its first year.
Scharbauer Foundation now has awarded more than 600 grants totaling $208.6 million and holds more than $600 million in assets. The board consists of 10 directors and the staff has grown from one to seven employees.
Billingsley built the Scharbauer Foundation brand and carefully protected its reputation. He worked with the Board to define the Foundation’s priorities, geographic scope, and funding guidelines. He reached beyond the grant cycles and collaborated with community partners, government entities, and other funders to craft projects that embody the Foundation’s vision to “make Midland a better place to live and to operate a business.”
Under Billingsley’s leadership, the Scharbauer Foundation solidified its preference for investing in capital projects and supporting requests that leave a lasting and visible impact on the community. Support from Scharbauer Foundation made possible the transformation of the former Midland County Courthouse site to the new Centennial Park, creating a modern downtown anchor that keeps the area active after hours and on weekends. Adding to the park’s value is one of the Foundation’s most recent and unique projects. The Onmi Hotel allows the Foundation to build on the history of the Scharbauer family’s namesake downtown hotel.
In addition to projects for civic and public benefit, the Foundation’s funding priorities include human services, healthcare, and education. Healthcare and education are Scharbauer Foundation’s top two focus areas. Since inception, the Foundation has invested more than $28 million into Midland ISD schools, teachers, and programs. Scharbauer Foundation also has granted more than $14 million to bring in charter school operators and give local families more choices for their children’s education. Since 2019, Scharbauer Foundation has been integral in bringing IDEA Public Schools to the Permian Basin and building Harmony Science Academy of Midland. Scharbauer Foundation and its funding partners Abell-Hanger Foundation and Permian Strategic Partnership (PSP) made it possible in 2021 for Midland College to expand its Pre-K Academy with a new building. In 2023, Scharbauer and PSP partnered to fund full scholarships for graduate students pursuing advanced degrees in behavioral health fields.
Under Billingsley, Scharbauer Foundation was an early donor to the Permian Basin Behavioral Health Center and has been involved from the beginning in the creation of The Beacon Alliance development surrounding the Behavioral Health Center. The Foundation has supported Midland Health in its recent campaign to update Midland Memorial Hospital and the FMH Outpatient Center. Since inception, the Foundation has awarded almost $61 million to improve healthcare in Midland and Odessa, with more than $26 million allocated to mental health care.
Scharbauer Foundation has supported local nonprofit organizations taking on large capital projects. The Foundation played a significant role in successful capital campaigns for Safe Place of the Permian Basin, Senior Life Midland, Bynum School, and many others.
Through his dedication to his community and his work, Mr. Billingsley made Scharbauer Foundation what it is today – a private foundation steeped in Midland’s history and prepared to improve Midland’s future.