A Mad Idea Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Houston, TX EIN: 20-0402748

A Mad Idea Foundation is a private foundation, based in Houston, TX. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $449K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 2 grants totaling $40K.

A Mad Idea Foundation at a glance

In short: A Mad Idea Foundation gave $40K across 2 grants in 2025 (avg $20K), mostly in Texas. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$40,000
+14.3% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
2
+100.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$20,000
-42.9% vs 2024
Median grant
$20,000
Total assets
$448,593
-8.1% vs 2024
Primary geography
Texas (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.

Who A Mad Idea Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 2 recipients in 2025

Rice University: $35KRice University$35KMain Street Theater: $5KMain Street Theater$5K

The largest 2025 recipient was Rice University ($35K). Together the top 2 received $40K.

Grant Size Distribution

9 grants across all recorded years

9<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 9 grants of 9 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

3states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 2 itemized grants.

Cities

HoustonAustinAtlantaBrookshireMontgomery

How A Mad Idea Foundation gives

  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+14%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 156% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$25K$50K$75K$100K1 grant2019 1 grant2020 3 grants2021 1 grant2022 2 grants2023 1 grant2024 2 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $25K (2019) to $100K (2021). In 2025 it made 2 grants totaling $40K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Rice University Houston, TXGeneral Contribution$35,000
Main Street Theater Houston, TXGeneral Contribution$5,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$448,593$2,777$42,574$40,0002$40,000—$25,636
2024$488,390$4,266$37,574$35,0001$35,000—$25,639
2023$521,698$4,423$32,360$30,0002$30,000—$26,330
2022$549,635$2,987$37,250$35,0001$35,000—$29,325
2021$583,898$2,310$107,809$100,0003$100,000—$32,914
2020$689,397$418,302$27,326$25,0001—$413,726$20,244
2019$298,421$8,474$27,439$25,0001—$3,785$21,166

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, A Mad Idea Foundation reported a distributable amount of $26K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

A Mad Idea Foundation is led by Byrd C. Walls, Director & President on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Byrd C. Walls

    Director & President

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

  • Kathy Cire

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

  • Lon W. Williams

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Carol K. Walls (2019–2022) — Director, Vice President, Secretary & Treasurer

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Frequently asked questions about A Mad Idea Foundation

How much does A Mad Idea Foundation give each year?

A Mad Idea Foundation gave $40K across 2 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $35K across 1 grant.

How large is A Mad Idea Foundation?

A Mad Idea Foundation reported $449K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $40K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $26K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

Where does A Mad Idea Foundation operate?

A Mad Idea Foundation has awarded grants in Alabama, Georgia, Texas.

What is A Mad Idea Foundation's EIN?

A Mad Idea Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-0402748. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

Data update history

(3)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 30, 2020)
  2. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 26, 2026)
  3. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from A Mad Idea Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.

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