Alvin & Lucy Owsley Foundation
The Alvin & Lucy Owsley Foundation is a private foundation based in Houston, Texas, established as a trust in 1950 and granted tax-exempt status in December 1951. The foundation operates with no employees and maintains its office at 3402 Wickersham Lane, Houston, TX 77027-4134.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$6.6M
+1.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$581K
-2.2% YoY
Grant Count
45
-15.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$13K
+15.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Alvin & Lucy Owsley Foundation reported a distributable amount of $585K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving priorities include:
- Arts and culture
- Education
- Human services
- Social services
- Health
- Environment
- Community development, including historic preservation
- Civic affairs
- Children and youth
- Animal welfare
Grantmaking
The foundation provides contributions to the general operating fund to enable grantees to fulfill their charitable purposes.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports nonprofit organizations primarily in Texas, with emphasis on Houston and the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Grant-making also extends to Pennsylvania and New York.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $6,624,259
- Total revenues: $883,234
- Total expenses: $715,308
- Number of employees: 0
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $6,624,259 | $6,515,468 | $6,787,868 |
| Revenue | $883,234 | $422,178 | $739,806 |
| Expenses | $715,308 | $694,578 | $585,980 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $588,512 | $594,064 | $469,089 |
| Net Investment Income | $763,938 | $326,355 | $633,020 |
| Distributable Amount | $585,368 | $503,930 | $529,557 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
192 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Houston Ballet ($99,890), Stages ($87,627), Contemporary Arts Museum Houston ($75,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION HOUSTON, TX | CONTRIBUTION TO THE GENERAL OPERATING FUND TO ENABLE THEM TO FULFILL THEIR CHARITABLE PURPOSE. | $250 |
| ASIA SOCIETY TEXAS HOUSTON, TX | CONTRIBUTION TO THE GENERAL OPERATING FUND TO ENABLE THEM TO FULFILL THEIR CHARITABLE PURPOSE. | $2,500 |
| BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP HOUSTON, TX | CONTRIBUTION TO THE GENERAL OPERATING FUND TO ENABLE THEM TO FULFILL THEIR CHARITABLE PURPOSE. | $10,000 |
| CAMP ALLEN NAVASOTA, TX | CONTRIBUTION TO THE GENERAL OPERATING FUND TO ENABLE THEM TO FULFILL THEIR CHARITABLE PURPOSE. | $5,000 |
| CENTER FOR HOUSTON'S FUTURE HOUSTON, TX | CONTRIBUTION TO THE GENERAL OPERATING FUND TO ENABLE THEM TO FULFILL THEIR CHARITABLE PURPOSE. | $250 |
| CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL HOUSTON, TX | CONTRIBUTION TO THE GENERAL OPERATING FUND TO ENABLE THEM TO FULFILL THEIR CHARITABLE PURPOSE. | $21,650 |
| COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF HOUSTON HOUSTON, TX | CONTRIBUTION TO THE GENERAL OPERATING FUND TO ENABLE THEM TO FULFILL THEIR CHARITABLE PURPOSE. | $1,500 |
| CONTEMPORARY ARTS MUSEUM HOUSTON HOUSTON, TX | CONTRIBUTION TO THE GENERAL OPERATING FUND TO ENABLE THEM TO FULFILL THEIR CHARITABLE PURPOSE. | $75,000 |
| CRIME STOPPERS OF HOUSTON HOUSTON, TX | CONTRIBUTION TO THE GENERAL OPERATING FUND TO ENABLE THEM TO FULFILL THEIR CHARITABLE PURPOSE. | $5,000 |
| EDDIE BURKE SR MEMORIAL INVITATIONAL HOUSTON, TX | CONTRIBUTION TO THE GENERAL OPERATING FUND TO ENABLE THEM TO FULFILL THEIR CHARITABLE PURPOSE. | $1,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SOPHIA GARRETT | TRUSTEE | 0.1 | — |
| DAVID T OWSLEY | TRUSTEE | 0.1 | — |
| STEVEN A OWSLEY | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Contact Information
- Telephone: 713-208-9884
- EIN: 75-6047221
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Alvin & Lucy Owsley Foundation fund?
The foundation's giving priorities include: • Arts and culture • Education • Human services • Social services • Health • Environment • Community development, including historic preservation • Civic affairs • Children and youth • Animal welfare
How do I apply for a grant from Alvin & Lucy Owsley Foundation?
**Grant Activity & Amounts:** • Made 31 grants in 2024 • Total giving in 2024: $580,900 • Typical award range: $250–$180,000 • Types of support include general operating fund contributions and project support **Recent Grants (2024):** • Stages: $87,627 • Contemporary Arts Museum Houston: $75,000 • St. John's School (SJS): $60,500 The foundation provides contributions to the general operating fund to enable grantees to fulfill their charitable purposes.
Where does Alvin & Lucy Owsley Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports nonprofit organizations primarily in Texas, with emphasis on Houston and the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Grant-making also extends to Pennsylvania and New York.
What size grants does Alvin & Lucy Owsley Foundation award?
In 2024, Alvin & Lucy Owsley Foundation awarded 45 grants totaling $581K — an average of about $13K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Alvin & Lucy Owsley Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Alvin & Lucy Owsley Foundation reported a distributable amount of $585K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Alvin & Lucy Owsley Foundation's EIN?
Alvin & Lucy Owsley Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-6047221. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.