Candis Kenner Wells Foundation
The CANDIS KENNER WELLS FOUNDATION is a private foundation based in Palestine, Texas. In its 2024 filing, it reported 11 grants totaling $100,000 to charitable organizations, schools, and other recipients.
Key facts about Candis Kenner Wells Foundation
In short: Candis Kenner Wells Foundation gave $100K across 11 grants in 2024 (avg $9K), mostly in Texas. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 92-1428604
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $100,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 11
- Average grant
- $9,091
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $525,168
- Primary geography
- Texas (90% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$525K
+14.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$100K
+156.4% YoY
Grant Count
11
+37.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$9K
+86.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Candis Kenner Wells Foundation reported a distributable amount of $23K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How Candis Kenner Wells Foundation gives
- 45% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 471% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement is provided. The 2024 grants included support for community organizations, animal rescue and shelter, advocacy for abuse victims, food assistance, care for children, health care and research, military history, and youth education.
Among its grantees, the East Texas Food Bank Foundation says it exists to benefit the regional East Texas Food Bank and provide stable revenue for its general programs. Anderson County Humane Society says it provides animal care, control, and adoption services in Anderson County. Shriners Children’s describes its mission as providing compassionate, high-quality care to improve children’s lives in a family-centered and collaborative environment.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave $100,000 through 11 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $50,000, with a median of $5,000. The largest grant was $50,000 to Palestine Community Theater for community support. Other grants included $5,000 each to Anderson County Humane Society for animal rescue and shelter, East Texas Food Bank Foundation for feeding the hungry, and Kerens High School for youth education.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 90% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas, 5% to recipients in Tennessee, and 5% to recipients in Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2023 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $39K (2023) to $100K (2024). In 2024 it made 11 grants totaling $100K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Palestine Community Theater ($50K). Together the top 10 received $95K.
Grant Size Distribution
19 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 18 grants of 19 (95%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Palestine Community Theater Palestine, TX | Community Support | $50,000 |
| Anderson County Humane Society Palestine, TX | Animal Rescue and Shelter | $5,000 |
| Coyote Squadron of the Air Force Corsicana, TX | Military History Support | $5,000 |
| Crisis Center of Anderson & Cheroke Jacksonville, TX | Advocacy of Abuse Victims | $5,000 |
| St Jude Children's Research Hospita Memphis, TN | Cancer Research | $5,000 |
| East Texas Food Bank Foundation Tyler, TX | Feeding the Hungry | $5,000 |
| Pleasant Hills Childrens Home of TH Fairfield, TX | Care for Neglected Children | $5,000 |
| Texas Masonic Charities Foundation Llano, TX | Community Support | $5,000 |
| Shriners Hospitals for Children Tampa, FL | Pediatric Health Care | $5,000 |
| Texas Tech University System Lubbock, TX | Youth Education | $5,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $525,168 | $177,475 | $111,150 | $100,000 (11 grants) |
| 2023 | $458,843 | $205,255 | $46,414 | $39,000 (8 grants) |
| 2022 | $300,002 | $300,002 | — | 0 grants |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $525,168 | $458,843 | $300,002 |
| Revenue | $177,475 | $205,255 | $300,002 |
| Expenses | $111,150 | $46,414 | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | $108,630 | $45,033 | — |
| Net Investment Income | $25,012 | $4,099 | $2 |
| Distributable Amount | $23,050 | $14,634 | $810 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2022–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists James E Wells as president, Michael E Johnston as vice preside, and Lawrence J Weber as secretary/tr.
Candis Kenner Wells Foundation is led by James E. Wells, President on every filing since 2022; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
James E. Wells
President
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lawrence J. Weber
Secretary
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael E. Johnston
Vice President
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2022–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 1991, Palestine, TX 75802
Phone: (903) 545-2993
Frequently asked questions about Candis Kenner Wells Foundation
How much does Candis Kenner Wells Foundation give each year?
Candis Kenner Wells Foundation gave $100K across 11 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $39K across 8 grants.
What is Candis Kenner Wells Foundation's typical grant size?
Candis Kenner Wells Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $9,091, across 11 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Candis Kenner Wells Foundation give grants?
Candis Kenner Wells Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Tennessee (5%) and Florida (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Palestine, TX (2 grants).
Does Candis Kenner Wells Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on Candis Kenner Wells Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Candis Kenner Wells Foundation's largest grantees?
Candis Kenner Wells Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Palestine Community Theater ($50,000), Anderson County Humane Society ($5,000) and Coyote Squadron of the Air Force ($5,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 60% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Candis Kenner Wells Foundation?
Candis Kenner Wells Foundation reported $525K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $109K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $23K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Candis Kenner Wells Foundation fund?
No mission statement is provided. The 2024 grants included support for community organizations, animal rescue and shelter, advocacy for abuse victims, food assistance, care for children, health care and research, military history, and youth education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Candis Kenner Wells Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Candis Kenner Wells Foundation's EIN?
Candis Kenner Wells Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 92-1428604. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2022–2024.
Does Candis Kenner Wells Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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