What does Effie and Wofford Cain Foundation fund?

The foundation gives primarily to scientific, medical, and educational institutions. Priority funding areas include: • Medical and scientific research • Speech-language pathology, including stuttering research and treatment • Diagnostic imaging • Bone and joint disease research • Cancer therapy research • Universities and medical schools • Public charities and civic organizations

How do I apply for a grant from Effie and Wofford Cain Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • Annual giving: $5.5 million (2023) • Total assets: $108.9 million (as of 2024) • Grant range: $1,500 to $2.7 million • Number of awards: 55 grants in 2023 • Median grant: $15,000 • Average grant: $95,000 **Recent Grants (2024):** • Psi Chi - University of Texas at Austin: $1,600,000 (Facilities Construction) • Psi Chi - University of Texas at Austin: $1,550,000 (Facilities Construction) • Psi Chi - University of Texas at Austin: $370,000 (Scholarships) • Austin Classical G…

Effie and Wofford Cain Foundation

AUSTIN, TX EIN: 75-6030774

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The Effie and Wofford Cain Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1952 by Dallas oilman R. Wofford Cain, a 1913 graduate of Texas A&M University, and his wife, Effie Marie. Based in Austin, Texas, the foundation operates as an independent private foundation with a focus on supporting scientific, medical, and educational institutions.

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Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$108.9M

+1.0% YoY

Annual Giving

$5.2M

-6.2% YoY

Grant Count

-7.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$98K

+0.9% YoY

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation gives primarily to scientific, medical, and educational institutions. Priority funding areas include:

Medical and scientific research
Speech-language pathology, including stuttering research and treatment
Diagnostic imaging
Bone and joint disease research
Cancer therapy research
Universities and medical schools
Public charities and civic organizations

Grantmaking

The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications. It operates on a preselected basis, selecting grantees rather than accepting proposals. There are no submission deadlines. The foundation maintains established funding relationships and does not maintain a public website or provide public contact methods for prospective grantseekers.

Grant Range

$1,500 to $2.7 million

Average Grant

$95,000

Review Cycle

. The foundation maintains established funding relationships and does not maintain a public website or provide public contact methods for prospective grantseekers.

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grantmaking is concentrated primarily in Texas, with some support extending to Idaho and California. The foundation has supported 67 unique organizations across 8 states, with Texas, Idaho, and California accounting for 95% of all grants.

Grant Distribution by State

Texas $18.1M (97%)

New York $180K (1%)

California $158K (1%)

Idaho $120K (1%)

Missouri $40K (0%)

Indiana $25K (0%)

North Carolina $25K (0%)

Virginia $25K (0%)

+4 more states

States

California Colorado District of Columbia Idaho Indiana Missouri North Carolina New York South Carolina Texas Virginia Vermont

Cities

AthensAustinBellevueColorado SpringsDallasFort WorthFredericksburgGainesvilleGreat FallsHoustonIndianapolisLaguna BeachLos AngelesManorNavasotaNew YorkNorthridgePlainfieldSanta MonicaSherman Oaks

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of Fiscal Year Ending October 2024:

Total assets: $108,876,597
Total revenues: $8,223,291
Total expenses: $7,119,076
Investment income and dividends: $3,086,057
Number of employees: 4

Historical Giving:

2023: $5,521,500 in grants across 55 awards
2022: $12.1 million in grants
Total grants made (historical): $17.7 million across 185 grants

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$108,876,597	$107,772,381	$109,440,296
Revenue	$8,223,291	$5,451,346	$9,351,436
Expenses	$7,119,076	$7,119,261	$7,774,297
Qualifying Distributions	$6,675,284	$6,542,276	$7,124,600
Net Investment Income	$9,027,463	$4,218,481	$9,848,514
Distributable Amount	$7,195,757	$6,236,716	$6,670,890

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

200 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

No grants recorded for .

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Executive Director: Lynn Fowler

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
JOHN C CAIN	DIRECTORS OF REAL ESTATE, VP	32	$39,080
CHARMAINE D MCGILL	DIRECTOR, VP, GRANT ADMINISTRATOR	31	$88,161
F WOFFORD DENIUS	DIRECTOR OF LEGAL, PRESIDENT	31	$39,080
LYNN FOWLER	EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SECY & TREASURER	44.54	$471,890
CYNTHIA M MATULA	EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SECY & TREASURER	43.62	$132,750
MARY BRATZ	BUSINESS MGR, ASST SECRETARY	40.31	$107,920