Ernest L Kurth Jr Charitable Foundation

DALLAS, TX EIN: 75-1862248

The Ernest L Kurth Jr Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Dallas, Texas, established in 1983. The foundation maintains a century-long tradition of philanthropy rooted in the Kurth family's historic role in the East Texas lumber industry. It operates as a family foundation with significant assets dedicated to charitable giving across Texas.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$41.4M

+3.6% YoY

Annual Giving

$1.7M

-9.7% YoY

Grant Count

-6.1% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$56K

-3.8% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ernest L Kurth Jr Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation supports institutions and organizations that demonstrate promise of producing significant advances in the following areas:

Education (K-12 and higher education, research endeavors)
Health
Community and social services
Cultural arts and humanities
Human services
Philanthropic capacity building

Grantmaking

Applications are accepted through the Bank of America Philanthropic Solutions system. The foundation does not operate named grant programs but awards grants through a general grantmaking process. The foundation is not listed on the Bank of America website at either the family's or the foundation's request.

Grant Range

$15,000 to $155,000

Average Grant

amount: $58,000

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation maintains particular emphasis on East Texas and Angelina County, reflecting the family's lumber business roots. Primary service areas include:

Dallas, TX
Diboll, TX
Houston, TX
Huntington, TX
Longview, TX
Lufkin, TX (27 grants awarded)
Pollock, TX

The foundation's geographic focus is primarily Texas, with special emphasis on communities connected to the family's historical business interests.

Grant Distribution by State

Texas $8.3M (100%)

States

Texas

Cities

DallasDibollHoustonHuntingtonLongviewLufkinNacogdochesPflugervillePollock

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets and Giving:

Total assets: $41.4 million (2024)
Total assets: $46.8 million (most recent filing)
Total giving: $1.72 million to $1.91 million annually
Tax-exempt status: Recognized since May 1983

Organization Details:

EIN: 75-1862248
Address: PO Box 653067, Dallas, TX 75265-3067
IRS 501(c)(3) classification
Fiscal year end: December

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$41,387,011	$39,944,431	$35,792,453
Revenue	$3,851,645	$6,829,243	$2,095,462
Expenses	$2,274,528	$2,295,121	$1,976,002
Qualifying Distributions	$1,922,404	$2,097,143	$1,748,360
Net Investment Income	$3,584,603	$6,582,953	$2,511,981
Distributable Amount	$2,271,626	$2,163,575	$2,157,079

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

151 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Angelina College ($147,000), Texas Forestry Museum ($100,000), Women's Shelter of East Texas Inc ($100,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
SALVATION ARMY HOUSTON, TX	UNRESTRICTED GENERAL	$35,383
SEASONS OF HOPE CENTER LUFKIN, TX	UNRESTRICTED GENERAL	$27,300
COALITION INC LUFKIN, TX	UNRESTRICTED GENERAL	$13,000
TEXAS FORESTRY MUSEUM LUFKIN, TX	UNRESTRICTED GENERAL	$100,000
MUSEUM OF EAST TEXAS LUFKIN, TX	2023-2024 EDUCATION PROGRAM	$60,000
EAST TEXAS PAWS INC LUFKIN, TX	SPAY/NEUTER & EMERGENCY	$58,000
LEGACY INSTITUTE FOR FINANCIAL EDUCATION LUFKIN, TX	NECT CHAPTER WORKFORCE	$75,000
THE MEN'S FIELDHOUSE LUFKIN, TX	UNRESTRICTED GENERAL	$30,000
SPECIAL OLYMPICS TEXAS PFLUGERVILLE, TX	UNRESTRICTED GENERAL	$25,000
HERMANN EYE FUND HOUSTON, TX	UNRESTRICTED GENERAL	$27,689

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The foundation is co-trustee managed by Bank of America and Wyatt Leinart.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
BANK OF AMERICA	TRUSTEE	1	$217,050

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Ernest L Kurth Jr Charitable Foundation fund?

The foundation supports institutions and organizations that demonstrate promise of producing significant advances in the following areas: • Education (K-12 and higher education, research endeavors) • Health • Community and social services • Cultural arts and humanities • Human services • Philanthropic capacity building

How do I apply for a grant from Ernest L Kurth Jr Charitable Foundation?

**Grant Statistics:** • Total annual giving: $1.9 million (2023) • Total grants awarded: 33 grants (2023); 62 grants (most recent filing) • Average grant amount: $58,000 • Median grant amount: $50,000 • Grant range: $15,000 to $155,000 **Application Process:** Applications are accepted through the Bank of America Philanthropic Solutions system. The foundation does not operate named grant programs but awards grants through a general grantmaking process. The foundation is not listed on the Bank o…

Where does Ernest L Kurth Jr Charitable Foundation make grants?

The foundation maintains particular emphasis on East Texas and Angelina County, reflecting the family's lumber business roots. Primary service areas include: • Dallas, TX • Diboll, TX • Houston, TX • Huntington, TX • Longview, TX • Lufkin, TX (27 grants awarded) • Pollock, TX The foundation's geographic focus is primarily Texas, with special emphasis on communities connected to the family's historical business interests.

What size grants does Ernest L Kurth Jr Charitable Foundation award?

In 2024, Ernest L Kurth Jr Charitable Foundation awarded 31 grants totaling $1.7M — an average of about $56K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Ernest L Kurth Jr Charitable Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Ernest L Kurth Jr Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Ernest L Kurth Jr Charitable Foundation's EIN?

Ernest L Kurth Jr Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-1862248. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.