Finis Welch Foundation
The Finis Welch Foundation is a private foundation based in College Station, Texas. Established in 2012, it provides scholarships to high-achieving Texas students who demonstrate financial need and attend public universities in Texas.
Finis Welch Foundation at a glance
In short: Finis Welch Foundation gave $1.1M across 69 grants in 2024 (avg $16K), mostly in Texas. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,121,412
- +174.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 69
- +6800.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $16,252
- -96.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $14,461
- Total assets
- $39,486,016
- +41.4% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Texas (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Finis Welch Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Welch Scholar applicants use the application process described above. To maintain scholarship eligibility, scholars must submit the FAFSA each year, maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPR, enroll full-time with at least 12 hours each semester, and meet the 30/60/90 earned-hour requirements.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3018 Barron Rd Ste 100, College Station, TX 77845
Phone: (979) 321-6397
Website: https://finiswelchfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Finis Welch Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Christian Macedo ($20K).
Organizations only. It also paid 68 individual scholarships ($1,101,718), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
74 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 69 grants of 74 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 itemized grants were all to recipients in Texas. The scholarship program is for students who attend a Texas high school or homeschool in Texas and enroll at one of the partner universities: Texas A&M University at College Station or The University of Texas at Austin.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 69 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Finis Welch Foundation gives
- Giving grew 720% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 124% 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
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $137K (2021) to $1.1M (2024). In 2024 it made 69 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 49 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $995,272 |
| Christian Macedo College Station, TX | 2024 Spring & Fall Scholarships | $19,694 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $39,486,016 | $13,713,834 | $2,167,471 | $1,121,412 | 69 | $2,089,137 | $1,662,677 | $1,682,152 |
| 2023 | $27,932,615 | $10,902,525 | $1,106,730 | $408,195 | 1 | $1,055,079 | $861,138 | $1,010,091 |
| 2022 | $18,136,820 | $18,511,125 | $429,751 | $276,494 | 1 | $428,848 | $1,963 | $39,888 |
| 2021 | $55,446 | $136,018 | $138,494 | $136,696 | 1 | $136,696 | $18 | $2,992 |
| 2020 | $57,922 | $464,060 | $333,432 | $328,851 | 2 | — | $60 | $2,793 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Finis Welch Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is “to enhance the quality of life through education” by recognizing and supporting people enrolled or enrolling in educational institutions. Its primary work is the Welch Scholar program, which supports incoming freshmen from Texas high schools or Texas homeschools who demonstrate financial need and meet academic and other eligibility requirements.
The foundation also describes providing Welch Scholars with non-academic resources, including career seminars, résumé guidance, advising, and job-shadow opportunities.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 69 grants totaling $1,121,412. The grants ranged from $1,000 to $34,026, with a median of $14,461. The largest reported grants were scholarships to individual recipients in Texas for “2024 SPRING & FALL SCHOLARSHIPS”; the largest was $34,026.
The foundation’s website explains that Welch Scholar applicants apply through ApplyTexas or the Common Application, complete both the admission and scholarship portions, submit a complete Self-Reported Academic Record, and submit SAT or ACT scores. Applicants must be admitted by February 1 as incoming freshmen for the fall semester after high school graduation, be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, attend a Texas high school or homeschool in Texas, demonstrate financial need by submitting the FAFSA, and show strong academic ability. The university financial-aid offices and foundation review applications. These are requirements for the foundation’s scholarship program, not an open grant application for outside organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2024 filing lists Kevin Murphy as chairman of the board, Robert Topel as vice chair, Lara Anderson as president and treasurer, and Phil Gramm and Wendy Gramm as board members. The foundation’s website identifies Lara Anderson as president and executive director, Lacey Junek as scholarship program director, and Crystal Dupre’ as development director.
Finis Welch Foundation is led by Lara Anderson, President & Treasurer since 2022 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 5 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Lara Anderson
President & Treasurer
Secretary & Treasurer → President & Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$200K (2023) → $331K (2024)
Kevin Murphy
Chairman of the Board
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Topel
Vice Chair
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Phil Gramm
Board Member
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Wendy Gramm
Board Member
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $331K, to Lara Anderson (President / Treasurer).
Frequently asked questions about Finis Welch Foundation
How much does Finis Welch Foundation give each year?
Finis Welch Foundation gave $1.1M across 69 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $408K across 1 grant.
What is Finis Welch Foundation's typical grant size?
Finis Welch Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $14,461, and its average grant was $16,252, across 69 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Finis Welch Foundation give grants?
Finis Welch Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there.
Does Finis Welch Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 69 grants with a stated purpose on Finis Welch Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "2024 Spring & Fall Scholarships" (44 grants), "2024 Fall Scholarship" (20 grants) and "2024 Spring Scholarship" (5 grants).
How large is Finis Welch Foundation?
Finis Welch Foundation reported $39.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.7M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Finis Welch Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is “to enhance the quality of life through education” by recognizing and supporting people enrolled or enrolling in educational institutions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Finis Welch Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Finis Welch Foundation's EIN?
Finis Welch Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-4470063. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Finis Welch Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Finis Welch Foundation funds
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