Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc
The Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc. is a public charity based in Beaumont, Texas, formed in 1996. It manages charitable funds and distributes support to nonprofits in Southeast Texas, with its website identifying Hardin, Jefferson, and Orange counties as its local service area.
Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc at a glance
In short: Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc gave $1.1M across 48 grants in 2025 (avg $22K), mostly in Texas. 51% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,064,750
- -74.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 48
- +20.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $22,182
- -78.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $12,500
- Total assets
- $40,197,288
- +9.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 51% first-time grantees (24 of 47, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Texas (92% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 3092, Beaumont, TX 77704-3092
Phone: (409) 833-5775
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc
Who Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Hermann Memorial ($150K). Together the top 10 received $633K.
Grant Size Distribution
175 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 157 grants of 175 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s website identifies Hardin, Jefferson, and Orange counties as its local service area, while noting that it also supports efforts beyond the immediate region. In 2025, 92% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas; the remaining shares went to Wyoming (2%), Ohio (1%), North Carolina (1%), and Louisiana (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 48 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc open to new grantees?
51%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 24 of 47 grantees (51%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $15K; repeat grants $31K. How we count
Medians: $9K first-time, $18K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $524K (2022) to $4.1M (2024). In 2025 it made 48 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Hermann Memorial Houston, TX | General Support | $150,000 |
| UT Health Houston Houston, TX | General Support | $150,000 |
| West End Little League Beaumont, TX | General Support | $75,000 |
| United Way of Beaumont and North Jefferson County Beaumont, TX | General Support | $73,541 |
| Everlasting Changes Groves, TX | General Support | $49,000 |
| First Presbyterian Church Orange, TX | General Support | $34,361 |
| Salvation Army Beaumont Beaumont, TX | General Support | $26,000 |
| Monsignor Kelly High School Beaumont, TX | General Support | $25,650 |
| Child Development Casper, WY | General Support | $25,000 |
| Art Museum of Southeast Texas Beaumont, TX | General Support | $23,949 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $40,197,288 | $3,611,441 | $2,319,900 | $1,064,750 | 48 | $1,246,139 |
| 2024 | $36,595,415 | $11,810,637 | $5,316,658 | $4,101,827 | 40 | $2,222,841 |
| 2023 | $29,532,680 | $7,753,647 | $3,429,529 | $2,489,897 | 27 | $999,315 |
| 2022 | $23,720,377 | $2,071,618 | $1,349,613 | $523,711 | 31 | $737,727 |
| 2021 | $25,706,012 | $3,584,844 | $1,334,290 | $628,611 | 29 | $2,466,383 |
| 2020 | $23,002,751 | $5,191,097 | $1,226,182 | $602,061 | 33 | $476,017 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated mission is to make a positive difference in the area’s quality of life by encouraging philanthropic gifts and helping donors achieve their charitable goals through professional management and considered distribution of those gifts.
Its website identifies arts and culture, preservation, education, health, social services, youth and elderly services, economic development, and civic affairs as areas donors’ combined gifts can address. Its 2025 filing describes distributions to organizations qualifying under IRC Section 501(c)(3), according to donor stipulations.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of grantees. West End Little League describes its work as youth athletics intended to foster sportsmanship, honesty, loyalty, courage, and respect. The Art Museum of Southeast Texas says it provides education, inspiration, and creative visions through visual arts collections, exhibitions, programs, and outreach. United Way of Beaumont & North Jefferson County describes its role as uniting donors, volunteers, and nonprofits to address community needs.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation reported 48 grants totaling $1,064,750. Grant amounts ranged from $5,100 to $150,000, with a median of $12,500. The largest listed awards were $150,000 to Hermann Memorial in Houston and $150,000 to UT Health Houston; other large awards included $75,000 to West End Little League in Beaumont and $73,541 to United Way of Beaumont and North Jefferson County.
The Foundation’s website describes competitive grants to area nonprofits funded from earnings of its unrestricted Community Opportunity Fund. A grant-program description says awards address arts and culture, preservation, education, health, social services, youth and elderly services, economic development, and civic affairs; the number and size of awards depend on available unrestricted funds. That program description identifies eligible applicants as qualified 501(c)(3) and governmental tax-exempt organizations operating for over a year in Hardin, Jefferson, or Orange counties. Its 2025 filing says recipients must provide evidence of eligibility to receive charitable contributions before general-support grants are disbursed. For specific-project grants, recipients must also report at the end of the project. Program funds must be used exclusively for the approved project; if funds are not used for the project by April 30, they must be returned.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Mellie Bevilacqua with the title “Executive DI,” the Honorable Courtney Arkeen as president, Tina Bradley as secretary, and Bobby Beaver, Lisa O’ Blanc, Ben Broussard, Brooke Carroll, Cody Cupit, Rachel Donalson, and Ron Fletcher as directors.
Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc is led by The Honorable Courtney Arkeen, President since 2022 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 26 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
The Honorable Courtney Arkeen
President
Secretary → Vice President, 2021
Vice President → President, 2022
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Linsi Walker
Director
Assistant Tr → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Pam Williams
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sara Norman
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Allison Wright
Director
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ben Broussard
Director
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Thieme
Director
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Donean Surrat
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lisa O' Blanc
Director
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Hall
Director
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Phyllis Geans
Director
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ron Fletcher
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Samantha Leifeste
Director
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Valerie Lewis
Director
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bobby Beaver
Director
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cody Cupit
Director
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeremy Triska
Director
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ben Pousson
Director
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brooke Carroll
Director
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Megan Layne
Director
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rachel Donalson
Director
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rachel Grove
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mellie Bevilacqua
Executive Di
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$55K (2020) → $87K (2025)
Denise Leblanc
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shawn Hare
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tina Bradley
Secretary
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (20)
- Former: Meredith Hise (2020–2024) — Past President
- Former: Roy West (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Miles Haynes (2024) — Director
- Former: Michele Smith (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Stuart Salter (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Enoch Morrison (2021) — Director
- Former: Kevin Kirkland (2021) — Director
- Former: Boyd Wells (2020) — Director
- Former: Colby Crenshaw (2020) — Director
- Former: David Locke (2020) — President
- Former: Debbie Bishop (2020) — Director
- Former: Ida Schossow (2020) — Director
- Former: Ingrid Holmes (2020) — Director
- Former: Joe Vernon (2020) — Treasurer
- Former: John Draths (2020) — Director
- Former: Johnnie Andrus (2020) — Director
- Former: Penny Sullivan (2020) — Director
- Former: Scott Hall (2020) — Director
- Former: Tiffany Hamilton (2020) — Director
- Former: Todd Dunkleberger (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $87K, to Mellie Bevilacqua (Executive Di).
Frequently asked questions about Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc
How much does Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc give each year?
Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc gave $1.1M across 48 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $4.1M across 40 grants.
What is Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc's typical grant size?
Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc's median grant in 2025 was $12,500, and its average grant was $22,182, across 48 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc that year got $15K on average.
Where does Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc give grants?
Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc gives mostly in Texas: 92% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Beaumont, TX (30 grants), Houston, TX (3 grants) and Waco, TX (2 grants).
Does Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 98% of Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (47 of 48) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc's largest grantees?
Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Hermann Memorial ($150,000), UT Health Houston ($150,000) and West End Little League ($75,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 35% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc?
Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc reported $40.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.6M.
What does Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission is to make a positive difference in the area’s quality of life by encouraging philanthropic gifts and helping donors achieve their charitable goals through professional management and considered distribution of those gifts. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc?
Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc's EIN?
Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 76-0530567. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 31, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 31, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS December 20, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 20, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/foundation-for-southeast-texas-inc-morg_b64fd350963c4992a3feece3a4277b61
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_760530567_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/foundation-for-southeast-texas-inc-morg_b64fd350963c4992a3feece3a4277b61},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Foundation for Southeast Texas Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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