Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation
Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation is a Houston, Texas–based private foundation that makes grants to organizations in the United States and abroad. It focuses primarily on women’s education and healthcare, and also identifies ending childhood abuse as a focus.
Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation at a glance
In short: Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation gave $31K across 16 grants in 2024 (avg $2K), top state Connecticut. 25% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $31,341
- -78.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 16
- +60.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $1,959
- -86.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $1,583,860
- -17.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (4 of 16, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Connecticut (32% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. It states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 203 Lakemere, Houston, TX 77079
Phone: (713) 561-5953
Website: https://www.gmtw.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Yale University ($10K). Together the top 10 received $31K.
Grant Size Distribution
119 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 108 grants of 119 (91%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Houston, Texas, and says it makes grants in the United States and abroad. In 2024, the largest reported shares of grant dollars by recipient state went to Connecticut (32%), Texas (24%), Pennsylvania (16%), California (16%), and New York (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 16 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $417; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $327 first-time, $1K repeat.
- 31% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 93% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 242% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2018–2024). 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 2018 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $31K (2024) to $657K (2022). In 2024 it made 16 grants totaling $31K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Yale University Newhaven, CT | Social Impact | $10,000 |
| Eco-Soap Bank Pittsburgh, PA | Healthcare | $5,000 |
| Women's Storybook Project of Texas Austin, TX | Social Impact | $5,000 |
| Thorn Manhattanbeach, CA | Social Impact | $5,000 |
| Tools & Tiaras Inc Jamaica Queens, NY | Social Impact | $1,023 |
| Baptist Women in Ministry Atlanta, GA | Religion | $1,000 |
| The Women's Home Houston, TX | Social Impact | $1,000 |
| Blinknow Foundation Mendham, NJ | Social Impact | $1,000 |
| Partners for Harris County Children Houston, TX | Social Impact | $1,000 |
| Plane Women's Prison Dayton, TX | Social Impact | $600 |
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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 | $1,583,860 | $-63,843 | $262,542 | $31,341 | 16 | $259,979 | — | $107,297 |
| 2023 | $1,910,079 | $330,647 | $454,676 | $143,366 | 10 | $462,937 | $1,118 | $42,572 |
| 2022 | $2,036,324 | $1,128,260 | $901,806 | $657,163 | 27 | $1,345,085 | $33,786 | $31,878 |
| 2021 | $1,801,423 | $340,000 | $615,419 | $465,490 | 26 | $676,885 | $222,537 | $445,245 |
| 2020 | $2,068,514 | $681,575 | $1,060,666 | $611,465 | 40 | — | $78,846 | $365,855 |
| 2018 | $1,443,256 | $1,283,578 | $750,981 | $613,136 | 36 | — | $138,134 | $120,857 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation reported a distributable amount of $107K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation describes its work as empowering women through education and healthcare. Its website also says it has invested primarily in documentary films and identifies women and girls’ education and healthcare, along with ending childhood abuse, as areas of focus.
Its 2024 grantees illustrate a range of work. The Women’s Storybook Project of Texas says it connects children with their incarcerated mothers through literature. Tools & Tiaras says it exposes, inspires, and mentors girls about skilled trades. Thorn says it works to protect children from sexual exploitation, while Eco-Soap Bank says it supplies recycled soap to the developing world. These are descriptions of the grantees’ missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
The foundation reported 16 grants totaling $31,341 in 2024. The grant amounts ranged from $5 to $10,000, with a median of $1,000. Among the larger listed awards were $10,000 to Yale University for social impact, and $5,000 each to Eco-Soap Bank for healthcare, the Women’s Storybook Project of Texas for social impact, and Thorn for social impact.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Debra L. McLeod as president and treasurer, Jay K. Sears as chairman, vice president, and secretary, and William J. McLeod as a director.
Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation is led by Debra L. McLeod, President & Treasury since 2020 (on filings since 2018); none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Debra L. McLeod
President & Treasury
President & Treasurer → President & Treasury, 2020
On filings since 2018
55 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jay K. Sears
Chairman, Vice President & Secretary
Chairman → Chairman, Vice President & Secretary, 2020
On filings since 2018
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William J. McLeod
Director
On filings since 2018
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2018–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation
How much does Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation give each year?
Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation gave $31K across 16 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $143K across 10 grants.
What is Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation's typical grant size?
Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,959, across 16 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation that year got $417 on average.
Where does Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation give grants?
Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation's top state is Connecticut, with 32% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Texas (24%) and Pennsylvania (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (3 grants) and Newhaven, CT (2 grants).
Does Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Social Impact" (11 grants).
Who are Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation's largest grantees?
Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Yale University ($10,000), Eco-Soap Bank ($5,000) and Women's Storybook Project of Texas ($5,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 64% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation?
Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation reported $1.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $260K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $107K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation fund?
The foundation describes its work as empowering women through education and healthcare. Its website also says it has invested primarily in documentary films and identifies women and girls’ education and healthcare, along with ending childhood abuse, as areas of focus. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation's EIN?
Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-4059674. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2018–2024.
Does Grant Me the Wisdom 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2018 (received by the IRS January 24, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 13, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2018–2024
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