Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation
The Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation is a private foundation based in Houston, Texas. Its 2025 filing reports 18 grants totaling $217,500, all to recipients in Texas, including charitable, social-services, education, health-care, and community organizations.
Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation at a glance
In short: Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation gave $218K across 18 grants in 2025 (avg $12K), mostly in Texas. 39% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $217,500
- +12.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 18
- +5.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $12,083
- +5.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $731,562
- -19.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 39% first-time grantees (7 of 18, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Texas (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s 2024 filing says to submit a written request to Harriet R. Foster. It says giving is not restricted to preselected organizations and awards have no restrictions.
- Review Cycle
- None stated.
- Deadline
- None stated.
- Contact
Application contact: Harriet R Foster
Mailing address: 8580 Woodway Drive 8511, Houston, TX 77063
Phone: (713) 789-3757
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Harriet & Joe Foster Family YMCA ($40K). Together the top 10 received $170K.
Grant Size Distribution
71 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 71 grants of 71 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Texas. The listed recipients were in Houston or College Station.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation open to new grantees?
39%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 18 grantees (39%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $15K; repeat grants $10K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 50% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 79% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 447% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $94K (2020) to $499K (2019). In 2025 it made 18 grants totaling $218K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Harriet & Joe Foster Family YMCA Houston, TX | Charitable | $40,000 |
| Houston Food Bank Houston, TX | Social Services | $20,000 |
| Texas A&M College Station, TX | Charitable | $20,000 |
| University of St Thomas Houston, TX | Education | $20,000 |
| Center for Pursuit Houston, TX | Charitable | $15,000 |
| The Hobby Center Houston, TX | Charitable | $15,000 |
| Catholic Charities Archdiocese Galveston Houston, TX | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Christus Healthcare Foundation Houston, TX | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Down Syndrome Association of Houston Houston, TX | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Houston Hospice Houston, TX | Charitable | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $731,562 | $77,166 | $228,438 | $217,500 | 18 | $220,750 | $61,421 | $49,416 |
| 2024 | $912,207 | $-3,787 | $207,172 | $193,900 | 17 | $197,150 | $20,035 | $55,787 |
| 2023 | $1,152,654 | $76,314 | $174,635 | $162,500 | 14 | $165,250 | $66,929 | $56,404 |
| 2022 | $1,273,020 | $90,254 | $138,211 | $121,500 | 11 | $124,650 | $78,993 | $61,445 |
| 2021 | $1,336,041 | $795,673 | $117,771 | $106,250 | 11 | $107,905 | $120,643 | $66,889 |
| 2020 | $667,690 | $28,413 | $102,329 | $93,750 | 12 | — | $21,409 | $34,972 |
| 2019 | $741,606 | $94,481 | $507,812 | $498,750 | 19 | — | $86,917 | $46,033 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation reported a distributable amount of $49K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied activities. The University of St. Thomas describes itself as a Catholic university committed to teaching, scholarship, and service. The Down Syndrome Association of Houston says it provides health education and advocacy resources to people with Down syndrome, their families, and their communities. Trees For Houston says it works to plant, protect, and promote trees in the greater Houston area. These are grantees’ descriptions of their own work, not statements of the foundation’s mission.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 18 grants totaling $217,500. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $40,000, with a median of $10,000. Among the reported grants were $40,000 to the Harriet & Joe Foster Family YMCA; $20,000 each to the Houston Food Bank, Texas A&M, and the University of St. Thomas; and $15,000 each to the Center for Pursuit and The Hobby Center. Other grants included $10,000 each to Catholic Charities Archdiocese Galveston, Christus Healthcare Foundation, the Down Syndrome Association of Houston, Houston Hospice, and San Jose Clinic. Cristo Rey Jesuit College received $6,500.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation is led by Nancy H Ruez, President since 2025 (on filings since 2019); none of the 7 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Nancy H Ruez
President
Vice President → President, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
D. Bryan Ruez
Vice President & Director
Director → Vice President & Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gretchen R Carraway
Director
Secretary → Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Harriet R Foster
Director
President & Treasurer → Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard CARL Ruez
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christopher Ruez
Secretary
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William Ruez
Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation
How much does Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation give each year?
Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation gave $218K across 18 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $194K across 17 grants.
What is Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation's typical grant size?
Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $12,083, across 18 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation that year got $15K on average.
Where does Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation give grants?
Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (17 grants).
Does Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 18 grants with a stated purpose on Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (13 grants) and "Social Services" (3 grants).
Who are Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation's largest grantees?
Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Harriet & Joe Foster Family YMCA ($40,000), Houston Food Bank ($20,000) and Texas A&M ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation?
Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation reported $732K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $221K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $49K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied activities. The University of St. Thomas describes itself as a Catholic university committed to teaching, scholarship, and service. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation?
The foundation’s 2024 filing says to submit a written request to Harriet R. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation's EIN?
Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 76-0464978. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 26, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 7, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 5, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 7, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Explore Open Grants
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 6, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/harriet-and-joe-foster-foundation-morg_16379762ef914691bc6c13a81212ff4c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_760464978_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Harriet \& Joe Foster Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/harriet-and-joe-foster-foundation-morg_16379762ef914691bc6c13a81212ff4c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-06. 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 Harriet & Joe Foster Foundation'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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