The Harry E Bovay Jr Foundation is a private family foundation based in Houston, Texas, established in 2001. The foundation was created to honor the legacy of Harry E. Bovay, Jr. (1914–2011), whose life was dedicated to building bridges—both literally as an engineer and figuratively through community service. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with a focus on supporting innovative and effective programs aligned with Mr. Bovay's core values of integrity, compassion, and honesty.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$40.0M
-0.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.5M
+9.8% YoY
Grant Count
82
+110.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$30K
-47.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Harry E Bovay Jr Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on "Building a Bridge to a Better Future," guided by Mr. Bovay's values and legacy. The foundation supports innovative and effective programs in three core areas of interest:
- Education — including scholarships and educational institutions
- Scouting — youth development and scouting programs
- Community Development — community revitalization initiatives
Grantmaking
The foundation is an active grantmaker with the following characteristics:
Grant Range
$10,000
Average Grant
amounts typically fall between $958–$1,169,910
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking has primary focus in:
- Kansas
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Texas (home state)
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $39,995,907
- Total Revenues: $3,078,697
- Total Expenses: $3,467,860
- Total Giving: $2,454,511
- Number of Employees: 2
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $40.3 million
- Total Revenues: $2.27 million
- Total Expenses: $2.72 million
- Total Liabilities: $0
The foundation's assets have remained relatively stable, with investment income and dividends serving as the primary revenue source.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $39,995,907 | $40,285,070 | $40,732,884 |
| Revenue | $3,078,697 | $2,273,870 | $1,698,174 |
| Expenses | $3,467,860 | $2,721,684 | $3,117,695 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,771,234 | $2,483,092 | $2,781,366 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,316,303 | $1,503,309 | $1,434,110 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,618,154 | $2,556,937 | $2,569,224 |
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
164 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Bovay Scout RanchSHAC ($1,000,000), Philmont Scout Ranch ($436,616), Texas A&M Foundation ($208,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Allen Community College Iola, KS | HS Dual Credit, Kansas voucher program | $20,228 |
| Bevill State Community College Fayette, AL | Tuition Guarantee Program and textbooks in Spring 2024 and Fall 2024 | $132,617 |
| Black Warrior Council Tuscaloosa, AL | General support | $6,000 |
| Bovay Scout RanchSHAC Navasota, TX | General support | $1,000,000 |
| Chickasaw Council Memphis, TN | General support | $10,005 |
| Christar International Inc Richardson, TX | General support | $5,000 |
| Emporia State University Emporia, KS | Kansas voucher program | $10,000 |
| Flint Hills Technical College Emporia, LA | Kansas voucher program | $9,639 |
| Fort Hays State University Hays, KS | Kansas voucher program | $2,000 |
| Friends of the Children - Central Oregon Bend, OR | General support | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation's board of directors includes:
- Peggy L Kelly (Director)
- Michael L Patrick (Director)
- C Ronald Dorchester (Director)
- Edward Naumes (Director)
- Frances Escriva (Director)
- Carl F Jaedicke (Director)
Contact:
- Phone: 713-651-2328
- Email: RDietz@legacytrust.com
- Website: bovayfoundation.org
- Address: PO Box 1471, Houston, TX 77251-1471
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael L Patrick | President/Director | 40 | $125,000 |
| Peggy L Kelly | Vice President/Secretary/Director | 20 | $53,000 |
| Frances Escriva | Treasurer/Director | 0.5 | $9,000 |
| C Ronald Dorchester | Director | 0.5 | $9,000 |
| Carl F Jaedicke | Director | 0.5 | — |
| Edward R Naumes | Director | 0.5 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has been actively supporting educational initiatives, particularly in the sciences:
A named chair in chemistry was established at Texas A&M University through foundation support, with chemist Wenshe Ray Liu named to the Bovay Chair in Chemistry (2022)
Texas A&M Chemist Wenshe Ray Liu Named to Bovay Chair in ChemistryThe foundation supports the Harry E Bovay Jr. Foundation Symposium in Chemical Biology at Texas A&M
Texas A&M Chemist Wenshe Ray Liu Named to Bovay Chair in ChemistryThe foundation has provided funding opportunities for research initiatives at UTHealth Houston, including the Institute on Aging and geroscience research programs
Funding Opportunities - Institute on Aging - UTHealth HoustonSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Harry E Bovay Jr Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission centers on "Building a Bridge to a Better Future," guided by Mr. Bovay's values and legacy. The foundation supports innovative and effective programs in three core areas of interest: • **Education** — including scholarships and educational institutions • **Scouting** — youth development and scouting programs • **Community Development** — community revitalization initiatives
How do I apply for a grant from Harry E Bovay Jr Foundation?
The foundation is an active grantmaker with the following characteristics: **Grant Activity:** • Made 36–39 grants in recent years • Total annual giving: approximately $2.4–$2.7 million • Median grant size: $10,000 • Grant range: $50,000–$836,000 • Average grant amounts typically fall between $958–$1,169,910 **Recent Grants (2024):** • Texas A&M Foundation: $208,000 (Harry E Bovay Jr. Foundation Symposium in Chemical Biology Endowment) • St Jude Children's Research Hospital: $202,000 (Division …
Where does Harry E Bovay Jr Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking has primary focus in: • Kansas • Alabama • Mississippi • Texas (home state)
What size grants does Harry E Bovay Jr Foundation award?
In 2024, Harry E Bovay Jr Foundation awarded 82 grants totaling $2.5M — an average of about $30K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Harry E Bovay Jr Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Harry E Bovay Jr Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Harry E Bovay Jr Foundation's EIN?
Harry E Bovay Jr Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 76-0343221. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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