Helen S Boylan Foundation
The Helen S. Boylan Foundation is a private foundation based in Carthage, Missouri, established in 1982. It supports qualified charitable organizations and public governmental units serving Carthage and Jasper County, the Greater Kansas City area, and Lindale and Smith County, Texas.
Helen S Boylan Foundation at a glance
In short: Helen S Boylan Foundation gave $221K across 32 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in Missouri. 39% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $220,823
- -6.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 32
- +3.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,901
- -9.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $4,115,992
- +3.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 39% first-time grantees (12 of 31, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Missouri (64% 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 Helen S Boylan Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The website asks applicants to complete its grant application before sending other materials and to mail eight copies. The foundation’s 2024 filing states that there is no prescribed form. Its guidelines say applicants may discuss proposals with staff; staff may request additional information or arrange a site visit. The board prefers not to be contacted directly.
- Review Cycle
- The guidelines list quarterly deadlines of March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31; applications received by those dates are considered at the following board meeting.
- Deadline
- The guidelines list quarterly deadlines of March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31; applications received by…
- Contact
Application contact: Helen S Boylan Foundation
Mailing address: PO Box 731, Carthage, MO 64836
Phone: (417) 359-6558
Website: https://boylanfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Helen S Boylan Foundation
Who Helen S Boylan Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Lindale Independent Schools ($40K). Together the top 10 received $133K.
Grant Size Distribution
191 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 191 grants of 191 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation generally limits grants to projects benefiting residents of Jasper County, Missouri; Smith County, Texas; or the Kansas City metropolitan area. It says projects benefiting Missouri as a whole may occasionally be considered. Its website identifies Carthage, the Greater Kansas City area, and Lindale as its communities.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 32 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Helen S Boylan Foundation open to new grantees?
39%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 12 of 31 grantees (39%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $9K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $6K repeat.
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 $221K (2025) to $289K (2022). In 2025 it made 32 grants totaling $221K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lindale Independent Schools Lindale, TX | General Educational Support | $39,505 |
| Cartghage R-9 Foundation Carthage, MO | General Program Support and Boylan Writting Contest | $16,023 |
| Guadalupe Centers Kansas City, MO | Early Childhood Education and Support | $14,000 |
| McCune Brooks Foundation Carthage, MO | General Support for Services | $11,000 |
| Kansas City Jazz Orchestra Shawnee Mission, KS | Music Concert Support | $10,000 |
| Lillie Russell Memorial Library Lindale, TX | Library Books and Materials Support | $10,000 |
| Art Central Carthage, MO | Childrens Art Programs | $9,500 |
| Cedar Hill Cemetery Association Carthage, MO | Residents Support | $9,000 |
| Social Worx Tyler, TX | Provide Social Services to Individuals | $7,000 |
| Hope Haven of East Texas Tyler, TX | Teenage Girls Residential Care and Protection | $7,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Helen S Boylan Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $4,115,992 | $513,187 | $360,189 | $220,823 | 32 | $220,823 | $478,344 |
| 2024 | $3,962,995 | $435,155 | $399,653 | $237,265 | 31 | $237,265 | $389,797 |
| 2023 | $3,927,492 | $756,555 | $400,474 | $240,955 | 37 | $240,955 | $716,679 |
| 2022 | $3,571,411 | $312,171 | $452,609 | $289,271 | 43 | $289,271 | $269,368 |
| 2021 | $3,711,853 | $606,140 | $390,655 | $240,489 | 48 | — | $568,398 |
| 2020 | $3,496,364 | $234,940 | $382,997 | $227,145 | 48 | — | $195,977 |
| 2019 | $3,641,483 | $178,690 | $415,233 | $262,471 | 59 | — | $139,509 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to enhance the quality of life in its communities through grants to qualified charitable organizations. It prefers proposals for new initiatives, special projects, program expansion, capital improvements, and building renovations. Its guidelines exclude annual campaigns, endowments, sectarian religious activities, and grants to individuals.
Recipients must be 501(c)(3) charitable organizations or public governmental units. Examples of the kinds of organizations it supports include Guadalupe Centers, whose stated mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals in Greater Kansas City’s Latino communities through education, financial counseling and lending, and cultural events. Carthage Humane Society describes its work as preventing cruelty to animals and providing care for stray and unowned animals. Vision Carthage says it promotes Carthage’s revitalization and beautification through volunteerism and community and business engagement.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 32 grants totaling $220,823. Awards ranged from $1,800 to $39,505, with a median grant of $5,000. Its largest awards included $39,505 to Lindale Independent Schools for general educational support; $16,023 to Carthage R-9 Foundation for general program support and the Boylan Writing Contest; and $14,000 to Guadalupe Centers for early childhood education and support. Other notable grants included $11,000 to McCune Brooks Foundation for general support for services and $10,000 each to Kansas City Jazz Orchestra for music concert support and Lillie Russell Memorial Library for books and materials.
The foundation’s guidelines say grants are usually awarded for one year, although multi-year funding and general operating support may be considered for projects in areas of special interest. Grantees must submit an evaluation report within twelve months of receiving funds, and only one application for the same program, subject, or project may be submitted in any twelve-month period.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ida Locarni as chairman; Emily Spradling Stuart as president; J. B. Hering as vice president and director; Elizabeth Simmons as secretary; and James S. Spradling as treasurer. It also lists Helen B. Duff, Lauren Laird, and Eugene C. Hall as directors.
Helen S Boylan Foundation is led by J. B. Hering, V President & Director on every filing since 2019; all 8 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
J. B. Hering
V President & Director
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
$13K (2019) → $14K (2025)
Emily Spradling Stuart
President
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
$21K (2023) → $20K (2025)
Ida Locarni
Chairman
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
$12K (2019) → $12K (2025)
Eugene C. Hall
Director
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
$12K (2019) → $6K (2025)
Elizabeth Simmons
Secretary
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$20K (2019) → $20K (2025)
Helen B. Duff
Dircetor
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
$13K (2019) → $6K (2025)
Lauren Laird
Dircetor
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
$13K (2019) → $15K (2025)
James S. Spradling
Treasurer
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
$19K (2022) → $17K (2025)
Former officers (2)
- Former: Sally Spradling Stuart (2019–2022) — President
- Former: J. Shannon Spradling (2019–2021) — Treasurer
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $20K, to Elizabeth Simmons (Secretary). 8 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Helen S Boylan Foundation
How much does Helen S Boylan Foundation give each year?
Helen S Boylan Foundation gave $221K across 32 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $237K across 31 grants.
What is Helen S Boylan Foundation's typical grant size?
Helen S Boylan Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $6,901, across 32 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Helen S Boylan Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does Helen S Boylan Foundation give grants?
Helen S Boylan Foundation gives mostly in Missouri: 64% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Texas (31%). The most frequent recipient cities were Kansas City, MO (11 grants), Carthage, MO (10 grants), Lindale, TX (3 grants) and Tyler, TX (3 grants).
Does Helen S Boylan Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 16% of Helen S Boylan Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (5 of 32) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Helen S Boylan Foundation's largest grantees?
Helen S Boylan Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Lindale Independent Schools ($39,505), Cartghage R-9 Foundation ($16,023) and Guadalupe Centers ($14,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Helen S Boylan Foundation?
Helen S Boylan Foundation reported $4.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $513K.
What does Helen S Boylan Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to enhance the quality of life in its communities through grants to qualified charitable organizations. It prefers proposals for new initiatives, special projects, program expansion, capital improvements, and building renovations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Helen S Boylan Foundation?
The website asks applicants to complete its grant application before sending other materials and to mail eight copies. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Helen S Boylan Foundation's EIN?
Helen S Boylan Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 43-1254043. 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 August 17, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 5, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 9, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Helen S Boylan Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Helen S Boylan Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/helen-s-boylan-foundation-morg_2cdc7366823541aeb3f7058e267d503c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_431254043_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Helen S Boylan Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/helen-s-boylan-foundation-morg_2cdc7366823541aeb3f7058e267d503c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Helen S Boylan 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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