Joe B Foster Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Houston, TX EIN: 76-0538109

The Joe B Foster Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Houston, Texas. Its 2026 filing reports grants to charitable organizations in several states, supporting recipients with purposes that include enrichment programs, scholarships, school operations, arts learning, animal welfare, and land conservation.

Joe B Foster Family Foundation at a glance

In short: Joe B Foster Family Foundation gave $275K across 30 grants in 2026 (avg $9K), mostly in Texas. 7% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2026)
$275,000
+3.4% vs 2025
Grants made (2026)
30
+0.0% vs 2025
Average grant
$9,167
+3.4% vs 2025
Median grant
$5,000
Total assets
$7,713,214
+4.2% vs 2025
New grantees (estimate)
7% first-time grantees (2 of 30, 2026)
Primary geography
Texas (70% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to Joe B Foster Family Foundation

How to Apply

Contact William Warren Foster with a written request. The filing lists no deadline and no restrictions on awards.

Contact

Application contact: William Warren Foster
Mailing address: 14551 Cindywood Drive, Houston, TX 77079-6509
Phone: (512) 657-7386

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Joe B Foster Family Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2026

YMCA of Greater Houston: $80KYMCA of Greater Houston$80KTexas A&M Foundation: $29KTexas A&M Foundation$29KSt Louis Catholic School: $15KSt Louis Catholic School$15KFarnsworth Art Museum: $12KFarnsworth Art Museum$12KAustin Animal Center: $10KAustin Animal Center$10KCoastal Mountains Land Trust: $10KCoastal Mountains Land Trust$10KThe Elephant Sanctuary: $10KThe Elephant Sanctuary$10KThe Gentle Barn Foundation: $10KThe Gentle Barn Foundation$10KHope for Paws: $10KHope for Paws$10KLifelong Friends Pet Adoptions: $10KLifelong Friends Pet Adoptions$10K

The largest 2026 recipient was YMCA of Greater Houston ($80K). Together the top 10 received $196K.

Grant Size Distribution

138 grants across all recorded years

133<$50K5$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 133 grants of 138 (96%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2026, reported grant dollars went primarily to recipients in Texas (70%) and Maine (19%), followed by California (7%) and Tennessee (4%). Michigan is listed at 0%.

Grant Distribution by State

6states

Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.

Cities

AustinHoustonRocklandCamdenBelfastAnn ArborHohenwaldMilesCollege StationLago VistaLeanderSanta ClaritaThompsons StationLavonSugar LandEvansHumbleLubbockStudio CityWiscasset

Is Joe B Foster Family Foundation open to new grantees?

7%

first-time grantees, 2026

In 2026, 2 of 30 grantees (7%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $9K. How we count

Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.

  • 93% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
  • Giving grew 24% from 2023 to 2026. Method
  • In 2026 it paid out 93% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2026). 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

$0$100K$200K$300K21 grants2020 25 grants2021 23 grants2022 29 grants2023 26 grants2024 30 grants2025 30 grants2026

From 2020 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $132K (2020) to $275K (2026). In 2026 it made 30 grants totaling $275K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
YMCA of Greater Houston Houston, TXFoster Y - Enrichment Programs$80,000
Texas A&M Foundation College Station, TXEndowment-Corp Cadets Scholarship$29,000
St Louis Catholic School Austin, TXDonation-General Operating Budget$15,000
Farnsworth Art Museum Rockland, MEDonation - Learning & Engagement Department$11,500
Austin Animal Center Austin, TXDonation$10,000
Coastal Mountains Land Trust Camden, MEDonation$10,000
The Elephant Sanctuary Hohenwald, TNDonation$10,000
The Gentle Barn Foundation Santa Clarita, CADonation$10,000
Hope for Paws Studio City, CADonation$10,000
Lifelong Friends Pet Adoptions Lago Vista, TXDonation$10,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2026$7,713,214$825,002$511,311$275,00030$378,396$674,139$407,661
2025$7,399,523$569,594$517,021$266,00030$362,272$446,190$386,036
2024$7,346,950$1,592,443$457,105$249,50026$345,668$1,481,448$350,040
2023$7,155,923$462,037$315,215$222,50029$250,444$102,177$349,431
2022$7,043,425$1,000,901$236,177$173,00023$173,000$947,030$354,694
2021$6,746,213$5,611,078$258,188$237,00025—$149,682$139,353
2020$1,420,204$54,273$148,164$132,00021—$41,016$81,978

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Joe B Foster Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $408K for 2026 — 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 2026 grants include support for organizations across varied fields. For example, Coastal Mountains Land Trust describes its mission as conserving land permanently for the natural and human communities of western Penobscot Bay. Hope for Paws says it rescues animals suffering on streets and in shelters and works to reduce euthanasia and increase adoptions. Waterfall Arts describes its work as providing access to arts, design, and creative collaboration for people of all ages and abilities.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2026, the foundation reported 30 grants totaling $275,000. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $80,000, with a median of $5,000. Notable awards included $80,000 to YMCA of Greater Houston for “Foster Y - Enrichment Programs,” $29,000 to Texas A&M Foundation for an endowed Corps of Cadets scholarship, and $15,000 to St Louis Catholic School for its general operating budget. Other awards included $11,500 to Farnsworth Art Museum and $10,000 each to Austin Animal Center, Coastal Mountains Land Trust, The Elephant Sanctuary, The Gentle Barn Foundation, and Hope for Paws.

The foundation’s 2025 filing states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It calls for a written request to William Warren Foster and lists no deadline or restrictions on awards.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Joe B Foster Family Foundation is led by William Warren Foster, President & Director since 2021 (on filings since 2020); none of the 3 officers listed in 2026 report compensation.

Officers on the 2026 filing

  • William Warren Foster

    President & Director

    Vice President & Director → President & Director, 2021

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Jennifer Kate Foster

    Secretary & Director

    Vice President & Director → Secretary & Director, 2021

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Kenneth Knox Foster

    Vice President, Treasurer & Director

    Vice President & Director → Vice President, Treasurer & Director, 2021

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

Former officers (2)
  • Former: Harriet R. Foster (2020–2023) — Director
  • Former: Joe B. Foster (2020) — President

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2026. "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 Joe B Foster Family Foundation

How much does Joe B Foster Family Foundation give each year?

Joe B Foster Family Foundation gave $275K across 30 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $266K across 30 grants.

What is Joe B Foster Family Foundation's typical grant size?

Joe B Foster Family Foundation's median grant in 2026 was $5,000, and its average grant was $9,167, across 30 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Joe B Foster Family Foundation that year got $5K on average.

Where does Joe B Foster Family Foundation give grants?

Joe B Foster Family Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 70% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Maine (19%) and California (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Austin, TX (10 grants), Houston, TX (4 grants), Rockland, ME (3 grants) and Camden, ME (3 grants).

Does Joe B Foster Family Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 27% of Joe B Foster Family Foundation's 2026 grants with a stated purpose (8 of 30) were for general or operating support, per its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Donation" (17 grants).

Who are Joe B Foster Family Foundation's largest grantees?

Joe B Foster Family Foundation's largest 2026 grantees include YMCA of Greater Houston ($80,000), Texas A&M Foundation ($29,000) and St Louis Catholic School ($15,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 45% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.

How large is Joe B Foster Family Foundation?

Joe B Foster Family Foundation reported $7.7M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $378K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $408K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.

What does Joe B Foster Family Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2026 grants include support for organizations across varied fields. For example, Coastal Mountains Land Trust describes its mission as conserving land permanently for the natural and human communities of western Penobscot Bay. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Joe B Foster Family Foundation?

Contact William Warren Foster with a written request. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Joe B Foster Family Foundation's EIN?

Joe B Foster Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 76-0538109. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2026.

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

Data update history

(2)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS August 27, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Joe B Foster Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 26, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/joe-b-foster-family-foundation-morg_11d3c618f7e64e6e83a7cf60e81aff0b

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_760538109_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Joe B Foster Family Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/joe-b-foster-family-foundation-morg_11d3c618f7e64e6e83a7cf60e81aff0b},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-26. 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 Joe B Foster Family 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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