John H Watson Charitable Foundation
The John H Watson Charitable Foundation is a private non-operating foundation established in 1997 in Alabama and headquartered in Dothan, AL. The foundation distributes funds to public charitable, religious, literary, educational, and scientific purposes through a selective grantmaking process.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$32.8M
+1.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.4M
-13.3% YoY
Grant Count
29
+45.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$47K
-40.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John H Watson Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's purpose is to distribute funds to public charitable, religious, literary, educational, and scientific purposes. Primary funding areas include:
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Health Care
Grantmaking
According to available records, the foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations.
Grant Range
$10,000
Average Grant
$57,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports organizations in Alabama, Georgia, and Missouri, which account for 93% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 6 states, with additional activity in the District of Columbia and Tennessee.
The foundation has supported 47 unique organizations.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Income:
- Total assets (2024): $32,829,203
- Total assets (2023): $32.3 million
- Total assets (2011): $3.2 million
- Annual income (2024): $2,072,567
- Annual income (reported): $4.3 million
Giving:
- Total giving (2024): $1,357,750
- Total expenses (2024): $1,515,996
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $32,829,203 | $32,286,211 | $32,910,398 |
| Revenue | $2,072,567 | $1,037,317 | $770,480 |
| Expenses | $1,515,996 | $1,702,415 | $1,651,559 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,357,750 | $1,566,550 | $1,411,800 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,068,482 | $1,033,425 | $746,073 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,606,272 | $1,426,615 | $1,497,471 |
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
106 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Auburn University ($500,000), Providence Christian School ($200,000), Evergreen Presbyterian Church ($140,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALABAMA INSTITUTE FOR DEAF AND BLIND TALLADEGA, AL | CHARITABLE | $35,000 |
| ALABAMA MEDIA FOUNDATION BIRMINGHAM, AL | CHARITABLE | $125,000 |
| ALABAMA NETWORK OF FAMILY RESOURCE CENTERS MONTGOMERY, AL | CHARITABLE | $10,000 |
| AUBURN UNIVERSITY AUBURN, AL | CHARITABLE | $500,000 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF OZARK OZARK, AL | CHARITABLE | $12,500 |
| CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER DOTHAN, AL | CHARITABLE | $25,000 |
| CITY OF OZARK OZARK, AL | CHARITABLE | $5,000 |
| DALE COUNTY 200 OZARK, AL | CHARITABLE | $25,000 |
| DOTHAN AREA BOTANICAL GARDENS DOTHAN, AL | CHARITABLE | $5,000 |
| DOTHAN RESCUE MISSION DOTHAN, AL | CHARITABLE | $3,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Principal Officer: John H Watson
The foundation is governed by 4 officers and trustees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN H WATSON | DIRECTOR | 0.4 | — |
| GAIL P WATSON | DIRECTOR | 0.2 | — |
| JOHN R WATSON | DIRECTOR | 0.1 | — |
| ABBY W DOWNS | DIRECTOR | 0.1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: PO Box 1207, Dothan, AL 36302-1207
Phone: 334-794-6721
EIN: 72-1372393
Tax-Exempt Status: Tax-exempt since May 1998; contributions are tax-deductible
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does John H Watson Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation's purpose is to distribute funds to public charitable, religious, literary, educational, and scientific purposes. Primary funding areas include: • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Health Care
How do I apply for a grant from John H Watson Charitable Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Total grants made: 102 grants totaling $5.8 million (through 2023) • Median grant size: $10,000 • Average grant size: $57,000 • Grant range: $3,000 to $1,000,000 • Typical awards: $2,500–$1,000,000 **Recent Grantmaking Trends:** • 2020: $316,000 distributed • 2022: $2.8 million distributed across 50 grants (highest activity year) • 2023: $1.6 million distributed • 2024: 25 grants made **Application Process:** According to available records, the foundation only makes contri…
Where does John H Watson Charitable Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily supports organizations in Alabama, Georgia, and Missouri, which account for 93% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 6 states, with additional activity in the District of Columbia and Tennessee. The foundation has supported 47 unique organizations.
What size grants does John H Watson Charitable Foundation award?
In 2024, John H Watson Charitable Foundation awarded 29 grants totaling $1.4M — an average of about $47K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is John H Watson Charitable Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, John H Watson Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is John H Watson Charitable Foundation's EIN?
John H Watson Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 72-1372393. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in John H Watson Charitable Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.