John H Watson Charitable Foundation
The John H Watson Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Dothan, Alabama. It makes grants to charitable organizations; its 2025 filing states that it contributes only to preselected organizations.
John H Watson Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: John H Watson Charitable Foundation gave $1.6M across 25 grants in 2025 (avg $64K), mostly in Alabama. 16% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,608,300
- +18.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 25
- -13.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $64,332
- +37.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $33,291,318
- +1.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 16% first-time grantees (4 of 25, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Alabama (99% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to John H Watson Charitable Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 8007, Dothan, AL 36304
Phone: (334) 794-6721
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who John H Watson Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Auburn University ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $1.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
118 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 94 grants of 118 (80%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Alabama. The reported shares for South Dakota and Tennessee were each 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
Cities
Is John H Watson Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
16%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 25 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $74K. How we count
Medians: $13K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 76% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+14%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 88% 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 (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $316K (2020) to $1.6M (2025). In 2025 it made 25 grants totaling $1.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Auburn University Auburn, AL | Charitable | $1,011,000 |
| Evergreen Presbyterian Church Dothan, AL | Charitable | $147,000 |
| Alabama Media Foundation Birmingham, AL | Charitable | $125,000 |
| Various Other Tax-Exempt Organizations (Contributions of 2500 or Less) Dothan, AL | Charitable | $31,850 |
| Child Advocacy Center Dothan, AL | Charitable | $30,000 |
| Vivian B Adams School Ozark, AL | Charitable | $25,500 |
| Wiregrass Hope Group Dothan, AL | Charitable | $25,000 |
| Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind Talladega, AL | Charitable | $20,000 |
| Chrysalis a Home for Girls Dothan, AL | Charitable | $20,000 |
| Dothan Rotary Foundation Fairhope, AL | Charitable | $20,000 |
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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 | $33,291,318 | $2,281,582 | $1,792,135 | $1,608,300 | 25 | $1,608,300 | $2,097,747 | $1,820,140 |
| 2024 | $32,829,203 | $2,072,567 | $1,515,996 | $1,357,750 | 29 | $1,357,750 | $2,068,482 | $1,606,272 |
| 2023 | $32,286,211 | $1,037,317 | $1,702,415 | $1,566,550 | 20 | $1,566,550 | $1,033,425 | $1,426,615 |
| 2022 | $32,910,398 | $770,480 | $1,651,559 | $1,411,800 | 25 | $1,411,800 | $746,073 | $1,497,471 |
| 2021 | $33,791,477 | $8,355,639 | $1,297,010 | $1,063,950 | 19 | $1,063,950 | $5,099,029 | $1,429,117 |
| 2020 | $26,732,848 | $9,568,682 | $415,791 | $316,000 | 13 | — | $4,372,591 | $1,065,169 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John H Watson Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.8M 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
The foundation’s grants support a range of organizations, including educational, media, social-service, and religious organizations. For example, Alabama Media Foundation describes its mission as providing Alabamians with news and information about public-interest issues. Wiregrass Hope Group says it offers practical assistance, emotional support, and spiritual encouragement to individuals and families. Chrysalis A Home for Girls describes its work as providing a permanent home for homeless girls.
Grantmaking
The foundation reported 25 grants totaling $1,608,300 in 2025. Individual grants ranged from $5,000 to $1,011,000, with a median of $15,000. Recent reported giving was $1,357,750 across 29 grants in 2024 and $1,566,550 across 20 grants in 2023.
Among its 2025 grants, Auburn University received $1,011,000, Evergreen Presbyterian Church received $147,000, and Alabama Media Foundation received $125,000. Other reported recipients included Child Advocacy Center ($30,000), Vivian B Adams School ($25,500), Wiregrass Hope Group ($25,000), and Chrysalis A Home for Girls ($20,000). Girls Inc of Dothan also reported receiving $10,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John H Watson, Gail P Watson, John R Watson, and Abby W Downs as directors.
John H Watson Charitable Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Abby W. Downs
Director
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gail P. Watson
Director
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John R. Watson
Director
On filings since 2020
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 John H Watson Charitable Foundation
How much does John H Watson Charitable Foundation give each year?
John H Watson Charitable Foundation gave $1.6M across 25 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.4M across 29 grants.
What is John H Watson Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
John H Watson Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $64,332, across 25 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from John H Watson Charitable Foundation that year got $13K on average.
Where does John H Watson Charitable Foundation give grants?
John H Watson Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Alabama: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Dothan, AL (15 grants), Birmingham, AL (2 grants) and Ozark, AL (2 grants).
Does John H Watson Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 25 grants with a stated purpose on John H Watson Charitable Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (25 grants).
Who are John H Watson Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
John H Watson Charitable Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Auburn University ($1,011,000), Evergreen Presbyterian Church ($147,000) and Alabama Media Foundation ($125,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 80% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is John H Watson Charitable Foundation?
John H Watson Charitable Foundation reported $33.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.8M (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 John H Watson Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation’s grants support a range of organizations, including educational, media, social-service, and religious organizations. For example, Alabama Media Foundation describes its mission as providing Alabamians with news and information about public-interest issues. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from John H Watson Charitable Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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 2020–2025.
Does John H Watson Charitable Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 2, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). John H Watson Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/john-h-watson-charitable-foundation-morg_c1d8416cabcf4e93b4b7b369bb5ec575
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_721372393_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{John H Watson Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/john-h-watson-charitable-foundation-morg_c1d8416cabcf4e93b4b7b369bb5ec575},
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 John H Watson Charitable 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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