John R Eckel Jr Foundation
The John R Eckel Jr Foundation is a private foundation based in Houston, Texas. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including arts and cultural institutions, education and workforce organizations, and a community-focused nonprofit.
John R Eckel Jr Foundation at a glance
In short: John R Eckel Jr Foundation gave $1.2M across 29 grants in 2024 (avg $42K), mostly in Texas. 5% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,204,700
- -7.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 29
- +20.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $41,541
- -23.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $23,056,085
- -21.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 5% first-time grantees (1 of 20, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Texas (77% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to John R Eckel Jr Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 515 Post Oak Blvd 1000, Houston, TX 77027
Phone: (713) 333-2200
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who John R Eckel Jr Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Menil Foundation Inc ($285K across 5 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
118 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 74 grants of 118 (63%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 77% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas, 22% to New York, and 1% to New Jersey. Listed recipients include organizations in Houston and New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
Cities
Is John R Eckel Jr Foundation open to new grantees?
5%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 20 grantees (5%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $63K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $40K repeat.
- 85% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−2%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 115% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.2M (2024) to $1.8M (2020). In 2024 it made 29 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Menil Foundation Inc Houston, TX | Unrestricted operating support | $100,000 |
| Orange Show Foundation Houston, TX | Capital campaign | $100,000 |
| Whitney Museum of American Art New York, NY | Support for the Adam D. Weinberg Artists Fund | $100,000 |
| Whitney Museum of American Art New York, NY | Eckel Gallery Exhibition Program | $100,000 |
| Menil Foundation Inc Houston, TX | Support for Menil House grounds renovation | $75,000 |
| Menil Foundation Inc Houston, TX | Ruth Asawa drawing acquisition | $75,000 |
| Genesys Works Houston, TX | Unrestricted operating support | $60,000 |
| Buffalo Bayou Partnership Houston, TX | Supporting a new, site-specific media and sound installation by Rachel Rossin at the Houston | $50,000 |
| Lawndale Art and Performance Center Houston, TX | Unrestricted operating support | $50,000 |
| The Museum of Fine Arts Houston Houston, TX | Unrestricted operating support | $50,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $23,056,085 | $-4,540,642 | $1,798,086 | $1,204,700 | 29 | $1,354,123 | $768,930 | $1,180,290 |
| 2023 | $29,394,813 | $444,833 | $2,062,976 | $1,295,000 | 24 | $1,446,662 | $971,854 | $1,177,643 |
| 2022 | $31,012,956 | $-984,744 | $2,333,855 | $1,722,500 | 28 | $1,873,444 | $312,855 | $1,126,731 |
| 2021 | $34,331,555 | $1,653,433 | $1,831,265 | $1,223,410 | 21 | $1,372,988 | $1,058,529 | $1,144,480 |
| 2020 | $34,509,387 | $-394,251 | $2,300,506 | $1,845,111 | 16 | — | $577,536 | $1,181,456 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John R Eckel Jr Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The available sources do not state the foundation’s mission. Its 2024 grants include operating support, capital campaign funding, museum exhibition and acquisition support, and arts-related projects. The recipients’ descriptions illustrate the range of organizations supported: the Whitney Museum of American Art says it presents and collects art of the United States and champions living artists; the Orange Show Foundation says it preserves and promotes visionary art environments and provides opportunities for artistic expression; and the Menil Foundation says it fosters direct encounters with art and welcomes visitors free of charge. Genesys Works also received a grant, but no mission description for that organization is provided here.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 29 grants totaling $1,204,700. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $100,000, with a median of $25,000. Notable grants included $100,000 each to the Menil Foundation, the Orange Show Foundation, and the Whitney Museum of American Art; $60,000 to Genesys Works; and $50,000 each to Buffalo Bayou Partnership, Lawndale Art and Performance Center, and the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. The filing lists purposes including unrestricted operating support, a capital campaign, an exhibition program, and museum acquisitions.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Douglas L Lawing as President/Treasurer, Jeffrey A Casey as VP/Secretary, and T Randolph Harris as Director.
John R Eckel Jr Foundation is led by Douglas L Lawing, President & Treasurer since 2022 (on filings since 2020); all 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Douglas L Lawing
President & Treasurer
President, Tr & Director → President, Treasurer & Director, 2021
President, Treasurer & Director → President & Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$150K (2020) → $150K (2024)
T Randolph Harris
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$10K (2020) → $10K (2024)
Jeffrey A Casey
Vice President & Secretary
Vice President, Secretary & Director → Vice President & Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$10K (2020) → $10K (2024)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $150K, to Douglas L Lawing (President/Treasurer). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about John R Eckel Jr Foundation
How much does John R Eckel Jr Foundation give each year?
John R Eckel Jr Foundation gave $1.2M across 29 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.3M across 24 grants.
What is John R Eckel Jr Foundation's typical grant size?
John R Eckel Jr Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $41,541, across 29 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from John R Eckel Jr Foundation that year got $10K on average.
Where does John R Eckel Jr Foundation give grants?
John R Eckel Jr Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 77% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (22%). The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (22 grants) and New York, NY (4 grants).
Does John R Eckel Jr Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 59% of John R Eckel Jr Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (17 of 29) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are John R Eckel Jr Foundation's largest grantees?
John R Eckel Jr Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Menil Foundation Inc ($284,700 across 5 grants), Whitney Museum of American Art ($200,000 across 2 grants) and Orange Show Foundation ($125,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 51% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is John R Eckel Jr Foundation?
John R Eckel Jr Foundation reported $23.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.2M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does John R Eckel Jr Foundation fund?
The available sources do not state the foundation’s mission. Its 2024 grants include operating support, capital campaign funding, museum exhibition and acquisition support, and arts-related projects. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from John R Eckel Jr Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is John R Eckel Jr Foundation's EIN?
John R Eckel Jr Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-2818091. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does John R Eckel Jr Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). John R Eckel Jr Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/john-r-eckel-jr-foundation-morg_a4a861a4bd2743bfbd9181a0a9eada74
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_272818091_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{John R Eckel Jr Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/john-r-eckel-jr-foundation-morg_a4a861a4bd2743bfbd9181a0a9eada74},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 R Eckel Jr 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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