Ken W Davis Foundation
The Ken W Davis Foundation is a private foundation based in Fort Worth, Texas. It makes grants to charitable organizations; its 2025 awards included support for food assistance, counseling, disability services, disaster relief, and other programs.
Ken W Davis Foundation at a glance
In short: Ken W Davis Foundation gave $2.5M across 119 grants in 2025 (avg $21K), mostly in Texas. 10% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,500,000
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 119
- -7.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $21,008
- +7.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $17,000
- Total assets
- $44,641,602
- -1.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 10% first-time grantees (11 of 114, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Texas (82% 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 Ken W Davis Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Requests should describe the charitable organization’s project or program, contribution goal, and specific requested amount, and include the organization’s most recent audited financial statements and IRS determination letter. The filing reports no restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- December 31.
- Deadline
- December 31.
- Contact
Application contact: Ken W Davis Foundation
Mailing address: PO Box 3419, Fort Worth, TX 76113
Phone: (817) 332-4081
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Ken W Davis Foundation
Who Ken W Davis Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Tarrant Area Food Bank ($70K). Together the top 10 received $549K.
Grant Size Distribution
810 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 785 grants of 810 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2025 grants went primarily to recipients in Texas, which received 82% of grant dollars. Other listed recipient-state shares were Tennessee, 4%; Oregon, 3%; Colorado, 2%; and North Carolina, 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 119 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Ken W Davis Foundation open to new grantees?
10%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 114 grantees (10%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $30K; repeat grants $21K. How we count
Medians: $22K first-time, $17K repeat.
- 73% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−8%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 96% 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 $2.2M (2020) to $2.7M (2022). In 2025 it made 119 grants totaling $2.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Tarrant Area Food Bank Fort Worth, TX | Increased food dist demand due to govt shut down | $70,000 |
| Healing Reins Therapeutic Riding Center Inc Bend, OR | General Operations | $69,000 |
| Centers for Children & Families Midland, TX | Provide Counseling Service for Receipents | $60,000 |
| Recording Library of West TX Midland, TX | General Operating Fund | $60,000 |
| Community Foundation of the Hill Country Kerrville, TX | Kerr County Flood Relief Fund | $50,000 |
| Midland Rape Crisis & Child Advocacy Ctr Midland, TX | General Operating Fund | $50,000 |
| Samaritan's Purse Boone, NC | Keerrville Flood Relief Fund | $50,000 |
| True Purpose Ministries Maryville, TN | Building Project - Capital Campaign | $50,000 |
| Aphasia Center of West Texas Inc Midland, TX | General Operating Fund | $40,000 |
| Community Children's Clinic Midland, TX | General Operations | $40,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Ken W Davis Foundation?
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 | $44,641,602 | $2,000,984 | $2,854,300 | $2,500,000 | 119 | $2,504,055 | $1,656,163 | $2,607,619 |
| 2024 | $45,494,918 | $4,211,728 | $2,940,073 | $2,500,000 | 128 | $2,503,925 | $3,822,349 | $2,433,234 |
| 2023 | $44,184,258 | $2,957,981 | $2,760,025 | $2,400,000 | 169 | $2,404,764 | $2,629,545 | $2,274,913 |
| 2022 | $43,986,302 | $2,315,572 | $3,180,807 | $2,729,625 | 198 | $2,734,010 | $1,929,859 | $2,325,618 |
| 2021 | $44,850,283 | $4,089,177 | $2,897,785 | $2,474,100 | 196 | $2,479,941 | $3,578,749 | $2,631,384 |
| 2020 | $43,654,436 | $3,600,829 | $2,586,215 | $2,200,000 | 184 | — | $1,448,720 | $2,277,823 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ken W Davis Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.6M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its grants show support for a range of charitable organizations. For example, Tarrant Area Food Bank describes its mission as empowering its community to alleviate hunger and improve health. Aphasia Center of West Texas says it works to improve quality of life for people impacted by aphasia, while Senior Life Midland describes its mission as addressing challenges related to aging and meeting community needs. Mission Agape says it aims to meet people’s needs and build lasting relationships.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 119 grants totaling $2,500,000. Awards ranged from $2,500 to $70,000, with a median grant of $17,000. Among the largest grants were $70,000 to Tarrant Area Food Bank for increased food distribution demand, $69,000 to Healing Reins Therapeutic Riding Center for general operations, and $60,000 each to Centers for Children & Families for counseling services and Recording Library of West Texas for general operations. Other notable awards included $50,000 to Community Foundation of the Hill Country for a Kerr County flood relief fund and $50,000 to Samaritan’s Purse for flood relief.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Alan Davis as president; Elaine McMerchant as secretary; David Whitney as treasurer and chairman of the investment committee; and Alana Marsh and Bruce Brady as executive committee members.
Ken W Davis Foundation is led by Alan Davis, President on every filing since 2024; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Alan Davis
President
On filings since 2024
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Whitney
Treasurer & Chairman Investment Committee
Chairman Investment Committee → Treasurer & Chairman Investment Committee, 2024
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alana Marsh
Executive Committee Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bruce Brady
Executive Committee Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elaine McMerchant
Secretary
On filings since 2021
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Jeniece Sanders (2020–2024) — Executive Committee Member
- Former: Tricia Hagenow (2024) — Executive Committee Member
- Former: Elizabeth Kaufmann (2020–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Tcullen Davis (2020–2023) — President
- Former: Donna Singer (2020) — Secretary
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 Ken W Davis Foundation
How much does Ken W Davis Foundation give each year?
Ken W Davis Foundation gave $2.5M across 119 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.5M across 128 grants.
What is Ken W Davis Foundation's typical grant size?
Ken W Davis Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $17,000, and its average grant was $21,008, across 119 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ken W Davis Foundation that year got $30K on average.
Where does Ken W Davis Foundation give grants?
Ken W Davis Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 82% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Fort Worth, TX (37 grants), Midland, TX (23 grants), Dallas, TX (9 grants) and Odessa, TX (5 grants).
Does Ken W Davis Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 55% of Ken W Davis Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (65 of 119) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Ken W Davis Foundation's largest grantees?
Ken W Davis Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Tarrant Area Food Bank ($70,000), Healing Reins Therapeutic Riding Center Inc ($69,000) and Centers for Children & Families ($60,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 8% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ken W Davis Foundation?
Ken W Davis Foundation reported $44.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.6M (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 Ken W Davis Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its grants show support for a range of charitable organizations. For example, Tarrant Area Food Bank describes its mission as empowering its community to alleviate hunger and improve health. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ken W Davis Foundation?
The filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ken W Davis Foundation's EIN?
Ken W Davis Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-6012722. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 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 7, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 11, 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 1, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 30, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ken W Davis Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ken-w-davis-foundation-morg_ae3c11326fc54a0e9dba603775de156c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_756012722_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ken W Davis Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ken-w-davis-foundation-morg_ae3c11326fc54a0e9dba603775de156c},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-03. 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 Ken W Davis 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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