Lamar County Fire Fighters Association
LAMAR COUNTY FIRE FIGHTERS ASSOCIATION is a public charity based in Paris, Texas, formed in 1992. It oversees public donations and certain fundraising for 19 volunteer fire departments in Lamar County and supports those departments’ education, training, communication, and funding needs.
Key facts about Lamar County Fire Fighters Association
In short: Lamar County Fire Fighters Association gave $257K across 17 grants in 2025 (avg $15K), mostly in Texas. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 75-2449910
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $256,783
- Grants made (2025)
- 17
- Average grant
- $15,105
- Median grant
- $11,609
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 17, 2025)
- Total assets
- $22,862
- Primary geography
- Texas (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$23K
+20.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$257K
+14.1% YoY
Grant Count
17
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$15K
+14.1% YoY
Is Lamar County Fire Fighters Association open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 17 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. How we count
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2022–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to oversee donations for 19 volunteer fire departments in Lamar County. Its filing describes its role as assisting those departments with programs necessary for the preservation of life and protection of property from fire.
In 2025, the association made grants to volunteer fire departments. Brookston VFD, one of its grantees, describes its own mission as providing fire protection for the unincorporated community of Brookston, Texas.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the association reported 17 grants totaling $256,783. Grant amounts ranged from $5,407 to $42,992, with a median of $11,609. Its largest reported grants included $42,992 to Blossom VFD, $40,034 to Powderly VFD, $22,005 to Faught VFD, $19,794 to Brookston VFD, and $17,098 to Reno VFD. The stated purpose for these grants was to provide donations to help volunteers fight fires.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All reported grant dollars in 2025 went to recipients in Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $193K (2022) to $257K (2025). In 2025 it made 17 grants totaling $257K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Blossom VFD ($43K). Together the top 10 received $207K.
Grant Size Distribution
67 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 67 grants of 67 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Blossom VFD Blossom, TX | Provide Donations to Help Volunteers Fight Fires | $42,992 |
| Powderly VFD Powderly, TX | Provide Donations to Help Volunteers Fight Fires | $40,034 |
| Faught VFD Paris, TX | Provide Donations to Help Volunteers Fight Fires | $22,005 |
| Brookston VFD Brookston, TX | Provide Donations to Help Volunteers Fight Fires | $19,794 |
| Reno VFD Reno, TX | Provide Donations to Help Volunteers Fight Fires | $17,098 |
| Hopewell VFD Sumner, TX | Provide Donations to Help Volunteers Fight Fires | $16,410 |
| Lamar Point VFD Powderly, TX | Provide Donations to Help Volunteers Fight Fires | $14,722 |
| Tigertown VFD Sumner, TX | Provide Donations to Help Volunteers Fight Fires | $12,665 |
| Chicota VFD Chicota, TX | Provide Donations to Help Volunteers Fight Fires | $11,609 |
| Midway VFD Paris, TX | Provide Donations to Help Volunteers Fight Fires | $10,021 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $22,862 | $285,691 | $281,861 | $256,783 |
| 2024 | $19,032 | $251,105 | $251,747 | $225,087 |
| 2023 | $19,674 | $226,672 | $225,599 | $200,920 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $22,862 | $19,032 | $19,674 |
| Revenue | $285,691 | $251,105 | $226,672 |
| Expenses | $281,861 | $251,747 | $225,599 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-EZ for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 11, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 3, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 9, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 1, 2026)
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists the following volunteer fire departments as directors: Biardstown VFD, Blossom VFD, Brookston VFD, Chicota VFD, Cummingham VFD, Deport VFD, Direct VFD, East Post Oak VFD, Faught VFD, and Hopewell VFD.
Lamar County Fire Fighters Association is led by Matthew Barbee, President since 2024 (on filings since 2023); none of the 22 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Matthew Barbee
President
Vice President → President, 2024
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Biardstown Vfd
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Blossom Vfd
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brookston Vfd
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chicota Vfd
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Deport Vfd
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
East Post Oak Vfd
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Hopewell Vfd
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lamar Point Vfd
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Reno Vfd
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Roxton Vfd
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tigertown Vfd
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cummingham Vfd
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Direct Vfd
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Faught Vfd
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Midway Vfd
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Novice Vfd
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Pattonville Vfd
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Powderly Vfd
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Taylortown Vfd
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rick Browning
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brent Cooper
Vice President
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (8)
- Former: Austin Bush (2022–2024) — Vice President
- Former: Dakota McDowra (2022) — Vice President
- Former: Cunningham Vfd (2021) — Director
- Former: Tyler Bussell (2019–2020) — President
- Former: Chris Shoemate (2020) — Vice President
- Former: Chad Graves (2019) — Vice President
- Former: Chris McLemore (2019) — Secretary
- Former: Roger Bussell (2019) — President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: 2673 North Main St 101, Paris, TX 75460
Phone: (903) 491-6551
Frequently asked questions about Lamar County Fire Fighters Association
How much does Lamar County Fire Fighters Association give each year?
Lamar County Fire Fighters Association gave $257K across 17 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $225K across 17 grants.
What is Lamar County Fire Fighters Association's typical grant size?
Lamar County Fire Fighters Association's median grant in 2025 was $11,609, and its average grant was $15,105, across 17 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Lamar County Fire Fighters Association give grants?
Lamar County Fire Fighters Association gives mostly in Texas: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Paris, TX (5 grants), Sumner, TX (3 grants), Powderly, TX (2 grants) and Blossom, TX (2 grants).
Does Lamar County Fire Fighters Association give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 17 grants with a stated purpose on Lamar County Fire Fighters Association's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Provide Donations to Help Volunteers Fight Fires" (17 grants).
Who are Lamar County Fire Fighters Association's largest grantees?
Lamar County Fire Fighters Association's largest 2025 grantees include Blossom VFD ($42,992), Powderly VFD ($40,034) and Faught VFD ($22,005), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 41% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Lamar County Fire Fighters Association?
Lamar County Fire Fighters Association reported $23K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $286K.
What does Lamar County Fire Fighters Association fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to oversee donations for 19 volunteer fire departments in Lamar County. Its filing describes its role as assisting those departments with programs necessary for the preservation of life and protection of property from fire. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Lamar County Fire Fighters Association?
Lamar County Fire Fighters Association has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Lamar County Fire Fighters Association's EIN?
Lamar County Fire Fighters Association's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-2449910. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Lamar County Fire Fighters Association by hand.
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