Leon Payne Jr Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Houston, TX EIN: 85-2619235

The Leon Payne Jr Foundation is a private foundation based in Houston, Texas. Its 2025 filing reports grants to organizations including a hospital foundation, a church, mental-health and animal-welfare organizations, a food bank, a school, and a nature center.

Key facts about Leon Payne Jr Foundation

In short: Leon Payne Jr Foundation gave $58K across 13 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), mostly in Texas. 46% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
85-2619235
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$57,500
Grants made (2025)
13
Average grant
$4,423
Median grant
$2,500
New grantees (estimate)
46% first-time grantees (6 of 13, 2025)
Total assets
$1,013,059
Primary geography
Texas (94% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
Yes
How to apply
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Full details ↓
Deadline
None.

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$1.0M

+8.4% YoY

Annual Giving

$58K

-23.8% YoY

Grant Count

13

+0.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$4K

-23.8% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Leon Payne Jr Foundation reported a distributable amount of $61K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Leon Payne Jr Foundation open to new grantees?

46%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 6 of 13 grantees (46%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $6K. How we count

Medians: $2K first-time, $4K repeat.

  • 38% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−10%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 97% 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 (2021–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for varied charitable organizations. For example, The Menninger Clinic describes its work as psychiatric treatment, research, and education; Houston Humane Society says it seeks to prevent cruelty to living creatures and relieve animal suffering; and the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center describes a mission of environmental education and protecting native plants and animals. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 13 grants totaling $57,500. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $18,500, with a median of $2,500. The largest awards included $18,500 to Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation, $10,000 to The Church of St John the Divine, and $5,000 each to Amazing Place, Houston Food Bank, and The Menninger Clinic. All of these grants were reported for general operating support.

Review Cycle

None.

Your AI grants department

Ready to take the next step with Leon Payne Jr Foundation?

Fully replaces Grant database subscriptions Instrumentl · Foundation Directory · GrantStation & similar

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The 2025 filing shows that 94% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas, 4% to Minnesota, and 2% to Illinois. Named Texas recipients include organizations in Houston and Kerrville.

Grant Distribution by State

5states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.

Cities

HoustonAustinNashvilleDallasKerrvilleSan MarcosChicagoKansas CityMinneapolis

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$20K$40K$60K$80K0 grants2020 13 grants2021 9 grants2022 14 grants2023 13 grants2024 13 grants2025

From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $57K (2021) to $76K (2024). In 2025 it made 13 grants totaling $58K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation: $19KHouston Methodist HospitalFoundation$19KThe Church of St John the Divine: $10KThe Church of St John theDivine$10KAmazing Place: $5KAmazing Place$5KHouston Food Bank: $5KHouston Food Bank$5KThe Menninger Clinic: $5KThe Menninger Clinic$5KHouston SPCA: $4KHouston SPCA$4KNMDP Foundation: $3KNMDP Foundation$3KHouston Arboretum & Nature Center: $2KHouston Arboretum & NatureCenter$2KHouston Humane Society: $2KHouston Humane Society$2KSt Johns School: $1KSt Johns School$1K

The largest 2025 recipient was Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation ($19K). Together the top 10 received $55K.

Grant Size Distribution

62 grants across all recorded years

62<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 62 grants of 62 (100%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation Houston, TXGeneral Operating Support$18,500
The Church of St John the Divine Houston, TXGeneral Operating Support$10,000
Amazing Place Houston, TXGeneral Operating Support$5,000
Houston Food Bank Houston, TXGeneral Operating Support$5,000
The Menninger Clinic Houston, TXGeneral Operating Support$5,000
Houston SPCA Houston, TXGeneral Operating Support$3,500
NMDP Foundation Minneapolis, MNGeneral Operating Support$2,500
Houston Arboretum & Nature Center Houston, TXGeneral Operating Support$2,000
Houston Humane Society Houston, TXGeneral Operating Support$2,000
St Johns School Houston, TXGeneral Operating Support$1,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2025 $1,013,059 $145,180 $66,941 $57,500 (13 grants)
2024 $934,820 $99,188 $84,727 $75,500 (13 grants)
2023 $920,373 $783 $90,307 $58,152 (14 grants)
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$500K$1M$1.5M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$1,013,059$934,820$920,373
Revenue$145,180$99,188$783
Expenses$66,941$84,727$90,307
Qualifying Distributions$59,744$77,679$60,152
Net Investment Income$116,831$92,251$13,750
Distributable Amount$61,492$56,189$50,149

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 8, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Mary Katharine Payne Burke as president, William Leon Payne as treasurer, and Rebecca Linville Payne as secretary, each through December 31, 2025. It lists Hal Burke and Julie Stone Payne as directors.

Leon Payne Jr Foundation is led by Mary Katharine Payne Burke, President since 2023 (on filings since 2022); none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Mary Katharine Payne Burke

    President

    Secretary → President, 2023

    On filings since 2022

    No compensation reported

  • Julie Stone Payne

    Director

    President → President & Director, 2023

    President & Director → Director, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Hal Burke

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    No compensation reported

  • Rebecca Linville Payne

    Secretary

    Director → Secretary, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • William Leon Payne

    Treasurer

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

Former officers (2)
  • Former: Leon M. Payne Jr. (2020–2021) — Director
  • Former: Mary Katherine Payne (2020–2021) — 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.

Contact

Application contact: Julie Stone Payne
Mailing address: 45 W Broad Oaks Dr, Houston, TX 77056
Phone: (713) 540-0282

Frequently asked questions about Leon Payne Jr Foundation

How much does Leon Payne Jr Foundation give each year?

Leon Payne Jr Foundation gave $58K across 13 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $76K across 13 grants.

What is Leon Payne Jr Foundation's typical grant size?

Leon Payne Jr Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $4,423, across 13 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Leon Payne Jr Foundation that year got $3K on average.

Where does Leon Payne Jr Foundation give grants?

Leon Payne Jr Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (9 grants) and Kerrville, TX (2 grants).

Does Leon Payne Jr Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of Leon Payne Jr Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (13 of 13) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Leon Payne Jr Foundation's largest grantees?

Leon Payne Jr Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation ($18,500), The Church of St John the Divine ($10,000) and Amazing Place ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 58% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Leon Payne Jr Foundation?

Leon Payne Jr Foundation reported $1.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $60K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $61K (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 Leon Payne Jr Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for varied charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Leon Payne Jr Foundation?

The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Leon Payne Jr Foundation's EIN?

Leon Payne Jr Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-2619235. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does Leon Payne Jr Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

Yes, 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.

Your AI grants department

Here's the math on researching Leon Payne Jr Foundation by hand.

Explore Open Grants

Browse active grant opportunities in Leon Payne Jr Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database

Similar Funders

Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Texas

Greater Houston Community Foundation

Houston, TX

The Foundation makes grants through donor-advised and other donor-established funds for public benefit, human services, education, and health, including initiatives addressing economic mobility and poverty in Harris County. In 2024, its median grant was $25,000; it serves Greater Houston, while grants also go to recipients elsewhere in Texas and beyond. It does not accept proposals for the upcoming High-Impact Grantmaking cycle and plans to invite selected organizations or collaboratives to apply.

Assets

$1.1B

Grants

1,724

Total Given

$232.3M

The Brown Foundation Inc

Houston, TX

The Brown Foundation funds education, arts and culture, healthcare, human services, and civic assets, with education and the arts as top priorities and public education giving focused almost exclusively on greater Houston. Its 2025 grants ranged from $20,000 to $11 million, with a median of $50,000; it primarily supports Houston organizations and selectively funds distinctive opportunities elsewhere in Texas and beyond.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$1.1B

Grants

222

Total Given

$84.3M

Vivian L Smith Foundation

Houston, TX

The Vivian L Smith Foundation supports qualifying nonprofit organizations across charitable fields, including education, health care, youth services, and family support; it does not fund individuals. Its 2025 grants ranged from $1,000 to $100,000, with a median of $20,000, and nearly all grant dollars went to Texas, though it reports no geographic restrictions. It accepts requests without a required form; applicants must state the purpose and provide proof of qualifying status.

Assets

$69.1M

Grants

189

Total Given

$4.5M

CFP Foundation

Houston, TX

CFP Foundation supports education and health care organizations, with nearly all 2024 grant dollars going to recipients in Texas and small shares reported for Colorado and Maryland. Its 59 grants ranged from $10,000 to $500,000, with a median of $25,000. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$63.0M

Grants

59

Total Given

$3.4M

Communities Foundation of Texas Inc

Dallas, TX

Communities Foundation of Texas funds charitable work in health, wealth, living, and learning, with much of its grantmaking supporting North Texas nonprofits; its 2025 grants had a median of $18,779, though award sizes varied widely. Nearly all opportunities are by invitation, and its Nonprofit Gateway profile is not a grant application.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$1.2B

Grants

2,209

Total Given

$209.2M

BNSF Railway Foundation

Fort Worth, TX

The BNSF Railway Foundation supports civic, cultural, educational, health and human services, environmental, and youth programs, as well as general operating costs, in communities served by BNSF across its 28-state network. Its 2025 median grant was $2,500; its current grants program lists awards of $1,000–$10,000.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$23.0M

Grants

993

Total Given

$7.0M

Baker Hughes Foundation

Houston, TX

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$2.2M

Grants

990

Total Given

$3.2M

Community Foundation of North Texas (Tax

Fort Worth, TX

The Community Foundation of North Texas supports nonprofits through grants for areas including animal welfare, conservation, community development, nonprofit capacity, and opportunity, primarily in North Texas, including seven listed counties. Its 2024 grants had a median amount of $14,250, with awards ranging from $5,100 to $1.5 million. It offers competitive grants through application cycles; nonprofits cannot apply for donor-advised grants.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$544.9M

Grants

872

Total Given

$41.3M

Michael & Susan Dell Foundation

Austin, TX

The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation funds education, health, family economic stability, and nonprofit capacity, with a strong focus on children and families and its deepest investment in Texas, especially Greater Austin; it also supports work elsewhere in the U.S. and internationally. Its 2024 grants ranged from $75 to $50 million, with a median of $19,324. It accepts unsolicited requests through an online application.

Assets

$7.8B

Grants

835

Total Given

$164.6M

American Heart Association Inc

Dallas, TX

The American Heart Association funds basic, clinical, behavioral, translational, population, and other research on cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and brain health, mainly through research awards to eligible U.S.-based nonprofit institutions. In 2025, grants ranged from $5,000 to $9.9 million, with a median award of $20,000. Applications are submitted through designated programs; the profile does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.

Diseases, Disorders & Medical Disciplines

Assets

$2.0B

Grants

833

Total Given

$198.2M

Laura and John Arnold Foundation

Houston, TX

Arnold Ventures funds evidence-based research, evaluation, and policy work in criminal justice, health care, higher education and career pathways, public finance, and infrastructure. Its 2024 grants had a median of $122,776 (ranging from $685 to $12.5 million); based in Houston, Texas, it does not accept unsolicited requests, but accepts applications through specific requests for proposals.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$4.8B

Grants

789

Total Given

$193.3M

More Funders in Texas

Leon Payne Jr Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?

Want AI to do this for you?