Mervin Bovaird Foundation
The Mervin Bovaird Foundation is a private foundation based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In 2024, it made grants to organizations including universities, arts and cultural institutions, and nonprofits working in areas such as food assistance, literacy, conservation, housing, and services for homebound people.
Mervin Bovaird Foundation at a glance
In short: Mervin Bovaird Foundation gave $2.0M across 72 grants in 2024 (avg $27K), mostly in Oklahoma. 10% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,967,000
- +5.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 72
- +12.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $27,319
- -6.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $46,378,361
- +15.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 10% first-time grantees (7 of 72, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Oklahoma (91% 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 Mervin Bovaird 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: 7424 S Yale Ave Ste 200, Tulsa, OK 74136
Phone: (918) 935-3250
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Mervin Bovaird Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Philbrook Museum of Art Inc ($330K). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
361 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 326 grants of 361 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 91% of grant dollars went to recipients in Oklahoma. The remaining shares went to recipients in Virginia (4%), California (3%), Illinois (1%), and New York (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 72 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Mervin Bovaird Foundation open to new grantees?
10%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 7 of 72 grantees (10%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $29K; repeat grants $27K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 69% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+0%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 95% 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 (2020–2024). 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 $1.6M (2022) to $2.0M (2020). In 2024 it made 72 grants totaling $2.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Philbrook Museum of Art Inc Tulsa, OK | General Support | $330,000 |
| University of Tulsa Tulsa, OK | General Support | $264,000 |
| Oklahoma State University Foundation Stillwater, OK | General Support | $140,000 |
| Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma Tulsa, OK | General Support | $80,000 |
| The Nature Conservancy Arlington, VA | General Support | $75,000 |
| University of Oklahoma - Tulsa Tulsa, OK | General Support | $75,000 |
| Reading Partners Oakland, CA | General Support | $60,000 |
| Tulsa Symphony Tulsa, OK | General Support | $50,000 |
| Tulsa Community Foundation Tulsa, OK | General Support | $45,000 |
| Eden Village of Tulsa Tulsa, OK | General Support | $40,000 |
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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 | $46,378,361 | $4,082,253 | $2,704,847 | $1,967,000 | 72 | $2,114,752 | $2,867,184 | $2,228,276 |
| 2023 | $40,215,281 | $1,938,131 | $2,465,385 | $1,863,000 | 64 | $1,996,715 | $1,483,050 | $2,051,726 |
| 2022 | $38,311,132 | $-2,385,149 | $2,404,019 | $1,628,523 | 78 | $1,758,299 | $296,092 | $2,105,137 |
| 2021 | $43,238,387 | $12,231,581 | $2,694,023 | $1,969,000 | 74 | $2,092,516 | $11,630,071 | $2,056,882 |
| 2020 | $33,700,829 | $619,779 | $2,794,445 | $1,986,500 | 73 | — | — | $1,925,738 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Mervin Bovaird Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Reading Partners describes its mission as helping students become confident, independent, lifelong readers through personalized literacy support. Eden Village of Tulsa says it builds relationships with formerly homeless people through a tiny-home community and wrap-around services. Meals on Wheels of Metro Tulsa describes its work as providing meals, wellness checks, and caring contact to homebound people.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 72 grants totaling $1,967,000. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $330,000, with a median of $10,000. The largest listed grants included $330,000 to Philbrook Museum of Art, $264,000 to the University of Tulsa, $140,000 to Oklahoma State University Foundation, and $80,000 to Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. Other notable awards included $75,000 each to The Nature Conservancy and the University of Oklahoma–Tulsa, and $60,000 to Reading Partners.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Mervin Bovaird Foundation is led by Christopher K Woosley, President since 2024 (on filings since 2020); all 5 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Christopher K Woosley
President
Trustee → President, 2024
On filings since 2020
25 hrs/week
$35K (2020) → $75K (2024)
Janice L McCroskey
Trustee
Secretary → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2022
7.5 hrs/week
$36K (2022) → $44K (2024)
Lance Stockwell
Vice President Finance
On filings since 2020
7.5 hrs/week
$35K (2020) → $35K (2024)
P David Newsome Jr.
Vice President Finance
On filings since 2020
7.5 hrs/week
$35K (2020) → $35K (2024)
Melony R Woosley
Grant Administrator
New on the 2024 filing
35 hrs/week
$38K (2024)
Former officers (2)
- Former: R Casey Cooper (2020–2023) — President
- Former: Janice L. Pierce (2020–2021) — Secretary
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 $75K, to Christopher K Woosley (President). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Mervin Bovaird Foundation
How much does Mervin Bovaird Foundation give each year?
Mervin Bovaird Foundation gave $2.0M across 72 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.9M across 64 grants.
What is Mervin Bovaird Foundation's typical grant size?
Mervin Bovaird Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $27,319, across 72 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Mervin Bovaird Foundation that year got $29K on average.
Where does Mervin Bovaird Foundation give grants?
Mervin Bovaird Foundation gives mostly in Oklahoma: 91% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Tulsa, OK (62 grants) and Oklahoma City, OK (3 grants).
Does Mervin Bovaird Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Mervin Bovaird Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (72 of 72) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Mervin Bovaird Foundation's largest grantees?
Mervin Bovaird Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Philbrook Museum of Art Inc ($330,000), University of Tulsa ($264,000) and Oklahoma State University Foundation ($140,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Mervin Bovaird Foundation?
Mervin Bovaird Foundation reported $46.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.2M (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 Mervin Bovaird Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Reading Partners describes its mission as helping students become confident, independent, lifelong readers through personalized literacy support. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Mervin Bovaird 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 Mervin Bovaird Foundation's EIN?
Mervin Bovaird Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 73-6102163. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Mervin Bovaird 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 September 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). Mervin Bovaird Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/mervin-bovaird-foundation-morg_ea3b74d4ae3d418aa43b9309cb87da1d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_736102163_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Mervin Bovaird Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/mervin-bovaird-foundation-morg_ea3b74d4ae3d418aa43b9309cb87da1d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Mervin Bovaird 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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