Novum Foundation
Novum Foundation is a Houston, Texas-based private foundation established in 2023 as the philanthropic arm of Novum Energy. It says it partners with stakeholders working in holistic education, health, and well-being to energize the communities where it works and help build a more sustainable world.
Novum Foundation at a glance
In short: Novum Foundation gave $522K across 16 grants in 2024 (avg $33K), top state Texas. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $522,467
- +115.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 16
- +33.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $32,654
- +61.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $275,685
- +34.8% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Texas (28% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Novum Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. It states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3200 Kirby Drive 1000, Houston, TX 77098
Phone: (281) 536-6905
Website: https://www.novumfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Novum Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Mission Success of Houston ($86K). Together the top 10 received $432K.
Grant Size Distribution
28 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 24 grants of 28 (86%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation describes its work as serving communities where it operates and reports having funded projects of 12 organizations in four countries. Its 2024 filing shows grant dollars going to recipients in Texas (28%), Washington, DC (10%), Puerto Rico (6%), and Tennessee (6%); the recipient-state figure listed as “?” accounts for another 44%. Named 2024 recipients also include organizations with no location specified in the filing.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Novum Foundation gives
- 38% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 2023 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $242K (2023) to $522K (2024). In 2024 it made 16 grants totaling $522K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mission Success of Houston Houston, TX | Wellness and enrichment programs for under-served Houston, TX students | $85,869 |
| Elijah's Retreat Inc Jacksonville, TX | Net-zero cabin for families with children facing autism | $51,705 |
| Mensajeros de la Paz | Support foster youth who have experienced family separation due to human rights violations | $50,000 |
| Austism Speaks Inc Washington, DC | General support | $49,771 |
| The Bienvenido Project (FUNFONAVI) | Construyendo Suenos (Building Dreams) project | $44,962 |
| Fundacion Innovacion Ortopedica sin Limites | Prosthetics for people in need | $40,000 |
| National Autistic Society | Child educational facility renovation and upgrades | $40,000 |
| Amani Foundation Chattanooga, TN | Farm and biogas infrastructure improvements for Tanzania children's home | $30,000 |
| Nucleo | Instruments and musical instruction for children from low-income families | $20,000 |
| Sumando Manos Foundation Inc Miami Beach, FL | Apiculture initiative | $20,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Novum 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $275,685 | $723,692 | $602,025 | $522,467 | 16 | $598,275 | $48,752 | $7,767 |
| 2023 | $204,451 | $563,468 | $306,606 | $241,982 | 12 | $306,606 | $50,817 | $1,838 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Novum Foundation reported a distributable amount of $8K 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
The foundation’s stated aim is to support holistic education, health, and well-being. Its 2024 grants included student wellness and enrichment, support for families raising children with autism, foster-youth support, prosthetics, educational facilities, arts instruction, and technology training.
Grantees describe their own missions in varied terms. Elijah’s Retreat describes itself as a sanctuary that nurtures attachment for families facing autism through outdoor adventure and therapeutic animals. Amani Foundation describes its work as strengthening vulnerable African women and their families, supporting economic self-sufficiency and community, and promoting holistic well-being.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 16 grants totaling $522,467. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $85,869, with a median of $25,000. Notable grants included $85,869 to Mission Success of Houston for wellness and enrichment programs for underserved Houston students; $51,705 to Elijah’s Retreat for a net-zero cabin for families with children facing autism; and $50,000 to Mensajeros de la Paz to support foster youth who have experienced family separation due to human rights violations. Other large grants included $49,771 to Autism Speaks for general support and $44,962 to The Bienvenido Project for its Construyendo Suenos (Building Dreams) project.
The foundation’s website also describes support for a three-year Houston Grand Opera partnership to identify, train, and mentor young Latin American opera singers. It says a grant for the partnership was approved in December 2024.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Alfredo Vilas as President, Chris Scott as Secretary/Treasurer, and Gabriel Loperena and Maximiliano Poveda as Directors. The foundation’s website also lists Carol Sugimoto on its Board of Directors and Luna Rey as Managing Director.
Novum Foundation is led by Alfredo Vilas, President on every filing since 2023; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Alfredo Vilas
President
On filings since 2023
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gabriel Loperena
Director
On filings since 2023
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Maximiliano Poveda
Director
On filings since 2023
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chris Scott
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2023
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2023–2024. "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 Novum Foundation
How much does Novum Foundation give each year?
Novum Foundation gave $522K across 16 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $242K across 12 grants.
What is Novum Foundation's typical grant size?
Novum Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $32,654, across 16 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Novum Foundation give grants?
Novum Foundation's top state is Texas, with 28% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (10%) and Puerto Rico (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (2 grants).
Does Novum Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 13% of Novum Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (2 of 16) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Novum Foundation's largest grantees?
Novum Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Mission Success of Houston ($85,869), Elijah's Retreat Inc ($51,705) and Mensajeros de la Paz ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Novum Foundation?
Novum Foundation reported $276K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $598K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $8K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Novum Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated aim is to support holistic education, health, and well-being. Its 2024 grants included student wellness and enrichment, support for families raising children with autism, foster-youth support, prosthetics, educational facilities, arts instruction, and technology training. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Novum Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Novum Foundation's EIN?
Novum Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 92-3370375. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2023–2024.
Does Novum 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 2023–2024
Live grants for the work Novum Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Novum Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Novum Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/novum-foundation-morg_41e03de1626843aa92213b4f9039da16
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_923370375_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Novum Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/novum-foundation-morg_41e03de1626843aa92213b4f9039da16},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. 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 Novum 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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