O'Brien Foundation
The O'Brien Foundation is a private foundation based in Refugio, Texas. In its 2025 filing, it reported giving to Texas organizations including churches, fire departments, an education foundation, health-care organizations, and community-service organizations.
O'Brien Foundation at a glance
In short: O'Brien Foundation gave $26K across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in Texas. 7% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $25,750
- +3.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- +7.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,839
- -4.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,625
- Total assets
- $524,310
- +2.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 7% first-time grantees (1 of 14, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Texas (100% 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 O'Brien Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The 2025 filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Requests should be sent to James Richard O’Brien with a detail of the request. The filing lists no restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- December 1 of each year, as stated on the 2025 filing.
- Deadline
- December 1 of each year, as stated on the 2025 filing.
- Contact
Application contact: James Richard O'Brien
Mailing address: PO Box 1052, Refugio, TX 78377
Phone: (361) 526-2715
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who O'Brien Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Our Lady of Victory Cathedral ($4K). Together the top 10 received $22K.
Grant Size Distribution
73 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 73 grants of 73 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Texas. Named recipients were in Refugio, Beeville, Berclair, Goliad, Victoria, and Corpus Christi.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is O'Brien Foundation open to new grantees?
7%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 14 grantees (7%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 93% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+3%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 100% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $23K (2020) to $26K (2023). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $26K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Our Lady of Victory Cathedral Victoria, TX | Mission Support | $4,000 |
| Beeville Fire Department Beeville, TX | Equipment | $2,500 |
| Refugio Fire Department Refugio, TX | Equipment | $2,500 |
| Berclair Fire Department Berclair, TX | Operating Support | $2,500 |
| Our Lady of Refuge Church Refugio, TX | Church Building Fund | $2,000 |
| Refugio ISD Education Foundation Refugio, TX | Operating Support | $2,000 |
| Good Samaritan Ministries Refugio, TX | Clothing & Food for Needy | $1,625 |
| Goliad County Outreach Goliad, TX | Operating Support | $1,625 |
| Driscoll Children's Hospital Corpus Christi, TX | Equipment | $1,500 |
| Hospice of South Texas Victoria, TX | Operating Expenses | $1,500 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $524,310 | $39,864 | $26,750 | $25,750 | 14 | $25,750 | $36,014 | $25,693 |
| 2024 | $511,376 | $21,276 | $25,995 | $25,000 | 13 | $25,000 | $12,926 | $25,746 |
| 2023 | $516,291 | $15,784 | $26,795 | $25,800 | 15 | $25,800 | $14,084 | $24,638 |
| 2022 | $527,497 | $16,926 | $25,830 | $25,100 | 15 | $25,100 | $14,026 | $25,788 |
| 2021 | $536,574 | $83,858 | $23,690 | $23,100 | 16 | $23,100 | $12,458 | $25,106 |
| 2020 | $476,637 | $37,586 | $23,495 | $23,000 | 15 | — | $16,586 | $23,093 |
| 2019 | $462,829 | $15,155 | $24,151 | $23,650 | 14 | — | $13,650 | $22,974 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, O'Brien Foundation reported a distributable amount of $26K for 2025 — 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas such as religious services, fire-department equipment and operations, education, health care, food and clothing assistance, and rescue services.
The Refugio ISD Education Foundation says its mission is to partner with the community to provide resources that enrich teaching, inspire learning, and expand opportunities for students in the district. Driscoll Children’s Hospital describes its work as expert care, education, outreach, and advocacy. Ronald McDonald House Charities says it works to keep children near the care they need so families can get better together.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 14 grants totaling $25,750. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $4,000, with a median of $1,625. Notable awards included $4,000 to Our Lady of Victory Cathedral for mission support; $2,500 each to Beeville Fire Department for equipment, Refugio Fire Department for equipment, and Berclair Fire Department for operating support; and $2,000 each to Our Lady of Refuge Church for its building fund and Refugio ISD Education Foundation for operating support. Other named 2025 recipients included Good Samaritan Ministries ($1,625), Goliad County Outreach ($1,625), Driscoll Children’s Hospital ($1,500), Hospice of South Texas ($1,500), HALO Flight ($1,000), Immaculate Conception Church ($1,000), and Ronald McDonald House Charities ($1,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists James Richard O’Brien as president, Janey Harkins Hiller as vice president, and Bridget O’Brien Gayle as secretary/treasurer.
O'Brien Foundation is led by James Richard O'Brien, President since 2021 (on filings since 2019); none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
James Richard O'Brien
President
S & T → President, 2021
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Janey Harkins Hiller
Vice President
President → Vice President, 2021
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Bridget O'Brien Gayle
S & T
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Mary Kathryn O'Brien (2019–2020) — Vice 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.
Frequently asked questions about O'Brien Foundation
How much does O'Brien Foundation give each year?
O'Brien Foundation gave $26K across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $25K across 13 grants.
What is O'Brien Foundation's typical grant size?
O'Brien Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,625, and its average grant was $1,839, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from O'Brien Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does O'Brien Foundation give grants?
O'Brien Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Refugio, TX (4 grants), Corpus Christi, TX (3 grants), Victoria, TX (2 grants) and Beeville, TX (2 grants).
Does O'Brien Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 36% of O'Brien Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (5 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Equipment" (3 grants).
Who are O'Brien Foundation's largest grantees?
O'Brien Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Our Lady of Victory Cathedral ($4,000), Beeville Fire Department ($2,500) and Refugio Fire Department ($2,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 35% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is O'Brien Foundation?
O'Brien Foundation reported $524K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $26K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $26K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does O'Brien Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas such as religious services, fire-department equipment and operations, education, health care, food and clothing assistance, and rescue services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from O'Brien Foundation?
The 2025 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 O'Brien Foundation's EIN?
O'Brien Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-6062067. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 15, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 25, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 9, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
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