Pierce Runnells Foundation
Pierce Runnells Foundation is a private foundation based in Houston, Texas. It supports charitable organizations, with 2024 grants going to recipients primarily in Texas and also in Pennsylvania.
Pierce Runnells Foundation at a glance
In short: Pierce Runnells Foundation gave $260K across 16 grants in 2024 (avg $16K), mostly in Texas. 31% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $260,000
- +8.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 16
- +45.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $16,250
- -25.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $12,500
- Total assets
- $3,180,052
- +0.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (5 of 16, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Texas (96% 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 Pierce Runnells Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3810 Overbrook Lane, Houston, TX 77027
Phone: (713) 850-7577
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Pierce Runnells Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was UT Health Houston ($70K). Together the top 10 received $205K.
Grant Size Distribution
71 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 65 grants of 71 (92%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 96% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas and 4% to recipients in Pennsylvania. Listed Texas recipients were in Houston, Austin, Liberty Hill, Del Valle, and other communities; the Pennsylvania recipient listed was in Pittsburgh.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Pierce Runnells Foundation open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 16 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $18K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 56% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 40% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 105% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $210K (2020) to $435K (2021). In 2024 it made 16 grants totaling $260K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UT Health Houston Houston, TX | General Charitable Purposes | $70,000 |
| Depelchin Childrens Center Houston, TX | General Charitable Purposes | $20,000 |
| Texas Science and History Museum Austin, TX | General Charitable Purposes | $20,000 |
| Hope House Liberty Hill, TX | General Charitable Purposes | $15,000 |
| Horselink Austin, TX | General Charitable Purposes | $15,000 |
| Houston Symphony Houston, TX | General Charitable Purposes | $15,000 |
| Pease Park Conservancy Austin, TX | General Charitable Purposes | $15,000 |
| Texas Book Festival Austin, TX | General Charitable Purposes | $15,000 |
| PX Project Houston, TX | General Charitable Purposes | $10,000 |
| Treefolks Del Valle, TX | General Charitable Purposes | $10,000 |
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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 | $3,180,052 | $353,412 | $311,338 | $260,000 | 16 | $261,885 | $309,617 | $248,960 |
| 2023 | $3,178,241 | $382,672 | $283,317 | $240,000 | 11 | $242,799 | $342,154 | $220,621 |
| 2022 | $3,019,144 | $149,661 | $280,909 | $235,000 | 15 | $237,500 | $108,204 | $225,720 |
| 2021 | $3,150,392 | $270,599 | $478,019 | $435,000 | 19 | $437,375 | $229,955 | $242,423 |
| 2020 | $3,368,290 | $-36,995 | $267,817 | $210,000 | 10 | — | $89,321 | $206,696 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Pierce Runnells Foundation reported a distributable amount of $249K 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 filing does not state a mission. Its 2024 grantees describe work in areas including children’s mental and physical well-being, literacy, park stewardship, equine-assisted learning, youth training and employment, services for adults with disabilities, trauma-informed care for children and families, and community tree planting. These are the grantees’ missions, not stated priorities of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave $260,000 through 16 grants. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $70,000, with a median grant of $12,500. Notable grants included $70,000 to UT Health Houston; $20,000 each to Depelchin Children’s Center and Texas Science and History Museum; and $15,000 each to Hope House, HorseLink, Houston Symphony, Pease Park Conservancy, and Texas Book Festival. Other listed recipients included PX Project, TreeFolks, Zach Theater, and ICFC, each receiving $10,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Jeff Firestone as president and director, Kate Thompson as secretary and director, Kathryn Watts Smyth as vice-president, and John Pitts as treasurer.
Pierce Runnells Foundation is led by Jeff Firestone, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jeff Firestone
President & Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kate Thompson
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Pitts
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kathryn Watts Smyth
Vice President
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Pierce Runnells Foundation
How much does Pierce Runnells Foundation give each year?
Pierce Runnells Foundation gave $260K across 16 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $240K across 11 grants.
What is Pierce Runnells Foundation's typical grant size?
Pierce Runnells Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $12,500, and its average grant was $16,250, across 16 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Pierce Runnells Foundation that year got $13K on average.
Where does Pierce Runnells Foundation give grants?
Pierce Runnells Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Austin, TX (6 grants) and Houston, TX (5 grants).
Does Pierce Runnells Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Pierce Runnells Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (16 of 16) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Pierce Runnells Foundation's largest grantees?
Pierce Runnells Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include UT Health Houston ($70,000), Depelchin Childrens Center ($20,000) and Texas Science and History Museum ($20,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Pierce Runnells Foundation?
Pierce Runnells Foundation reported $3.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $262K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $249K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Pierce Runnells Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filing does not state a mission. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Pierce Runnells Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Pierce Runnells Foundation's EIN?
Pierce Runnells Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 76-0512606. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Pierce Runnells 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). Pierce Runnells Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/pierce-runnells-foundation-morg_1a1c1d95761e4868ab1fd430377b37e7
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_760512606_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Pierce Runnells Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/pierce-runnells-foundation-morg_1a1c1d95761e4868ab1fd430377b37e7},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Pierce Runnells 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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