Polycarp Foundation
Polycarp Foundation is a private foundation based in Missouri City, Texas. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, with the largest shares of grant dollars going to recipients in Texas and Washington.
Polycarp Foundation at a glance
In short: Polycarp Foundation gave $158K across 13 grants in 2024 (avg $12K), mostly in Texas. 38% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $158,000
- -41.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 13
- +18.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $12,154
- -50.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $4,497,431
- +16.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (5 of 13, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Texas (73% 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 Polycarp Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 4807 Caliburn Cr, Missouri City, TX 77459
Phone: (972) 233-0595
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Polycarp Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Its the Pits Cookers ($40K). Together the top 10 received $145K.
Grant Size Distribution
57 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 52 grants of 57 (91%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
For filing year 2024, 73% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas, 16% to Washington, 9% to Iowa, and 2% to Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Polycarp Foundation open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 13 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $18K; repeat grants $9K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 54% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−17%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 55% 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 $158K (2024) to $300K (2020). In 2024 it made 13 grants totaling $158K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Its the Pits Cookers Richmond, TX | General Support | $40,000 |
| Tacoma Youth Marine Center Tacoma, WA | General Support | $25,000 |
| American National Red Cross Boone, IA | General Support | $15,000 |
| American Legion Charities Inc Fort Worth, TX | General Support | $10,000 |
| Cypress United Methodist Church Cypress, TX | General Support | $10,000 |
| St Andrews Episcopal Church Farmers Branch, TX | General Support | $10,000 |
| Texas State Aquarium Corpus Christi, TX | General Support | $10,000 |
| The Thankful Ones Richmond, TX | General Support | $10,000 |
| Yaga's Children's Fund Galveston, TX | General Support | $10,000 |
| Children's Museum of Houston Houston, TX | General Support | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Polycarp 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 | $4,497,431 | $824,334 | $180,490 | $158,000 | 13 | $158,000 | $509,443 | $286,080 |
| 2023 | $3,853,587 | $377,846 | $294,614 | $270,000 | 11 | $270,000 | $93,441 | $250,022 |
| 2022 | $3,770,355 | $423,494 | $206,442 | $190,000 | 10 | $190,000 | $60,554 | $227,414 |
| 2021 | $3,553,303 | $402,961 | $210,154 | $190,000 | 10 | $190,000 | $39,828 | $239,923 |
| 2020 | $3,360,496 | $388,163 | $312,811 | $300,000 | 13 | — | $49,790 | $186,333 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Polycarp Foundation reported a distributable amount of $286K 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations including churches, a youth marine center, a zoo, a children’s museum, and charitable organizations.
St Andrews Episcopal Church describes its mission as supporting, encouraging, and assisting the religious activities of St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Bryan, Brazos County, Texas. Houston Zoo describes its mission as connecting communities with animals and inspiring action to save wildlife.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported $158,000 in grants across 13 grants. The reported grant amounts ranged from $3,000 to $40,000, with a median of $10,000. Notable grants included $40,000 to It’s the Pits Cookers, $25,000 to Tacoma Youth Marine Center, and $15,000 to American National Red Cross. Other listed awards included $10,000 each to American Legion Charities, Cypress United Methodist Church, St Andrews Episcopal Church, Texas State Aquarium, The Thankful Ones, and Yaga’s Children’s Fund; and $5,000 each to Children’s Museum of Houston, Houston Zoo, and Texas and Southwestern Cattle.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Joseph Wesley Doolin as VP/Secretary and Worth A Nelson III as President.
Polycarp Foundation is led by Worth A. Nelson III, President since 2021 (on filings since 2020); none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Worth A. Nelson III
President
Vice President → President, 2021
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joseph Wesley Doolin
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Rosemary Cdoolin (2020) — President & Treasurer
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 Polycarp Foundation
How much does Polycarp Foundation give each year?
Polycarp Foundation gave $158K across 13 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $270K across 11 grants.
What is Polycarp Foundation's typical grant size?
Polycarp Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $12,154, across 13 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Polycarp Foundation that year got $18K on average.
Where does Polycarp Foundation give grants?
Polycarp Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 73% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Washington (16%) and Iowa (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Richmond, TX (2 grants), Fort Worth, TX (2 grants) and Houston, TX (2 grants).
Does Polycarp Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Polycarp Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (13 of 13) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Polycarp Foundation's largest grantees?
Polycarp Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Its the Pits Cookers ($40,000), Tacoma Youth Marine Center ($25,000) and American National Red Cross ($15,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 51% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Polycarp Foundation?
Polycarp Foundation reported $4.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $158K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $286K (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 Polycarp Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations including churches, a youth marine center, a zoo, a children’s museum, and charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Polycarp Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Polycarp Foundation's EIN?
Polycarp Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-2777481. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Polycarp 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
Live grants for the work Polycarp Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Polycarp Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Polycarp Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/polycarp-foundation-morg_812c6ef4778b4b34936bc7576bd611b6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_752777481_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Polycarp Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/polycarp-foundation-morg_812c6ef4778b4b34936bc7576bd611b6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Polycarp 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.
Polycarp Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?