Potts and Sibley Foundation
The Potts and Sibley Foundation is a private foundation based in Midland, Texas. Established by Effie Potts Sibley in 1967, it makes grants to charitable organizations, with grantmaking rooted in the Trans-Pecos and Big Bend portions of West Texas.
Potts and Sibley Foundation at a glance
In short: Potts and Sibley Foundation gave $1.9M across 40 grants in 2025 (avg $48K), mostly in Texas. 20% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,935,500
- +14.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 40
- +25.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $48,388
- -8.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $40,000
- Total assets
- $32,673,761
- +9.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (8 of 40, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Texas (97% 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 Potts and Sibley Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Review Cycle
- The grant committee generally meets in January and July.
- Deadline
- The grant committee generally meets in January and July.
- Contact
Application contact: Robert W Bechtel
Mailing address: PO Box 8907, Midland, TX 79708
Phone: (432) 686-7051
Website: https://pottsandsibleyfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Potts and Sibley Foundation
Who Potts and Sibley Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Salvation Army ($140K). Together the top 10 received $985K.
Grant Size Distribution
143 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 82 grants of 143 (57%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation states that grants are generally restricted to West Texas and other specific programs in Texas. In 2025, 97% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas and 3% to recipients in Massachusetts. The listed grants include recipients in Midland and other West Texas communities.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 40 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Potts and Sibley Foundation open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 40 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $24K; repeat grants $55K. How we count
Medians: $23K first-time, $48K repeat.
- 78% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 24% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 93% 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 (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $345K (2021) to $2.6M (2022). In 2025 it made 40 grants totaling $1.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Salvation Army Midland, TX | Operations | $140,000 |
| Midland Community Healthcare Services Midland, TX | Operations | $120,000 |
| Sibley Environmental Learning Center Midland, TX | Nature and Conservation Education | $120,000 |
| West Texas Food Bank Midland, TX | Operations | $120,000 |
| The Springboard Center Midland, TX | Operations | $100,000 |
| Planned Parenthood of Texas Midland, TX | Assistance to Families | $90,000 |
| Lilah Smith Safe Place Odessa, TX | Operations | $80,000 |
| Safe Place Midland, TX | Assistance to Victims of Domestic Violence | $80,000 |
| Northeast Midland Co Volunteer Fire Dept Midland, TX | Operations | $75,000 |
| American Macular Degeneration Foundation Northampton, MA | Support Prevention and Cure | $60,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Potts and Sibley 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $32,673,761 | $5,369,968 | $2,451,083 | $1,935,500 | 40 | $2,026,333 | $4,855,609 | $2,186,583 |
| 2024 | $29,754,876 | $6,726,314 | $2,088,301 | $1,690,400 | 32 | $1,764,149 | $1,118,310 | $1,884,275 |
| 2023 | $25,116,863 | $3,808,892 | $2,089,823 | $1,498,500 | 29 | $1,599,947 | $3,401,235 | $1,466,402 |
| 2022 | $23,397,794 | $1,937,187 | $3,019,927 | $2,561,500 | 31 | $2,635,520 | $1,578,296 | $1,530,315 |
| 2021 | $24,466,280 | $1,100,780 | $810,506 | $345,000 | 11 | — | $701,435 | $1,467,624 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Potts and Sibley Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.2M 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
The foundation’s history describes its purpose as sharing what the land had provided to D. J. Sibley and Effie Potts Sibley. Its grants include support for healthcare, food banks, mental health services, shelter and assistance for people in need, conservation education, domestic violence assistance, and senior programs.
Examples of grantees’ work include the West Texas Food Bank, which says it collects, purchases, and distributes food across 19 West Texas counties; Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Permian Basin, which describes its work as creating and supporting one-to-one youth mentoring relationships; and the Aphasia Center of West Texas, which says it works to improve quality of life for people impacted by aphasia.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 40 grants totaling $1,935,500. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $140,000, with a median of $40,000. Among the largest awards were $140,000 to the Salvation Army for operations; $120,000 each to Midland Community Healthcare Services for operations, Sibley Environmental Learning Center for nature and conservation education, and West Texas Food Bank for operations; and $100,000 to The Springboard Center for operations.
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Its website provides a Request for Funds Affidavit and General Information for Grants Applicants; applicants are instructed to complete the required materials and account for any missing information with a complete explanation. The filing lists Robert W. Bechtel as the contact for application information.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Robert W. Bechtel as director/manager and W. Burgess Wade as director. It lists Cheryl Hightower, M.D., Scott Davis, Stephen Johnson, Eileen Piwetz, and Dennis Rambo as committee members. The foundation’s website identifies Bechtel and Wade as trustees and lists Piwetz as chair of the grants committee.
Potts and Sibley Foundation's 2025 filing lists 7 officers; all 7 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Robert W. Bechtel
Director & Manager
On filings since 2021
20 hrs/week
$153K (2021) → $218K (2025)
W. Burgess Wade
Director
On filings since 2021
10 hrs/week
$100K (2021) → $140K (2025)
Cheryl Hightower MD
Committee Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$500 (2021) → $1K (2025)
Dennis Rambo
Committee Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$1K (2021) → $1K (2025)
Eileen Piwetz
Committee Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$1K (2021) → $1K (2025)
Scott Davis
Committee Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$1K (2021) → $1K (2025)
Stephen Johnson
Committee Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$1K (2021) → $1K (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $218K, to Robert W Bechtel (Director/Manager). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Potts and Sibley Foundation
How much does Potts and Sibley Foundation give each year?
Potts and Sibley Foundation gave $1.9M across 40 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.7M across 32 grants.
What is Potts and Sibley Foundation's typical grant size?
Potts and Sibley Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $40,000, and its average grant was $48,388, across 40 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Potts and Sibley Foundation that year got $24K on average.
Where does Potts and Sibley Foundation give grants?
Potts and Sibley Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Midland, TX (30 grants) and Alpine, TX (3 grants).
Does Potts and Sibley Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 40 grants with a stated purpose on Potts and Sibley Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Operations" (31 grants).
Who are Potts and Sibley Foundation's largest grantees?
Potts and Sibley Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Salvation Army ($140,000), Midland Community Healthcare Services ($120,000) and Sibley Environmental Learning Center ($120,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 20% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Potts and Sibley Foundation?
Potts and Sibley Foundation reported $32.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.0M 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 Potts and Sibley Foundation fund?
The foundation’s history describes its purpose as sharing what the land had provided to D. J. Sibley and Effie Potts Sibley. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Potts and Sibley Foundation?
Potts and Sibley Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, according to Grantable's research on its published guidelines. Check pottsandsibleyfoundation.org for any change to that policy.
What is Potts and Sibley Foundation's EIN?
Potts and Sibley Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-6081070. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Potts and Sibley 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 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Potts and Sibley Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/potts-and-sibley-foundation-morg_12fbe939b40546459f2546373fac75d8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_756081070_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Potts and Sibley Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/potts-and-sibley-foundation-morg_12fbe939b40546459f2546373fac75d8},
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 Potts and Sibley 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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