Ruth and Lee Caldwell Foundation
The Ruth and Lee Caldwell Foundation is a private foundation based in Abilene, Texas. Its 2025 filing reports 11 grants totaling $277,800, all to recipients in Texas; the listed grants supported foundations, a rehabilitation center, camps and retreats, a boys ranch, churches, and other organizations.
Ruth and Lee Caldwell Foundation at a glance
In short: Ruth and Lee Caldwell Foundation gave $278K across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $25K), mostly in Texas. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $277,800
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- Average grant
- $25,255
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $9,839,350
- 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.
How to apply to Ruth and Lee Caldwell 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: 2225 S Danville Dr Ste 3, Abilene, TX 79605
Phone: (325) 650-3380
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ruth and Lee Caldwell Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was San Angelo Area Foundation ($80K). Together the top 10 received $278K.
Grant Size Distribution
11 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 8 grants of 11 (73%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Ruth and Lee Caldwell Foundation gives
- In 2025 it paid out 61% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $278K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| San Angelo Area Foundation San Angelo, TX | Operational Support | $80,000 |
| TSTC Foundation Waco, TX | Operational Support | $75,000 |
| Fellowship of Isreal Related Ministries Grapevine, TX | Operational Support | $50,000 |
| West Texas Rehabilitation Center Abilene, TX | Operational Support | $30,000 |
| USA Springs Hope Foundation Frisco, TX | Operational Support | $20,000 |
| T Bar M Camps & Retreats New Braunfels, TX | Operational Support | $15,000 |
| Ben Richey's Boys Ranch Abilene, TX | Operational Support | $5,000 |
| First Baptist Church of Abilene Abilene, TX | Operational Support | $2,500 |
| Church of the Heavenly Rest Abilene, TX | Operational Support | $100 |
| Community Foundation of Abilene Abilene, TX | Operational Support | $100 |
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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 | $9,839,350 | $10,115,933 | $349,619 | $277,800 | 11 | $277,800 | $127,751 | $455,787 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ruth and Lee Caldwell Foundation reported a distributable amount of $456K 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 went to organizations with varied activities. The San Angelo Area Foundation describes its mission as building a legacy of philanthropy by attracting and managing endowed gifts and matching donor interests with community needs. The West Texas Rehabilitation Center Foundation says it provides financial support to the West Texas Rehabilitation Center. Meals on Wheels describes its work as preparing and delivering hot meals to elderly and disabled people five days a week. The Community Foundation of Abilene says it connects donors with causes, manages endowments, makes grants aligned with donor intent, responds to community needs, and provides philanthropic leadership.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 11 grants totaling $277,800. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $80,000, with a median grant of $15,000. The largest grants were $80,000 to San Angelo Area Foundation, $75,000 to TSTC Foundation, $50,000 to Fellowship of Israel Related Ministries, and $30,000 to West Texas Rehabilitation Center. Each was listed for operational support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Cliff M. Caldwell II as president, Lauren Caldwell as secretary, and Andrew Caldwell as treasurer.
Ruth and Lee Caldwell Foundation is led by Cliff M. Caldwell II, President on the 2025 filing; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Cliff M. Caldwell II
President
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Caldwell
Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lauren Caldwell
Secretary
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 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 Ruth and Lee Caldwell Foundation
How much does Ruth and Lee Caldwell Foundation give each year?
Ruth and Lee Caldwell Foundation gave $278K across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
What is Ruth and Lee Caldwell Foundation's typical grant size?
Ruth and Lee Caldwell Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $25,255, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Ruth and Lee Caldwell Foundation give grants?
Ruth and Lee Caldwell 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 Abilene, TX (6 grants).
Does Ruth and Lee Caldwell Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Ruth and Lee Caldwell Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 11) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Ruth and Lee Caldwell Foundation's largest grantees?
Ruth and Lee Caldwell Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include San Angelo Area Foundation ($80,000), TSTC Foundation ($75,000) and Fellowship of Isreal Related Ministries ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 74% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ruth and Lee Caldwell Foundation?
Ruth and Lee Caldwell Foundation reported $9.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $278K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $456K (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 Ruth and Lee Caldwell Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied activities. The San Angelo Area Foundation describes its mission as building a legacy of philanthropy by attracting and managing endowed gifts and matching donor interests with community needs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ruth and Lee Caldwell 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 Ruth and Lee Caldwell Foundation's EIN?
Ruth and Lee Caldwell Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 99-2550303. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2025.
Does Ruth and Lee Caldwell 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
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 23, 2026)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ruth and Lee Caldwell Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 25, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ruth-and-lee-caldwell-foundation-morg_18c3c2dd3a514f239dc96cc36999076e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_992550303_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ruth and Lee Caldwell Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ruth-and-lee-caldwell-foundation-morg_18c3c2dd3a514f239dc96cc36999076e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-25. 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 Ruth and Lee Caldwell 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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