The Ruth Parr Sparks Foundation is a private foundation established in 1997 and based in Alice, Texas. Operating with a single staff member, the foundation focuses on community-based philanthropic work with particular emphasis on youth development, animal welfare, environmental conservation, and support for first responders and arts initiatives.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$7.8M
+5.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$355K
+6.4% YoY
Grant Count
25
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$14K
+6.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary giving focuses on:
- Youth and Student Support — Educational programs and student services
- Animal Welfare — Support for animal shelters and related organizations
- Community and Civic Organizations — General community development initiatives
- First Responders — Support for community emergency services
- Arts and Culture — Art-related activities and cultural programming
Grantmaking
The foundation made 25 grants in 2023. Recent grants include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation operates primarily in Texas, with a particular focus on the Alice area and surrounding communities.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | Amount | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,343,170 | 2023 |
| Total Revenues | $1,004,513 | 2023 |
| Total Expenses | $454,837 | 2023 |
| Staff | 1 employee | 2023 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,752,305 | $7,343,170 | $6,793,494 |
| Revenue | $664,205 | $1,004,513 | $439,593 |
| Expenses | $971,282 | $454,837 | $1,715,179 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $380,298 | $358,050 | $397,337 |
| Net Investment Income | $76,221 | $881,941 | — |
| Distributable Amount | $379,166 | $337,728 | $365,305 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
128 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
David L McNinch — Chairman (as of July 2023, serving without compensation)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| David McNinch | Chairman | 25 | $58,600 |
| Olga Galindo | Board Member | 2 | $1,000 |
| Susan Swinney | Board Member | 2 | $1,000 |
| Hilda Resendez | Secretary | — | $1,000 |
Contact Information
Mailing Address: PO Box 728 Alice, TX 78333-0728
Telephone: 361-668-3636
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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