Smith & Watson Foundation
Smith & Watson Foundation is a private foundation based in Hobbs, New Mexico. Its 2025 filing reports 12 grants totaling $30,200, all listed as general support.
Smith & Watson Foundation at a glance
In short: Smith & Watson Foundation gave $30K across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in New Mexico. 8% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $30,200
- +0.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 12
- -7.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,517
- +8.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $599,010
- +7.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (1 of 12, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New Mexico (83% 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 Smith & Watson Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 2704, Hobbs, NM 88241-2704
Phone: (575) 397-2411
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Smith & Watson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was University of the Southwest ($6K). Together the top 10 received $30K.
Grant Size Distribution
64 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 64 grants of 64 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 83% of grant dollars went to recipients in New Mexico and 17% to recipients in Texas. Listed New Mexico recipients were in Hobbs, Lovington, and Roswell; the Texas recipient was in Granbury.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Smith & Watson Foundation open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 12 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 92% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−4%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 94% 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 $25K (2021) to $32K (2022). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $30K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of the Southwest Hobbs, NM | General Support | $6,000 |
| Palmer Drug Abuse Program Hobbs, NM | General Support | $5,000 |
| Granbury Church of Christ Granbury, TX | General Support | $5,000 |
| My Power Inc Hobbs, NM | General Support | $4,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity Hobbs, NM | General Support | $3,000 |
| New Mexico Junior College Foundation Hobbs, NM | General Support | $2,500 |
| Southwest Symphony Hobbs, NM | General Support | $1,500 |
| Western Heritage Museum Hobbs, NM | General Support | $1,000 |
| Isaiahs Soup Kitchen Hobbs, NM | General Support | $750 |
| Lea County Museum Lovington, NM | General Support | $750 |
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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 | $599,010 | $82,673 | $39,202 | $30,200 | 12 | $31,586 | $42,620 | $33,469 |
| 2024 | $555,539 | $22,014 | $38,735 | $30,100 | 13 | $31,495 | $23,825 | $32,076 |
| 2023 | $572,260 | $61,183 | $37,906 | $30,100 | 13 | $31,478 | $24,436 | $28,239 |
| 2022 | $548,983 | $81,942 | $39,415 | $31,500 | 13 | $32,752 | $30,114 | $28,603 |
| 2021 | $506,456 | $49,112 | $32,612 | $25,000 | 13 | — | $9,073 | $29,487 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Smith & Watson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $33K 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 including a university, a substance-abuse program, a church, a habitat organization, a symphony, museums, a soup kitchen, a humane society, and a Boy Scouts organization.
The University of the Southwest describes its mission as a Christ-centered educational community developing people for servant leadership. Lea County Museum says it collects, preserves, educates, and displays regional art, artifacts, and buildings. Isaiah’s Soup Kitchen says it serves people in need in Lea County and surrounding areas with hot meals and food boxes. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave $30,200 through 12 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $200 to $6,000, with a median of $2,000. The largest awards were $6,000 to University of the Southwest, $5,000 each to Palmer Drug Abuse Program and Granbury Church of Christ, and $4,000 to My Power Inc. All were listed as general support.
Other 2025 grants included $3,000 to Habitat for Humanity; $2,500 to New Mexico Junior College Foundation; $1,500 to Southwest Symphony; $1,000 to Western Heritage Museum; $750 each to Isaiah’s Soup Kitchen and Lea County Museum; $500 to Lea County Humane Society; and $200 to Conquistador Boy Scouts of America.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Julee W Smith as president and R Finn Smith as secretary/treasurer.
Smith & Watson Foundation is led by Julee W. Smith, President on every filing since 2021; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Julee W. Smith
President
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
R. Finn Smith
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Smith & Watson Foundation
How much does Smith & Watson Foundation give each year?
Smith & Watson Foundation gave $30K across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $30K across 13 grants.
What is Smith & Watson Foundation's typical grant size?
Smith & Watson Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $2,517, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Smith & Watson Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does Smith & Watson Foundation give grants?
Smith & Watson Foundation gives mostly in New Mexico: 83% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Texas (17%). The most frequent recipient cities were Hobbs, NM (9 grants).
Does Smith & Watson Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Smith & Watson Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 12) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Smith & Watson Foundation's largest grantees?
Smith & Watson Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include University of the Southwest ($6,000), Palmer Drug Abuse Program ($5,000) and Granbury Church of Christ ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 53% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Smith & Watson Foundation?
Smith & Watson Foundation reported $599K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $32K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $33K (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 Smith & Watson Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations including a university, a substance-abuse program, a church, a habitat organization, a symphony, museums, a soup kitchen, a humane society, and a Boy Scouts organization. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Smith & Watson Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Smith & Watson Foundation's EIN?
Smith & Watson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-0387785. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Smith & Watson 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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Figures come from Smith & Watson 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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