The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis
The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis is a private foundation based in Houston, Texas. In 2024, it reported 29 grants totaling $7,830,150, with most grant dollars going to recipients in Texas.
The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis at a glance
In short: The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis gave $7.8M across 29 grants in 2024 (avg $270K), mostly in Texas. 17% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $7,830,150
- +311.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 29
- +7.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $270,005
- +283.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $45,609,484
- -11.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (5 of 29, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Texas (97% 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 The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis
- 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: 8822 Stable Crest Boulevard, Houston, TX 77024
Phone: (713) 572-1122
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University of St Thomas ($7.2M). Together the top 10 received $7.8M.
Grant Size Distribution
159 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 130 grants of 159 (82%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, recipients in Texas received 97% of grant dollars. Recipients in Alabama received 2% and those in California 1%; Illinois and Arizona each accounted for 0% when rounded.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 29 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $326K. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $10K repeat.
- 69% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+3%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 329% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $783K (2022) to $10.8M (2020). In 2024 it made 29 grants totaling $7.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of St Thomas Houston, TX | Operating Support | $7,175,000 |
| Houston Coalition for Life Houston, TX | Operating Support | $175,000 |
| Eternal Word Television Network Irondale, AL | Operating Support | $150,000 |
| Let the Children Live Orinda, CA | Operating Support | $75,000 |
| Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Church Houston, TX | Operating Support | $59,300 |
| Guadalupe Radio Network Midland, TX | Operating Support | $50,000 |
| St John Paul II Foundation Katy, TX | Operating Support | $25,000 |
| Star of Hope Houston, TX | Operating Support | $25,000 |
| Thomas More Society Chicago, IL | Operating Support | $20,000 |
| Alliance Defending Freedom Scottsdale, AZ | Operating Support | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis?
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 | $45,609,484 | $2,322,010 | $8,513,524 | $7,830,150 | 29 | $7,845,150 | $1,655,468 | $2,388,056 |
| 2023 | $51,783,572 | $1,688,123 | $1,941,067 | $1,902,565 | 27 | $1,882,465 | $1,934,748 | $2,493,693 |
| 2022 | $51,898,837 | $816,593 | $1,089,643 | $782,925 | 31 | $795,425 | $1,093,350 | $2,472,994 |
| 2021 | $51,886,644 | $1,702,606 | $7,805,938 | $7,637,590 | 32 | $7,637,590 | $1,393,347 | $2,684,050 |
| 2020 | $59,038,653 | $544,470 | $11,661,600 | $10,791,125 | 40 | — | $79,699 | $1,731,207 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis reported a distributable amount of $2.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations with varied missions. For example, the University of St. Thomas describes itself as a Catholic university committed to the Catholic intellectual tradition and to teaching, scholarship, and service. Houston Coalition for Life says it aims to end abortion in Houston peacefully and prayerfully. Foundation for Life describes providing pregnancy-related services and material assistance to families.
Other 2024 recipients describe work in Catholic media, public-interest law, the arts, and social services. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not a stated mission or set of priorities for the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 29 grants totaling $7,830,150. Grant amounts ranged from $50 to $7,175,000, with a median of $5,000. The largest grant was $7,175,000 to the University of St. Thomas in Houston for operating support. Other large grants included $175,000 to Houston Coalition for Life, $150,000 to Eternal Word Television Network, and $75,000 to Let the Children Live, each for operating support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Lois E. Davis and Charlotte Davis Laker as directors.
The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Charlotte Davis Laker
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lois E. Davis
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Carl A. Davis (2020–2022) — Director
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 The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis
How much does The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis give each year?
The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis gave $7.8M across 29 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.9M across 27 grants.
What is The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis's typical grant size?
The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $270,005, across 29 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis that year got $2K on average.
Where does The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis give grants?
The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis gives mostly in Texas: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (13 grants).
Does The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (29 of 29) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis's largest grantees?
The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis's largest 2024 grantees include University of St Thomas ($7,175,000), Houston Coalition for Life ($175,000) and Eternal Word Television Network ($150,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 96% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis?
The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis reported $45.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $7.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations with varied missions. For example, the University of St. Thomas describes itself as a Catholic university committed to the Catholic intellectual tradition and to teaching, scholarship, and service. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis?
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 The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis's EIN?
The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 37-1648116. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis 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 October 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 The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-carl-a-davis-and-lois-e-davis-morg_4a4ada31ca2a4dbd87ce8b772e9728a5
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_371648116_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-carl-a-davis-and-lois-e-davis-morg_4a4ada31ca2a4dbd87ce8b772e9728a5},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis'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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