The Dixon Water Foundation
The Dixon Water Foundation is a private foundation based in Decatur, Texas. Founded in 1994 by the late Roger Dixon, it promotes healthy watersheds through sustainable land management and supports grants, research, education, and stewardship on working ranches.
The Dixon Water Foundation at a glance
In short: The Dixon Water Foundation gave $401K across 11 grants in 2024 (avg $36K), mostly in Texas. 18% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $400,591
- +203.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 11
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $36,417
- +203.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $60,524,397
- +6.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (2 of 11, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Texas (86% 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 Dixon Water Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. It makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations. The stated process is to contact Rachel Vasquez with a two- to three-page project description, a budget, and supporting materials. Awards are limited to land management, watershed protection, and education.
- Review Cycle
- November 1.
- Deadline
- November 1.
- Contact
Application contact: Rachel Vasquez
Mailing address: P O Box 177, Marfa, TX 79843
Phone: (432) 729-4600
Website: https://dixonwater.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 The Dixon Water Foundation
Who The Dixon Water Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Borderlands Research Institute Ar SRSU ($159K). Together the top 10 received $394K.
Grant Size Distribution
61 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 49 grants of 61 (80%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s mission and grantmaking emphasize Texas. It operates ranches in North and West Texas and says its grants support programs in key Texas ecosystems. In 2024, 86% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas, 12% to New Mexico, and 2% to Wisconsin.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Dixon Water Foundation open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 11 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $100K; repeat grants $22K. How we count
Medians: $100K first-time, $19K repeat.
- 9% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 36% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 62% 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 (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 $132K (2023) to $580K (2020). In 2024 it made 11 grants totaling $401K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Borderlands Research Institute Ar SRSU Alpine, TX | Ranch Management | $159,000 |
| Holistic Management International Albuquerque, NM | Land Program | $50,000 |
| National Audubon Society Inc DBA Audubon Texas Austin, TX | Praire and Grassland Conservation | $40,000 |
| Texas Land Conservancy Austin, TX | Land Conservancy | $40,000 |
| Texas Agricultural Land Trust San Anotonio, TX | Land Management | $25,000 |
| The Nature Conservancy in Texas San Anotonio, TX | Conservation | $20,000 |
| University of North Texas Foundation Inc Denton, TX | Ranch Management | $18,591 |
| Hill Country Alliance Austin, TX | Headwaters Challenge | $16,000 |
| Native Prairies Association of Texas San Marcos, TX | Challenge Grant | $15,000 |
| Devils River Conservancy Austin, TX | Preservation of the Devils River | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Dixon Water 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $60,524,397 | $4,684,921 | $1,988,574 | $400,591 | 11 | $1,224,256 | $4,079,048 | $1,968,014 |
| 2023 | $56,809,181 | $1,233,870 | $2,307,663 | $132,200 | 11 | $1,024,939 | $587,472 | $1,829,523 |
| 2022 | $57,377,930 | $1,354,737 | $2,780,436 | $378,177 | 12 | $1,204,243 | $105,373 | $1,974,687 |
| 2021 | $58,799,342 | $5,007,067 | $2,070,097 | $295,000 | 10 | $4,020,526 | $4,221,410 | $1,870,709 |
| 2020 | $57,068,292 | $814,132 | $2,455,036 | $580,200 | 17 | — | $469,662 | $2,489,460 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Dixon Water Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.0M for 2024 — 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 mission is to promote healthy watersheds through sustainable land management so future generations have the water resources they need. Its grantmaking supports land management, watershed protection, and education. The foundation says many grants support projects using its ranches for research and education on land stewardship and water conservation.
In 2024, the foundation supported organizations working on conservation and land stewardship. Texas Land Conservancy, which received $40,000, describes its mission as conserving Texas natural areas and protecting wildlife habitat, native plant communities, and scenic landscapes. Hill Country Alliance, which received $16,000, says it works to preserve the Texas Hill Country’s open spaces, night skies, waters, and character. Devils River Conservancy, which received $10,000, says it works to protect the Devils River and lands within its watershed.
Grantmaking
The foundation makes annual grants to nonprofit organizations, preferably in Texas, that are recognized as charitable organizations by the IRS. Its 2024 filing lists 11 grants totaling $400,591. Grant amounts ranged from $7,000 to $159,000, with a median of $20,000.
The largest 2024 grant was $159,000 to Borderlands Research Institute at Sul Ross State University for ranch management. Other notable grants included $50,000 to Holistic Management International for a land program; $40,000 each to National Audubon Society Inc. DBA Audubon Texas for prairie and grassland conservation and to Texas Land Conservancy; and $25,000 to Texas Agricultural Land Trust for land management. The University of North Texas Foundation received $18,591 for ranch management; its stated role is to manage and grow private assets in support of the university’s mission.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Robert J. Potts as chairman; Kathy Smyth and Hugh Aljoe as vice chairmen; and Laura Whiting, Leslie Rauscher, Jerry Addison, Melissa Bookhout, and Dr. Richard Teague as board members. Casey Wade is president and CEO, and Hilary Knight is vice president of operations.
The Dixon Water Foundation is led by Casey Wade, President & CEO since 2023 (on filings since 2020); 5 of 12 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Casey Wade
President & CEO
Vice President → President & CEO, 2023
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$90K (2020) → $144K (2024)
Robert J. Potts
Chairman
Chairman CEO → Chairman, 2023
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$212K (2020) → $57K (2024)
Melissa Bookhout
Board Member
Secretary & Treasurer → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$78K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Rachel Vasquez
Vice President - Grants
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$70K (2021) → $98K (2024)
Knight Hilary
Vice President Operations
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$45K (2022) → $87K (2024)
Phillip Boyd
Vice President Science & Research
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$78K (2022) → $92K (2024)
Hugh Aljoe
Vice Chairman
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jerry Addison
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kathy Smyth
Vice Chairman
Vice Chairman & Vice President → Vice Chairman, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Laura Whiting
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Leslie Rauscher
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard Teague
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Clinton W. Josey Jr. (2020–2022) — Vice President
- Former: Walt Davis (2020–2022) — Board Member
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $144K, to Casey Wade (President & CEO). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Dixon Water Foundation
How much does The Dixon Water Foundation give each year?
The Dixon Water Foundation gave $401K across 11 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $132K across 11 grants.
What is The Dixon Water Foundation's typical grant size?
The Dixon Water Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $36,417, across 11 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Dixon Water Foundation that year got $100K on average.
Where does The Dixon Water Foundation give grants?
The Dixon Water Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 86% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New Mexico (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Austin, TX (4 grants) and San Anotonio, TX (2 grants).
Does The Dixon Water Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on The Dixon Water Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Dixon Water Foundation's largest grantees?
The Dixon Water Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Borderlands Research Institute Ar SRSU ($159,000), Holistic Management International ($50,000) and National Audubon Society Inc DBA Audubon Texas ($40,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 62% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Dixon Water Foundation?
The Dixon Water Foundation reported $60.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.0M (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 The Dixon Water Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to promote healthy watersheds through sustainable land management so future generations have the water resources they need. Its grantmaking supports land management, watershed protection, and education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Dixon Water Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Dixon Water Foundation's EIN?
The Dixon Water Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-2521176. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Dixon Water 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 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Dixon Water Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-dixon-water-foundation-morg_9ef531f9ea57489180fd15e5c2be7897
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_752521176_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Dixon Water Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-dixon-water-foundation-morg_9ef531f9ea57489180fd15e5c2be7897},
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 The Dixon Water 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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