The Ellwood Foundation
The Ellwood Foundation is a private foundation based in Houston, Texas. Its 2023 filing describes its awards as mainly focused on the Houston area, with an emphasis on medical research and mental health.
Key facts about The Ellwood Foundation
In short: The Ellwood Foundation gave $2.9M across 68 grants in 2025 (avg $42K), mostly in Texas. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 74-6039237
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,850,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 68
- Average grant
- $41,912
- Median grant
- $30,000
- Total assets
- $44,182,670
- Primary geography
- Texas (99% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- None.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$44.2M
+4.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.9M
+6.5% YoY
Grant Count
68
+3.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$42K
+3.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ellwood Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.0M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How The Ellwood Foundation gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+7%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 96% 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s filing lists medical research and mental health as areas of focus. Its grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, The Brookwood Community says it provides an educational environment, meaningful work, and a sense of belonging for adults with disabilities. Marbridge Foundation describes itself as a residential community offering transitional and lifetime care to adults with a wide range of cognitive abilities. Houston Area Parkinson Society says it works to reduce the fear and isolation associated with a Parkinson’s diagnosis.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 66 grants totaling $2,675,000. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $160,000, with a median of $30,000. Among the largest were two $160,000 grants to MD Anderson Cancer Center—one for program support and one for lymphoma/myeloma research—and a $160,000 grant to The Brookwood Community for facilities support. Other notable awards included $130,000 to the University of Texas Medical School for its neuroscience center and $100,000 to Ronald McDonald House for facilities support.
Review Cycle
None.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2024 grant dollars went primarily to Texas: 99% was awarded to recipients in Texas and 1% to recipients in Mississippi. Its filing describes its giving as mainly focused on the Houston area.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 68 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.4M (2020) to $2.9M (2025). In 2025 it made 68 grants totaling $2.9M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was MD Anderson Cancer Center ($400K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Organizations only. It also paid 15 grants to individuals ($530,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
336 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 234 grants of 336 (70%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| MD Anderson Cancer Center Houston, TX | Support of Programs | $200,000 |
| MD Anderson Cancer Center Houston, TX | Lymphoma/Myeloma Research | $200,000 |
| The Brookwood Community Brookshire, TX | Support of Facilities | $165,000 |
| University of Texas Medical School Houston, TX | Neuroscience Center | $135,000 |
| 10 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $480,000 |
| The Center Foundation Houston, TX | Support of Programs | $90,000 |
| Marbridge Foundation Manchaca, TX | Support of Programs | $85,000 |
| Aware Alzheimer's Association Houston, TX | Support of Programs | $80,000 |
| Briarwood School Houston, TX | Special Education Needs | $80,000 |
| Strake Jesuit Learning Resource Houston, TX | Support of Programs | $75,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grant sum | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $42,121,644 | $5,428,294 | $3,091,748 | $2,675,000 | 66 |
| 2023 | $39,785,098 | $3,263,944 | $3,185,130 | $2,825,000 | 67 |
| 2022 | $39,772,151 | $4,416,715 | $3,056,071 | $2,675,000 | 67 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $44,182,670 | $42,121,644 | $39,785,098 |
| Revenue | $5,419,665 | $5,428,294 | $3,263,944 |
| Expenses | $3,239,639 | $3,091,748 | $3,185,130 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,850,000 | $2,675,000 | $2,825,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $5,170,802 | $5,196,962 | $3,053,853 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,983,789 | $2,868,402 | $2,665,286 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Raymond L Brown, M Lee Hightower, and HW Hightower Jr as trustees.
The Ellwood Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Hw Hightower Jr.
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
M. Lee Hightower
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Raymond L. Brown
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Application contact: Hw Hightower Jr
Mailing address: PO Box 550049, Houston, TX 77255
Phone: (713) 785-5507
Frequently asked questions about The Ellwood Foundation
How much does The Ellwood Foundation give each year?
The Ellwood Foundation gave $2.9M across 68 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.7M across 66 grants.
What is The Ellwood Foundation's typical grant size?
The Ellwood Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $30,000, and its average grant was $41,912, across 68 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Ellwood Foundation give grants?
The Ellwood Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (45 grants).
Does The Ellwood Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 3% of The Ellwood Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (2 of 68) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Support of Programs" (35 grants) and "Support of Facilities" (4 grants).
Who are The Ellwood Foundation's largest grantees?
The Ellwood Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include MD Anderson Cancer Center ($400,000 across 2 grants), The Brookwood Community ($165,000) and University of Texas Medical School ($135,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 15 grants to individuals ($530,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 25% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Ellwood Foundation?
The Ellwood Foundation reported $44.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.0M (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 Ellwood Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filing lists medical research and mental health as areas of focus. Its grants show support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Ellwood Foundation?
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Ellwood Foundation's EIN?
The Ellwood Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-6039237. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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