The Gray Foundation
The Gray Foundation is a private foundation based in Houston, Texas. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations in several states, including organizations working in health, food assistance, disaster relief, social services, and religious activities.
The Gray Foundation at a glance
In short: The Gray Foundation gave $90K across 33 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), top state Louisiana. 25% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $90,000
- +34.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 33
- +6.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,727
- +26.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Total assets
- $1,233,793
- +5.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (8 of 32, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Louisiana (37% 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 The Gray 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: P O Box 701129, Houston, TX 77270
Phone: (713) 623-4514
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Gray Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Macdonell Children's Services ($5K). Together the top 10 received $32K.
Grant Size Distribution
153 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 153 grants of 153 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2025 grant dollars went primarily to recipients in Louisiana (37%), North Carolina (18%), Texas (16%), and Michigan (14%). Washington, DC, accounted for 3%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 33 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Gray Foundation open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 32 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 72% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 25% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 726% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $67K (2024) to $90K (2025). In 2025 it made 33 grants totaling $90K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Macdonell Children's Services Houma, LA | New Childrens Hone | $5,000 |
| Alzheimers Association Raleigh, NC | Operations | $3,000 |
| American Red Cross Raleigh, NC | Disaster Refief | $3,000 |
| Asan-Autistic Self Advocacy Washington, DC | Austistic Adults | $3,000 |
| Bronson Mi UMC Battle Creek, MI | Operations | $3,000 |
| Bunk House Inn Inc Bourg, LA | Meals for Homeless | $3,000 |
| Chapel Hill United Methodist Church Battle Creek, MI | Operations | $3,000 |
| Colon Mi UMC Battle Creek, MI | New Projector or Operations | $3,000 |
| The Haven Houma, LA | Operations | $3,000 |
| Mercy Ships Lindale, TX | Operations | $3,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Gray 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,233,793 | $163,083 | $104,111 | $90,000 | 33 | $90,000 | $128,611 | $12,392 |
| 2024 | $1,174,679 | $148,776 | $77,878 | $67,000 | 31 | $67,000 | $148,776 | $104,613 |
| 2023 | $1,110,872 | $93,149 | $84,756 | $74,000 | 30 | $74,000 | $87,020 | $99,913 |
| 2022 | $1,103,595 | $122,989 | $82,638 | $72,000 | 30 | $72,000 | $130,140 | $99,765 |
| 2021 | $1,072,524 | $98,509 | $81,778 | $71,000 | 29 | — | $98,509 | $97,440 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Gray Foundation reported a distributable amount of $12K for 2025 — 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 2025 grants include support for organizations addressing varied needs. For example, Texas Children’s Hospital says its mission is to create a healthier future for children and women through patient care, education, and research. South Michigan Food Bank says it works to feed hungry people and address basic human needs. Dulac Community Center describes its work as providing services to people in need and advocating for a more just society. United Houma Nation says it provides vocational rehabilitation, tribal education and assistance, disaster relief, and support for tribal identity and unity. CASA of Terrebonne says it advocates for children involved in child-in-need-of-care cases.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 33 grants totaling $90,000. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $5,000, with a median grant of $3,000. Among the reported grants were $5,000 to MacDonell Children’s Services for a new children’s home; $3,000 each to the Alzheimer’s Association and American Red Cross for operations and disaster relief, respectively; and $3,000 to ASAN-Autistic Self Advocacy for autistic adults. Other recipients included Texas Children’s Hospital ($3,000), South Michigan Food Bank ($2,000), Dulac Community Center ($2,000), United Houma Nation ($2,000), and CASA of Terrebonne ($2,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Emily Gray Elmore as president; Rachel Elmore Davis as secretary/treasurer; and David Gray Elmore and Frank Hayward III as board members.
The Gray Foundation is led by Emily Gray Elmore, President on every filing since 2021; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Emily Gray Elmore
President
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Rachel Elmore Davis
Secretary
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
David Gray Elmore
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Frank Hayward III
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
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 The Gray Foundation
How much does The Gray Foundation give each year?
The Gray Foundation gave $90K across 33 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $67K across 31 grants.
What is The Gray Foundation's typical grant size?
The Gray Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $3,000, and its average grant was $2,727, across 33 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Gray Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does The Gray Foundation give grants?
The Gray Foundation's top state is Louisiana, with 37% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were North Carolina (18%) and Texas (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Houma, LA (8 grants), Battle Creek, MI (5 grants), Raleigh, NC (4 grants) and Houston, TX (3 grants).
Does The Gray Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 33 grants with a stated purpose on The Gray Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Operations" (17 grants) and "Academics" (3 grants).
Who are The Gray Foundation's largest grantees?
The Gray Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Macdonell Children's Services ($5,000), Alzheimers Association ($3,000) and American Red Cross ($3,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 12% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Gray Foundation?
The Gray Foundation reported $1.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $90K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $12K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Gray Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations addressing varied needs. For example, Texas Children’s Hospital says its mission is to create a healthier future for children and women through patient care, education, and research. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Gray 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 The Gray Foundation's EIN?
The Gray Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-6040504. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does The Gray 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 October 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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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Gray Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-gray-foundation-morg_7284dd4f3eea46bb975bcc461bfd99b2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_746040504_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Gray Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-gray-foundation-morg_7284dd4f3eea46bb975bcc461bfd99b2},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Gray 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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