The Humphreys Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Liberty, TX EIN: 74-6061381

The Humphreys Foundation is a private foundation based in Liberty, Texas. Its 2025 grants support performing arts organizations and activities in Texas, including theater and opera productions and a concert series.

The Humphreys Foundation at a glance

In short: The Humphreys Foundation gave $1.8M across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $115K), mostly in Texas. 6% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$1,832,500
-0.7% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
16
-20.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$114,531
+24.2% vs 2024
Median grant
$87,500
Total assets
$16,156,928
+2.0% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
6% first-time grantees (1 of 16, 2025; small sample)
Primary geography
Texas (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to The Humphreys Foundation

Review Cycle
Annual meeting in September.
Deadline
Annual meeting in September.
Contact

Application contact: Doris Peters Manager
Mailing address: PO Box 550, Liberty, TX 77575
Phone: (936) 336-3321

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who The Humphreys Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Houston Grand Opera: $300KHouston Grand Opera$300KHouston Symphony: $250KHouston Symphony$250KAlley Theatre: $200KAlley Theatre$200KStages Repertory Theater: $200KStages Repertory Theater$200KHobby Center for Performing Arts: $200KHobby Center for PerformingArts$200KAd Players: $175KAd Players$175KTheatre Under the Stars: $175KTheatre Under the Stars$175KPerforming Arts Houston: $100KPerforming Arts Houston$100KHouston Ballet: $75KHouston Ballet$75KRound Top Festival: $40KRound Top Festival$40K

The largest 2025 recipient was Houston Grand Opera ($300K). Together the top 10 received $1.7M.

Grant Size Distribution

106 grants across all recorded years

64<$50K7$50–100K19$100–250K16$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 64 grants of 106 (60%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

All grant dollars in the 2025 filing went to recipients in Texas. Listed recipients included organizations in Houston, Liberty, Round Top, and Galveston.

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.

States

Cities

HoustonLibertyBeaumontGalvestonBaytownRound TopHuntsville

Is The Humphreys Foundation open to new grantees?

6%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 1 of 16 grantees (6%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $100K; repeat grants $116K. How we count

Medians: $100K first-time, $75K repeat.

  • 94% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−6%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 87% 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 (2019–2025). 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

$0$500K$1M$1.5M$2M23 grants2019 28 grants2020 40 grants2021 10 grants2022 20 grants2023 20 grants2024 16 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.6M (2020) to $1.9M (2022). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $1.8M.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Houston Grand Opera Houston, TXProductions$300,000
Houston Symphony Houston, TXProductions$250,000
Alley Theatre Houston, TXProductions$200,000
Stages Repertory Theater Houston, TXProductions$200,000
Hobby Center for Performing Arts Houston, TXProductions$200,000
Ad Players Houston, TXProductions$175,000
Theatre Under the Stars Houston, TXProductions$175,000
Performing Arts Houston Houston, TXProductions$100,000
Houston Ballet Houston, TXProductions$75,000
Round Top Festival Round Top, TXConcert Series$40,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$16,156,928$2,317,137$1,979,769$1,832,50016$1,879,316$2,216,684$2,171,715
2024$15,844,312$1,140,467$1,997,394$1,845,00020$1,891,931$1,035,004$1,877,652
2023$16,715,626$1,761,334$1,795,454$1,725,00020$1,751,071$1,719,951$1,598,877
2022$16,773,631$1,768,590$2,042,538$1,947,50010$1,975,067$1,701,119$1,712,531
2021$17,080,452$1,934,724$1,990,644$1,926,50040—$1,895,905$1,665,131
2020$17,154,999$1,733,007$1,667,910$1,597,00028—$1,687,038$1,393,947
2019$17,113,550$1,991,062$1,709,349$1,645,00023—$1,952,436$1,325,606

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Humphreys Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.2M 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 show support for performing arts organizations and activities, including productions and a concert series. The supported organizations describe a range of work: Alley Theatre says it offers theatrical experiences with its Resident Acting Company at the center; Houston Youth Symphony says it nurtures personal growth through music education; and Round Top Festival received a grant for a concert series.

Other grantees describe their work in varied terms. A D Players says it provides professional theatre through a Christian worldview, while Theatre Under the Stars says it enriches life through musical theatre, artist development, new works, education, and community outreach.

Grantmaking

The foundation awarded 16 grants totaling $1,832,500 in 2025. Individual grants ranged from $7,500 to $300,000, with a median of $87,500. For comparison, it awarded 20 grants totaling $1,845,000 in 2024 and 20 grants totaling $1,725,000 in 2023.

Among its largest 2025 grants were $300,000 to Houston Grand Opera, $250,000 to Houston Symphony, $200,000 each to Alley Theatre, Stages Repertory Theater, and Hobby Center for Performing Arts, and $175,000 each to AD Players and Theatre Under the Stars. These grants were designated for productions. Other listed grants included $100,000 to an individual recipient for productions, $40,000 to Round Top Festival for a concert series, and $30,000 to The Valley Players for productions.

The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Its filing directs applicants to contact Doris Peters, Manager; to see Statement 1 for the form and materials; and to see Statement 1A for award restrictions.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Linda Bertman as P, Jeff Paine as VP and T, and Philip B. Carson as VP and S.

The Humphreys Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Linda Bertman

    P

    On filings since 2019

    6 hrs/week

    $3K (2023) → $36K (2025)

  • Jeff Paine

    Vice President & T

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

  • Philip B. Carson

    Vice President & S

    Director → S, 2023

    S → Vice President & S, 2024

    On filings since 2021

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Louis B. Paine (2019–2022) — Vice President & S

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

Linda Bertman — P: $36KLinda BertmanP$36K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $36K, to Linda Bertman (P).

Frequently asked questions about The Humphreys Foundation

How much does The Humphreys Foundation give each year?

The Humphreys Foundation gave $1.8M across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.8M across 20 grants.

What is The Humphreys Foundation's typical grant size?

The Humphreys Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $87,500, and its average grant was $114,531, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Humphreys Foundation that year got $100K on average.

Where does The Humphreys Foundation give grants?

The Humphreys Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (13 grants).

Does The Humphreys Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on The Humphreys Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Productions" (14 grants).

Who are The Humphreys Foundation's largest grantees?

The Humphreys Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Houston Grand Opera ($300,000), Houston Symphony ($250,000) and Alley Theatre ($200,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 41% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is The Humphreys Foundation?

The Humphreys Foundation reported $16.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.2M (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 Humphreys Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for performing arts organizations and activities, including productions and a concert series. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from The Humphreys Foundation?

The Humphreys Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.

What is The Humphreys Foundation's EIN?

The Humphreys Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-6061381. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

Data update history

(8)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 3, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 12, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS January 25, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 14, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS January 31, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 10, 2025)
  7. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 17, 2026)
  8. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). The Humphreys Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-humphreys-foundation-morg_bd2b9cae32ab46c6ab7f70963e709e46

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_746061381_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{The Humphreys Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-humphreys-foundation-morg_bd2b9cae32ab46c6ab7f70963e709e46},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 Humphreys 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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