The James & Edith Spain Foundation
The James & Edith Spain Foundation is a private foundation based in Austin, Texas. Its 2024 filing reports 30 grants totaling $292,500 to charitable organizations, including organizations working in education, poverty alleviation, health care, food access, disability services, and history.
The James & Edith Spain Foundation at a glance
In short: The James & Edith Spain Foundation gave $293K across 30 grants in 2024 (avg $10K), mostly in Illinois. 7% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $292,500
- +14.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 30
- +7.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $9,750
- +7.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $478,541
- -44.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 7% first-time grantees (2 of 30, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (55% 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 James & Edith Spain 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: 11809 Oak Branch Drive, Austin, TX 78737
Phone: (847) 863-0003
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The James & Edith Spain Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University of Chicago ($100K). Together the top 10 received $217K.
Grant Size Distribution
130 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 128 grants of 130 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, Illinois recipients received 55% of grant dollars and Texas recipients received 23%. North Carolina accounted for 5%, while recipients in the District of Columbia and Massachusetts each received 4%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The James & Edith Spain Foundation open to new grantees?
7%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 30 grantees (7%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $10K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 87% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 485% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above 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 $50K (2020) to $293K (2024). In 2024 it made 30 grants totaling $293K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Chicago Chicago, IL | Support for Library | $100,000 |
| Opportunity International Chicago, IL | Exempt Purpose | $50,000 |
| Marbridge Foundation Manchaca, TX | Exempt Purpose | $13,000 |
| Pursuit of History Marlborough, MA | Exempt Purpose | $12,000 |
| Guatestar Golden, CO | Exempt Purpose | $10,000 |
| Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc Washington, DC | Exempt Purpose | $9,000 |
| JDRF International New York, NY | Exempt Purpose | $7,500 |
| ACLU Foundation of Texas Inc Houston, TX | Exempt Purpose | $5,000 |
| American Business History Center Whitehouse, TX | Exempt Purpose | $5,000 |
| Austin Habitat for Humanity Austin, TX | Exempt Purpose | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The James & Edith Spain 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 | $478,541 | $173,615 | $321,522 | $292,500 | 30 | $295,891 | $50,452 | $24,730 |
| 2023 | $864,496 | $289,508 | $72,987 | $254,500 | 28 | $60,784 | $12,420 | $26,392 |
| 2022 | $660,327 | $369,003 | $62,483 | $50,000 | 26 | $51,425 | $342,637 | $14,196 |
| 2021 | $437,461 | $32,649 | $52,500 | $50,000 | 26 | $50,000 | $31,605 | $18,969 |
| 2020 | $389,970 | $32,344 | $52,959 | $50,000 | 20 | — | $32,344 | $30,256 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The James & Edith Spain Foundation reported a distributable amount of $25K 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 show support for organizations with varied charitable purposes. For example, the University of Chicago describes its mission as communicating and creating knowledge and fostering a community of scholars and students. Opportunity International says it provides financial solutions, support, and training to help people living in poverty in developing countries build sustainable incomes and educate their children.
Other 2024 grantees describe work that includes transitional and lifetime care for adults with a range of cognitive abilities (Marbridge Foundation); connecting people with history and historic sites (The Pursuit of History); free medical care for medically uninsured and economically disadvantaged people (Community Health NFP); services for people with special needs (Multi-Assistance Center at Morgan’s Wonderland); and increasing food access in Central Texas (Central Texas Food Bank). Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired describes providing evaluation, counseling, education, and training to promote independence and quality of life.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 30 grants totaling $292,500. Grant amounts ranged from $1,500 to $100,000, with a median of $5,000. The largest grants included $100,000 to the University of Chicago for library support and $50,000 to Opportunity International. Other notable grants were $13,000 to Marbridge Foundation, $12,000 to The Pursuit of History, $10,000 to GuateStar, and $9,000 to Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
Additional 2024 grants included $7,500 to JDRF International and $5,000 each to ACLU Foundation of Texas, American Business History Center, Austin Habitat for Humanity, Caritas of Austin, and Central Texas Food Bank.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Patrick J Spain as president and Stephen J Spain as treasurer.
The James & Edith Spain Foundation is led by Patrick J. Spain, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Patrick J. Spain
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephen J. Spain
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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 James & Edith Spain Foundation
How much does The James & Edith Spain Foundation give each year?
The James & Edith Spain Foundation gave $293K across 30 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $255K across 28 grants.
What is The James & Edith Spain Foundation's typical grant size?
The James & Edith Spain Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $9,750, across 30 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The James & Edith Spain Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does The James & Edith Spain Foundation give grants?
The James & Edith Spain Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 55% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Texas (23%). The most frequent recipient cities were Austin, TX (8 grants), Chicago, IL (4 grants), Wilmington, NC (3 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Who are The James & Edith Spain Foundation's largest grantees?
The James & Edith Spain Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include University of Chicago ($100,000), Opportunity International ($50,000) and Marbridge Foundation ($13,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 56% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The James & Edith Spain Foundation?
The James & Edith Spain Foundation reported $479K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $296K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $25K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The James & Edith Spain Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied charitable purposes. For example, the University of Chicago describes its mission as communicating and creating knowledge and fostering a community of scholars and students. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The James & Edith Spain 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 James & Edith Spain Foundation's EIN?
The James & Edith Spain Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-4573567. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The James & Edith Spain 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 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The James & Edith Spain Foundation funds
Arts, Culture & Humanities Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The James & Edith Spain Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
McKesson Foundation Inc
Dallas, TX
The McKesson Foundation funds cancer support and care, healthcare workforce pathways, and emergency response, with grants mainly supporting organizations in the United States and Canada. Its 2025 grants had a median of $100,000, though amounts ranged from $10,000 to about $2.47 million. Its filing says it does not accept unsolicited requests, while its application page describes an online application process with stated submission windows.
Assets
$1.6M
Grants
76
Total Given
$16.6M
United Way Worldwide
Alexandria, VA
United Way Worldwide funds community programs focused on youth opportunity, health, financial security, education, and disaster relief, with 2024 grants made across multiple U.S. states and internationally. Its 209 reported grants ranged from $5,100 to $736,333, with a median of $22,675. It does not state whether it accepts unsolicited grant requests.
Assets
$68.0M
Grants
209
Total Given
$11.4M
Shield-Ayres Foundation
Austin, TX
The Austin-based Shield-Ayres Foundation supports organizations addressing basic human needs, health and social justice, education and arts access, and land and water conservation. Its typical grant is around $10,000, though awards can be smaller or significantly larger; the profile does not state a geographic limit for funding. It accepts Letters of Inquiry only from organizations it has funded before, and has no current plans to reopen its application process.
Assets
$19.1M
Grants
121
Total Given
$2.1M
St David's Foundation
Austin, TX
St. David’s Foundation funds health equity work in Central Texas, including access to care, economic stability, and community-led efforts. Its 2024 grants ranged from $5,400 to $5.84 million, with a median of $291,600. Eligible organizations may apply to open calls and some rolling opportunities, while invitation-only opportunities do not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$2.0B
Grants
145
Total Given
$85.1M
The Lazard Charitable Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$10K
Grants
437
Total Given
$1.6M
Austin Community Foundation Inc
Austin, TX
Austin Community Foundation funds nonprofits and public entities in areas including arts and culture, education, community development, environment, health, and human services, with a focus on strengthening Central Texas. Its 2024 grants had a median of $20,000, though awards ranged widely; its primary service area includes Bastrop, Burnet, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson Counties. Whether it accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.
Assets
$556.3M
Grants
764
Total Given
$54.7M
More similar funders
More Funders in Texas
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The James & Edith Spain Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-james-and-edith-spain-foundation-morg_66dd0d9b3eed43e1bbb997e447abe7d1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_264573567_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The James \& Edith Spain Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-james-and-edith-spain-foundation-morg_66dd0d9b3eed43e1bbb997e447abe7d1},
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 James & Edith Spain 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.
The James & Edith Spain Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?