The Mary Moody Northen Endowment is a private charitable foundation established in 1964 and based in Galveston, Texas. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) independent foundation with a mission to support causes aligned with the philanthropic interests of its founder. The Endowment maintains its main office in a cottage at 2628 Broadway in Galveston, located on the grounds of Moody Mansion, which the foundation has restored and operates as a house museum.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$86.6M
+1.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$4.4M
-6.9% YoY
Grant Count
59
+18.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$74K
-21.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Mary Moody Northen Endowment reported a distributable amount of $3.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Mary Moody Northen Endowment is a charitable foundation that awards grants to support environmental, social service, educational, and historical projects benefitting people and institutions in Virginia and Texas.
The Endowment's interests are broad and include:
- Health and human services
- Education
- Cultural arts
- Historic preservation
- Environmental issues
- Community development and civic affairs
- Wildlife and the environment
Historically, the Mary Moody Northen Endowment has given priority to needs in the immediate Galveston area.
Grantmaking
The Endowment currently welcomes applications for:
How to Apply
Applicants can submit applications online. The Endowment provides:
Ready to take the next step with The Mary Moody Northen Endowment?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Mary Moody Northen Endowment makes grants to organizations working in:
- The State of Texas (with historical priority given to Galveston County)
- The Commonwealth of Virginia (specifically Giles County)
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | Amount | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $86,645,887 | 2024 |
| Total Revenues | $6,918,894 | 2024 |
| Total Expenses | $5,633,952 | 2024 |
| Total Giving | $4,357,950 | 2024 |
| Revenue (Form 990-PF) | $4,411,880 | 2023 |
Financial Notes:
- The Endowment generates revenue from room and food sales at Mountain Lake Lodge to defer costs related to maintenance and tourism.
- The organization maintains significant assets relative to annual giving, indicating a long-term endowment structure.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $86,645,887 | $85,206,884 | $79,931,870 |
| Revenue | $6,918,894 | $4,411,880 | $55,466,688 |
| Expenses | $5,633,952 | $6,143,732 | $10,017,148 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $5,198,852 | $5,480,394 | $4,466,641 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,655,693 | $4,016,809 | $48,815,939 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,837,841 | $3,488,292 | $2,555,185 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
217 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Mary Moody Northen Endowment
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Broadway Monument Llc ($1,422,093), Mountain Lake Llc ($1,060,116), Center for 20th Century Texas Studies ($694,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ADA WOMEN'S RECOVERY CENTER GALVESTON, TX | GENERAL | $8,000 |
| ALBERT SCHWEITZER FELLOWSHIP HOUSTON, TX | GENERAL | $10,000 |
| BALL HIGH SCHOOL GALVESTON, TX | EDUCATIONAL | $1,500 |
| BOLIVAR POINT LIGHTHOUSE FND PORT BOLIVAR, TX | GENERAL | $20,000 |
| BROADWAY MONUMENT LLC GALVESTON, TX | OPERATE THE BROADWAY PROPERTY | $1,422,093 |
| CASA OF GALVESTON COUNTY TEXAS CITY, TX | GENERAL | $10,000 |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES HOUSTON, TX | GENERAL | $15,000 |
| CENTER FOR 20TH CENTURY TEXAS STUDIES GALVESTON, TX | OPERATE THE MOODY MANSION & MUSEUM | $694,000 |
| CFNRV-BELLE BEND FUND CHRISTIANBURG, VA | GENERAL | $1,000 |
| CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD GALVESTON GALVESTON, TX | GENERAL | $4,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Founder: Mary Moody Northen
Mary Elizabeth Moody Northen (1892–1986) was a Galveston businesswoman and philanthropist. She was the eldest of four children born to W.L. Moody, Jr., and Libbie Rice Shearn Moody. After her father's death in 1954, she assumed leadership of more than 50 family enterprises and guided their growth for three decades until her death in 1986.
During her lifetime, she directed:
- American National Insurance Company
- Moody National Bank
- Mountain Lake Lodge (Virginia)
- Numerous hotel and ranching operations across the country
She also served as founding chair of The Moody Foundation, established by her parents, which became one of the largest philanthropic foundations in Texas. Mary Moody Northen was featured on the cover of Newsweek Magazine and was referred to as "The First Lady of Finance."
Current Operations
The Endowment operates with 3 employees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| G WILLIAM RIDER | PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR | 6 | $45,000 |
| ROBERT L MOODY JR | VICE PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR | 3 | $45,000 |
| BETTY MASSEY | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $198,459 |
| LAURA S PROTZ | SECRETARY/TREASURER/DIRECTOR | 8 | $45,000 |
Contact Information
Mailing Address: 2618 Broadway Galveston, TX 77550
Physical Address: 2628 Broadway Galveston, TX 77550
Phone: (409) 765-9770 Fax: (409) 762-7055
Website: northenendowment.org
EIN: 75-1171741
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Mary Moody Northen Endowment fund?
The Mary Moody Northen Endowment is a charitable foundation that awards grants to support environmental, social service, educational, and historical projects benefitting people and institutions in Virginia and Texas. The Endowment's interests are broad and include: • Health and human services • Education • Cultural arts • Historic preservation • Environmental issues • Community development and civic affairs • Wildlife and the environment Historically, the Mary Moody Northen Endowment has given …
How do I apply for a grant from The Mary Moody Northen Endowment?
The Endowment currently welcomes applications for: **Galveston Community Impact Grant** • Grant amount: Up to $20,000 • Focus: Essential purchases and renovations for non-profit organizations • Geographic scope: Virginia and Texas • Eligible uses: Improvements to service delivery and energy efficiency • Application notes: Organizations can submit multiple applications; the Endowment encourages cooperative efforts and leveraging of additional funding. Detailed program budgets are required for sp…
Where does The Mary Moody Northen Endowment make grants?
The Mary Moody Northen Endowment makes grants to organizations working in: • The State of Texas (with historical priority given to Galveston County) • The Commonwealth of Virginia (specifically Giles County)
What size grants does The Mary Moody Northen Endowment award?
In 2024, The Mary Moody Northen Endowment awarded 59 grants totaling $4.4M — an average of about $74K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Mary Moody Northen Endowment required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Mary Moody Northen Endowment reported a distributable amount of $3.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Mary Moody Northen Endowment's EIN?
The Mary Moody Northen Endowment's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-1171741. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Mary Moody Northen Endowment's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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