The O'Connor & Hewitt Foundation
The O'Connor & Hewitt Foundation is a private foundation based in Victoria, Texas. Its 2025 filing describes awards as generally limited to religious and charitable organizations in the South Texas area.
The O'Connor & Hewitt Foundation at a glance
In short: The O'Connor & Hewitt Foundation gave $2.3M across 79 grants in 2025 (avg $29K), mostly in Texas. 12% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,270,990
- +23.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 79
- +3.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $28,747
- +18.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $36,497,260
- +36.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 12% first-time grantees (9 of 74, 2025)
- 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 October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The O'Connor & Hewitt Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s filing says applications should be in writing and include a resume of activities and a specific dollar amount requested. It lists Ellen H Sanders as the contact and says awards are generally limited to religious and charitable organizations in the South Texas area. No application deadline is listed.
- Contact
Application contact: Ellen H Sanders
Mailing address: P O Box 400, Victoria, TX 77902-0400
Phone: (361) 578-6271
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The O'Connor & Hewitt Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Dorothy H O'Connor Pet Adoption Center ($560K). Together the top 10 received $1.5M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($25,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
370 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 317 grants of 370 (86%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2025 filing reports that 100% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas. The filing says awards are generally limited to religious and charitable organizations in South Texas. Listed 2025 recipients include organizations in Victoria, Refugio, Rockport, and San Antonio.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 79 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The O'Connor & Hewitt Foundation open to new grantees?
12%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 9 of 74 grantees (12%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $33K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 88% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+3%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 104% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.7M (2020) to $2.3M (2025). In 2025 it made 79 grants totaling $2.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Dorothy H O'Connor Pet Adoption Center Victoria, TX | Operating Support for Pet Shelter and Adoption Agency | $560,400 |
| Trinity Episcopal School Victoria, TX | Capital Campaign | $500,000 |
| Billy T Cattan Recovery Outreach Inc Victoria, TX | Road to hope campaign for new recovery center to provide access to lifesaving residential treatment services in & around victoria, tx for individuals and families suffering with substance use and mental health disorders | $75,000 |
| Meals on Wheels South Texas Victoria, TX | Operational support to provide nutrition that supports independent living for seniors | $75,000 |
| Food Bank of the Golden Crescent Victoria, TX | Funding to Feed the Hungry in Victoria County | $60,000 |
| Salvation Army Victoria, TX | Funding to Help Meet Human Needs | $60,000 |
| Victoria Bach Festival Association Inc Victoria, TX | Underwriting of Operations and Annual Festivals | $55,000 |
| Christ's Kitchen Victoria, TX | Provide Meals for the Hungry in Victoria | $50,000 |
| Victoria College Foundation Inc Victoria, TX | Annual Funding of Hewitt Endowment | $50,000 |
| County of Refugio - Dennis M O'Connor Library Refugio, TX | Library Operations | $40,000 |
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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 | $36,497,260 | $12,416,780 | $2,716,882 | $2,270,990 | 79 | $2,330,045 | $12,331,259 | $2,244,483 |
| 2024 | $26,797,362 | $1,287,092 | $2,134,694 | $1,840,000 | 76 | $1,915,747 | $402,063 | $2,301,902 |
| 2023 | $27,644,964 | $1,291,497 | $2,026,719 | $1,760,600 | 76 | $1,835,546 | $1,115,891 | $1,932,209 |
| 2022 | $28,380,186 | $-1,077,987 | $2,470,360 | $2,205,668 | 71 | $2,279,828 | $338,323 | $1,953,042 |
| 2021 | $31,928,533 | $4,094,796 | $1,912,961 | $1,667,032 | 68 | $1,733,629 | $2,515,348 | $2,077,993 |
| 2020 | $29,746,698 | $2,354,286 | $1,943,127 | $1,666,245 | 59 | — | $2,227,222 | $1,719,229 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The O'Connor & Hewitt 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
The foundation’s own mission is not stated in the available information. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including animal welfare, education, food and senior services, recovery, arts and culture, housing, maritime history, and construction workforce development.
Grantee missions illustrate this range. Billy T Cattan Recovery Outreach says it leads adults with alcohol and chemical addictions toward physical sobriety and wholeness through Christ-centered recovery. Meals on Wheels South Texas says it provides nutrition, transportation, and other services that support independent living for seniors. The Victoria Bach Festival Association says it educates and inspires people through orchestral, choral, and chamber music performances. Christ’s Kitchen says it feeds indigent people and provides medical and transportation assistance.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 79 grants totaling $2,270,990. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $560,400, with a median of $10,000.
The largest 2025 awards included $560,400 to Dorothy H O'Connor Pet Adoption Center for operating support; $500,000 to Trinity Episcopal School for a capital campaign; and $75,000 each to Billy T Cattan Recovery Outreach for a new recovery center campaign and Meals on Wheels South Texas for operational support. Other notable awards included $60,000 each to Food Bank of the Golden Crescent and the Salvation Army, and $55,000 to Victoria Bach Festival Association for operations and annual festivals.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Mary Austin Hewitt as president/director; Dennis O'Connor Hewitt as vice-president/director; Amy Miori as secretary/treasurer/director; Ellen H Sanders as executive director; Bland Proctor as assistant secretary; and Mary Kay Janssen as assistant treasurer.
The O'Connor & Hewitt Foundation is led by Ellen H. Sanders, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 6 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ellen H. Sanders
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$68K (2020) → $60K (2025)
Mary Austin Hewitt
President & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dennis O'Connor Hewitt
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amy Miori
Secretary, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bland Proctor
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mary Kay Janssen
Assistant Treasurer
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Bruce Woolson (2020–2022) — Secretary, Treasurer & Director
- Former: Robert J. Hewitt Jr. (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Joe B. Bland (2020) — Secretary, Treasurer & Director
- Former: Venable Proctor (2020) — Assistant Secretary
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $60K, to Ellen H Sanders (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about The O'Connor & Hewitt Foundation
How much does The O'Connor & Hewitt Foundation give each year?
The O'Connor & Hewitt Foundation gave $2.3M across 79 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.8M across 76 grants.
What is The O'Connor & Hewitt Foundation's typical grant size?
The O'Connor & Hewitt Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $28,747, across 79 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The O'Connor & Hewitt Foundation that year got $12K on average.
Where does The O'Connor & Hewitt Foundation give grants?
The O'Connor & Hewitt 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 Victoria, TX (48 grants), Rockport, TX (8 grants), Fulton, TX (5 grants) and Refugio, TX (3 grants).
Does The O'Connor & Hewitt Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 35% of The O'Connor & Hewitt Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (28 of 79) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Volunteer Fire Department Operations" (5 grants).
Who are The O'Connor & Hewitt Foundation's largest grantees?
The O'Connor & Hewitt Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Dorothy H O'Connor Pet Adoption Center ($560,400), Trinity Episcopal School ($500,000) and Billy T Cattan Recovery Outreach Inc ($75,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($25,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 50% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The O'Connor & Hewitt Foundation?
The O'Connor & Hewitt Foundation reported $36.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.2M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The O'Connor & Hewitt Foundation fund?
The foundation’s own mission is not stated in the available information. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including animal welfare, education, food and senior services, recovery, arts and culture, housing, maritime history, and construction workforce development. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The O'Connor & Hewitt Foundation?
The foundation’s filing says applications should be in writing and include a resume of activities and a specific dollar amount requested. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The O'Connor & Hewitt Foundation's EIN?
The O'Connor & Hewitt Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-2527227. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 28, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The O'Connor & Hewitt Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-o-connor-and-hewitt-foundation-morg_477af9febea740f8b844c1846163e8e7
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_742527227_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The O'Connor \& Hewitt Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-o-connor-and-hewitt-foundation-morg_477af9febea740f8b844c1846163e8e7},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 O'Connor & Hewitt 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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