The Powell Foundation is a private family foundation headquartered in Houston, Texas. Established in 1967 by founders Ben H. Powell, Jr. and Kitty King Powell, the organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to catalyzing progress through strategic grantmaking and philanthropic initiatives.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$451.5M
+7.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$18.5M
+5.4% YoY
Grant Count
276
+2.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$67K
+2.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Powell Foundation reported a distributable amount of $21.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Powell Foundation is dedicated to catalyzing progress in public education through bold and collaborative grantmaking and initiatives. The foundation recognizes the importance of promoting conditions necessary for children and youth to thrive and invests across four primary areas:
- Education (64% of 2025 grantmaking)
- Supportive Communities (36% of 2025 grantmaking)
- Arts
- Conservation
- Human Services
The foundation has distributed more than $135 million in grants to date in support of public education across Houston, Austin, Huntsville, and the state of Texas.
Grantmaking
Notable grants include:
Grant Range
s & Distribution:**
Average Grant
$270,000
Ready to take the next step with The Powell Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Powell Foundation supports nonprofit organizations whose work directly benefits residents of three primary Texas counties:
- Harris County: 59% of 2025 grant dollars ($11.3 million)
- Travis County: 25% of 2025 grant dollars ($4.7 million)
- Walker County: 9% of 2025 grant dollars ($1.7 million)
- Texas/Statewide: 7% of 2025 grant dollars ($1.4 million)
The foundation makes select statewide grants that directly benefit the three counties of interest and prioritized issue areas.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $451,534,153
- Total revenues: $36,080,455
- Total expenses: $21,700,630
- Total giving: $18,465,732
Historical Financial Data (2023):
- Total assets: $421 million
- Revenue: $22.8 million
- Expenses: $20.2 million
- Total liabilities: $1.38 million
Staffing: The foundation employs 7 staff members.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $451,534,153 | $421,222,742 | $372,755,906 |
| Revenue | $36,080,455 | $22,834,407 | $35,540,234 |
| Expenses | $21,700,630 | $20,167,254 | $22,644,566 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $20,026,366 | $18,972,206 | $20,905,364 |
| Net Investment Income | $35,114,839 | $21,977,009 | $34,188,511 |
| Distributable Amount | $21,751,351 | $19,249,485 | $18,973,519 |
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
201 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Powell Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Austin Ed Fund ($1,207,779), Mindpop ($798,032), CollegeSpring ($752,115).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Austin Ed Fund Austin, TX | Post-Secondary Pathways: Post-Secondary Access and Success | $1,207,779 |
| MINDPOP Austin, TX | Early Childhood Development and Education: High-Quality Providers and Educators | $798,032 |
| CollegeSpring Walnut Creek, CA | Post-Secondary Pathways: Post-Secondary Access and Success | $752,115 |
| The Bridgespan Group Boston, MA | Post-Secondary Pathways: Post-Secondary Access and Success | $717,895 |
| Breakthrough Houston Houston, TX | Post-Secondary Pathways: Post-Secondary Access and Success | $703,151 |
| The Center for First-generation Student Success DBA FirstGen Forward co NAS Washington, DC | Post-Secondary Pathways: Post-Secondary Policies and Systems | $497,541 |
| Children's Museum Houston Houston, TX | Early Childhood Development and Education: Supportive Caregivers | $400,000 |
| Communities In Schools of Houston Inc Houston, TX | Quality Public K-12 Schools: Student Supports | $300,000 |
| DiscoverU Houston, TX | Post-Secondary Pathways: Post-Secondary Readiness | $300,000 |
| Greater Houston Community Foundation Houston, TX | Quality Public K-12 Schools: Quality Schools and Models | $300,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Eleisha Nelson-Reed: Executive Director
The Board of Directors is comprised of Powell family members and independent advisors.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Katherine Osborne Valdez | Board President/Director | 16 | $86,222 |
| Ben H Powell V | VP/Asst Treasurer/Director | 2 | — |
| Charles F Caldwell | Secretary/Director | 2 | — |
| Harvin C Moore IV | Treasurer | 1 | — |
| Terry Bruner | Director | 2 | — |
| Christopher D Casey II | Director | 1 | — |
| Marian M Casey | Director | 4 | — |
| Thao Costis | Director | 3 | — |
| E Inez Hill | Director | 1 | — |
| Katherine P Hill | Director | 1 | — |
| Elizabeth K Moore | Director | 1 | — |
| Ben H Powell VI | Director | 2 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Powell Foundation fund?
The Powell Foundation is dedicated to catalyzing progress in public education through bold and collaborative grantmaking and initiatives. The foundation recognizes the importance of promoting conditions necessary for children and youth to thrive and invests across four primary areas: • **Education** (64% of 2025 grantmaking) • **Supportive Communities** (36% of 2025 grantmaking) • **Arts** • **Conservation** • **Human Services** The foundation has distributed more than $135 million in grants to…
How do I apply for a grant from The Powell Foundation?
**Grant Sizes & Distribution:** • 2025 total award distribution: $19.1 million • Education portfolio average grant size: $270,000 • Supportive Communities portfolio average grant size: $110,000 • Typical awards range from $100 to $1,207,779 **Recent Grant Activity (2024):** Notable grants include: • Mindpop: $798,032 (Early Childhood Development and Education) • CollegeSpring: $752,115 (Post-Secondary Access and Success) • Bridgespan Group: $717,895 (Post-Secondary Access and Success) The found…
Where does The Powell Foundation make grants?
The Powell Foundation supports nonprofit organizations whose work directly benefits residents of three primary Texas counties: • **Harris County**: 59% of 2025 grant dollars ($11.3 million) • **Travis County**: 25% of 2025 grant dollars ($4.7 million) • **Walker County**: 9% of 2025 grant dollars ($1.7 million) • **Texas/Statewide**: 7% of 2025 grant dollars ($1.4 million) The foundation makes select statewide grants that directly benefit the three counties of interest and prioritized issue are…
What size grants does The Powell Foundation award?
In 2024, The Powell Foundation awarded 276 grants totaling $18.5M — an average of about $67K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Powell Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Powell Foundation reported a distributable amount of $21.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Powell Foundation's EIN?
The Powell Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-6104592. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Powell Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
William Z Hayes Foundation
DALLAS, TX
Assets
$629K
Grants
4
Total Given
$28K
Tr Uw Jane James Cook Item 19
DALLAS, TX
Assets
$861K
Grants
11
Total Given
$41K
Forsyth Fbo Leonard Wood Memorial
DALLAS, TX
Assets
$320K
Grants
1
Total Given
$18K
Teas Foundation
AMARILLO, TX
Assets
$3.0M
Grants
3
Total Given
$138K
Crystelle Waggoner Charitable Trust
DALLAS, TX
Assets
$13.5M
Grants
41
Total Given
$3.9M
Nelson & Debbie Fox Charitable Fdtn
LUBBOCK, TX
Assets
$329K
Grants
9
Total Given
$90K
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with The Powell Foundation on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities
Go from researching The Powell Foundation to a real strategy.