The Powell Foundation
The Powell Foundation is a private foundation based in Houston, Texas, founded in 1967 by Ben H. Powell, Jr. and Kitty King Powell. It supports public education as well as the arts, conservation, and human services, with funding focused on Harris, Travis, and Walker Counties.
The Powell Foundation at a glance
In short: The Powell Foundation gave $20.4M across 271 grants in 2025 (avg $75K), mostly in Texas. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $20,425,720
- +10.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 271
- -1.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $75,372
- +12.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $491,924,553
- +8.9% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Texas (76% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Powell Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation accepts online pre-applications from new organizations and past grantees. New organizations may submit at any time; current grantees must wait until notified that they are eligible to apply. Pre-applications are reviewed for eligibility and fit, and may be advanced, deferred, or declined.
- Review Cycle
- Pre-applications received by November 30 are considered for the Spring cycle; those received by May 31 are considered for the Fall cycle. Status notifications are generally sent by early January for Spring and early July for Fall. The Foundation says the full process typically takes five to six months from application submission.
- Deadline
- Pre-applications received by November 30 are considered for the Spring cycle; those received by May 31 are considered…
- Contact
Application contact: Httpspowellfoundationorgapplication
Mailing address: 2001 Kirby Drive Suite 1011, Houston, TX 77019
Phone: (713) 523-7557
Email: grants@powellfoundation.org
Website: https://powellfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Powell Foundation
Who The Powell Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Precinct4Forward ($1.5M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $8.4M.
Organizations only. It also paid 6 grants to individuals ($986,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
1,368 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 793 grants of 1,368 (58%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation focuses its funding on Harris, Travis, and Walker Counties, Texas. It does not fund initiatives focused solely on other areas, but considers multi-county and statewide initiatives that benefit the three counties. In filing year 2025, 76% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas; other recipient-state shares included Massachusetts at 7%, Louisiana at 6%, Washington, D.C. at 4%, and California at 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 271 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Powell Foundation gives
- 52% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+4%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 97% 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 (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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $10.5M (2019) to $20.4M (2025). In 2025 it made 271 grants totaling $20.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Precinct4Forward Houston, TX | Conservation: Connecting People to Nature | $1,500,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Walker County Huntsville, TX | Post-Secondary Pathways: Post-Secondary Access and Success | $1,262,295 |
| The Holdsworth Center Austin, TX | Quality Public K-12 Schools: Excellent Educators | $981,164 |
| BridgeYear Houston, TX | Post-Secondary Pathways: Post-Secondary Access and Success | $949,815 |
| The Bridgespan Group Boston, MA | Aligned Cradle to Career Education System: Effective Tools, Policies, and Systems | $838,175 |
| Catalyst Education DBA Catalyst Exchange New Orleans, LA | Aligned Cradle to Career Education System: Effective Tools, Policies, and Systems | $700,000 |
| United Way for Greater Austin Austin, TX | Early Childhood Development and Education: High-Quality Providers and Educators | $655,729 |
| University of Houston Foundation Houston, TX | Post-Secondary Pathways: Post-Secondary Access and Success | $399,000 |
| Education First Seattle, WA | Aligned Cradle to Career Education System: Effective Tools, Policies, and Systems | $372,313 |
| 40 Schools New Orleans, LA | Early Childhood Development and Education: High-Capacity Sector | $370,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Powell 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $491,924,553 | $49,055,801 | $24,244,754 | $20,425,720 | 271 | $22,252,864 | $48,103,559 | $22,848,654 |
| 2024 | $451,534,153 | $36,080,455 | $21,700,630 | $18,465,732 | 276 | $20,026,366 | $35,114,839 | $21,751,351 |
| 2023 | $421,222,742 | $22,834,407 | $20,167,254 | $17,526,704 | 269 | $18,972,206 | $21,977,009 | $19,249,485 |
| 2022 | $372,755,906 | $35,540,234 | $22,644,566 | $19,614,422 | 288 | $20,905,364 | $34,188,511 | $18,973,519 |
| 2021 | $469,745,572 | $20,396,819 | $17,674,810 | $15,017,783 | 264 | $16,406,845 | $19,456,778 | $21,226,087 |
| 2020 | $396,553,076 | $11,786,045 | $15,155,146 | $13,077,232 | 1 | — | $11,031,927 | $16,882,340 |
| 2019 | $347,767,188 | $88,266,136 | $12,308,427 | $10,526,576 | 1 | — | $6,044,707 | $13,460,757 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Powell Foundation reported a distributable amount of $22.8M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s mission is to catalyze progress in public education through bold and collaborative grantmaking and initiatives. It also invests in the arts, conservation, and human services to promote conditions that help children and youth thrive. Its website says it supports programs with a track record of high impact and outstanding outcomes.
The Foundation supports eligible 501(c)(3) organizations, including public charities, government organizations, and eligible supporting organizations. Its 2025 filing reports $12.3 million for education and, within its “Supportive Communities” areas, $2.2 million for the arts, $3 million for conservation, and $1.6 million for human services.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of work funded. The Holdsworth Center says it works to improve pre-K–12 public education by supporting and developing educational leaders. BridgeYear says it connects underserved youth to careers and educational pathways. AVANCE says it provides culturally responsive, two-generation programming for Latino families, including school-readiness support for young children. An individual recipient received a 2025 grant for student education programs.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation reported 271 grants totaling $20,425,720. Grants ranged from $50 to $1,500,000, with a median grant of $15,000.
Among the largest reported 2025 grants were $1,500,000 to Precinct4Forward for connecting people to nature; $1,262,295 to Boys & Girls Club of Walker County for post-secondary access and success; $981,164 to The Holdsworth Center for excellent educators; and $949,815 to BridgeYear for post-secondary access and success. Other large grants included $838,175 to The Bridgespan Group for effective tools, policies, and systems and $655,729 to United Way for Greater Austin for high-quality early-childhood providers and educators.
Organizations must submit an online pre-application. If advanced, they are invited to submit a full application through the Grant Portal. The full application allows organizations to describe their proposed work, intended outcomes, and organizational impact. Foundation staff review requests and may conduct conversations or site visits; the Board of Directors makes final decisions. Approved organizations must sign and return a grant agreement before disbursement. The Foundation considers operating costs, agency programs, and specific projects; capital requests are reviewed case by case and represent less than 2% of annual grant awards on average.
The Foundation does not fund individuals, endowments or endowment campaigns, scholarship funds, other private foundations, fundraising or marketing events, debt retirement or past operating deficits, political candidates or lobbying, or religious or doctrinal purposes. Faith-based 501(c)(3) organizations may apply for non-sectarian work serving a broad community population. The Foundation does not fund initiatives focused solely outside its three counties, but considers multi-county or statewide initiatives that benefit them.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Katherine Osborne Valdez as Board President and Director; Ben H Powell V as Vice President and Director; Charles F Caldwell as Secretary and Director; and Marian M Casey as Treasurer and Director. It also lists Ben H Powell VI as Assistant Treasurer, and Terry Bruner, Christopher D Casey II, Thao Costis, E Inez Hill, and Katherine P Hill as Directors.
The Powell Foundation is led by Katherine Osborne Valdez, Board President & Director since 2021 (on filings since 2019); 1 of 12 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Katherine Osborne Valdez
Board President & Director
President & Director → Board President & Director, 2021
On filings since 2019
16 hrs/week
$75K (2019) → $88K (2025)
Ben H Powell V
Vice President & Director
Vice President, Treasurer & Director → Vice President, Assistant Treasurer & Director, 2021
Vice President, Assistant Treasurer & Director → Vice President & Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Charles F Caldwell
Secretary & Director
Director → Secretary & Director, 2021
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Katherine P Hill
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marian M Casey
Treasurer & Director
Director → Treasurer & Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Molly N Kidd
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thao Costis
Director
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Terry Bruner
Director
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth K Moore
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christopher D Casey II
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
E Inez Hill
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ben H Powell VI
Assistant Treasurer
Director → Assistant Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (8)
- Former: Harvin C Moore IV (2019–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Thomas B Osborne (2023) — Director
- Former: Tom B Osborne (2022) — Director
- Former: Jan L Redford (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Marian P Harrison (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Inez Hill (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Albert S Tabor (2019–2020) — Vice President, Secretary & Director
- Former: Nancy Powell Moore (2019–2020) — Director
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
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $88K, to Katherine Osborne Valdez (Board President/Director).
Frequently asked questions about The Powell Foundation
How much does The Powell Foundation give each year?
The Powell Foundation gave $20.4M across 271 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $18.5M across 276 grants.
What is The Powell Foundation's typical grant size?
The Powell Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $75,372, across 271 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Powell Foundation give grants?
The Powell Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 76% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Massachusetts (7%) and Louisiana (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (108 grants), Austin, TX (47 grants), Dallas, TX (10 grants) and Knoxville, TN (10 grants).
Does The Powell Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 60% of The Powell Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (162 of 271) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Arts: Student Education Programs" (24 grants), "Human Services: Stabilization and Empowerment" (15 grants) and "Conservation: Connecting People to Nature" (9 grants).
Who are The Powell Foundation's largest grantees?
The Powell Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Precinct4Forward ($1,510,000 across 2 grants), Boys & Girls Club of Walker County ($1,262,295) and The Bridgespan Group ($1,230,638 across 3 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 6 grants to individuals ($986,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 20% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Powell Foundation?
The Powell Foundation reported $491.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $22.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $22.8M (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 Powell Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s mission is to catalyze progress in public education through bold and collaborative grantmaking and initiatives. It also invests in the arts, conservation, and human services to promote conditions that help children and youth thrive. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Powell Foundation?
The Foundation accepts online pre-applications from new organizations and past grantees. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 27, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 10, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Powell Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Powell Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-powell-foundation-morg_925010f435db4f75a76cedbf048eb2ab
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_746104592_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Powell Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-powell-foundation-morg_925010f435db4f75a76cedbf048eb2ab},
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 Powell 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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