The Rachael and Ben Vaughan
The Rachael and Ben Vaughan Foundation is a private foundation based in San Antonio, Texas. For over thirty years, it has awarded grants in areas including animal rights, education, environmental preservation, poverty reduction, and religious initiatives.
Key facts about The Rachael and Ben Vaughan
In short: The Rachael and Ben Vaughan gave $863K across 31 grants in 2024 (avg $28K), mostly in Texas. 42% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 74-6040479
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $862,790
- Grants made (2024)
- 31
- Average grant
- $27,832
- Median grant
- $15,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 42% first-time grantees (13 of 31, 2024)
- Total assets
- $2,702,452
- Primary geography
- Texas (80% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to apply
- The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.7M
-8.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$863K
+109.2% YoY
Grant Count
31
-3.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$28K
+115.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Rachael and Ben Vaughan reported a distributable amount of $619K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Rachael and Ben Vaughan open to new grantees?
42%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 13 of 31 grantees (42%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $30K; repeat grants $27K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 45% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 102% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 139% of 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation does not state a formal mission in the available materials. Its website identifies animal rights, education, environmental preservation, poverty reduction, and religious initiatives as grant areas. Its 2023 filing also lists health care, human rights, and substance abuse among areas in which grants are awarded.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of work represented among grantees. Texas A&M University–Kingsville describes its foundation as linking donor resources with the university’s goals. Eanes Education Foundation seeks community and corporate support for educational opportunities across its district. La Peña supports artistic development and presents Latino art in Austin. Respite Care of San Antonio provides specialized care for children with special needs and complex medical conditions. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own work.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 31 grants totaling $862,790. Individual grants ranged from $3,000 to $200,000, with a median of $15,000. The foundation’s grant-program information describes requests of $2,000–$20,000 for specific projects that should take no more than twelve months to complete.
Review Cycle
September 1; applicants are notified of the board’s decision in November.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Rachael and Ben Vaughan
Ready to take the next step with The Rachael and Ben Vaughan?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation prefers local projects and says it prefers to support projects in Texas, while accepting applications from outside the state. In 2024, 80% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas; recipients in California received 16%, with the remainder going to recipients in New York, Massachusetts, and Maryland.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 31 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $293K (2020) to $863K (2024). In 2024 it made 31 grants totaling $863K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Texas A&M University Kingsville ($200K). Together the top 10 received $648K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($20,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
179 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 170 grants of 179 (95%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Texas A&M University Kingsville Kingsville, TX | Education | $200,000 |
| Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Kingsville, TX | Wildlife Preservation | $100,000 |
| Stanford University Stanford, CA | Education | $85,000 |
| Eanes Education Foundation Austin, TX | Education | $75,000 |
| St Ignatius Martyr Catholic School Austin, TX | Education | $75,000 |
| La Pena Berkeley, CA | Preserving & Celebrating Cultures | $35,000 |
| St Stephen's Episcopal School Austin, TX | Education | $25,000 |
| Planned Parenthood of South Texas San Antonio, TX | Provide Health Care and Information | $22,500 |
| 1 grant to individuals Recipients not named | — | $20,000 |
| Association for the Study of Women Brooklyn, NY | General Support | $15,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,702,452 | $611,004 | $865,064 | $862,790 | 31 |
| 2023 | $2,950,618 | $252,354 | $415,976 | $412,500 | 32 |
| 2022 | $3,117,665 | $123,076 | $559,159 | $555,395 | 41 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,702,452 | $2,950,618 | $3,117,665 |
| Revenue | $611,004 | $252,354 | $123,076 |
| Expenses | $865,064 | $415,976 | $559,159 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $862,790 | $412,500 | $555,395 |
| Net Investment Income | $611,004 | $252,354 | $123,076 |
| Distributable Amount | $619,285 | $535,193 | $396,350 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Ben F. Vaughan III as president, Daphne Vaughan as secretary and treasurer, and Ben F. Vaughan IV and Genevieve Vaughan as vice presidents.
The Rachael and Ben Vaughan is led by Ben F. Vaughan III, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Ben F. Vaughan III
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Ben F. Vaughan IV
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Daphne Vaughan
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Genevieve Vaughan
Vice President
On filings since 2020
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.
Contact
Application contact: James C Vaughan Iii
Mailing address: P O Box 460968, San Antonio, TX 78246-0968
Phone: (210) 222-0335
Email: grants@rbvfoundation.org
Website: https://rbvfoundation.org
Frequently asked questions about The Rachael and Ben Vaughan
How much does The Rachael and Ben Vaughan give each year?
The Rachael and Ben Vaughan gave $863K across 31 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $413K across 32 grants.
What is The Rachael and Ben Vaughan's typical grant size?
The Rachael and Ben Vaughan's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $27,832, across 31 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Rachael and Ben Vaughan that year got $30K on average.
Where does The Rachael and Ben Vaughan give grants?
The Rachael and Ben Vaughan gives mostly in Texas: 80% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Austin, TX (12 grants), San Antonio, TX (4 grants) and Kingsville, TX (2 grants).
Does The Rachael and Ben Vaughan give general operating support?
Occasionally: 3% of The Rachael and Ben Vaughan's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 31) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Education" (5 grants).
Who are The Rachael and Ben Vaughan's largest grantees?
The Rachael and Ben Vaughan's largest 2024 grantees include Texas A&M University Kingsville ($200,000), Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research ($100,000) and Stanford University ($85,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($20,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 45% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Rachael and Ben Vaughan?
The Rachael and Ben Vaughan reported $2.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $863K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $619K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Rachael and Ben Vaughan fund?
The foundation does not state a formal mission in the available materials. Its website identifies animal rights, education, environmental preservation, poverty reduction, and religious initiatives as grant areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Rachael and Ben Vaughan?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Rachael and Ben Vaughan's EIN?
The Rachael and Ben Vaughan's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-6040479. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Rachael and Ben Vaughan accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching The Rachael and Ben Vaughan by hand.
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