The Rachael and Ben Vaughan
The Rachael and Ben Vaughan Foundation is a private, family foundation based in San Antonio, Texas. Established in 1952, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to philanthropic grantmaking across multiple focus areas.
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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to support educational, cultural, environmental, community, and religious development of central and south Texas, with additional support for the needy and disadvantaged in this area.
Over the past thirty years, the foundation has awarded grants in the following areas:
- Animal rights
- Education
- Environmental preservation
- Poverty reduction
- Religious initiatives
- Cultural preservation and celebration
Grantmaking
The Board of Trustees is committed to supporting unique, well-defined, and easily assessed projects. The foundation prefers to support local projects, though it will accept applications from out-of-state organizations.
Grant Range
** Typical awards range from $2,000 to $200,000.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
While the foundation prioritizes central and south Texas projects, it supports organizations across multiple states including California, Colorado, Georgia, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. The foundation funds work in major urban centers as well as smaller communities.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Most Recent Filing (2024):
- Total Assets: $2,702,452
- Total Revenues: $611,004
- Total Expenses: $865,064
- Investment Income and Dividends: $201,930
- Number of Employees: 0
| 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 |
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
179 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Rachael and Ben Vaughan
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Texas A&m University Kingsville ($200,000), Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research ($100,000), Stanford University ($85,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF WOMEN BROOKLYN, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| AUSTIN PBS AUSSTIN, TX | SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL MEDIA | $15,000 |
| BLUE LAPIS LIGHT INC AUSTIN, TX | AERIAL DANCE & MOVEMENT CLASSES | $10,000 |
| CAESAR KLEBERG WILDLIFE RESEARCH KINGSVILLE, TX | WILDLIFE PRESERVATION | $100,000 |
| CAPITAL AREA PARKINSON'S SOCIETY AUSTIN, TX | PROVIDE FREE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES | $15,000 |
| CATW INTERNATIONAL NEW YORK, NY | END HUMAN TRAFFICKING | $5,000 |
| CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK AUSTIN, TX | FIGHT AGAINST HUNGER | $15,000 |
| CHILD LEGACY INTERNATIONAL BOERNE, TX | BUILD SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES | $15,000 |
| CORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITY BOSTON, MA | HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY | $5,000 |
| EANES EDUCATION FOUNDATION AUSTIN, TX | EDUCATION | $75,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Ben F. Vaughan III – President
- Daphne Vaughan – Secretary and Treasurer
- Ben F. Vaughan IV – Vice President
- Genevieve Vaughan – Vice President
All leadership team members serve without compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEN F VAUGHAN III | PRESIDENT | — | — |
| DAPHNE VAUGHAN | SEC & TREASU | — | — |
| BEN F VAUGHAN IV | VICE PRESIDE | — | — |
| GENEVIEVE VAUGHAN | VICE PRESIDE | — | — |
Contact Information
The Rachael and Ben Vaughan Foundation P.O. Box 460968 San Antonio, TX 78246-0968 Tel: (210) 222-0335 Fax: (210) 377-3101 Website: rbvfoundation.org
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Rachael and Ben Vaughan fund?
The foundation's mission is to support educational, cultural, environmental, community, and religious development of central and south Texas, with additional support for the needy and disadvantaged in this area. Over the past thirty years, the foundation has awarded grants in the following areas: • Animal rights • Education • Environmental preservation • Poverty reduction • Religious initiatives • Cultural preservation and celebration
How do I apply for a grant from The Rachael and Ben Vaughan?
The Board of Trustees is committed to supporting unique, well-defined, and easily assessed projects. The foundation prefers to support local projects, though it will accept applications from out-of-state organizations. **Recent Grant Activity (2024):** • United Campus Christian Ministry at Stanford University: $85,000 (Education) • Eanes Education Foundation: $75,000 (Education) • La Pea Cultural Center: $35,000 (Preserving & Celebrating Cultures) **Grant Range:** Typical awards range from $2,0…
Where does The Rachael and Ben Vaughan make grants?
While the foundation prioritizes central and south Texas projects, it supports organizations across multiple states including California, Colorado, Georgia, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. The foundation funds work in major urban centers as well as smaller communities.
What size grants does The Rachael and Ben Vaughan award?
In 2024, The Rachael and Ben Vaughan awarded 31 grants totaling $863K — an average of about $28K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Rachael and Ben Vaughan required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Rachael and Ben Vaughan reported a distributable amount of $619K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Rachael and Ben Vaughan'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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