The Simmons Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1993 and based in Houston, Texas. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with the primary objective of strengthening women, youth, and families while building an educated, tolerant, and resilient community.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.5M
+194.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.5M
+276.8% YoY
Grant Count
13
+30.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$268K
+189.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Simmons Foundation reported a distributable amount of $209K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to invest in the community so lives can be improved by helping people help themselves. The foundation focuses its funding in five primary areas:
- Health
- Education
- Civic & Community
- Capacity Building
- Human Services
In each quarter, the foundation pays particular attention to advocacy, empowering vulnerable communities, prevention and intervention, and women and children. The foundation also provides scholarships to relatives of current employees of Redstone Companies and its related entities.
Grantmaking
In 2022, the Board of Directors decided to pause funding for a season to allow the Board to assess and evaluate the foundation's mission, vision, values, and geographic and philanthropic focus. The evaluation process has been ongoing, with updates to be posted on the foundation's website detailing future funding priorities and grantmaking plans.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds in Colorado and Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $2,548,456
- Total Giving: $3,485,000
- Total Revenues: $8,735,777
- Total Expenses: $3,542,062
Revenue Breakdown (2024):
- Total grants and contributions: $5,019,134
- Investment income and dividends: $199,025
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $3,515,988
Tax-Exempt Status: The foundation has been tax-exempt since May 1993 (EIN: 76-0398915).
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,548,456 | $865,040 | $761,738 |
| Revenue | $8,735,777 | $2,134,681 | $120,719 |
| Expenses | $3,542,062 | $1,027,749 | $130,846 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,528,394 | $1,009,649 | $129,246 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,714,943 | $1,088,341 | $120,719 |
| Distributable Amount | $208,608 | $147,239 | $130,713 |
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
75 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Old Town Hot Springs ($2,000,000), Yampa Valley Community Foundation ($1,000,000), Houston Area Women's Center ($125,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Houston Area Women's Center Houston, TX | Support for Campaign For Courage | $125,000 |
| LiftUp Routt County Steamboat Springs, CO | Grant for HVAC System at donation center | $25,000 |
| The Women's Resource Houston, TX | Owning our Destiny Campaign | $80,000 |
| United Way of the Yampa Valley Steamboat Springs, CO | Support for Northwest Colorado resident needs | $10,000 |
| Yampa Valley Community Foundation Steamboat Springs, CO | To support the "Save Casey's Pond" | $1,000,000 |
| Yampa Valley Community Foundation Steamboat Springs, CO | General support | $125,000 |
| Yampa Valley Autism Program Steamboat Springs, CO | To support families living with developmental disabilities | $40,000 |
| Yampa Valley Sustainability Council Steamboat Springs, CO | General support | $25,000 |
| Old Town Hot Springs Steamboat Springs, CO | To support "It's In The Water" for Routt County's public pool | $2,000,000 |
| Partners for Youth Steamboat Springs, CO | General support | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Sue Birch – President / Grant Administrator (20 hours per week, $30,000 compensation)
- Rebecca Young – Vice President / Treasurer / Secretary (1 hour per week, no compensation)
- Ellen Cohen – Director (0.25 hours per week, no compensation)
- John P Durie – Director (1 hour per week, no compensation)
- Gay A Roane – Director (1 hour per week, no compensation)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sue Birch | President / Grant Administrator | 20 | $30,004 |
| Rebecca Young | Vice President / Treasurer / Secretary | 1 | — |
| Ellen Cohen | Director | 0.25 | — |
| John P Durie | Director | 1 | — |
| Gay A Roane | Director | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has made significant grants in 2024, including major awards to support public recreation and community conservation projects in Colorado. The foundation's website indicates that the strategic evaluation process initiated in 2022 is continuing, with plans to post updates detailing future funding priorities and grantmaking plans.
Simmons First Foundation Donates $50,000 to Support Snowden Waterfowl Center\Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Simmons Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is to invest in the community so lives can be improved by helping people help themselves. The foundation focuses its funding in five primary areas: • Health • Education • Civic & Community • Capacity Building • Human Services In each quarter, the foundation pays particular attention to advocacy, empowering vulnerable communities, prevention and intervention, and women and children. The foundation also provides scholarships to relatives of current employees of Redstone C…
How do I apply for a grant from The Simmons Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $10,000–$2,000,000 • Median grant amount: $25,000 • Recent grants have included awards of $2,000,000 and $1,000,000 **Recent Grant Activity (2024):** • Old Town Hot Springs: $2,000,000 (to support "it's in the Water" for Routt County's Public Pool) • Yampa Valley Community Foundation: $1,000,000 (to support "save Casey's Pond") • Yampa Valley Community Foundation: $125,000 (general support) **Funding Status:** In 2022, the Board of Directors dec…
Where does The Simmons Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds in Colorado and Texas.
What size grants does The Simmons Foundation award?
In 2024, The Simmons Foundation awarded 13 grants totaling $3.5M — an average of about $268K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Simmons Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Simmons Foundation reported a distributable amount of $209K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Simmons Foundation's EIN?
The Simmons Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 76-0398915. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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