The Vaughn Foundation

HOUSTON, TX EIN: 75-6008953

The Vaughn Foundation is a private foundation based in Houston, Texas, established in 1954. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with a broad philanthropic mission supporting multiple sectors across the United States.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$6.0M

-3.2% YoY

Annual Giving

$448K

+10.5% YoY

Grant Count

+7.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$7K

+3.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Vaughn Foundation reported a distributable amount of $414K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The Vaughn Foundation supports a diverse range of charitable causes, including:

Arts and Culture

Performing arts (dance, ballet, theater, music, orchestral music)

Education

Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Higher education
Philanthropy and nonprofits

Health

In-patient medical care
Hospital care
Diseases and conditions

Religion

Christianity and Protestantism

Human Services

Family services
Child welfare

Grantmaking

Typical awards range from $2,500 to $20,000.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The Vaughn Foundation funds projects across multiple U.S. states, with primary focus in:

Texas (Houston, Dallas, Austin)
Kentucky
New Jersey
New York
Washington

Grant Distribution by State

Texas $1.8M (97%)

Kentucky $25K (1%)

New Jersey $10K (1%)

New York $10K (1%)

Washington $3K (0%)

States

Kentucky North Carolina New Jersey New York Tennessee Texas Virginia Washington

Cities

AustinBellaireBryanCantonConroeDallasFairfaxFriendswoodGalvestonGeorgetownHighlandHighlandsHoustonIngramIrvingKemahLexingtonLivingstonMemphisMillville

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets

Total assets: $6,015,040 (as of 2024)

Revenue & Expenses (2024)

Total revenues: $294,967
Total expenses: $490,900
Investment income and dividends: $237,266
Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $57,701

Historical Assets

2023: $6,212,858

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$6,015,040	$6,212,858	$6,547,971
Revenue	$294,967	$110,619	$-142,025
Expenses	$490,900	$445,733	$481,974
Qualifying Distributions	$469,200	$425,367	$436,709
Net Investment Income	$273,267	$199,028	$101,141
Distributable Amount	$414,322	$412,244	$424,784

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

247 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Houston Food Bank ($20,000), Nick Finnegan Counseling Center ($15,000), Ronald McDonald House Houston ($15,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
Covenant House Houston, TX	General	$10,000
Patriot Paws Service Dogs Rockwall, TX	General	$5,000
SIRE Inc Houston, TX	General	$5,000
Wounded Warrior Houston, TX	General	$5,000
Houston Parks Board Houston, TX	General	$10,000
Nick Finnegan Counseling Center Houston, TX	General	$15,000
Ronald McDonald House Houston Houston, TX	General	$15,000
St Luke's United Methodist Houston, TX	General	$15,000
Texas Childern's Hospital Houston, TX	General	$10,000
Museum of Fine Arts Houston, TX	General	$10,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Cadence Bank serves as a co-trustee of the foundation and receives compensation for this role.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
Cadence Bank	Co-Trustee	—	$37,900

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Vaughn Foundation fund?

The Vaughn Foundation supports a diverse range of charitable causes, including: **Arts and Culture** • Performing arts (dance, ballet, theater, music, orchestral music) **Education** • Elementary and secondary education • Elementary education • Higher education • Philanthropy and nonprofits **Health** • In-patient medical care • Hospital care • Diseases and conditions **Religion** • Christianity and Protestantism **Human Services** • Family services • Child welfare

How do I apply for a grant from The Vaughn Foundation?

**Grant Amounts** Typical awards range from $2,500 to $20,000. **Recent Grant Activity** The foundation made 47 grants in 2024, including: • Christian Community Service Center (CCSC): $15,000 • Child Advocates: $15,000 • Ronald McDonald House Charities Greater Houston: $15,000 • Museum of Fine Arts - Houston (among other recipients) **Total Giving** • 2024: $447,500 in total grants

Where does The Vaughn Foundation make grants?

The Vaughn Foundation funds projects across multiple U.S. states, with primary focus in: • Texas (Houston, Dallas, Austin) • Kentucky • New Jersey • New York • Washington

What size grants does The Vaughn Foundation award?

In 2024, The Vaughn Foundation awarded 61 grants totaling $448K — an average of about $7K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Vaughn Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Vaughn Foundation reported a distributable amount of $414K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.