The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation
The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation is a private foundation based in Houston, Texas. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations in Texas and other states, including organizations working in education, community services, health, and support for military families and veterans.
Key facts about The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation
In short: The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation gave $443K across 31 grants in 2025 (avg $14K), mostly in Texas. 37% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 76-0453177
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $442,583
- Grants made (2025)
- 31
- Average grant
- $14,277
- Median grant
- $5,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 37% first-time grantees (10 of 27, 2025)
- Total assets
- $2,091,767
- Primary geography
- Texas (59% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 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 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.1M
+61.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$443K
+12.0% YoY
Grant Count
31
+55.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$14K
-27.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation reported a distributable amount of $745K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation open to new grantees?
37%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 27 grantees (37%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $23K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $24K repeat.
- 37% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 57% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 60% 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 (2020–2025). 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for a scholarship at The Kinkaid School, operations at community and human-services organizations, and Caltech GPS.
The grantees describe their own work in varied terms. Communities in Schools says it surrounds students with community support to help them stay in school and achieve in life. United Way of Greater Houston says it works to improve lives, strengthen the community, and create opportunities to prosper. The Navy SEAL Foundation says it supports warriors, veterans, and families of Naval Special Warfare. Easter Seals of Greater Houston describes its work as providing help, hope, and answers for veterans and people with disabilities. The Holdsworth Center says it aims to improve the quality of public education for Texas students by supporting and developing educational leaders.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 31 grants totaling $442,583. Grants ranged from $200 to $100,000, with a median of $5,000.
The largest reported grant was $100,000 to the California Institute of Technology to support Caltech GPS. Other notable grants included $35,000 to Sam Houston Area Council Boy Scouts of America for operations; $25,483 to Communities in Schools for operations; $25,000 each to Cure Alzheimer’s Fund for operations, the George & Barbara Bush Foundation for its Centennial Campaign, the George & Barbara Bush Foundation for Presidential Salute, The Kinkaid School for the Tom Moore Endowed Scholarship, United Way of Greater Houston for operations, and Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation for operations; and $24,800 to the Navy SEAL Foundation for operations.
How to Apply
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
Ready to take the next step with The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In filing year 2025, 59% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas, 23% to California, 7% to Virginia, 6% to Massachusetts, and 6% to Utah. These reported shares may not total 100% because of rounding.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 31 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $395K (2024) to $2.0M (2023). In 2025 it made 31 grants totaling $443K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was California Institute of Technology ($100K). Together the top 10 received $362K.
Grant Size Distribution
132 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 112 grants of 132 (85%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA | To Support Caltech GPS | $100,000 |
| Sam Houston Area Council Boy Scouts of America Houston, TX | To Support Operations | $35,000 |
| Communities in Schools Houston, TX | To Support Operations | $25,483 |
| Cure Alzheimer's Fund Wellesley Hills, MA | To Support Operations | $25,000 |
| George & Barbara Bush Foundation College Station, TX | To Support the Bush Foundation Centennial Campaign | $25,000 |
| George & Barbara Bush Foundation College Station, TX | To Support Presidential Salute | $25,000 |
| The Kinkaid School Houston, TX | To Support the Tom Moore Endowed Scholarship | $25,000 |
| United Way of Greater Houston Houston, TX | To Support Operations | $25,000 |
| Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation Cedar Hills, UT | To Support Operations | $25,000 |
| Navy Seal Foundation Virginia Beach, VA | To Support Operations | $24,800 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,091,767 | $4,029,813 | $505,402 | $442,583 |
| 2024 | $1,295,435 | $2,178,727 | $425,106 | $395,074 |
| 2023 | $1,181,410 | $4,193,017 | $2,029,371 | $2,007,703 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,091,767 | $1,295,435 | $1,181,410 |
| Revenue | $4,029,813 | $2,178,727 | $4,193,017 |
| Expenses | $505,402 | $425,106 | $2,029,371 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $447,726 | $401,269 | $2,007,703 |
| Net Investment Income | $442,793 | $456,417 | $2,139,026 |
| Distributable Amount | $745,259 | $672,354 | $500,965 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Le Simmons as president, Virginia W Simmons as vice president, and Anthony F DeLuca as secretary/treasurer.
The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation is led by Le Simmons, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Le Simmons
President
On filings since 2020
5.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Anthony F. Deluca
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Virginia W. Simmons
Vice President
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: 600 Travis St Suite 6600, Houston, TX 77002
Phone: (713) 227-7888
Frequently asked questions about The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation
How much does The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation give each year?
The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation gave $443K across 31 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $395K across 20 grants.
What is The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation's typical grant size?
The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $14,277, across 31 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation give grants?
The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 59% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were California (23%) and Virginia (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (16 grants) and College Station, TX (2 grants).
Does The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 31 grants with a stated purpose on The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Support Operations" (20 grants).
Who are The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation's largest grantees?
The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include California Institute of Technology ($100,000), George & Barbara Bush Foundation ($50,000 across 2 grants) and Sam Houston Area Council Boy Scouts of America ($38,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation?
The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation reported $2.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $448K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $745K (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 Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for a scholarship at The Kinkaid School, operations at community and human-services organizations, and Caltech GPS. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation's EIN?
The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 76-0453177. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Here's the math on researching The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation by hand.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
Saint Louis, MO
Enterprise Holdings Foundation supports nonprofits in health, education, arts, disaster relief, reforestation, hunger relief, and community equity, with an emphasis on organizations actively supported by Enterprise employees and their families. Its reported grants range widely: 2024 giving averaged about $7,700 across 9,499 grants, while the foundation also offers awards of up to $40,000; it supports communities where Enterprise operates worldwide. Unsolicited requests are accepted at any time, but eligible applications must be submitted by an Enterprise team member or their spouse or domestic partner on behalf of a nonprofit they actively support.
Assets
$594.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$101.4M
The Elkins Foundation
Houston, TX
The Elkins Foundation funds education, healthcare, cultural, community, and religious organizations and projects, especially those serving Houston and the Greater Gulf Coast. Its 2025 grants ranged from about $11,000 to $1.5 million, with a median of $100,000. It accepts unsolicited requests through an online application, due by June 30.
Assets
$206.6M
Grants
76
Total Given
$17.3M
The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation
Houston, TX
The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation funds education, medical research, human services, cultural arts and civic assets, with a focus on strengthening Houston; most 2024 grant dollars went to Texas, with substantial support in South Carolina. Its 2024 grants ranged from $1,000 to $1,004,392, with a median of $99,000. It does not accept unsolicited requests; applications are by invitation only.
Assets
$330.6M
Grants
68
Total Given
$13.8M
The Alkek and Williams Foundation
Houston, TX
The Albert and Margaret Alkek Foundation funds charitable, religious, scientific—primarily medical—cultural, and educational organizations and projects serving Texas, with a strong emphasis on research, education, and community involvement. In 2024, grants ranged from $200 to $500,000, with a median of $3,750. It accepts unsolicited requests throughout the year by letter of inquiry.
Assets
$2.7M
Grants
34
Total Given
$1.2M
The John M O'Quinn Foundation
Houston, TX
The John M. O’Quinn Foundation funds education, healthcare and medical projects, conservation, and programs for underprivileged youth, with emphasis on Houston and surrounding areas; nearly all of its 2024 grant dollars went to Texas. In 2024, grants ranged from $10,000 to $2 million, with a median of $50,000. It considers requests from qualifying 501(c)(3) public charities and government units; applicants should use its grant guidelines for application requirements.
Assets
$280.6M
Grants
78
Total Given
$15.0M
The Brown Foundation Inc
Houston, TX
The Brown Foundation funds education, arts and culture, healthcare, human services, and civic assets, with education and the arts as top priorities and public education giving focused almost exclusively on greater Houston. Its 2025 grants ranged from $20,000 to $11 million, with a median of $50,000; it primarily supports Houston organizations and selectively funds distinctive opportunities elsewhere in Texas and beyond.
Assets
$1.1B
Grants
222
Total Given
$84.3M
Vivian L Smith Foundation
Houston, TX
The Vivian L Smith Foundation supports qualifying nonprofit organizations across charitable fields, including education, health care, youth services, and family support; it does not fund individuals. Its 2025 grants ranged from $1,000 to $100,000, with a median of $20,000, and nearly all grant dollars went to Texas, though it reports no geographic restrictions. It accepts requests without a required form; applicants must state the purpose and provide proof of qualifying status.
Assets
$69.1M
Grants
189
Total Given
$4.5M
Dan L Duncan Foundation
Houston, TX
The Dan L Duncan Foundation supports Texas organizations in areas including education, natural science, wildlife conservation, and medical programs. Its 2024 grants had a median of $50,000, though awards ranged widely; it does not accept unsolicited requests and funds only preselected organizations.
Assets
$700.5M
Grants
79
Total Given
$39.5M
The Tapeats Fund
Wilmington, DE
In 2024, the Tapeats Fund supported wildlife conservation and animal care, education, and human services, including workforce development for returning citizens. It made 80 grants ranging from $2,500 to $130,000, with a median grant of $5,000; most funding went to Texas, followed by California and Montana. The fund says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations, and applications are directed to Margaret Borho.
Assets
$16.9M
Grants
80
Total Given
$771K
Sterling-Turner Foundation
Houston, TX
The Sterling-Turner Foundation funds eligible 501(c)(3) organizations and qualifying government agencies for a range of charitable purposes in Tom Green, Kerr, Travis, Fort Bend, and Harris counties in Texas; it does not fund individuals. Its typical grant is about $25,000, with listed awards ranging from $5,000 to $100,000, and it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$14.0M
Grants
106
Total Given
$3.4M
Strake Foundation
Houston, TX
The Strake Foundation supports organizations in education, health, youth programs, and outdoor recreation, with most of its giving going to Texas organizations. In 2024, grants ranged from $1,000 to $600,000, with a median of $10,000. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$47.3M
Grants
203
Total Given
$3.4M
Houston Endowment Inc
Houston, TX
Houston Endowment funds public education, civic engagement, arts and culture, and greenspaces, supporting work that benefits people in Greater Houston, including Harris County and its contiguous counties. Its 2024 grants ranged from $500 to $5 million, with a median of $125,000. Grants are by invitation only; it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$2.5B
Grants
355
Total Given
$99.6M
More Funders in Texas
The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?