The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker HOUSTON, TX EIN: 76-0453177 Website

The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation is a private foundation based in Houston, Texas. Established in 1994, it operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization with a focus on supporting educational, philanthropic, and human services initiatives.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$1.3M

+9.7% YoY

Annual Giving

$395K

-80.3% YoY

Grant Count

-31.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$20K

-71.5% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation reported a distributable amount of $672K 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 foundation's giving priorities include:

Education
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
Human Services
Health associations
Children and youth services

Grantmaking

The foundation does not appear to accept unsolicited proposals based on available information.

Grant Range

$50,000 to $180,000

How to Apply

Your AI grants department

Ready to take the next step with The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation?

Assess fit for your org Draft an LOI Find open RFPs

Fully replaces Grant database subscriptions Instrumentl · Foundation Directory · GrantStation & similar

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in:

Texas
California
Wyoming

Grant Distribution by State

Texas $3.5M (64%)

Massachusetts $749K (14%)

Utah $558K (10%)

California $449K (8%)

Virginia $64K (1%)

Wyoming $58K (1%)

Washington $51K (1%)

New York $20K (0%)

+6 more states

States

California District of Columbia Iowa Louisiana Massachusetts Maine Mississippi New York Pennsylvania Texas Utah Virginia Washington Wyoming

Cities

AlexandriaAustinBostonBrookshireBucksportCambridgeCedar HillsCollege StationDallasHaskellHockleyHoustonIowa CityJacksonKingsvilleMissionMississippi StateNavasotaNew YorkPasadena

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of 2024:

Total Assets: $1,295,435
Total Revenue: $2,178,727
Total Expenses: $425,106
Total Liabilities: $150,000

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$1,295,435	$1,181,410	$1,000,798
Revenue	$2,178,727	$4,193,017	$660,535
Expenses	$425,106	$2,029,371	$1,037,222
Qualifying Distributions	$401,269	$2,007,703	$1,028,111
Net Investment Income	$456,417	$2,139,026	$651,424
Distributable Amount	$672,354	$500,965	$673,322

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

131 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include California Institute of Technology ($180,000), Fund for Public Education ($50,000), Sam Houston Area Council Boy Scouts of America ($35,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY PASADENA, CA	TO SUPPORT THE CALTECH COMPARATIVE PLANETARY EVOLUTION	$180,000
FUND FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION JACKSON, WY	TO SUPPORT TETON COUNTY'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS	$50,000
GEORGE & BARBARA BUSH FOUNDATION COLLEGE STATION, TX	TO SUPPORT THE GEORGE & BARBARA BUSH FOUNDATION	$4,640
HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL CLUB OF HOUSTON HOUSTON, TX	TO SUPPORT THE HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL CLUB OF HOUSTON	$30,000
HOLDSWORTH CENTER AUSTIN, TX	TO SUPPORT THE CHAMPIONS OF HOPE EVENT	$10,000
HOLLY HALL RETIREMENT HOUSTON, TX	TO SUPPORT THE HOLLY HALL RETIREMENT COMMUNITY	$7,500
MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER HOUSTON, TX	TO SUPPORT THE MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER	$5,220
MEMORIAL PARK CONSERVANCY HOUSTON, TX	TO SUPPORT THE ANNUAL GALA	$1,000
NAVY SEAL FOUNDATION VIRGINIA BEACH, VA	TO SUPPORT THE NAVY SEAL FOUNDATION	$9,800
RICE UNIVERSITY - BAKER INSTITUTE HOUSTON, TX	TO SUPPORT ANNUAL ROUNDATABLE TO SUPPORT PUBLIC POLICY	$20,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
LE SIMMONS	PRESIDENT	5.5	—
VIRGINIA W SIMMONS	VICE PRESIDENT	0.1	—
ANTHONY F DELUCA	SECRETARY/TREASURER	0.1	—

Contact Information

Address: 600 Travis St Ste 6600, Houston, TX 77002-2921

Telephone: 713-227-7888

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation fund?

The foundation's giving priorities include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Health associations • Children and youth services

How do I apply for a grant from The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • Made 28 grants in 2024 • Total giving: $395,074 (2024) • Grant range: $50,000 to $180,000 **Recent Grants (2024):** • California Institute of Technology: $180,000 (Caltech Comparative Planetary Evolution) • Fund for Public Education: $50,000 (Teton County's Public Schools) • Boy Scouts of America - Sam Houston Area Council: $35,000 (Friends of Scouting) • Rice University - The Shepherd Society School Of Music (amount not specified) **Application Process:** The foundation d…

Where does The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • Texas • California • Wyoming

What size grants does The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation award?

In 2024, The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation awarded 20 grants totaling $395K — an average of about $20K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Virginia & Le Simmons Foundation reported a distributable amount of $672K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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 2020–2024.