The Young Family Foundation
The Young Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Ganado, Texas. Established in 2000 by the family behind YK Communications, it supports scholarships and community grants, with a stated focus on fostering higher education and youth development in the YK Communications service area.
The Young Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Young Family Foundation gave $103K across 36 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in Texas. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $102,562
- +3.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 36
- +2.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,849
- +0.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $1,928,749
- +0.1% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Texas (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Young Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Grant applicants are asked to submit the prescribed application and a proposal describing project goals, intended outcomes, and sustainability plans. The foundation evaluates whether the applicant is an appropriate entity, whether funds will be used for its tax-exempt function, whether other internal fundraising efforts have been made, and whether self-dealing would occur. Scholarship applicants apply online; continuing recipients submit a continuing application.
- Review Cycle
- The grant page gives September 1 as the deadline and also describes it as late August or early September each year. The scholarship deadline is the third Friday in April.
- Deadline
- The grant page gives September 1 as the deadline and also describes it as late August or early September each year.
- Contact
Application contact: Jimmy Lopez
Mailing address: 115 W Putnam, Ganado, TX 77962
Phone: (361) 771-3334
Website: https://www.youngfamilyfoundation.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Young Family Foundation
Who The Young Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was El Campo Middle School Band ($9K). Together the top 10 received $35K.
Organizations only. It also paid 26 individual scholarships ($68,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
182 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 182 grants of 182 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s scholarship program is tied to the YK Communications voice and broadband service area and to graduates of Ganado, Louise, Tidehaven, and El Campo high schools. Scholarship recipients must attend an accredited college or university in Texas. All reported grant dollars in filing year 2025 went to recipients in Texas. The foundation’s grant announcement describes its community giving as serving rural South Texas communities.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 36 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Young Family Foundation gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+4%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 94% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $99K (2022) to $107K (2021). In 2025 it made 36 grants totaling $103K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| El Campo Middle School Band El Campo, TX | TUBA | $8,762 |
| Markham Volunteer Fire Department Markham, TX | RAM FAN | $5,000 |
| Ganado Volunteer Fire Department Ganado, TX | Fire Truck | $5,000 |
| Ganado High School One Act Play Ganado, TX | Projector | $4,300 |
| 26 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $68,000 |
| El Campo Methodist Child Care Servi El Campo, TX | Video Surveillance | $4,000 |
| I Am Chosen Ministries Markham, TX | Shoes for School Children | $2,000 |
| Northside Center El Campo, TX | Audio Visual Equipment | $2,000 |
| Ganado Band Booster Club Ganado, TX | Marching Band Uniforms | $2,000 |
| El Campo Middle School El Campo, TX | Microphones | $1,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Young Family Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The 2025 filing reported 36 grants; the 2024 filing reported 35, and the 2023 filing reported 38.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,928,749 | $126,152 | $125,018 | $102,562 | 36 | $102,562 | $105,523 | $109,000 |
| 2024 | $1,927,615 | $89,096 | $119,972 | $99,417 | 35 | $99,417 | $69,715 | $102,929 |
| 2023 | $1,958,491 | $64,330 | $124,741 | $105,000 | 38 | $105,000 | $52,397 | $99,000 |
| 2022 | $2,022,329 | $397,361 | $125,637 | $99,000 | 32 | $99,000 | $375,962 | $104,748 |
| 2021 | $1,747,178 | $131,931 | $130,665 | $107,274 | 41 | — | $110,261 | $109,642 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Young Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $109K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation says its mission is to share success with local communities by way of scholarships and grants. Its stated purposes include fostering higher education, supporting youth activities, and promoting goodwill through charitable initiatives.
Its scholarships are for eligible graduates of Ganado, Louise, Tidehaven, and El Campo high schools who live in the YK Communications voice and broadband service area and attend an accredited Texas college or university. The foundation’s website describes academic scholarships of up to $2,000 per semester for as many as eight semesters and vocational scholarships of up to $1,000 per semester for as many as six semesters, subject to requirements.
For community grants, the foundation evaluates whether an applicant is an appropriate entity, whether funds will be used in the applicant’s tax-exempt function, whether the applicant has made other internal fundraising efforts for the project, and whether self-dealing would occur. Northside Center Inc., a 2025 recipient, describes its own mission as promoting community service and education.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 36 grants totaling $102,562. Awards ranged from $500 to $8,762, with a median of $2,000. The largest reported grants included $8,762 to El Campo Middle School Band for a tuba, $5,000 each to Markham Volunteer Fire Department for a “RAM FAN” and Ganado Volunteer Fire Department for a fire truck, and $4,300 to Ganado High School One Act Play for a projector. Several students received $4,000 scholarships, including awards for study at Texas A&M University and the University of Houston–Clear Lake.
Separately, the foundation announced $35,000 in 2025 community grants to ten organizations. The listed recipients included El Campo Methodist Child Care Services ($4,000), Northside Center ($2,000), and El Campo Middle School Theater Department ($1,000).
Scholarship applications are evaluated based on scholastic achievement, involvement in school and community activities, and special needs. The foundation’s website says scholarships may be renewed each semester if recipients meet requirements. The 2024 filing states that students must maintain a 3.0 GPA and attend a Texas college or university full time for 24 hours annually.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Paula Kacer as president, Rusell Kacer as vice president, Roy Young as secretary, and Kirby Kacer as treasurer. Directors listed are Debra Taska, Jodi Spalek, and Carleen Olson.
The Young Family Foundation is led by Paula Kacer, President on every filing since 2021; none of the 7 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Paula Kacer
President
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Carleen Olson
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Debra Taska
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Jodi Spalek
Director
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Kirby Kacer
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Roy Young
Secretary
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Rusell Kacer
Vice President
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Barbara Larson (2021–2023) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The Young Family Foundation
How much does The Young Family Foundation give each year?
The Young Family Foundation gave $103K across 36 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $99K across 35 grants.
What is The Young Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Young Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $2,849, across 36 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Young Family Foundation give grants?
The Young Family Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were El Campo, TX (4 grants), Ganado, TX (4 grants) and Markham, TX (2 grants).
Does The Young Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 36 grants with a stated purpose on The Young Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship - Texas A&M University" (16 grants).
Who are The Young Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Young Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include El Campo Middle School Band ($8,762), Markham Volunteer Fire Department ($5,000) and Ganado Volunteer Fire Department ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 26 individual scholarships ($68,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 18% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Young Family Foundation?
The Young Family Foundation reported $1.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $103K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $109K (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 Young Family Foundation fund?
The foundation says its mission is to share success with local communities by way of scholarships and grants. Its stated purposes include fostering higher education, supporting youth activities, and promoting goodwill through charitable initiatives. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Young Family Foundation?
Grant applicants are asked to submit the prescribed application and a proposal describing project goals, intended outcomes, and sustainability plans. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Young Family Foundation's EIN?
The Young Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-2979295. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Young Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-young-family-foundation-morg_d5fca58d34f840aaaeb032c0eaa0b07b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_742979295_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Young Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-young-family-foundation-morg_d5fca58d34f840aaaeb032c0eaa0b07b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Young Family Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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