The Van Devender Family Foundation is a private, non-operating foundation based in Jackson, Mississippi. Established in 1997, the foundation operates as a charitable trust focused on philanthropic grantmaking to organizations across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$137K
+3.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$760K
-11.9% YoY
Grant Count
47
-17.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$16K
+6.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Van Devender Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $9K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation does not maintain a published mission statement. However, its grantmaking priorities encompass the following areas:
- Housing and Community Development — Housing assistance and community development initiatives
- Education — School-based programs and educational institutions
- Religious Organizations — Church support and religious community initiatives
- Ministry and Religious Support — Community outreach through faith-based organizations
- Health and Disease Prevention — Public health and disease prevention programs
- Senior Services — Programs serving older adults
- Animal Welfare — Animal-focused charitable work
- Memorials — Memorial-based giving
- Cultural Programs — General cultural initiatives
Grantmaking
Recent grants were awarded across all focus areas through 2024-2025.
Grant Range
** $200 to $250,000
Average Grant
Amount:** Varies by program area, ranging from $3,925 (housing/community) to $35,009 (school programs)
How to Apply
** No formal application process information is available in public sources.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Mississippi, with some grants extending to California and Tennessee.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Fiscal Year (2025):
- Total Assets: $137,499
- Total Revenue: $776,843
- Total Expenses: $761,770
- Total Giving: $760,050
Previous Fiscal Year (2024):
- Total Assets: $132,726
- Total Revenue: $975,907
- Total Expenses: $864,160
- Total Giving: $862,986
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $137,499 | $132,726 | $15,454 |
| Revenue | $776,843 | $975,907 | $1,242,802 |
| Expenses | $761,770 | $864,160 | $1,253,893 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $760,433 | $862,986 | $1,253,877 |
| Net Investment Income | $7,951 | $4,772 | $2,786 |
| Distributable Amount | $8,808 | $4,117 | $1,609 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
247 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include University of Southern Miss Foundation ($202,500), Jackson Prep Foundation ($200,000), City Church ($77,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALL SAINTS' EPISCOPAL SCHOOL VICKSBURG, MS | SCHOOL | $10,000 |
| AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION JACKSON, MS | HEALTH AND PREVENTION | $1,000 |
| BALLET MISSISSIPPI INC JACKSON, MS | CULTURAL | $1,000 |
| BUT GOD MINISTRIES RIDGELAND, MS | MINISTRY | $57,400 |
| CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL NEW ORLEANS NEW ORLEANS, LA | HEALTH AND PREVENTION | $2,000 |
| CITY CHURCH JACKSON, MS | CHURCH | $77,000 |
| CYSTIC FIBROSIS FOUNDATION JACKSON, MS | HEALTH AND PREVENTION | $500 |
| FCA FLOWOOD, MS | SCHOOL | $1,500 |
| FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF JACKSON JACKSON, MS | CHURCH | $500 |
| FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH GREENVILLE GREENVILLE, MS | MEMORIALS | $300 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- William J. Van Devender — Trustee
- Mollie M. Van Devender — Trustee
William Van Devender is a successful businessman and former college football player who earned three letters at the Monster Man position for Ole Miss (1968-70) and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from the University of Mississippi (1971) and an MBA from Southern Methodist University (1973). He has been a significant philanthropic supporter of educational and athletic initiatives in Mississippi.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| WILLIAM J VAN DEVENDER | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| MOLLIE M VAN DEVENDER | TRUSTEE | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Van Devenders have been recognized for their philanthropic contributions to educational and athletic initiatives. In 2013, Billy and Mollie Van Devender received the Distinguished American Award from the Ole Miss Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in recognition of their long-term support of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum and their service to the community.
Women\u2019s Sports Foundation Continues to Provide Grants to Aspiring Women\The Van Devenders partnered with the Archie Manning family to make significant contributions toward the renovation of Ole Miss's indoor football practice facility, which was subsequently named the Olivia and Archie Manning Athletics Performance Center. Van Devender and Manning were college teammates and roommates at Ole Miss.
The foundation has also supported Children's of Mississippi, contributing to the institution's expansion initiatives.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Van Devender Family Foundation fund?
The foundation does not maintain a published mission statement. However, its grantmaking priorities encompass the following areas: • **Housing and Community Development** — Housing assistance and community development initiatives • **Education** — School-based programs and educational institutions • **Religious Organizations** — Church support and religious community initiatives • **Ministry and Religious Support** — Community outreach through faith-based organizations • **Health and Disease Pr…
How do I apply for a grant from Van Devender Family Foundation?
**Grant Range:** $200 to $250,000 **Median Grant Amount:** $9,374 **Average Grant Amount:** Varies by program area, ranging from $3,925 (housing/community) to $35,009 (school programs) **Total Grants Awarded:** 127 grants across all programs **Recent Activity:** The foundation made 44 grants in its most recent fiscal year (2025), including: • $77,000 to City Church • $25,000 to Shoreline Community Church-Santa Barbara • $12,000 to Mississippi Scholarship Fund Recent grants were awarded across a…
Where does Van Devender Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Mississippi, with some grants extending to California and Tennessee.
What size grants does Van Devender Family Foundation award?
In 2025, Van Devender Family Foundation awarded 47 grants totaling $760K — an average of about $16K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Van Devender Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Van Devender Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $9K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Van Devender Family Foundation's EIN?
Van Devender Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1480644. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Van Devender Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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