Vaughan Foundation
The Vaughan Foundation is a private foundation based in Galax, Virginia. Its 2025 filing reports 11 grants totaling $30,000, primarily to organizations in Virginia.
Vaughan Foundation at a glance
In short: Vaughan Foundation gave $30K across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in Virginia. 9% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $30,000
- +7.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,727
- +7.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Total assets
- $491,529
- +2.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 9% first-time grantees (1 of 11, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Virginia (98% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Vaughan Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Its 2024 filing says applications should be written and from qualified 501(c)(3) organizations; applicants should attach a copy of their IRS tax-exempt determination letter and state the organization’s charitable purpose. The filing says grants are generally limited to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations described in sections 509(a)(1), (2), or (3).
- Review Cycle
- Applications are accepted year-round, according to the 2024 filing.
- Deadline
- Applications are accepted year-round, according to the 2024 filing.
- Contact
Application contact: Taylor Vaughan
Mailing address: PO Box 1489, Galax, VA 24333
Phone: (276) 236-6111
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Vaughan Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Oak Hill Academy ($5K). Together the top 10 received $30K.
Grant Size Distribution
59 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 59 grants of 59 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in Virginia and 2% to recipients in Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Vaughan Foundation open to new grantees?
9%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 11 grantees (9%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 73% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+0%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 92% 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 (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $16K (2019) to $30K (2025). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $30K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Oak Hill Academy Mouth of Wilson, VA | Donation | $5,000 |
| Free Clinic of the Twin Counties Galax, VA | Donation | $4,500 |
| Galax Foundation for Excellence IN Galax, VA | Donation | $4,000 |
| The Galax Hope House Galax, VA | Donation | $4,000 |
| Galax Volunteer Fire Department Galax, VA | Donation | $3,500 |
| Joy Ranch Hillsville, VA | Donation | $3,000 |
| WCC Educational Foundation Wytheville, VA | Donation | $2,000 |
| Hope Ministries Galax, VA | Donation | $1,500 |
| TCC Foundation Scholarships Galax, VA | Donation | $1,000 |
| Chestnut Creek School of the Arts Galax, VA | Donation | $1,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Vaughan Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $491,529 | $49,148 | $38,621 | $30,000 | 11 | $30,000 | $11,288 | $32,559 |
| 2024 | $481,002 | $44,183 | $37,914 | $28,000 | 11 | $28,000 | $14,231 | $29,681 |
| 2023 | $475,742 | $17,591 | $34,006 | $29,000 | 12 | $29,025 | $13,625 | $27,911 |
| 2022 | $492,157 | $72,096 | $38,770 | $30,000 | 12 | $30,127 | $63,453 | $29,505 |
| 2021 | $458,831 | $31,353 | $36,055 | $26,000 | 13 | — | $21,443 | $29,414 |
| 2020 | $463,533 | $-98 | $25,080 | $19,000 | 13 | — | $11,764 | $26,116 |
| 2019 | $488,711 | $27,134 | $24,144 | $15,975 | 13 | — | $20,998 | — |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Vaughan Foundation reported a distributable amount of $33K 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’s filings do not state a mission. Its 2025 grants went to organizations including schools, educational foundations, a free clinic, a volunteer fire department, and charitable organizations. Among the grantees, Joy Ranch describes its mission as providing housing and services to children unable to live with their parents or guardians. Chestnut Creek School of the Arts describes its mission as offering visual and performing arts classes to preserve and promote Southwestern Virginia’s cultural heritage. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave $30,000 through 11 grants. Grants ranged from $500 to $5,000, with a median of $3,000. Its largest listed grants were $5,000 to Oak Hill Academy, $4,500 to Free Clinic of the Twin Counties, and $4,000 each to Galax Foundation for Excellence in and The Galax Hope House. Other 2025 recipients included Galax Volunteer Fire Department ($3,500), Joy Ranch ($3,000), WCC Educational Foundation ($2,000), Hope Ministries ($1,500), TCC Foundation Scholarships ($1,000), Chestnut Creek School of the Arts ($1,000), and Wounded Warriors ($500).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Taylor Vaughan as president, John David Vaughan as vice president, R L Hall Jr as secretary, and Michael E Stevens as director.
Vaughan Foundation is led by Taylor Vaughan, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Taylor Vaughan
President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Michael E. Stevens
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
John David Vaughan
Vice President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
R. L. Hall Jr.
Secretary
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Vaughan Foundation
How much does Vaughan Foundation give each year?
Vaughan Foundation gave $30K across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $28K across 11 grants.
What is Vaughan Foundation's typical grant size?
Vaughan Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $3,000, and its average grant was $2,727, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Vaughan Foundation that year got $1K on average.
Where does Vaughan Foundation give grants?
Vaughan Foundation gives mostly in Virginia: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Galax, VA (7 grants).
Does Vaughan Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on Vaughan Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Donation" (11 grants).
Who are Vaughan Foundation's largest grantees?
Vaughan Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Oak Hill Academy ($5,000), Free Clinic of the Twin Counties ($4,500) and Galax Foundation for Excellence IN ($4,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 45% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Vaughan Foundation?
Vaughan Foundation reported $492K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $30K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $33K (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 Vaughan Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filings do not state a mission. Its 2025 grants went to organizations including schools, educational foundations, a free clinic, a volunteer fire department, and charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Vaughan Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Vaughan Foundation's EIN?
Vaughan Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-1295313. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Vaughan 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 13, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 30, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Figures come from Vaughan 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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