Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX
Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX is a public charity based in Austin, Texas. The organization supports veterans, military personnel and their families through veteran services, advocacy, community and youth activities, and other programs; its 2025 filing also reports grants to Texas VFW districts and the Dept of TX VFW Foundation.
Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX at a glance
In short: Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX gave $137K across 22 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in Texas. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $136,520
- -46.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 22
- Average grant
- $6,205
- Median grant
- $1,422
- Total assets
- $11,441,192
- -4.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 22, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Texas (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX
- Review Cycle
- The listed deadline for Patriot’s Pen and Teacher of the Year is October 31, 2026. No deadline is provided for Voice of Democracy.
- Deadline
- The listed deadline for Patriot’s Pen and Teacher of the Year is October 31, 2026.
- Next open deadline
- October 31, 2026 (Patriot's Pen Youth Essay Contest)
- Contact
Mailing address: 8503 North Ih-35, Austin, TX 78753
Phone: (512) 834-8535
Website: https://texasvfw.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX
Patriot's Pen Youth Essay Contest
Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX
Amount
Over $1.4 million in total awards
Deadline
Expected ~October
Based on past cycles
Scout of the Year Program
Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX
Amount
Scholarships and other recognitions (specific amounts not detailed)
Deadline
Deadline not published
Teacher of the Year Award
Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX
Amount
$1,000 award + $1,000 to school + all-expense paid trip to VFW National Convention
Deadline
Expected ~October
Based on past cycles
Who Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Dept of TX VFW Foundation ($100K). Together the top 10 received $124K.
Grant Size Distribution
68 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 65 grants of 68 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Texas. The listed grant recipients were the Dept of TX VFW Foundation and Texas VFW districts. The website describes Patriot’s Pen and Voice of Democracy as national programs with Texas Department participation; the Teacher of the Year program recognizes winners at local, district and department levels, with advancement to national consideration.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 22 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. How we count
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $112K (2021) to $253K (2024). In 2025 it made 22 grants totaling $137K.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Dept of TX VFW Foundation Austin, TX | Support for veterans and families | $100,015 |
| District 20 Pipe Creek, TX | Veterans District Post activities | $5,150 |
| District 17 Caldwell, TX | Veterans District Post activities | $3,348 |
| District 1 Pottsboro, TX | Veterans District Post activities | $2,833 |
| District 5 Martindale, TX | Veterans District Post activities | $2,578 |
| District 14 Copperas Cove, TX | Veterans District Post activities | $2,567 |
| District 28 Round Rock, TX | Veterans District Post activities | $2,062 |
| District 21 Fort Worth, TX | Veterans District Post activities | $2,057 |
| District 12 Longview, TX | Veterans District Post activities | $1,981 |
| District 13 La Coste, TX | Veterans District Post activities | $1,807 |
Ready to take the next step with Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $11,441,192 | $10,767,842 | $11,452,177 | $136,520 | 22 | $384,122 |
| 2024 | $11,938,797 | $10,688,963 | $10,606,708 | $252,655 | Total only | $94,671 |
| 2023 | $11,582,700 | $9,636,954 | $8,556,941 | $137,029 | 23 | $1,319,494 |
| 2022 | $10,604,149 | $6,677,704 | $7,212,573 | $198,489 | Total only | $53,885 |
| 2021 | $11,432,362 | $9,367,615 | $5,511,462 | $111,572 | 23 | $1,229,925 |
| 2020 | $7,486,736 | $6,579,117 | $6,345,390 | $195,218 | 24 | $242,405 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The mission stated in the 2024 filing includes assisting veterans, military personnel and their families; advocating for veterans and active-duty personnel; historical education and commemoration; promoting patriotism; and supporting youth activities and community service.
The filing describes veteran services that include assistance with VA benefits through trained and accredited service officers. It also describes fraternal activities and member services, including grants and training to support local volunteer efforts, as well as community service, citizenship education, safety programs and youth activities. The website lists benefits counseling, advocacy, emergency aid and welcome-home celebrations among its support programs.
The organization’s 2025 grants included support for its state foundation and district activities. The foundation’s own stated mission is to promote programs raising awareness about America’s veterans and to provide veterans, service personnel and their families with financial assistance, employment assistance, scholarships and disaster relief.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the organization reported 22 grants totaling $136,520. Grant amounts ranged from $255 to $100,015, with a median of $1,422. The largest grant was $100,015 to the Dept of TX VFW Foundation for support for veterans and families. Other listed grants included amounts to Texas VFW districts for veterans’ district post activities, ranging from $1,302 to $5,150 among the largest listed grants.
The 2024 filing reported no grants, while the 2023 filing reported 23 grants totaling $137,029.
The website also lists youth and educator contests. These are participant award programs rather than grants to outside organizations. The Patriot’s Pen contest is for students in grades 6–8 and offers a portion of more than $1.4 million in awards nationally. The Voice of Democracy program is for high school students submitting recorded audio essays and offers more than $1.3 million in scholarships nationally; the national first-place award is $35,000. The Teacher of the Year program recognizes educators in three grade categories, with a $1,000 award for the winning teacher and a $1,000 award for the winner’s school, among other recognition.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ben Lowrance as AdjutantQuartermaster and the following district commanders: Henry Alderson, Gregory Brannan, Patrick Clark, Michelle Crittendon, Lester Gamble, Buddy Grantham, Timothy Green, Bart B Guthrie and Chuck Hill Jr.
The 2024 filing states that the Council of Administration administers the organization’s affairs and conducts business between annual conventions, subject to the convention.
Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX's 2025 filing lists 39 officers; none of the 39 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ben Lowrance
Adjutantquartermaster
On filings since 2022
55 hrs/week
$60K (2022) → $0 (2025)
John Jowers
District Commander
Employee → District Commander, 2025
On filings since 2024
5 hrs/week
$69K (2024) → $0 (2025)
Larry S Levy
District Commander
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Randall Johnston Jr.
District Commander
District Commander → Surgeon, 2022
Surgeon → District Commander, 2025
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steve Evans
Judge Advocate
District Commander → Judge Advocate, 2024
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Foy Day
Chaplain
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joel H Pipes
Deputy State Inspector
District Commander → Deputy State Inspector, 2025
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joseph D Ramon
Chief of Staff
District Commander → Chief of Staff, 2025
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Larry Sanders
Immediate Past Cmdr
Senior Vice Commander → Commander, 2024
Commander → Immediate Past Cmdr, 2025
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Melvin R Parker
District Commander
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Martinez
Commander
Junior Vice Commander → Senior Vice Commander, 2024
Senior Vice Commander → Commander, 2025
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andrea Ortiz
Surgeon
On filings since 2024
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cedrick R Shells
District Commander
On filings since 2024
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Clarence Jackson
Inspector
On filings since 2024
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Walden
Senior Vice Commander
Junior Vice Commander → Senior Vice Commander, 2025
On filings since 2024
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Duane S Masteller
District Commander
On filings since 2024
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Edwin F Simons
District Commander
On filings since 2024
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
George G Varra
District Commander
On filings since 2024
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marcey Phillips
District Commander
On filings since 2024
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Rouse
Deputy State Inspector
District Commander → Deputy State Inspector, 2025
On filings since 2024
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steve H Lee
District Commander
On filings since 2024
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bart B Guthrie
District Commander
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Benny B Guerrero Sr.
Junior Vice Commander
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Buddy Grantham
District Commander
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chuck Hill Jr.
District Commander
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gary Land
District Commander
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gregory Brannan
District Commander
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Henry Alderson
District Commander
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jason Williams
District Commander
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Juan Martinez II
District Commander
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Layne Vines
Deputy Date Inspector
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lester Gamble
District Commander
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lora Land Jr.
Deputy State Inspector
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michelle Crittendon
District Commander
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Narciso Viella
District Commander
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nate Lopez
Deputy State Inspector
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patrick Clark
District Commander
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ricky Williams
Deputy State Inspector
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Timothy Green
District Commander
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (62)
- Former: Wayne Cooley (2021–2024) — Assistant Quartermaster
- Former: Barbara Ampong Jr. (2022–2024) — District Commander
- Former: Billy B Guthrie (2022–2024) — District Commander
- Former: Christopher B Davis Sr. (2022–2024) — District Commander
- Former: Diana Cruz Montoya (2022–2024) — District Commander
- Former: Jorg Kitchen (2022–2024) — Employee
- Former: Lynn Toomer (2022–2024) — Immediate Past Cmdr
- Former: Edwin Grantham (2024) — District Commander
- Former: Gary zlsnf (2024) — District Commander
- Former: George Warringer (2024) — District Commander
- Former: JLayne Viness (2024) — District Commander
- Former: Joel Ramon (2024) — Chief of Staff
- Former: Joseph Campbell (2024) — District Commander
- Former: Kemmie Foster (2024) — Employee
- Former: Michael Fuller (2024) — Employee
- Former: Mitch Fuller II (2024) — District Commander
- Former: Narciss G Villeta (2024) — District Commander
- Former: Nathan D Zuniga (2024) — District Commander
- Former: Robin Johnson Jr. (2024) — District Commander
- Former: William Hill (2024) — District Commander
- Former: Eddie L Terry Jr. (2020–2023) — Chief of Staff
- Former: John F Mageluzzo (2020–2023) — District Commander
- Former: Stephen Biel (2020–2023) — Inspector
- Former: Ann Marie Torrres (2022–2023) — District Commander
- Former: Cathy Small (2022–2023) — District Commander
- Former: Curtis Mitchell (2022–2023) — District Commander
- Former: Francis R Torres (2022–2023) — District Commander
- Former: Glenn Heady (2022–2023) — District Commander
- Former: Jimmie Surles (2022–2023) — District Commander
- Former: Larry Velasquez (2022–2023) — Judge Advocate
- Former: Martin Monceballez (2022–2023) — District Commander
- Former: Melvin Harper (2022–2023) — District Commander
- Former: Michael S Caballero (2022–2023) — District Commander
- Former: Natividad Lopez Jr. (2022–2023) — District Commander
- Former: Norman Macey (2022–2023) — Immediate Past Cmdr
- Former: Reggie Williams (2022–2023) — District Commander
- Former: Scott Rebman II (2022–2023) — District Commander
- Former: Sean Ellis (2022–2023) — District Commander
- Former: Xavier G Hernandez (2022–2023) — District Commander
- Former: Inge Conley (2022) — National Council Member
- Former: Angel Ramirez (2020–2021) — Assistant Adjutant
- Former: Anson L Booker (2020–2021) — District Commander
- Former: Brian C Satsky (2020–2021) — District Commander
- Former: Carl G Lilly (2020–2021) — District Commander
- Former: Carlos Sustaita (2020–2021) — Assistant Quartermaster
- Former: Dan West (2020–2021) — Adjutantquartermaster
- Former: Everett L Ison (2020–2021) — District Commander
- Former: James Masters (2020–2021) — District Commander
- Former: Jimmy E McCombs (2020–2021) — District Commander
- Former: Jose Vargas Jr. (2020–2021) — District Commander
- Former: Keith Kelm (2020–2021) — District Commander
- Former: Kevin Bost (2020–2021) — District Commander
- Former: Lupita M Perez (2020–2021) — District Commander
- Former: Matt Lutz II (2020–2021) — District Commander
- Former: Mel Parker (2020–2021) — District Commander
- Former: Paul Lester (2020–2021) — District Commander
- Former: Preston Rich (2020–2021) — District Commander
- Former: Rolando S Webber (2020–2021) — District Commander
- Former: Ron Spalding (2020–2021) — District Commander
- Former: Roy Jones Sr. (2020–2021) — District Commander
- Former: Ventura Mancha (2020–2021) — District Commander
- Former: Andrew Camplen (2020) — Assistant Adjutant
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $140K, to Ben Lowrance (AdjutantQuartermaster). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX
How much does Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX give each year?
Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX gave $137K across 22 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it reported $253K in grants paid.
What is Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX's typical grant size?
Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX's median grant in 2025 was $1,422, and its average grant was $6,205, across 22 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX give grants?
Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX gives mostly in Texas: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there.
Does Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 22 grants with a stated purpose on Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Veterans District Post activities" (21 grants).
Who are Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX's largest grantees?
Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX's largest 2025 grantees include Dept of TX VFW Foundation ($100,015), District 20 ($5,150) and District 17 ($3,348), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 79% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX?
Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX reported $11.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $10.8M.
What does Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX fund?
The mission stated in the 2024 filing includes assisting veterans, military personnel and their families; advocating for veterans and active-duty personnel; historical education and commemoration; promoting patriotism; and supporting youth activities and community service. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX?
Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check texasvfw.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX's EIN?
Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-0964465. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 30, 2024)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/veterans-of-foreign-wars-dept-of-tx-morg_4341ef8ea96545119acb576ff195ce6c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_740964465_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/veterans-of-foreign-wars-dept-of-tx-morg_4341ef8ea96545119acb576ff195ce6c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept of TX'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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