Waters Charitable Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker Jenks, OK EIN: 73-1323325

The Waters Charitable Foundation is a private foundation located in Jenks, Oklahoma, established in 1988 and designated as a 501(c)(3) organization. The foundation is supported by the Estate of Barbara Jean Waters and operates as a non-operating foundation that accomplishes its charitable purposes solely through a program of making charitable gifts and grants.

Key facts about Waters Charitable Foundation

EIN: 73-1323325
Latest 990 filing: Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024): $624,470
Grants made (2024): 33
Average grant: $18,923
Median grant: $15,000
New grantees (estimate): 15% first-time grantees (5 of 33, 2024)
Total assets: $11,130,509
Primary geography: Oklahoma (89% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

Who Waters Charitable Foundation funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Waters Charitable Foundation's 33 itemized 2024 grants were Oklahoma (89%). The most frequent recipient cities were Tulsa, OK (24 grants), Sarasota, FL (2 grants) and Oklahoma City, OK (2 grants). None of its 33 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Operations Fund for Social Services" (7 grants).

Is Waters Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?

15%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 5 of 33 grantees (15%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $17K; repeat grants $19K. How we count

Medians: $13K first-time, $15K repeat.

85% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+11%). Method
In 2024 it paid out 99% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2021–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

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Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$11.1M

+5.5% YoY

Annual Giving

$624K

-5.5% YoY

Grant Count

-5.7% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$19K

+0.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Waters Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $733K 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 supports charitable causes across multiple areas including social services, food security, and community support. Recent grantmaking reflects a focus on operations funding for social services organizations and programs addressing basic human needs.

Grantmaking

The foundation made 26 grants totaling approximately $533,100 in the most recent fiscal year. Notable recent grants include:

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in Oklahoma, with particular emphasis on the Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma regions.

Grant Distribution by State

Oklahoma $554K (89%)

District of Columbia $30K (5%)

Illinois $20K (3%)

Florida $20K (3%)

Share of all 33 itemized 2024 grant dollars.

States

District of Columbia Florida Illinois Kansas Michigan Oklahoma

Cities

TulsaOklahoma CityNormanTahlequahChicagoGrand RapidsSand SpringsSarasotaWashingtonAtchisonClaremoreShamrock

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Fiscal Year Ending June 2024:

Total Assets: $11,130,509
Total Revenue: $1,422,455
Total Expenses: $847,188
Net Income: $575,267
Total Liabilities: $0

Revenue Composition (FY 2024):

Grants and contributions: $856,160
Investment income and dividends: $566,333

Staffing: The foundation operates with 0 employees.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$11,130,509	$10,555,242	$11,373,810
Revenue	$1,422,455	$38,183	$528,729
Expenses	$847,188	$856,751	$837,527
Qualifying Distributions	$722,547	$748,228	$711,471
Net Investment Income	$441,692	$406,430	$402,673
Distributable Amount	$733,365	$689,936	$747,836

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

March 2, 2026 IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024

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

134 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include The Salvation Army ($51,170), Northeastern State University ($50,000), Tulsa Library Trust ($50,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
THE SALVATION ARMY Tulsa, OK	OPERATIONS FUND FOR SOCIAL SERVICES	$51,170
NORTHEASTERN STATE UNIVERSITY Tahlequah, OK	STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS	$50,000
TULSA LIBRARY TRUST Tulsa, OK	OPERATIONS FUND FOR SOCIAL SERVICES	$50,000
COMMUNITY FOOD BANK OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA INC Tulsa, OK	MEALS TO THOSE IN NEED FOR EASTERN OKLAHOMA	$35,000
AMERICAN RED CROSS Washington, DC	OPERATIONS FUND FOR SOCIAL SERVICES	$30,000
TULSA JEWISH RETIREMENT CENTER DBA ZARROW POINT Tulsa, OK	BUILDING FUND FOR RETIREMENT CENTER	$25,500
HOLLAND HALL Tulsa, OK	ANNUAL EDUCATION FUND	$25,000
IRON GATE INC Tulsa, OK	MEALS TO THOSE IN NEED IN TULSA AREA	$25,000
THE LITTLE LIGHT HOUSE INC Tulsa, OK	OPERATIONS FUND FOR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN	$25,000
UNIVERITY OF OKLAHOMA FOUNDATION INC Norman, OK	OPERATIONS FUND FOR LIBRARY	$25,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.

From 2024 IRS filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
Judy Waters	Trustee	10	—
P Jonathan Adamson	Trustee	10	—
Robin Wyatt	Trustee	10	—
E Andrew Johnson	Trustee	10	—

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Waters Charitable Foundation fund?

How do I apply for a grant from Waters Charitable Foundation?

**Grant Activity (Fiscal Year Ending June 2024)** The foundation made 26 grants totaling approximately $533,100 in the most recent fiscal year. Notable recent grants include: • Tulsa Library Trust: $50,000 (Operations Fund for Social Services) • Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma: $35,000 (Meals To Those in Need for Eastern Oklahoma) • Association of American Red Cross Retirees: $30,000 (Operations Fund for Social Services) The foundation also supports the Tulsa Jewish Retirement Center DB…

Where does Waters Charitable Foundation make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in Oklahoma, with particular emphasis on the Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma regions.

What size grants does Waters Charitable Foundation award?

In 2024, Waters Charitable Foundation awarded 33 grants totaling $624K — an average of about $19K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Waters Charitable Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Waters Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $733K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.