Watson Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Aurora, CO EIN: 84-1601728

Watson Family Foundation is a private foundation, based in Aurora, CO. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $142K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 7 grants totaling $12K. Net investment income was $5K.

Watson Family Foundation at a glance

In short: Watson Family Foundation gave $12K across 7 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in Colorado. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$11,689
-11.7% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
7
-22.2% vs 2024
Average grant
$1,670
+13.5% vs 2024
Median grant
$1,000
Total assets
$141,542
-5.6% vs 2024
Primary geography
Colorado (69% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.

Who Watson Family Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 7 recipients in 2025

Suddenly Pink Foundation: $5KSuddenly Pink Foundation$5KTee It up for the Troops: $3KTee It up for the Troops$3KThe Challenge Foundation: $3KThe Challenge Foundation$3KCatholic Foundation of Michigan: $1KCatholic Foundation ofMichigan$1KDenver Rescue Mission: $518Denver Rescue Mission$518Wesley Players Theater Company: $500Wesley Players Theater Company$500American Heart Association: $150American Heart Association$150

The largest 2025 recipient was Suddenly Pink Foundation ($5K). Together the top 7 received $12K.

Grant Size Distribution

41 grants across all recorded years

41<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 41 grants of 41 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

10states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 7 itemized grants.

Cities

DenverAuroraEnglewoodBurnsvilleDallasParkerGrand JunctionHighlands RanchBloomfield HillsBoulderDetroitFranktownGreenwood VillageHagerstownSanta MonicaSioux FallsSistersWashingtonWest BloomfieldWynnewood

How Watson Family Foundation gives

  • Giving fell 37% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 128% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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

$0$5K$10K$15K$20K8 grants2019 8 grants2020 11 grants2021 7 grants2022 7 grants2023 9 grants2024 7 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $9K (2023) to $18K (2022). In 2025 it made 7 grants totaling $12K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Suddenly Pink Foundation Aurora, COChar. Gift--Breast Cancer$4,521
Tee It up for the Troops Burnsville, MNChar. Gift--Veteran Assistance$2,500
The Challenge Foundation Englewood, COChar.gift-Underpriv Childrens Educ$2,500
Catholic Foundation of Michigan Bloomfield Hills, MIAssist Children's Education$1,000
Denver Rescue Mission Denver, COAssist Homeless$518
Wesley Players Theater Company Highlands Ranch, COTheatrical Community$500
American Heart Association Dallas, TXHeart Research$150
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$141,542$6,007$14,428$11,6897$11,689$5,259$9,111
2024$149,963$1,595$15,962$13,2439$13,243$6,190$8,947
2023$164,330$2,054$11,549$9,1807$9,180$5,214$8,491
2022$173,825$2,137$20,697$18,4107$18,410$5,439$9,150
2021$192,380$14,813$16,646$14,33611$14,336$14,813$10,866
2020$194,239$10,551$12,113$9,3408—$10,551$9,934
2019$195,733$15,591$13,888$11,6668—$15,591$10,106

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Watson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $9K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Watson Family Foundation is led by Mary L. Watson, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2019; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Mary L. Watson

    President & Treasurer

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

  • Alfred S. Watson

    Secretary

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

  • Elizabeth L. Lacy

    Vice President

    On filings since 2022

    No compensation reported

  • Heather A. Lister

    Vice President

    On filings since 2022

    No compensation reported

Former officers (2)
  • Former: Elizabeth L. Watson (2019–2021) — Vice President
  • Former: Heather Watson (2021) — Vice President

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 Watson Family Foundation

How much does Watson Family Foundation give each year?

Watson Family Foundation gave $12K across 7 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $13K across 9 grants.

What is Watson Family Foundation's typical grant size?

Watson Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,670, across 7 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Watson Family Foundation give grants?

Watson Family Foundation gives mostly in Colorado: 69% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Minnesota (21%) and Michigan (9%).

Does Watson Family Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 7 grants with a stated purpose on Watson Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.

Who are Watson Family Foundation's largest grantees?

Watson Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Suddenly Pink Foundation ($4,521), Tee It up for the Troops ($2,500) and The Challenge Foundation ($2,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 81% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Watson Family Foundation?

Watson Family Foundation reported $142K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $12K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $9K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What is Watson Family Foundation's EIN?

Watson Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-1601728. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

Data update history

(7)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 15, 2025)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
  3. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 11, 2020)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 4, 2021)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 10, 2022)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 1, 2023)
  7. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 7, 2024)

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Watson 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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