The Powell Foundation
Historical FunderHouston, Texas · EIN 74-6104592 · Private foundation · Website
Grants paid (2025)$20.4M
Organizations funded271
Typical grant$15,000
Total assets$491.9M
Half of its grants to organizations were between $5,000 and $50,000.
From the return
How to apply
The foundation filed the following application information (Form 990-PF Part XV, tax year 2025):
| Contact | httpspowellfoundationorgapplication |
|---|---|
| Address | 2001 Kirby Drive Suite 1011, Houston TX 77019 |
| Phone | 7135237557 |
| grants@powellfoundation.org | |
| Form and materials | Organizations interested in applying for a Powell Foundation grant must submit an online pre-application form. If the pre-application is advanced, the organization will be invited to submit a full application via the Powell Foundation's online Grant Portal. The Powell Foundation Board of Directors makes all final decisions about grant requests during the Spring (May) and Fall (November) Board Meetings. Organizations approved for funding must sign and return a grant agreement for disbursement. Refer to the website for grant guidelines. |
| Deadlines | Refer to the website for the application process and deadlines. |
| Restrictions | The Powell Foundation is dedicated to catalyzing progress in public education, the arts, conservation, and human services. Funding is focused on the Foundation's geographic areas of interest in Harris, Travis, or Walker Counties, Texas. Requesting organizations must be tax-exempt under IRC 501(c)(3). This includes public charities, government organizations, and eligible supporting organizations. No grants are made to individuals, endowments, scholarship funds, private foundations, fundraising/marketing events, debt retirement/past operating deficits, candidates for political office or to influence specific legislation, or for realizing religious or doctrinal purpose. 2025 Giving: Education $12.3M (65%) and Supportive Communities: the Arts $2.2M (11%), Conservation $3M (16%), and Human Services $1.6M (8%). |
Copied as filed. Deadlines on a tax return describe the foundation's usual process; they are not confirmation of a current open cycle.
What it funds
Share of grant lines on the latest return, classified from the purpose each grant states.
Where it gives
27% of grants went outside Texas.
Grants paid in tax year 2025
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Precinct4Forward | Houston, TX | Conservation: Connecting People to Nature | $1,500,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Walker County | Huntsville, TX | Post-Secondary Pathways: Post-Secondary Access and Success | $1,262,295 |
| The Holdsworth Center | Austin, TX | Quality Public K-12 Schools: Excellent Educators | $981,164 |
| BridgeYear | Houston, TX | Post-Secondary Pathways: Post-Secondary Access and Success | $949,815 |
| The Bridgespan Group | Boston, MA | Aligned Cradle to Career Education System: Effective Tools, Policies, and Systems | $838,175 |
| Catalyst Education DBA Catalyst Exchange | New Orleans, LA | Aligned Cradle to Career Education System: Effective Tools, Policies, and Systems | $700,000 |
| United Way for Greater Austin | Austin, TX | Early Childhood Development and Education: High-Quality Providers and Educators | $655,729 |
| University of Houston Foundation | Houston, TX | Post-Secondary Pathways: Post-Secondary Access and Success | $399,000 |
| Education First | Seattle, WA | Aligned Cradle to Career Education System: Effective Tools, Policies, and Systems | $372,313 |
| 40 Schools | New Orleans, LA | Early Childhood Development and Education: High-Capacity Sector | $370,000 |
| AVANCE Inc | San Antonio, TX | Early Childhood Development and Education: Supportive Caregivers | $365,000 |
| Arts Connect Houston | Houston, TX | Arts: Student Education Programs | $350,000 |
| Creative Action | Austin, TX | Arts: Student Education Programs | $350,000 |
| National Association for Family Child Care | Washington, DC | Early Childhood Development and Education: High-Quality Providers and Educators | $350,000 |
| Trust for Learning a project of New Venture Fund | Washington, DC | Early Childhood Development and Education: High-Capacity Sector | $350,000 |
| Austin 2030 Network co Social Good Fund Inc | Austin, TX | Post-Secondary Pathways: Post-Secondary Access and Success | $308,000 |
| The Trail Conservancy | Austin, TX | Conservation: Connecting People to Nature | $300,000 |
| United Way of Greater Houston | Houston, TX | Early Childhood Development and Education: High-Quality Providers and Educators | $300,000 |
| Bonterra Jumpstart Fund | Oakland CA, CA | Aligned Cradle to Career Education System: Effective Tools, Policies, and Systems | $260,000 |
| The Bridgespan Group | Boston, MA | Early Childhood Development and Education: High-Capacity Sector | $252,463 |
| Austin Childrens Museum DBA Thinkery | Austin, TX | Early Childhood Development and Education: High-Quality Providers and Educators | $200,000 |
| Breakthrough Central Texas | Austin, TX | Post-Secondary Pathways: Post-Secondary Access and Success | $200,000 |
| Emerge | Houston, TX | Post-Secondary Pathways: Post-Secondary Access and Success | $200,000 |
| Environmental Defense Fund Incorporated | New York, NY | Conservation: Conservation/ Environmental Education | $200,000 |
| Philanthropy Advocates co Waco Foundation | Waco, TX | Aligned Cradle to Career Education System: Effective Tools, Policies, and Systems | $200,000 |
| Rice University School Literacy & Culture | Houston, TX | Early Childhood Development and Education: High-Quality Providers and Educators | $200,000 |
| Summer House Institute | Philadelphia, PA | Quality Public K-12 Schools: Excellent Educators | $200,000 |
| Improving Education Inc | Baltimore, MD | Early Childhood Development and Education: Supportive Caregivers | $191,000 |
| Huntsville Independent School District | Huntsville, TX | Quality Public K-12 Schools: Student Supports | $151,000 |
| Austin Public Education Foundation DBA Austin Ed Fund | Austin, TX | Quality Public K-12 Schools: Excellent Educators | $150,000 |
| Children At Risk Inc | Houston, TX | Early Childhood Development and Education: High-Capacity Sector | $150,000 |
| Collaborative for Children | Houston, TX | Early Childhood Development and Education: High-Quality Providers and Educators | $150,000 |
| Connective | Houston, TX | Human Services: Stabilization and Empowerment | $150,000 |
| E3 Alliance | Austin, TX | Aligned Cradle to Career Education System: Effective Tools, Policies, and Systems | $150,000 |
| Good Reason Houston | Houston, TX | Early Childhood Development and Education: High-Capacity Sector | $150,000 |
| Hermann Park Conservancy | Houston, TX | Conservation: Connecting People to Nature | $150,000 |
| Memorial Park Conservancy Inc | Houston, TX | Conservation: Connecting People to Nature | $150,000 |
| Young Audiences Inc of Houston | Houston, TX | Arts: Student Education Programs | $150,000 |
| The Bridgespan Group | Boston, MA | Early Childhood Development and Education: High-Capacity Sector | $140,000 |
| Genaustin DBA Girls Empowerment Network | Austin, TX | Human Services: Emotional Wellbeing | $128,000 |
| Family Houston | Houston, TX | Human Services: Emotional Wellbeing | $125,000 |
| Mainspring Schools | Austin, TX | Early Childhood Development and Education: High-Quality Providers and Educators | $125,000 |
| Austin Youth & Community Farm Inc DBA Urban Roots | Austin, TX | Human Services: Stabilization and Empowerment | $100,000 |
| BakerRipley | Houston, TX | Human Services: Stabilization and Empowerment | $100,000 |
| Boys and Girls Clubs of Austin and Travis County Inc | Houston, TX | Quality Public K-12 Schools: Quality Schools and Models | $100,000 |
| Boys and Girls Clubs of Austin and Travis County Inc | Austin, TX | Quality Public K-12 Schools: Student Supports | $100,000 |
| Center for Women & Their Work | Austin, TX | Arts: Student Education Programs | $100,000 |
| Communities In Schools of Central Texas | Austin, TX | Quality Public K-12 Schools: Student Supports | $100,000 |
| KIPP Texas Public Schools | Houston, TX | Early Childhood Development and Education: High-Quality Providers and Educators | $100,000 |
| Mobile Loaves & Fishes Inc | Austin, TX | Human Services: Stabilization and Empowerment | $100,000 |
| OneGoal | Houston, TX | Post-Secondary Pathways: Post-Secondary Access and Success | $100,000 |
| Open Dance Project | Houston, TX | Arts: Student Education Programs | $100,000 |
| reMIND | Houston, TX | Human Services: Emotional Wellbeing | $100,000 |
| Rooted School Foundation | New Orleans, LA | Human Services: Stabilization and Empowerment | $100,000 |
| Teach for America Inc DBA Teach For America - Austin | Austin, TX | Quality Public K-12 Schools: Excellent Educators | $100,000 |
| Teach-Org Inc DBA TEACH for Houston | San Francisco, CA | Quality Public K-12 Schools: Excellent Educators | $100,000 |
| Texas Cultural Trust Council DBA Texas Cultural Trust | Austin, TX | Arts: Student Education Programs | $100,000 |
| The Anderson Center for the Arts | Houston, TX | Arts: Public Arts and Culture Access | $100,000 |
| Trees For Houston | Houston, TX | Conservation: Environmental Protection | $100,000 |
| Urban Harvest Inc | Houston, TX | Human Services: Stabilization and Empowerment | $100,000 |
Showing the 60 largest of 271 grants to organizations.
Grants approved for future payment
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin 2030 Network co Social Good Fund Inc | Austin, TX | Post-Secondary Pathways: Post-Secondary Access and Success | $178,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Walker County | Huntsville, TX | Post-Secondary Pathways: Post-Secondary Access and Success | $150,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Walker County | Huntsville, TX | Post-Secondary Pathways: Post-Secondary Access and Success | $150,000 |
| Communities In Schools of Central Texas | Austin, TX | Quality Public K-12 Schools: Student Supports | $100,000 |
| Trees For Houston | Houston, TX | Conservation: Environmental Protection | $100,000 |
| Trees For Houston | Houston, TX | Conservation: Environmental Protection | $100,000 |
| Alley Theatre | Houston, TX | Arts: Student Education Programs | $50,000 |
| Alley Theatre | Houston, TX | Arts: Student Education Programs | $50,000 |
| Coastal Prairie Conservancy | Houston, TX | Conservation: Environmental Protection | $50,000 |
| Coastal Prairie Conservancy | Houston, TX | Conservation: Environmental Protection | $50,000 |
| Emancipation Park Conservancy | Houston, TX | Conservation: Connecting People to Nature | $50,000 |
| Emancipation Park Conservancy | Houston, TX | Conservation: Connecting People to Nature | $50,000 |
| Houston Ballet Foundation | Houston, TX | Arts: Student Education Programs | $50,000 |
| Houston Ballet Foundation | Houston, TX | Arts: Student Education Programs | $50,000 |
| Houston Botanic Garden | Houston, TX | Conservation: Connecting People to Nature | $50,000 |
| Houston Botanic Garden | Houston, TX | Conservation: Connecting People to Nature | $50,000 |
| Houston Grand Opera Association Inc | Houston, TX | Arts: Student Education Programs | $50,000 |
| Houston Grand Opera Association Inc | Houston, TX | Arts: Student Education Programs | $50,000 |
| Houston Zoo | Houston, TX | Conservation: Conservation/ Environmental Education | $50,000 |
| Houston Zoo | Houston, TX | Conservation: Conservation/ Environmental Education | $50,000 |
| Main Street Theater Houston | Houston, TX | Arts: Student Education Programs | $50,000 |
| Main Street Theater Houston | Houston, TX | Arts: Student Education Programs | $50,000 |
| Urban Harvest Inc | Houston, TX | Human Services: Stabilization and Empowerment | $50,000 |
| Zilker 351 | Austin, TX | Conservation: Connecting People to Nature | $50,000 |
| Houston Youth Symphony | Houston, TX | Arts: Student Education Programs | $35,000 |
| Houston Youth Symphony | Houston, TX | Arts: Student Education Programs | $35,000 |
| Sam Houston State University (SHSU) | Huntsville, TX | Arts: Student Education Programs | $35,000 |
| Houston Metropolitan Dance Center Inc | Houston, TX | Arts: Student Education Programs | $30,000 |
| Houston Metropolitan Dance Center Inc | Houston, TX | Arts: Student Education Programs | $30,000 |
| A Time 2 Read Inc | Huntsville, TX | Quality Public K-12 Schools: Student Supports | $25,000 |
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Grant lines |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $20,425,720 | 301 |
| 2024 | $18,465,732 | 300 |
| 2023 | $17,526,704 | 289 |
Sources
- IRS Form 990-PF, tax year 2025, filed May 11, 2026 - IRS e-file batch, object ID 202631309349100008
- IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search for EIN 74-6104592
- Profile updated Nov 4, 2026
Facts on this page come from the foundation's own IRS Form 990-PF filings as published by the IRS. Grantvello does not know whether a foundation is accepting proposals right now: a past grant is not an open opportunity. Always confirm current guidelines with the funder before applying.