The Susan Vaughan Foundation Inc
Houston, TX · EIN 76-0285765. Reported 267 grants totalling $8,046,000 to 105 recipients across tax years 2021-2025. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. The Susan Vaughan Foundation Inc did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $10,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $10,000 and $25,000; the smallest was $3,000 and the largest $350,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast Inc | Houston, TX | $1,050,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas | Dallas, TX | $890,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Georgia O'keeffe Museum | Santa Fe, NM | $485,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| St Stephen's Episcopal School | Houston, TX | $460,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Houston Botanic Garden | Houston, TX | $370,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Chinati Foundation | Marfa, TX | $230,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Georgia Okeeffe Museum | Sante Fe, NM | $190,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Great Springs Project Inc | Austin, TX | $180,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Waterloo Greenway Conservancy | Austin, TX | $175,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Austin Community Foundation | Austin, TX | $150,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| High Point University | High Point, NC | $150,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Houston Arboretum & Nature Center | Houston, TX | $125,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Texas Tribune Inc | Austin, TX | $110,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Barton Springs Convervancy | Austin, TX | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Depelchin Children's Center | Houston, TX | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Urban Harvest Inc | Houston, TX | $100,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Episcopal High School | Bellaire, TX | $95,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Houston Museum of Natural Science | Houston, TX | $95,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Memorial Park Conservancy | Houston, TX | $95,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Galveston Bay Foundation | Kemah, TX | $90,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Museum of Fine Arts Houston | Houston, TX | $90,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Good Reason Houston | Houston, TX | $85,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Menil Collection | Houston, TX | $80,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Friends of Pumpkin Park | Houston, TX | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| International Crane Foundation | Baraboo, WI | $75,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Trees for Houston | Houston, TX | $75,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Breakthrough Houston | Houston, TX | $70,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Glenwood Cemetery Historic Capital Campaign | Houston, TX | $70,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Houston Parks Board | Houston, TX | $70,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Armand Bayou Nature Center | Pasadena, TX | $65,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| CASA De Esperanza De Los Ninos Inc | Houston, TX | $65,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Museum of Fine Arts Houston (mfah) | Houston, TX | $60,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Rice Design Alliance | Houston, TX | $60,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| The Joy School | Houston, TX | $60,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Asia Society Texas Center | Houston, TX | $55,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Covenant House Texas | Houston, TX | $55,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Contemporary Arts Museum | Houston, TX | $50,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Harris Health Strategic Fund | Bellaire, TX | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Katy Prairie Conservancy | Houston, TX | $50,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| National Wildlife Federation South Central Region | Reston, VA | $50,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Rothko Chapel | Houston, TX | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Texas Hearing Institute | Houston, TX | $50,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Wonders & Worries Inc | Austin, TX | $50,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Wonderworks | Houston, TX | $50,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Zilker 351 | Austin, TX | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Small Steps Nurturing Center | Houston, TX | $47,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Hermann Park Conservancy | Houston, TX | $45,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Alley Theatre | Houston, TX | $40,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Buffalo Bayou Partnership | Houston, TX | $40,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Fotofest Inc | Houston, TX | $40,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Houston Center for Contemporary Craft | Houston, TX | $40,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Mindpop | Austin, TX | $40,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Spark School Park Program | Houston, TX | $40,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Bayou Preservation Association | Houston, TX | $35,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Charles Moore Foundation | Austin, TX | $35,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Inprint Inc | Houston, TX | $35,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Archaeology Now | Houston, TX | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Communities in Schools Houston | Houston, TX | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Chinquapin School | Highlands, TX | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| John Fairey Garden | Hempstead, TX | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Small Places | Houston, TX | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Texas Society to Prevent Blindness | Houston, TX | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Treefolks | Austin, TX | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Archaeological Institute of America | Boston, MA | $25,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Astrodome Conservancy | Houston, TX | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Bayou City Waterkeeper | Houston, TX | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Chinquapin Preparatory School | Highlands, TX | $25,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Communities in Schools | Houston, TX | $25,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Houston Audubon Society | Houston, TX | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Houston Food Bank | Houston, TX | $25,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Preservation Austin | Austin, TX | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| The Trail Foundation | Austin, TX | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Salvation Army | West Nyack, NY | $25,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Washington on the Brazos Historical Foundation | Washington, TX | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Documentary Alliance | Houston, TX | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Houston Center for Contemporary Crafts | Houston, TX | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Preservation Houston | Houston, TX | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Trail Conservancy | Austin, TX | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| University of Texas Foundation | Austin, TX | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Wildlife Habitat Federation | Austin, TX | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Glenwood Cemetery Historic Preservation Foundation | Houston, TX | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Austin Sunshine Camps | Austin, TX | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Cancare Inc | Houston, TX | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| CASA Mateo | Houston, TX | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Conservation History Assoc of Texas | Austin, TX | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Houston Hospice | Houston, TX | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Houston SPCA | Houston, TX | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Main Street Theater Houston | Houston, TX | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Orange Show Foundation | Houston, TX | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation | Dallas, TX | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| The Nature Discovery Center Inc | Bellaire, TX | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| University of Houston College of Architecture | Houston, TX | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Wonderland Educational Estate Assn | Houston, TX | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Writers in the Schools | Houston, TX | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Conservation History Association of Texas | Austin, TX | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Da Camera of Houston | Houston, TX | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Berkshire Historical Society at Arrowhead | Pittsfield, MA | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Austin Parks Foundation | Austin, TX | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Camp Fire Central Texas | Austin, TX | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Cullinan Park Conservancy | Sugar Land, TX | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Conservation History Assn of Texas | Austin, TX | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| House of Amos | Houston, TX | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Homemade Hope for Homeless Children | Houston, TX | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Project Row Houses | Houston, TX | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Gateway Academy | Houston, TX | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
63 of 105 (60%) received money in more than one year over the 5 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 68%, across 4 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is about typical. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.
- Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas
TO SUPPORT THE PP HEALTH EQUITY FUND - Georgia O'keeffe Museum
TO SUPPORT THE PARK & GARDENS CAPITAL CAMPAIGN - Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast
FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT - St Stephen's Episcopal School
TO SUPPORT THE ANNUAL FUND - Austin Community Foundation
For the benefit of shield ranch foundation charitable fund. - Barton Springs Convervancy
TO SUPPORT THE BARTON SPRINGS BATHHOUSE REHABILITATION PROJECT
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 194 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 52 | $1,442,500 | $10,000 |
| 2022 | 48 | $1,439,500 | $10,000 |
| 2023 | 55 | $1,439,000 | $10,000 |
| 2024 | 55 | $1,770,000 | $15,000 |
| 2025 | 57 | $1,955,000 | $10,000 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Where its money goes
87% of its giving went to organizations in Texas. If your organization is based elsewhere, look in the recipient list for grants to your area before writing.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $10,000. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Texas.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from The Susan Vaughan Foundation Inc's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 5 returns (tax years 2021-2025). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.
Address of record on the latest return: 1801 Post Oak Blvd Suite 500, Houston, TX, 77056. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 76-0285765 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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