← Back to US Funders Directory

The Powell Foundation

Annual Giving
$16.9M
Grant Range
$1K - $1.5M
Decision Time
6mo

The Powell Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $16,938,000 (2024)
  • Total Assets: $421,222,742
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: 5-6 months from pre-application to award
  • Grant Range: $500 - $1,495,256
  • Average Grant Size: $205,000 (Education), $75,000 (Supportive Communities)
  • Geographic Focus: Harris, Travis, and Walker Counties, Texas
  • Grant Cycles: Two annual cycles (Spring and Fall)

Contact Details

Address: 2001 Kirby Drive, Suite 1011, Houston, TX 77019

Phone: 713-523-7557

Website: www.powellfoundation.org

Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Central Time)

Overview

Established in 1967, The Powell Foundation is a private family foundation that has awarded more than $90 million in grants to improve quality of life for residents of Harris, Travis, and Walker Counties in Texas. The foundation operates with total assets of over $421 million and distributed $16.9 million across 130 grants in 2024. The foundation's mission is to catalyze progress in public education through bold and collaborative grantmaking while also supporting the arts, conservation, and human services. Education receives the majority of funding (67% in 2024), reflecting the foundation's strategic commitment to creating strong public education systems. The foundation is governed by a board of eleven directors comprised of two generations of the Powell family and three independent directors, and is served by a small professional staff in Houston.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Education (67% of 2024 grantmaking - $11,328,000)

  • 55 grants averaging $205,000
  • Focus areas:
    • Early Childhood Development & Education
    • Quality Public K-12 Schools
    • Postsecondary Pathways to Success
    • Aligned Cradle-to-Career Education Systems

Supportive Communities (33% of 2024 grantmaking - $5,610,000)

  • 75 grants averaging $75,000
  • Focus areas:
    • Arts
    • Conservation
    • Human Services

Applications accepted via online grant portal on a rolling basis, with two annual deadlines.

Priority Areas

The foundation prioritizes organizations and programs that:

  • Serve residents in Harris, Travis, and Walker Counties, Texas
  • Strengthen public education systems from early childhood through 12th grade
  • Create aligned cradle-to-career education systems
  • Support arts, conservation, and human services initiatives that benefit local communities
  • Will consider multi-county or statewide initiatives that benefit their three target counties

Geographic Distribution (2024)

  • Harris County: 59% ($9,945,000) across 90 grants
  • Travis County: 28% ($4,660,000) across 30 grants
  • Walker County: 3% ($425,000) across 6 grants
  • Statewide/Texas: 11% ($1,908,000) across 7 grants

What They Don't Fund

The foundation explicitly does NOT fund:

  • Individuals
  • Endowments or endowment campaigns
  • Scholarship funds
  • Other private foundations
  • Fundraising events or marketing events
  • Debt retirement or past operating deficits
  • Political candidates or lobbying activities
  • Religious or doctrinal purposes (exception: faith-based 501(c)(3) organizations may apply for non-sectarian programming benefiting the broader community)

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

Officers:

  • Katherine Osborne Valdez, President
  • Ben H. Powell, V, Vice President & Assistant Treasurer
  • Charles F. Caldwell, Secretary
  • Marian M. Casey, Treasurer

Members-at-Large: Terry Bruner, Christopher D. Casey II, Marian M. Casey, Thao Costis, E. Inez Hill, Katherine P. Hill, Molly N. Kidd, Elizabeth K. Moore, Katherine Osborne Valdez, Ben H. Powell V

Directors Emeritae: Marian P. Harrison, Nancy Powell Moore

Staff

  • Eleisha Nelson-Reed, Executive Director
  • Angel Harvey, Director, Programs
  • Kate A. Shannon, Director, Learning and Insights
  • Makia Akinola Thomas, Program Officer
  • Anne Kuo Phan, Controller
  • Dawn M. Gillespie, Executive Assistant/Board Liaison

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Powell Foundation uses a two-stage application process through their online grant portal:

Stage 1: Pre-Application (Required for All Applicants)

  • All organizations, including current grantees, must submit a brief online pre-application form
  • Form includes: funding request summary, challenges being addressed, organizational capability
  • New organizations may submit pre-applications at any time on a rolling basis
  • Pre-applications are reviewed year-round

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Must be a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable entity under IRC Section 509(a)(1) or 509(a)(2)
  • Includes public charities, government organizations, and eligible supporting organizations
  • Must serve Harris, Travis, or Walker Counties, Texas

Pre-Application Deadlines:

  • Spring Cycle: November 30 (for consideration in Spring cycle)
  • Fall Cycle: May 31 (for consideration in Fall cycle)

Pre-Application Review:

  • Foundation evaluates eligibility and alignment with mission, geographic focus, and priorities
  • Organizations notified via email by early January (Spring cycle) or early July (Fall cycle)
  • Outcomes: advanced to full application, deferred, or declined

Stage 2: Full Application (By Invitation Only)

  • Only organizations advanced from pre-application proceed
  • Approximately one month to complete and submit via online Grant Portal
  • Requires detailed description of work, intended outcomes, organizational overview, and impact data
  • Foundation staff conduct due diligence, potentially including conversations and site visits

What They Fund

The foundation considers requests for:

  • Operating costs
  • Agency programs
  • Specific projects
  • Capital projects (case-by-case basis; represent less than 2% of annual grant awards)

Decision Timeline

Overall Process: 5-6 months from pre-application submission to award decision

Key Milestones:

  • Pre-application deadline (Nov 30 or May 31)
  • Pre-application notification (early January or early July)
  • Full application submission (approximately 1 month window)
  • Staff due diligence and review
  • Board of Directors meetings: May (Spring cycle) and November (Fall cycle)
  • Award notifications shortly after Board meetings

Success Rates

The foundation made 130 grants in 2024 and 259 grants in 2023. Specific success rate percentages (applications received versus awards granted) are not publicly disclosed. The foundation notes "it may be difficult to provide each applicant with a specific reason" for denial due to variables and application volume.

Reapplication Policy

  • Current Grantees: May reapply in the same cycle they were last funded
  • Declined Applicants: Must wait one year from the most recently declined request before reapplying
  • Application Frequency: Organizations may apply once per year

Application Success Factors

While The Powell Foundation does not publish specific guidance on what makes applications stand out, the following factors emerge from their process and priorities:

Alignment with Strategic Focus:

  • Strong alignment with education priorities, particularly public education systems strengthening
  • Clear demonstration of how the project benefits residents of Harris, Travis, or Walker Counties
  • For education grants: connection to early childhood through 12th grade or cradle-to-career systems

Pre-Application Strategy:

  • The pre-application is a critical screening stage—clearly articulate the funding request, specific challenges being addressed, and organizational capability
  • Demonstrate organizational positioning to address stated challenges
  • For current grantees: still must complete pre-application, no automatic advancement

Due Diligence Readiness:

  • Be prepared for foundation staff conversations and potential site visits during full application phase
  • Have clear impact data and intended outcomes ready to share
  • Demonstrate organizational capacity and track record

Geographic Specificity:

  • Clearly identify which of the three counties (Harris, Travis, Walker) will benefit
  • For multi-county or statewide initiatives, explicitly demonstrate benefit to the foundation's target counties

Recent Grant Examples (2024): Education recipients included KIPP Texas, YES Prep Public Schools, Teach Plus, Communities In Schools of Houston, A Time 2 Read, Improving Education, and AVANCE-Houston ($125,000 for Parent-Child Education Program).

Meetings with Prospective Grantees: The foundation meets with prospective grantees on a case-by-case basis depending on alignment with areas of interest.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Education is the priority: With 67% of grantmaking going to education, alignment with public education strengthening is critical for larger grants
  • Geographic restriction is firm: Must serve Harris, Travis, or Walker Counties—clearly demonstrate local benefit
  • Two-stage process requires patience: The 5-6 month timeline from pre-application to decision requires advance planning
  • Pre-application is make-or-break: All applicants go through this screening stage—make it count with clear, concise articulation
  • Grant sizes vary significantly by category: Education grants average $205,000 while Supportive Communities average $75,000
  • Reapplication waiting period: If declined, wait one full year before reapplying
  • Capital projects are rare: Less than 2% of annual awards go to capital projects—operating support and programs are the norm
  • Board meetings drive timeline: Spring (May) and Fall (November) board meetings are when final decisions are made

References

← Back to US Funders Directory