Wood Family Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 75-2806006 · since 1999woodfoundationodessa.org·New Mexico, Odessa, Texas·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$2.4M
Annual giving, 2024 tax year
From the Form 990-PF filing
$5,000 to $430k
Grant range
From grants in the 990-PF filings
$20,000
Typical grant (median)
20 grants in the latest filing
Open to applications
Fixed application deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

  • If your work is in Odessa, Texas or the surrounding Permian Basin and falls within education or healthcare, it matches the foundation's stated priorities.
  • Its typical grants run from $5,000 to $430,000 for about 8 in 10 of its 65 grants to organisations, with a median of $20,000, and half of those grants were $20,000 or less, so a request near $20,000 sits in the middle of its usual giving.
  • Begin with a Pre-Application Request, received by 5 p.m. on 1 March or 1 August; the trustees review these every 4 to 6 weeks, and only if they show interest will the foundation send instructions and a full application deadline.
  • In the filing, 100% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, so repeat giving dominates, and it does not fund loans or grants to individuals.
  • Applicants must also supply proof of 501(c)(3) status and exemption from private foundation status, and seek funding for the same proposal from other sources.

Overview

Wood Family Foundation is a US private foundation based in Odessa, TX.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The Wood Family Foundation supports the Odessa community and surrounding area through causes that aid, empower, educate and enrich. Its stated focus includes education, families and collaboration with non-profit organisations to address issues that impede residents’ quality of life; its major objectives are education and healthcare. It generally limits giving to primarily educational and medical grants benefiting citizens of Odessa and the surrounding Permian Basin. Its grants have gone to educational institutions and schools, arts and cultural organisations, a food bank, and health and rehabilitation organisations. Recorded purposes include operations, scholarships, and building and technology support.

Themes

  • Education
  • Healthcare
  • Family wellbeing
  • Community wellbeing

Geographic Focus

Priority: Odessa, Texas; surrounding Permian Basin area.

What They Don't Fund

  • Loans or grants to individuals

How to apply

Applicants first submit a Pre-Application Request. Trustees review these every 4–6 weeks; if they show interest, the foundation provides instructions for a full grant application and its deadline.

Deadlines:

  • Spring pre-application deadline: 1 March.
  • Fall pre-application deadline: 1 August.
  • Pre-application requests must be received by 5 p.m. on the deadline.

Application success factors

  • Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 100% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
  • Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 65 grants to organisations were $20,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

  • Applicants must provide IRS proof of 501(c)(3) exemption and exemption from private foundation status; government municipalities must provide proof of their exemption.
  • Major capital campaigns seeking $1 million or more must raise approximately half of the needed funds before applying.
  • University and college requests should be approved by the institution’s development office and submitted under its cover letter.
  • Applicants must seek funding for the same proposal from various sources, as sole support of programmes is rarely undertaken.
  • Organisations must furnish current financial reports, budgets, and officer and director lists, with proof of current 501(c)(3) qualification.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

Texas98%
California1%
New Mexico<1%
Maryland<1%
  • The largest single recipient received 23% of grant dollars to organisations.
  • In tax year 2024, 100% of grant dollars went to organisations Wood Family Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
  • No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
  • 2% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

20 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $20,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 20 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$1k–$2.5k5%
$2.5k–$5k5%
$5k–$10k25%
$10k–$25k20%
$25k–$50k10%
$50k–$100k5%
$100k–$250k15%
$250k–$500k10%
$500k–$1M5%

Median $20,000 (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

  • Odessa College · Oc wood health & science blding
    $700,0002024 tax year
  • University of Texas of the Permian Basin · Scholarships
    $462,5002024 tax year
  • Idea Public Schools · Operations
    $428,5712024 tax year
  • Nonprofit Management Center · Op
    $200,5002024 tax year
  • Ellen Noel Art Museum · Operations
    $200,0002024 tax year
  • Odessa College Foundation · Dollars for scholars
    $100,0002024 tax year
  • West Texas Food Bank · Operations
    $97,0002024 tax year
  • United Way of Odessa · De tocquevillel pledge
    $40,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

  • Brenda Denton — Assistant Secretary
  • Donald E Wood — President / Secretary-Treasurer
  • Jack Wood — VP / Assistant Secretary

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

YearTotal expensesGrants paidAssetsFiling document
2022 tax year$2,708,841$1,993,571$44,072,887Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year$2,879,004$2,040,571$47,227,114Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year$3,428,531$2,352,071$50,612,640Filing for 2024 tax year

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.

Sources

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