The Westerman Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The Westerman Foundation of Plano, Texas, supports Catholic education and organisations that put faith into action, with priorities of family resiliency and opportunities for women, and it names the United States as its focus, with Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Louisiana as priorities.
- Half of its grants to organisations were $16,000 or less, though its grant range runs up to $50,000, so a modest, well-costed request fits best.
- It accepts applications only from selected organisations through its online portal, and the filing says unsolicited or handwritten applications are not considered, so a first step is to build a relationship before any request.
- Repeat giving is strong: 84% of its grant dollars in its latest filing went to organisations it had funded before, so approaching it is likely to be competitive and relationship-led.
- Organisations seeking capital campaign or new-building money, salaries, multi-year commitments or individual scholarships, or those without funded services in the United States, should not apply.
Overview
The Westerman Foundation is a US private foundation based in Plano, 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 Westerman Foundation supports Catholic education and organisations that put faith into action, with priorities that include family resiliency and opportunities for women. It backs Catholic schools and educational initiatives, and organisations addressing poverty, hardship and uncertainty among individuals and families. Its mission also includes Christian-based organisations promoting family unity and values, and programmes assisting people who are poor or abused. Eligible organisations must be IRS-recognised 501(c)(3) public charities operating and providing funded services in the United States, with work aligned to its Catholic values, education and service. Its approach is partnership-oriented: it favours organisations that understand local needs and demonstrate community need, responsible stewardship and potential for lasting impact.
Themes
- Catholic education
- Family resilience
- Women's empowerment
- Poor and abused
Geographic Focus
United States. Priority: Texas; Oklahoma; Kansas; Louisiana.
What They Don't Fund
- Multi-year funding requests or commitments
- Salaries or requests primarily intended to fund personnel compensation
- Annual fundraising campaigns
- Professional conferences and/or symposia
- Competition expenses
- Field Trips
- Political organizations or political activities
- Motor vehicles
- Individual scholarships
- Capital campaigns
- Construction of new buildings
- Proposals that do not align with the Foundation's mission or funding priorities
- Organizations that are not recognized by the IRS as tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) public charities
- Private Foundations
- Individuals
- Organizations that do not operate and provide funded services within the United States
How to apply
The Foundation invites selected organisations to apply and sends instructions for accessing its online grant portal, application requirements and submission deadlines. Applications must be submitted through the portal; unsolicited or handwritten applications are not considered.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 84% 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 235 grants to organisations were $16,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Funding decisions consider mission and priority alignment, demonstrated need, anticipated impact, organisational capacity and available Foundation resources.
- It favours organisations demonstrating meaningful community need, responsible stewardship and potential for lasting impact.
- Grant recipients are expected to demonstrate responsible stewardship and provide information to evaluate grant outcomes and impact.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
4 other states: 8%
- The largest single recipient received 3% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 84% of grant dollars went to organisations The Westerman Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 80 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $20,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Laredo · General purposes$50,0002024 tax year
- Saint Eugene Catholic School · General purposes$50,0002024 tax year
- Saint Eugene Catholic Church · General purposes$50,0002024 tax year
- Saint Cecilia Catholic School · General purposes$50,0002024 tax year
- Donnelly College · General purposes$50,0002024 tax year
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help School · General purposes$50,0002024 tax year
- Catholic Charities Fort Worth · General purposes$50,0002024 tax year
- Mount Saint Scholastica · General purposes$45,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Julie Westerman — Director
- Dan Carey — Treasurer
- John Settich — Vice President
- Lindsey Thompson — President
- Valerie H Goddard — Executive Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $1,632,629 | $1,197,366 | $32,208,228 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $1,952,769 | $1,611,400 | $34,116,770 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $2,143,548 | $1,784,357 | $35,701,629 | Filing 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
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to The Westerman Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (813) 257-8477
- info@thewestermanfoundation.org
- INFO@THEWESTERMANFOUNDATION.ORG
- Plano, TX
- thewestermanfoundation.org
Applying to The Westerman Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (813) 257-8477
- info@thewestermanfoundation.org
- INFO@THEWESTERMANFOUNDATION.ORG
- Plano, TX
- thewestermanfoundation.org