Vest Family Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $346,000 (2023)
• Number of Grants: 19 (2023)
• Grant Range: Data not publicly available
• Average Grant: Approximately $18,000
• Assets: $11.7 million (2024)
• Geographic Focus: Primarily Texas (including Kermit, Dallas, Houston), with some grants in Georgia and Missouri
• Founded: 2020

Contact Details

Mailing Address: Kermit, TX 79745

Key Personnel:

• Samann Vest Watkins, President & Treasurer
• Ty Watkins, Vice President & Secretary
• Ryan Moss, Director
• Sandy Greene, Assistant Secretary
• Janette Jennings, Assistant Treasurer

Note: The foundation does not maintain a public website or published contact information. All leadership positions are uncompensated.

Overview

The Vest Family Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2020 in Kermit, Texas, with current assets of $11.7 million. Founded by the Vest family, whose multi-generational ranching legacy in West Texas dates back to homesteading in Winkler County, the foundation primarily focuses on educational scholarships and student financial aid. The foundation is classified by the IRS under Educational Institutions and Related Activities / Scholarships, Student Financial Aid Services, Awards. Since its inception, the foundation has steadily expanded its grantmaking, growing from 1 award in 2020 to 19 awards in both 2022 and 2023, distributing $346,000 in 2023. Revenue sources include family contributions (64.6%), investment dividends (33.2%), and interest income (1.2%), with 95.2% of expenses directed to charitable disbursements.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Vest Family Foundation focuses on:

• Educational Scholarships: Primary focus on student financial aid and scholarship programs
• Grant Range: Specific amounts not publicly disclosed; average grant approximately $18,000
• Application Method: No public application process; grants awarded through trustee discretion

Priority Areas

• Educational institutions and programs
• Scholarship and student financial aid services
• Organizations in Texas (particularly West Texas), Georgia, and Missouri

What They Don't Fund

Information on specific exclusions is not publicly available. As a private family foundation, funding decisions are made at trustee discretion based on family priorities.

Governance and Leadership

Samann Vest Watkins (President & Treasurer): Fourth-generation member of the Vest ranching family in West Texas, co-owner of Vest Ranches with her husband Ty. The ranch was named 2020 Beef Improvement Federation Commercial Producer of the Year. Samann is active in First Baptist Church of Monahans (32-year member), which her great-grandmother helped establish in 1900.

Ty Watkins (Vice President & Secretary): Co-owner of Vest Ranches with Samann. Serves on the Childress County Appraisal District Agricultural Advisory Board and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Advisory Board, Mule Deer Advisory Committee. Active member of First Baptist Church of Monahans for 32 years.

Ryan Moss (Director): Serves on the foundation's board of directors.

The foundation is operated entirely by volunteers, with all leadership positions uncompensated. This reflects the family's commitment to directing maximum resources toward charitable purposes, with administrative efficiency demonstrated by the high percentage (95.2%) of expenses going directly to grants.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Vest Family Foundation operates as a private family foundation where grants are awarded through trustee discretion. Grantmaking decisions are made by the foundation's leadership based on the family's philanthropic priorities and interests, without accepting unsolicited applications.

The foundation's grants are typically directed to:

• Educational institutions and scholarship programs identified by trustees
• Organizations within the family's geographic focus areas (primarily Texas, with some grants in Georgia and Missouri)
• Causes aligned with the family's values and community connections

Decision Timeline

Not applicable due to the absence of a public application process. Grant decisions are made by trustees on an ongoing basis throughout the year.

Success Rates

Not applicable. The foundation made 19 grants in 2023 from a pool of organizations selected by trustees rather than from external applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable due to the absence of a public application process.

Application Success Factors

Since the Vest Family Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, the following factors appear to characterize their grantmaking approach:

Geographic Connection: The foundation shows a clear preference for Texas-based organizations, particularly in West Texas where the family has deep roots through their multi-generational ranching operations in Kermit and surrounding Winkler County.

Educational Focus: As classified by the IRS under scholarships and student financial aid, the foundation's primary mission centers on supporting educational opportunities. Organizations and programs that provide scholarships, financial aid, or educational services align with the foundation's stated purpose.

Family Values and Community Ties: The Vest family's longstanding involvement in West Texas ranching, their 32-year membership at First Baptist Church of Monahans, and service on various agricultural and wildlife advisory boards suggest that organizations connected to faith communities, agricultural education, land stewardship, and rural Texas communities may resonate with their interests.

Trustee-Initiated Relationships: With all grants awarded through trustee discretion, organizations that have existing relationships with the Watkins family or other board members, or that operate within their professional and personal networks, are most likely to receive consideration.

Efficient Operations: The foundation demonstrates strong financial stewardship by maintaining an all-volunteer board and directing 95.2% of expenses to charitable purposes, suggesting they value organizations that demonstrate similar efficiency and mission focus.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No Public Application Process: This foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Grants are awarded entirely at trustee discretion.
• Education-Focused: Primary emphasis on scholarships and student financial aid, particularly for students connected to West Texas communities.
• Geographic Priorities: Strong preference for Texas-based organizations, especially in West Texas (Kermit, Winkler County area), with some reach to Dallas, Houston, Georgia, and Missouri.
• Relationship-Driven: As a private family foundation, grants flow through existing relationships and networks rather than competitive applications.
• Steady Growth: The foundation has grown significantly since 2020, increasing from 1 grant to 19 grants annually, suggesting expanding capacity and interests.
• Family Legacy Foundation: Rooted in the Vest family's multi-generational West Texas ranching heritage, with values centered on education, rural communities, faith, and stewardship.
• Research Past Recipients: For organizations considering whether they might align with this foundation's interests, reviewing their Form 990-PF filings (available through ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer) can reveal specific past grant recipients and funding patterns.

References

• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer: Vest Family Foundation (EIN 84-3537116). https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/843537116. Accessed January 16, 2026.
• Instrumentl: Vest Family Foundation 990 Report. https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/vest-family-foundation. Accessed January 16, 2026.
• Cause IQ: Vest Family Foundation Profile. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/vest-family-foundation,843537116/. Accessed January 16, 2026.
• Beef Improvement Federation: "Vest Ranches Named 2020 BIF Commercial Producer of the Year." http://www.angus.org/Pub/Newsroom/Releases/2020-bif-commercial-award-joint-release.html. Accessed January 16, 2026.
• National Beef Wire: "Vest Ranches Named BIF Commercial Producer of the Year." https://www.nationalbeefwire.com/vest-ranches-named-bif-commercial-producer-of-the-year. Accessed January 16, 2026.
• Beef Magazine: "Commercial Cattleman Builds Back His Herd Using DNA Marker Technology." https://www.beefmagazine.com/selection-tools/commercial-cattleman-builds-back-his-herd-using-dna-marker-technology. Accessed January 16, 2026.