The Valour Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $10,132,761 (2023)
• Success Rate: N/A (invitation-only)
• Decision Time: N/A (invitation-only)
• Grant Range: $573,005 - $5,000,000
• Geographic Focus: United States (Houston, TX focus) and United Kingdom

Contact Details

• Website: https://thevalourfoundation.com/
• Phone: Not publicly available
• Email: Not publicly available
• Address: 8 The Green, Dover, DE 19901-3618

Overview

The Valour Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 2022 with total assets of $47.2 million. The foundation distributed $10.1 million in grants during 2023 to seven carefully selected organizations. Founded with a deeply personal mission following the tragic loss of Managing Director Peter Goddard's daughter to suicide in 2019, the foundation focuses exclusively on mental health and neurodegenerative disease research and support. The foundation takes a comprehensive approach to mental health, viewing it through biological, psychological, environmental, sociocultural, and spiritual lenses. With board expertise including renowned neuropsychiatrist Dr. Stuart C. Yudofsky from Baylor College of Medicine, the foundation makes substantial, transformational grants to pre-selected organizations in both the United States and United Kingdom.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation makes large, multi-year transformational grants:

• Major Infrastructure Grants: $2-5 million (hospital units, treatment facilities)
• Multi-Year Program Support: $3 million over 3 years (service expansion)
• Long-term Partnerships: £1.5 million annually for 5 years (£7.5M total commitment)
• Mid-size Operational Grants: $573,005+ (therapy and intervention services)

Priority Areas

• Mental health research focusing on cognitive, behavioral, and emotional disorders
• Neurodegenerative disease prevention and treatment research
• Suicide prevention programs and crisis intervention
• Support for families affected by sudden loss and trauma
• Dual diagnosis treatment facilities
• School-based mental health counseling programs
• Mental health training for businesses
• Reduction of stigma around mental illness
• Expansion of mental health services to underserved populations

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, based on their narrow focus they likely do not fund:

• General operating support for non-mental health causes
• Capital campaigns outside mental health field
• Arts, environment, or general education programs
• Individual scholarships or fellowships
• Small grassroots organizations without established track record

Governance and Leadership

Dr. Stuart C. Yudofsky, M.D. - Board Member/Director Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Baylor College of Medicine, renowned neuropsychiatrist, developer of the Overt Aggression Scale, and author of nearly 50 textbooks on psychiatry.

Dr. Beth Yudofsky - Board Director Adult psychiatrist, former Baylor College of Medicine faculty, and former Director of Consultation-Liaison Service at Ben Taub General Hospital for 15 years. States the foundation's vision is "to improve the mental well-being of the world at large – to improve lives and save lives."

Peter Goddard - Managing Director, Board Member Lost his daughter to suicide in 2019, bringing personal commitment to the foundation's mission. Over 25 years experience in private client sector and charitable trust administration.

John Robins - Board Member Actively conducts site visits to charitable organizations on behalf of the foundation.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Valour Foundation operates exclusively on an invitation-only basis and does not accept or respond to unsolicited funding requests. All grants are made to preselected charitable organizations identified through board member connections, strategic partnerships, and proactive site visits.

Getting on Their Radar

Organizations aligned with the foundation's mission may increase visibility through:

• Building relationships with Baylor College of Medicine or Harris Health System, where board member Dr. Stuart Yudofsky has strong connections
• Joining the Greenwood Place community of high-impact philanthropists, where the foundation is an active member
• Demonstrating exceptional impact in mental health services in Houston, Texas or the UK, where the foundation concentrates its giving
• Attending mental health and neurodegenerative disease conferences where foundation board members may be present
• Establishing partnerships with current grantees like DePelchin Children's Center, SOS Silence of Suicide, or bigmoose
• Publishing research or achieving recognition in cognitive, behavioral, and emotional disorders field

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are awarded on a rolling basis as the board identifies suitable organizations.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - invitation-only funder.

Application Success Factors

Since The Valour Foundation operates by invitation only, organizations cannot apply directly. However, analysis of their giving patterns reveals what catches their attention:

Demonstrated Impact: Organizations like bigmoose, where 52 individuals credited the charity with saving their lives, and SOS Silence of Suicide, which achieved significant growth since 2017, received substantial support.

Comprehensive Service Models: DePelchin Children's Center's multi-pronged approach combining school-based counseling, office-based services, virtual counseling, and crisis triage aligns with the foundation's holistic philosophy.

Addressing Critical Gaps: The foundation prioritizes Texas organizations partly because Texas ranks last nationally in access to mental health services, with over 50% of children diagnosed with mental illness receiving no treatment.

Transformational Potential: The foundation prefers large investments that create systemic change, such as the $2 million to transform an entire hospital floor into a specialized dual diagnosis treatment unit.

Strong Leadership and Infrastructure: All known recipients have established track records, professional leadership, and capacity to manage multi-million dollar grants effectively.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• The Valour Foundation makes substantial grants ($573K-$5M) but only by invitation - no unsolicited applications are accepted or reviewed
• Strong focus on mental health and neurodegenerative diseases with a comprehensive approach considering biological, psychological, environmental, sociocultural, and spiritual factors
• Geographic concentration in Houston, Texas (addressing the state's mental health crisis) and United Kingdom (England and Wales)
• Preference for transformational, multi-year commitments over smaller, short-term grants
• Board expertise in neuropsychiatry through Dr. Stuart Yudofsky provides deep subject matter knowledge and connections to Baylor College of Medicine
• Personal connection to mission through Managing Director Peter Goddard's loss drives genuine commitment to suicide prevention
• Organizations must build visibility through strategic partnerships, demonstrated impact, and connections to current grantees or board networks

References

• Charity Navigator - The Valour Foundation Profile. https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/882310052. Accessed March 4, 2026.
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - The Valour Foundation Form 990-PF (2023). https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/882310052. Accessed March 4, 2026.
• The Valour Foundation Official Website. https://thevalourfoundation.com/. Accessed March 4, 2026.
• DePelchin Children's Center. "DePelchin Expanding Mental Health Services with Valour Gift." January 2024. https://www.depelchin.org/uncategorized/depelchin-expanding-mental-health-services-with-valour-gift/. Accessed March 4, 2026.
• SOS Silence of Suicide. "Our Funders." https://sossilenceofsuicide.org/sos-charity-funders/. Accessed March 4, 2026.
• Cause IQ - The Valour Foundation Profile. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/the-valour-foundation,882310052/. Accessed March 4, 2026.
• Grantmakers.io - The Valour Foundation. https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/882310052-the-valour-foundation/. Accessed March 4, 2026.
• GuideStar - The Valour Foundation Profile. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/88-2310052. Accessed March 4, 2026.
• Instrumentl - The Valour Foundation 990 Report. https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/the-valour-foundation. Accessed March 4, 2026.
• Greenwood Place - Community of High-Impact Philanthropists. Referenced in foundation materials. Accessed March 4, 2026.