The Mary Louise Dobson Foundation concentrates its support on youth development through repeated, large operating grants to the Boys & Girls Club organizations serving Greater Houston, and on local health care infrastructure in the Wharton area. Their giving is highly targeted and place-based, favoring a small number of high-dollar awards that fund core operations and capital/operational needs (e.g., renovations, elevator). The foundation appears committed to sustaining a few longstanding community partners rather than dispersing many small gifts.
The Mary Louise Dobson Foundation’s recent giving is defined by large, repeated support for Boys & Girls Club organizations serving Greater Houston, alongside local health and education investments in Wharton County. The foundation gave four six-figure awards or near-six-figure awards to Boys & Girls Club of Greater Houston affiliates and related entries across 2023 through 2025, including operating expense, renovations, program support, and general operations. That pattern points to sustained backing for youth development rather than one-time project grants. Beyond youth services, the foundation has funded local institutions that shape daily life in its Texas footprint. OakBend Medical Center received support for a clinic conversion and a Wharton Campus elevator project, while Wharton-area schools and community organizations were funded for counselor positions, scholarship programs, and general operations. Recent awards also include grants to civic and human services groups in Wharton, Bay City, Boling, Richmond, Freeport, and Hungerford, showing a local portfolio that reaches across education, health, and community support. The foundation’s grantmaking mix includes operating support, program support, capital improvement, and equipment purchases, with repeated emphasis on organizations already serving children, families, and youth in the region.
Youth development is a core theme. In 2025, the foundation gave $349,360 to Boys & Girls Club-Greater Houston for general operations, following $369,089 in 2024 for general support and $375,000 in 2023 for operating expense/renovations. Those awards show continuing support for club infrastructure and day-to-day service delivery. Education funding appears in both school-based support and scholarships. Wharton High School received $63,632 in 2025 for ROAR Academy and a counselor position, while Wharton ISD received $36,000 in 2024 for Community in Schools counselors. The foundation also funded higher-education access through $24,000 grants to WCJC for scholarships in 2024 and to Wharton County Junior College for a scholarship program in 2025. Health-related giving includes capital and facility work. OakBend Medical Center received $100,000 in 2023 for clinic conversion and $71,500 in 2025 for the Wharton Campus elevator. Those gifts show support for local care infrastructure rather than clinical programming alone.
$574K
$15.2M
$1.1M
$857K
Most grants fall between $7K and $26K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$7K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$26K
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Concentrated, high-dollar grants to a very small set of repeat grantees; majority of funding goes to operating support and facility/renovation needs rather than many one-off or new organizations.
Notable grantees: Boys & Girls Club of Greater Houston (multiple grants/recipients listed), Boys & Girls Club-Greater Houston, OakBend Medical Center (Wharton campus)
Typical awards cluster in the middle five figures: the grant-size distribution is p25 $6,500, median $15,000, and p75 $25,514. The recent-grants list also shows much larger awards at the top end, including multiple gifts above $300,000. The foundation appears to favor recurring relationships; Boys & Girls Club of Greater Houston and related entries appear across 2023, 2024, and 2025, as do several Wharton-area schools and community groups. It accepts unsolicited requests through an online Cognito Forms application, and its general grant programs emphasize current initiatives and local community organizations.
Giving is entirely local to Texas in the provided grants data: 100% of recipient grants went to Texas organizations, and the top state by grant count is TX. Houston is the most visible recipient city, with multiple grants to Boys & Girls Club of Greater Houston. Wharton also appears repeatedly through school, college, civic, and service organizations. Other Texas recipient cities include Richmond, Bay City, Boling, Freeport, and Hungerford.
The foundation’s recent grants go to youth organizations, schools, medical centers, crisis and human services groups, and civic organizations. Boys & Girls Club of Greater Houston, Wharton High School, OakBend Medical Center, and Matagorda County Crisis Center all appear in the recent-grants list.
It accepts unsolicited requests through an online grant application using Cognito Forms. The active grant programs describe grants for local community organizations and institutions in Wharton, Wharton County, and southeast Texas.
Its active grant programs name education, health, human services, civic, and cultural purposes. Recent grants show that those priorities translate into youth development, school support, health infrastructure, scholarship funding, and community services.
Yes. All of the recipient grants in the data went to Texas organizations, and the foundation gives most often in Texas. Houston and Wharton appear repeatedly among recipient cities, with additional Texas grants in Richmond, Bay City, Boling, Freeport, and Hungerford.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Mary Louise Dobson Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Charitable organizations may apply. Priority is given to initiatives benefiting youth and organizations serving the Wharton County area, although other charitable organizations are not excluded.
Deadline: April 1 and October 1 for foundation meetings occurring in the following months.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boys & Girls Club-Greater Houston | Houston, TX | $300,000 | 2026 | General Operating-Wharton Campus |
| Wharton ISD-ROAR | Wharton, TX | $30,000 | 2026 | Provide dual credit courses |
| Just Do It Now Inc | Wharton, TX | $30,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Wharton ISD-CIS | Wharton, TX | $25,000 | 2026 | Community in Schools Program |
| Boys & Girls Club of El Campo | El Campo, TX | $25,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Team Wharton Inc | Wharton, TX | $25,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Wharton County Junior College | Wharton, TX | $24,000 | 2026 | Scholarships |
| Wharton ISD-Advisor | Wharton, TX | $17,157 | 2026 | Part time college career advisor |
| Blessing Cup Storehouse | El Campo, TX | $15,350 | 2026 | Upgrade Interior lighting |
| 20th Century Technology Museum | Wharton, TX | $15,141 | 2026 | General Operating Support |
| Wharton Police Officer Assoc | Boling, TX | $15,000 | 2026 | Blue Santa 2026 |
| Scholarships for Wharton Ag Students | Wharton, TX | $10,700 | 2026 | Scholarships |
| Boys & Girls Club-Palacios | Palacios, TX | $10,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Texas Hearing Institute | Houston, TX | $7,840 | 2026 | Provide Thearapy for 24 Wharton Co children |
| Girl Scouts of San Jacinto | Houston, TX | $6,500 | 2026 | Summer Camp 2026 |
| American Heart Association | Houston, TX | $5,000 | 2026 | Purchase equipment, training |
| WCJC-Pioneer Country Store | Wharton, TX | $5,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Houston Brass Band | Houston, TX | $3,500 | 2026 | Student Instruction |
| 1st United Methodist Church-Wharton | Wharton, TX | $1,000 | 2026 | Youth Program Assistance |
| Oak Bend Medical Center | Richmond, TX | $1,000 | 2026 | General Operations |
| Wharton Lion's Club | Wharton, TX | $1,000 | 2026 | Fundraiser support |
| Plaza Theatre | Wharton, TX | $1,000 | 2026 | Fundraiser support |
| Boys & Girls Club-Greater Houston | Houston, TX | $349,360 | 2025 | General operations |
| OakBend Medical Center | Richmond, TX | $71,500 | 2025 | Wharton Campus elevatorqq |
| Wharton High School | Wharton, TX | $63,632 | 2025 | ROAR Academy,Counselor position |
| Just Do It Now Inc | Wharton, TX | $31,500 | 2025 | General operations |
| Matagorda County Crisis Center | Bay City, TX | $30,000 | 2025 | New location construction |
| Team Wharton Inc | Wharton, TX | $30,000 | 2025 | Projects in Wharton |
| Billie H Jones Leadership Academy | Wharton, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | General operations |
| Wharton County Junior College | Wharton, TX | $24,000 | 2025 | Scholarship program |
| Restoration City Inc | Hungerford, TX | $22,400 | 2025 | Connect Youth Program |
| St Philip the Apostle Catholic School | El Campo, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | Upgrade classroom technology |
| Boys& Girls Club of El Campo | El Campo, TX | $15,000 | 2025 | General operations |
| Wharton Police Officer Academy | Wharton, TX | $15,000 | 2025 | 2024 Bue Santa |
| Scholarships for Wharton Ag Students (SWAG) | Wharton, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | Ag students scholarships |
| Firl Scouts of San Jacinto Council | Houston, TX | $6,500 | 2025 | Summer camp of 50 girls |
| Wharton Rotary Charity | Wharton, TX | $5,000 | 2025 | Veterans Memorial Project |
| Pioneer Country Store | Wharton, TX | $5,000 | 2025 | Food Hygiene Pantry |
| Friends of Wharton Texas Animal Control | Wharton, TX | $2,500 | 2025 | General assistance |
| Wharton Co Stray Pet Outreach Team | Wharton, TX | $2,500 | 2025 | General assistance |
| Wharton Chamber of Commerce | Wharton, TX | $2,070 | 2025 | Banquet sponsor, remodel |
| Institute For Civility In Government | Houston, TX | $2,000 | 2025 | DC trip for 10 students |
| The Plaza Theatre Inc | Wharton, TX | $1,920 | 2025 | Opera to Go youth program |
| Hesed House of Wharton | Wharton, TX | $1,000 | 2025 | Hurricane Beryl assistance |
| Boys & Girls Club of Greater Houston | Houston, TX | $369,089 | 2024 | general support |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF GH | HOUSTON, TX | $308,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF GH | HOUSTON, TX | $60,250 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| WHARTON ISD | WHARTON, TX | $50,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| Wharton ISD | WHARTON, TX | $36,000 | 2024 | Support for Community in schools counselors |
| WHARTON HIGH SCHOOL | WHARTON, TX | $32,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
Wharton ISD-ROAR
$30,000Provide dual credit courses
Just Do It Now Inc
$30,000General Operations
Wharton ISD-CIS
$25,000Community in Schools Program
Boys & Girls Club of El Campo
$25,000General Operations
Team Wharton Inc
$25,000General Operations
Wharton County Junior College
$24,000Scholarships
Wharton ISD-Advisor
$17,157Part time college career advisor
Blessing Cup Storehouse
$15,350Upgrade Interior lighting
20th Century Technology Museum
$15,141General Operating Support
Wharton Police Officer Assoc
$15,000Blue Santa 2026
Scholarships for Wharton Ag Students
$10,700Scholarships
Boys & Girls Club-Palacios
$10,000General Operations
Texas Hearing Institute
$7,840Provide Thearapy for 24 Wharton Co children
Girl Scouts of San Jacinto
$6,500Summer Camp 2026
American Heart Association
$5,000Purchase equipment, training
WCJC-Pioneer Country Store
$5,000General Operations
Houston Brass Band
$3,500Student Instruction
1st United Methodist Church-Wharton
$1,000Youth Program Assistance
Oak Bend Medical Center
$1,000General Operations
Wharton Lion's Club
$1,000Fundraiser support
Plaza Theatre
$1,000Fundraiser support
Boys & Girls Club-Greater Houston
$349,360General operations
OakBend Medical Center
$71,500Wharton Campus elevatorqq
Wharton High School
$63,632ROAR Academy,Counselor position
Just Do It Now Inc
$31,500General operations
Matagorda County Crisis Center
$30,000New location construction
Team Wharton Inc
$30,000Projects in Wharton
Billie H Jones Leadership Academy
$25,000General operations
Wharton County Junior College
$24,000Scholarship program
Restoration City Inc
$22,400Connect Youth Program
St Philip the Apostle Catholic School
$20,000Upgrade classroom technology
Boys& Girls Club of El Campo
$15,000General operations
Wharton Police Officer Academy
$15,0002024 Bue Santa
Scholarships for Wharton Ag Students (SWAG)
$10,000Ag students scholarships
Firl Scouts of San Jacinto Council
$6,500Summer camp of 50 girls
Wharton Rotary Charity
$5,000Veterans Memorial Project
Pioneer Country Store
$5,000Food Hygiene Pantry
Friends of Wharton Texas Animal Control
$2,500General assistance
Wharton Co Stray Pet Outreach Team
$2,500General assistance
Wharton Chamber of Commerce
$2,070Banquet sponsor, remodel
Institute For Civility In Government
$2,000DC trip for 10 students
The Plaza Theatre Inc
$1,920Opera to Go youth program
Hesed House of Wharton
$1,000Hurricane Beryl assistance
Boys & Girls Club of Greater Houston
$369,089general support
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF GH
$308,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF GH
$60,250PROGRAM SUPPORT
WHARTON ISD
$50,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
Wharton ISD
$36,000Support for Community in schools counselors
WHARTON HIGH SCHOOL
$32,000PROGRAM SUPPORT