The foundation concentrates almost all of its giving on Catholic institutions and faith-based causes in the Houston area, providing general operating support rather than project-specific funding. Grants are large and targeted, with a strong, recurring commitment to the University of St. Thomas and supplemental support for a local Catholic parish and pro-life advocacy. The pattern indicates a preference for sustaining institutional infrastructure of Catholic education and ministry locally.
Highly concentrated and local: very few grants overall, mostly large gifts and repeat funding to a single flagship beneficiary (multi-year/recurring operating support for University of St. Thomas), with smaller but significant one-off or repeat grants to Catholic parish ministry and pro‑life groups.
The Carl a Davis and Lois E Davis Foundation’s recent giving is defined by a very large operating grant to the University of St. Thomas in Houston, followed by continued support for the same institution in prior years. That pattern points to a funder that backs Catholic institutions through sustained general operating support rather than one-time project funding. Their grants also extend to parish and ministry organizations in Houston, including Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Church and the Houston Coalition for Life, showing a clear preference for faith-based institutions with local roots. Beyond those Houston anchors, the foundation has supported Catholic media, legal advocacy, and pro-life organizations, all on an operating basis. The result is a grant portfolio centered on institution-building: universities, parishes, advocacy groups, and related Catholic entities that appear repeatedly across the recent grants list. Although the foundation’s annual grants are substantial, the pattern is not broad or diffuse; it is concentrated in a small set of recipients and aligned with Catholic higher education, parish support, and life-related advocacy.
Catholic higher education is the clearest theme in the foundation’s recent grants. They gave $7,175,000 to University of St Thomas for operating support in 2025, after awarding $1,160,000 in 2024 and $155,000 in 2023 for the same purpose. Parish support is another recurring area: Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Church received $323,150 in 2024 and $282,100 in 2023, both for operating support. The foundation also funds pro-life advocacy and anti-abortion work, including $175,000 to Houston Coalition for Life in 2025 and additional operating grants of $35,000 and $20,000 in prior years. A related stream goes to Catholic media and legal advocacy, such as $150,000 to Eternal Word Television Network and $20,000 to Thomas More Society, again for operating support.
The foundation’s typical grant size sits at $1,500 at the 25th percentile, $5,000 at the median, and $20,000 at the 75th percentile, but the recent list also includes much larger institutional awards. Giving is recurring rather than one-off: University of St. Thomas, Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Church, Houston Coalition for Life, Eternal Word Television Network, Guadalupe Radio Network, and Star of Hope all appear in multiple years. The pattern is strongly oriented toward operating support and general institutional backing, not program-specific awards. The foundation does not make program-related investments and does not fund individuals.
$7.8M
$45.6M
$2.3M
$8.5M
Most grants fall between $2K and $20K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$20K
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Notable grantees: University of St. Thomas, Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Church, Houston Coalition for Life
Grants are heavily concentrated in Texas, with 57% of grants going to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. Houston is the central hub, with repeated awards to University of St. Thomas, Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Church, Houston Coalition for Life, Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation, Star of Hope, Catholic Charities, Christus Foundation, and The Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St Peter. Outside Texas, the foundation has also given to organizations in Irondale, Alabama; Orinda, California; Washington, DC; Chicago, Illinois; and Scottsdale, Arizona. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based.
Its recent grants center on Catholic institutions and faith-based causes. The list includes a Catholic university, a parish, Catholic media, Catholic charities, and pro-life advocacy organizations, with nearly all awards labeled operating support.
Yes. University of St. Thomas appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Church appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and Houston Coalition for Life, Eternal Word Television Network, Guadalupe Radio Network, and Star of Hope also receive repeat grants across multiple years.
The grant-size distribution is relatively small at the middle of the portfolio: $1,500 at the 25th percentile, $5,000 at the median, and $20,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards also include larger operating grants to a small number of institutions.
Texas receives most of the foundation’s giving, with 57% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Houston is the main recipient city, though the foundation also funds organizations in Midland, Katy, Irondale, Orinda, Washington, DC, Chicago, and Scottsdale.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF ST THOMAS | HOUSTON, TX | $7,175,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| HOUSTON COALITION FOR LIFE | HOUSTON, TX | $175,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ETERNAL WORD TELEVISION NETWORK | IRONDALE, AL | $150,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| LET THE CHILDREN LIVE | ORINDA, CA | $75,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| OUR LADY OF WALSINGHAM CATHOLIC CHURCH | HOUSTON, TX | $59,300 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| GUADALUPE RADIO NETWORK | MIDLAND, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| STAR OF HOPE | HOUSTON, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ST JOHN PAUL II FOUNDATION | KATY, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| THOMAS MORE SOCIETY | CHICAGO, IL | $20,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ALLIANCE DEFENDING FREEDOM | SCOTTSDALE, AZ | $10,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| CATHOLIC LITERARY ARTS | HOUSTON, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| HOUSTON METHODIST HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | HOUSTON, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| THE PERSONAL ORDINARIATE OF THE CHAIR OF ST PETER | HOUSTON, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| FOUNDATION FOR LIFE | HOUSTON, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| MISSIONARIES FOR THE POOR | ATLANTA, GA | $5,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| HEROIC MEDIA | AUSTIN, TX | $5,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES | HOUSTON, TX | $3,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| PRISON FELLOWSHIP | LANSDOWNE, VA | $2,900 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS | BOSTON, MA | $2,500 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| HOUSTON MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE | HOUSTON, TX | $2,500 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| CATHOLIC ANSWERS | EL CAJON, CA | $1,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| JUDICIAL WATCH | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| CATHOLIC LEAGUE | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| DPSTF | ROCKVILLE, MD | $650 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| GENERAL SECRETARIAT OF THE FRANCISCAN MISSIONS | BURLINGTON, WI | $500 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| THE 100 CLUB | HOUSTON, TX | $400 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| HOUSTON SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS | HOUSTON, TX | $250 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| SOUND OF FREEDOM FOUNDATION | HOUSTON, TX | $100 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| BOYS TOWN | BOYS TOWN, NE | $50 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF ST THOMAS | HOUSTON, TX | $1,160,000 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| OUR LADY OF WALSINGHAM CATHOLIC CHURCH | HOUSTON, TX | $323,150 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ARCHDIOCESE FOR MILITARY SERVICES USA | WASHINGTON, DC | $110,175 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ETERNAL WORD TELEVISION NETWORK | IRONDALE, AL | $100,000 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| GUADALUPE RADIO NETWORK | MIDLAND, TX | $50,000 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| HOUSTON COALITION FOR LIFE | HOUSTON, TX | $35,000 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| STAR OF HOPE | HOUSTON, TX | $30,000 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ST JOHN PAUL II FOUNDATION | KATY, TX | $20,000 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| CHRISTUS FOUNDATION | HOUSTON, TX | $12,500 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ALLIANCE DEFENDING FREEDOM | SCOTTSDALE, AZ | $10,000 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| THE CARDINAL'S CIRCLE | HOUSTON, TX | $5,000 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ST DOMINIC VILLAGE | HOUSTON, TX | $5,000 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| THOMAS MORE SOCIETY | CHICAGO, IL | $5,000 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS | NEW HAVEN, CT | $5,000 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES | HOUSTON, TX | $5,000 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| MISSIONARIES FOR THE POOR | ATLANTA, GA | $5,000 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| THE PERSONAL ORDINARIATE OF THE CHAIR OF ST PETER | HOUSTON, TX | $5,000 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| HEROIC MEDIA | AUSTIN, TX | $5,000 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| PRISON FELLOWSHIP | LANSDOWNE, VA | $3,500 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| HOUSTON MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE | HOUSTON, TX | $2,500 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| CATHOLIC LEAGUE | NEW YORK, NY | $2,000 | 2024 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
HOUSTON COALITION FOR LIFE
$175,000OPERATING SUPPORT
LET THE CHILDREN LIVE
$75,000OPERATING SUPPORT
OUR LADY OF WALSINGHAM CATHOLIC CHURCH
$59,300OPERATING SUPPORT
GUADALUPE RADIO NETWORK
$50,000OPERATING SUPPORT
STAR OF HOPE
$25,000OPERATING SUPPORT
ST JOHN PAUL II FOUNDATION
$25,000OPERATING SUPPORT
CATHOLIC LITERARY ARTS
$10,000OPERATING SUPPORT
HOUSTON METHODIST HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
$10,000OPERATING SUPPORT
THE PERSONAL ORDINARIATE OF THE CHAIR OF ST PETER
$10,000OPERATING SUPPORT
FOUNDATION FOR LIFE
$10,000OPERATING SUPPORT
MISSIONARIES FOR THE POOR
$5,000OPERATING SUPPORT
HEROIC MEDIA
$5,000OPERATING SUPPORT
CATHOLIC CHARITIES
$3,000OPERATING SUPPORT
PRISON FELLOWSHIP
$2,900OPERATING SUPPORT
HOUSTON MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE
$2,500OPERATING SUPPORT
CATHOLIC ANSWERS
$1,000OPERATING SUPPORT
CATHOLIC LEAGUE
$1,000OPERATING SUPPORT
DPSTF
$650OPERATING SUPPORT
GENERAL SECRETARIAT OF THE FRANCISCAN MISSIONS
$500OPERATING SUPPORT
SOUND OF FREEDOM FOUNDATION
$100OPERATING SUPPORT
BOYS TOWN
$50OPERATING SUPPORT
OUR LADY OF WALSINGHAM CATHOLIC CHURCH
$323,150OPERATING SUPPORT
ARCHDIOCESE FOR MILITARY SERVICES USA
$110,175OPERATING SUPPORT
HOUSTON COALITION FOR LIFE
$35,000OPERATING SUPPORT
ST JOHN PAUL II FOUNDATION
$20,000OPERATING SUPPORT
THE CARDINAL'S CIRCLE
$5,000OPERATING SUPPORT
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
$5,000OPERATING SUPPORT
CATHOLIC CHARITIES
$5,000OPERATING SUPPORT
MISSIONARIES FOR THE POOR
$5,000OPERATING SUPPORT
THE PERSONAL ORDINARIATE OF THE CHAIR OF ST PETER
$5,000OPERATING SUPPORT
HEROIC MEDIA
$5,000OPERATING SUPPORT
PRISON FELLOWSHIP
$3,500OPERATING SUPPORT
HOUSTON MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE
$2,500OPERATING SUPPORT
CATHOLIC LEAGUE
$2,000OPERATING SUPPORT