Open nowCloses Sep 1, 2027
General Grant Program
Deadline: Annual deadline: September 1. Notifications issued in November. Applications received after the deadline are automatically disqualified.
About Rachael and Ben Vaughan Foundation
The Rachael and Ben Vaughan Foundation concentrates its giving on education at multiple levels—major university research and local K–12/parochial schools—while also supporting Texas-focused wildlife conservation and community housing for children. Grants are sizable and targeted, favoring a mix of high-profile university gifts and strategic local nonprofit support, with some repeat funding to select institutions. The foundation appears to balance national research investments with place-based investments in Texas communities and faith-based education.
Focus Areas
Major university research and higher-education support (including out-of-state flagship universities)Regional Texas wildlife conservation and research (e.g., Caesar Kleberg-related initiatives)Local public-school support via education foundations (e.g., Eanes Education Foundation)Catholic/parochial K–8 school support in Texas (e.g., St. Ignatius Martyr)Children's housing and community-based family support/affordable housing initiatives
Who They Fund
children (including children with special needs)immigrants and refugees
About Rachael and Ben Vaughan Foundation
A $200,000 grant to Texas A&M University Kingsville is the clearest signal in The Rachael and Ben Vaughan Foundation’s recent giving: education is a core priority, and the foundation is willing to write large checks for it. The university gift sits alongside other substantial support for higher education, including Stanford University and the Bernard and Audre Rapoport Center, showing that the foundation funds both major research institutions and Texas-based academic programs. That education work is paired with place-based support for children and families, including Foundation Communities’ Children’s Home Initiative and Respite Care of San Antonio. The foundation also backs Catholic and parochial schooling, with grants to St Ignatius Martyr Catholic School and St Stephen’s Episcopal School. Outside education, its recent grants include wildlife research, hunger relief, immigrant services, and community-based health and support programs. The pattern suggests a funder that uses targeted grants across several aligned areas rather than spreading support broadly, with repeat funding to some organizations over multiple years.
What Rachael and Ben Vaughan Foundation Funds
Education appears in several forms. In 2025, The Rachael and Ben Vaughan Foundation gave $200,000 to Texas A&M University Kingsville and $85,000 to Stanford University, while earlier grants to Stanford totaled $60,000 in both 2023 and 2024. The foundation also supported Kipp Austin Public Schools with $25,000 in 2023 and St Stephen’s Episcopal School with $25,000 in 2025, showing interest in both public and faith-based education. Its family and housing work is visible in grants to Foundation Communities Inc. for the Children’s Home Initiative, including $50,000 in 2023 and $42,000 in 2024. In immigrant services, Todos Juntos Learning Center received $30,000 in 2023 and $20,000 in 2024. The foundation also funded Central Texas Food Bank with $30,000 in 2023 and $25,000 in 2024 for hunger relief.
How Rachael and Ben Vaughan Foundation Gives
Typical grants cluster in the low five figures: the p25 is $5,000, the median is $8,000, and the p75 is $15,000. The recent grants list also shows a smaller set of much larger awards, including $200,000 and $100,000 gifts. Repeat funding is a clear pattern: Stanford University appears in three consecutive years, Foundation Communities Inc. in 2023 and 2024, and several other organizations recur across years as well. The foundation is a regular funder with an annual general grant program, and it accepts unsolicited applications. Applicants submit the foundation’s grant application by the annual deadline, with board decisions communicated in November.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$863K
Total Assets
$2.7M
Total Revenue
$611K
Total Expenses
$865K
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $5K and $15K, with a median of $8K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$8K
75th Percentile
$15K
Geographic Reach
Regional11 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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