The Powell Foundation
The Powell Foundation is a private family foundation that distributes approximately $19 million annually in grants to nonprofit organizations across Harris, Travis, and Walker Counties, Texas, focused on public education, arts, conservation, and human services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1967
- HeadquartersHouston, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Powell Foundation does
The Powell Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1967 by Ben H. Powell, Jr. and Kitty King Powell, headquartered at 2001 Kirby Drive in Houston, Texas (founded as 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity). Since inception, the Foundation has distributed more than $135 million in cumulative grants supporting public education, the arts, conservation, and human services in Harris, Travis, and Walker Counties of Texas. A small professional team of approximately 7 staff, led by Executive Director Eleisha Nelson-Reed, administers the Foundation under oversight from a Board of Directors comprising Powell family members (including Ben H. Powell, V) and independent directors, with Directors Emeritae Marian P. Harrison and Nancy Powell Moore continuing in advisory roles.
The Powell Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Powell Foundation
- Legal name
- The Powell Foundation
- Website
- https://powellfoundation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1967
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Powell Foundation is a private family foundation that distributes approximately $19 million annually in grants to nonprofit organizations across Harris, Travis, and Walker Counties, Texas, focused on public education, arts, conservation, and human services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Powell Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Philanthropic Grantmaking
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)
Keywords
Where The Powell Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Houston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Powell Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Grantmaking: The Powell Foundation operates as a private family foundation that distributes grants to nonprofit organizations. The foundation receives its capital from endowment/investment returns and distributes grant awards annually to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
The Powell Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Powell Foundation is a private family foundation that distributes grants to qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in Harris, Travis, and Walker Counties, Texas. Funding focuses on Education (early childhood, K-12, post-secondary, cradle-to-career) and Supportive Communities (arts, conservation, human services), with two annual grant cycles (Spring and Fall) administered via an online portal. Average Education grants are $270K and Supportive Communities grants average $110K, with the Foundation distributing $19.1 million in 2025 and over $135 million since 1967.
Product overview
The Powell Foundation is a private family foundation, not a product or technology company. It does not offer commercial products or services. The Foundation provides grant funding to nonprofit organizations in education, arts, conservation, and human services within Harris, Travis, and Walker Counties, Texas.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Education Grant Program
- Supportive Communities Grant Program
- Two-Cycle Annual Grantmaking Process (Spring and Fall)
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $135 million in grants distributed since 1967
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Powell Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers20 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
The Powell Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Powell Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Powell Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Brown Foundation: Houston-based private family foundation funding education, arts, and community services primarily in Texas. Direct peer — same Houston headquarters geography and overlapping arts + education focus areas.
- George Kaiser Family Foundation: Tulsa-based private family foundation with a cradle-to-career education strategy and early-childhood focus. Direct peer — closely aligned cradle-to-career education model and similar community-rooted, family-foundation structure.
- Houston Endowment: Houston-based private foundation focused on Greater Houston public education and community outcomes. Direct peer — same city, similar family-foundation model, and overlapping education strategy with Harris County concentration.
- Michael & Susan Dell Foundation: Large family foundation focused on K-12 and postsecondary education, including significant Texas investments. Direct peer — closely aligned education mission with a larger-scale, outcome-measurement-driven approach.
- Stranahan Foundation: Toledo-based private family foundation focused on early childhood through higher education. Direct peer — similar cradle-to-career education strategy and family-foundation operating model.
- Meadows Foundation: Dallas-based private family foundation funding education, arts, environment, and human services in Texas. Direct peer — same Texas footprint, similar multi-sector (education + arts + human services) family-foundation strategy.
- Albert and Margaret Alkek Foundation: Houston-based private family foundation supporting education, health, and the arts. Direct peer — same Houston base and overlapping arts, education, and human services focus.
Broad incumbents
- Robin Hood Foundation: New York-based major poverty-fighting foundation with heavy emphasis on education and human services. Comparable as a peer foundation combining education, human services, and outcome measurement, though operating at much larger scale and in a different geography.
- William Penn Foundation: Large Philadelphia-based private foundation with significant K-12 and early childhood education investments. Comparable as a peer family foundation with cradle-to-career education focus and structured learning/evaluation practice, though at a substantially larger scale.
Emerging players
- KIPP Foundation: National nonprofit charter school network focused on K-12 education for underserved students. Comparable as an education-focused, outcomes-driven organization operating partly in Powell's Harris/Travis County geography, though a direct recipient/operator rather than a grantmaker.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Powell Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Powell Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
The Powell Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Powell Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Powell Foundation
What does The Powell Foundation do?
The Powell Foundation is a private family foundation that distributes grants to qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in Harris, Travis, and Walker Counties, Texas. Funding focuses on Education (early childhood, K-12, post-secondary, cradle-to-career) and Supportive Communities (arts, conservation, human services), with two annual grant cycles (Spring and Fall) administered via an online portal. Average Education grants are $270K and Supportive Communities grants average $110K, with the Foundation distributing $19.1 million in 2025 and over $135 million since 1967.
Is The Powell Foundation a public or private company?
The Powell Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Powell Foundation founded?
The Powell Foundation was founded in 1967. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Powell Foundation based?
The Powell Foundation is headquartered in Houston, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Powell Foundation make money?
One revenue line is on record: grantmaking.
Who are The Powell Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Brown Foundation, George Kaiser Family Foundation, Houston Endowment, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, Stranahan Foundation, Meadows Foundation and Albert and Margaret Alkek Foundation. Broad incumbents are Robin Hood Foundation and William Penn Foundation. KIPP Foundation is listed as an emerging player.
Does The Powell Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Powell Foundation.
What industry is The Powell Foundation in?
The Powell Foundation's product category is Philanthropic Grantmaking. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAA, Private Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAK, Education Grantmaking Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8300.