James N Mccoy Foundation

The James N. McCoy Foundation operates as a deeply place-based family foundation, with 96.7% of its grant dollars flowing to organizations in Wichita County, Texas. Founded in 1995 to honor the legacy of James N. McCoy — described by the foundation's president as someone who "came from a very humble background and understood the importance of giving back to the community" — the foundation reflects the values of a self-made philanthropist: pragmatic, relationship-driven, and committed to the institutions that sustain everyday civic life in Wichita Falls.

The foundation's giving philosophy unambiguously favors established, locally-rooted nonprofits with a demonstrated track record. Of the top 50 grantees in the IRS database, nearly all received multiple grants across multiple years: Midwestern State University (7 grants, $5.6M total), Hospice of Wichita Falls (6 grants, $1.93M), and the Wichita Falls Area Community Foundation (7 grants, $1.2M) have cultivated relationships spanning the foundation's full three-decade history. First-time applicants should calibrate expectations accordingly — an initial grant in the $15,000–$35,000 range is far more likely than an immediate six-figure award. The $800,000 Midwestern State renovation grant in 2024 reflects an institution whose name is literally on a campus engineering school, not a first-cycle ask.

The stated funding categories — Christian organizations, crime prevention, community development, education, healthcare, and social services — are broad by design, but the grantee list tells a more specific story. Organizations with a faith-based ethos perform well even when not explicitly religious. Institutions embedded in Wichita Falls' civic infrastructure — hospitals, universities, youth development programs, senior services — capture the largest sustained awards. Out-of-county applicants face a near-insurmountable geographic screen; the seven Oklahoma grants represent the only notable exception and appear tied to Mission Resource International's regional relief work rather than a general openness to out-of-state organizations.

General operating support is the norm across 90%+ of recorded grant purposes, signaling that the board trusts its grantees and is not focused on narrowly scoped project grants. Capital campaigns and special equipment purchases are welcome — but only for established relationships. For first-time applicants, the LOI-first process for new organizations is the critical gateway. Relationship cultivation before LOI submission — attending foundation-connected community events in Wichita Falls, understanding the McCoy family's civic priorities — will meaningfully strengthen a first application.

The James N. McCoy Foundation has executed a remarkable growth trajectory over thirteen years: from $838,750 in annual grants on $20.4M in assets (2011) to $7.1M in annual grants on $227.5M in assets (2024) — an 8x increase in giving volume and an 11x increase in the asset base. The asset surge accelerated sharply: the foundation received $105.4M in contributions in fiscal 2023 alone (up from $25.6M in 2022), indicating a major estate transfer that has permanently elevated its grantmaking capacity. Assets grew further to $227.5M by year-end 2024.

Grant volume has been consistent at 71 awards in both 2023 and 2024, with 55 in 2022 and 40 in 2020. Average award size in 2024: approximately $100,000 ($7.1M ÷ 71 grants). Across the full grantee database of 336 grants totaling $20.1M, median grant is $23,250 with a range of $3,000 to $800,000 and an average of $59,778. The distribution is bi-modal: a large cluster of smaller operational grants ($10,000–$40,000) supports community organizations, while a smaller cluster of major institutional grants ($100,000–$800,000) anchors flagship relationships.

By sector, education captures the largest share: Midwestern State University alone accounts for $5.6M across 7 grants (28% of all recorded giving). Adding Vernon College ($250K), Wichita Falls ISD ($300K), Texas Tech ($100K), Happy Hands Education Center ($140K), and MSU's McCoy School of Engineering ($90K), education represents approximately 33% of total historical giving. Healthcare follows at roughly 16–18%, led by Hospice of Wichita Falls ($1.93M across 6 grants) and United Regional ($925K–$1.16M across two separate entries). Social services, youth programming, and faith-based organizations collectively account for the remaining 50%, spread across a broad roster of Wichita Falls community organizations.

Geographically, Wichita County is the near-exclusive focus: 325 of 336 recorded grants went to Texas organizations. The seven Oklahoma grants went almost entirely to Mission Resource International. New applicants should treat the geographic restriction as absolute.

The James N. McCoy Foundation sits among a cohort of similarly sized family foundations with $226–229M in assets, but distinguishes itself through its hyper-local geographic concentration and open application process — rare at this asset level.

The McCoy Foundation is the most accessible of this peer group. While most similarly sized foundations operate exclusively by invitation, McCoy maintains an open application process with published LOI deadlines, a public email contact, and a direct phone number. Its 5% payout rate on $227.5M in assets is consistent with IRS private foundation distribution requirements. The critical differentiator is geographic restriction: where peer foundations at this asset level typically fund nationally or regionally, McCoy's near-exclusive Wichita County focus means significantly less competition from national organizations but a fundamentally smaller eligible applicant pool.

The foundation's most consequential recent activity is its extraordinary financial transformation. Assets climbed from $84.4M (fiscal 2022) to $188.1M (fiscal 2023) after the foundation received $105.4M in contributions — the largest single-year infusion in its history, consistent with a substantial estate bequest or family asset transfer. Assets grew further to $227.5M by end of 2024 on $46.9M in total revenue. Annual grants tracked the growth: $3.3M paid in 2022, $4.2M in 2023, and $7.1M in 2024 (71 grants each in 2023 and 2024).

Notable 2024 grants: $800,000 to Midwestern State University Foundation for a building renovation; $695,600 to Boys and Girls Clubs of Wichita Falls for capital campaign and general operations; $324,600 to Wichita Falls Area Food Bank for general operations. These three awards alone represent approximately 26% of total 2024 giving, illustrating the foundation's concentration in long-standing flagship relationships.

The foundation maintains a lean, all-volunteer governance structure. Trustees — Vicki D. McCoy (President), Mark McCoy (VP), R. Ken Hines (VP/Secretary/Treasurer), Robert W. Goff Jr., Nancy S. Marks, Gary T. Oatman, and Lesley B. Chasteen (Assistant Secretary) — serve without compensation. Zero employees are reported. All grant decisions rest with the trustee board. No public announcements of leadership changes, new program areas, or strategic shifts were found for 2025–2026 beyond the continued growth in grantmaking volume.

The single most important application insight for McCoy is timing precision. The foundation runs two discrete grant cycles with firm LOI gates for new organizations. Spring cycle: LOI due February 15, full application window January 1–March 15, decisions in May. Fall cycle: LOI due August 15, full application window June 1–September 15, decisions in November. Missing the LOI deadline forfeits that cycle entirely — there is no late-submission option.

Before submitting an LOI, email grants@jamesnmccoyfoundation.org to request the cycle's access code. Do this at least two weeks before the LOI deadline, not on deadline day. The foundation's published email and phone (940.263.1308) are direct lines to a small volunteer-led operation — a brief, polite introductory call is appropriate and may yield informal guidance on fit. Frame the call as a question about eligibility, not a pitch.

In the LOI, mirror the foundation's stated categories explicitly: Christian organizations, crime prevention, community development, education, healthcare, and social services. Organizations at the intersection of multiple categories (e.g., a faith-based recovery housing program) should name all relevant categories. Quantify community impact in Wichita County specifically — the geographic qualifier is a hard screen, not a soft preference. State beneficiary numbers, program reach, and years of operation in the county.

Request general operating support unless you have a compelling capital or special project need. General operations grants dominate the grantee list (90%+ of recorded purposes), and McCoy's board clearly prefers unrestricted flexibility for grantees. First-time capital campaign requests face a high bar — the $800,000 MSU renovation grant reflects a multi-decade relationship.

Calibrate your request size carefully. Given a median grant of $23,250 across all recorded awards, first-time applicants should target the $15,000–$50,000 range. An overly ambitious opening ask signals misalignment with the foundation's incremental trust-building approach. Finally, never apply more than once per calendar year — this restriction is explicitly enforced, and attempting to work around it by repackaging a request would damage your standing with the board.