Anchorage Foundation of Texas

HOUSTON, TX EIN: 74-2071804

Anchorage Foundation of Texas is a private, non-operating foundation based in Houston, Texas. Established in 1979, the foundation focuses on grantmaking and operates an architectural history program that contributes to public education and discourse on architecture and design.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$6.4M

-44.0% YoY

Annual Giving

$690K

+44.4% YoY

Grant Count

-5.9% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$43K

+53.4% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Anchorage Foundation of Texas reported a distributable amount of $576K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's primary funding interests include:

Architectural History & Education — The foundation maintains an active architectural history program featuring Stephen Fox as a foundation fellow. Fox contributes to publications including Rice Design Alliance magazine, Architectural Record, and the Houston Chronicle. He serves as a visiting lecturer in architecture at the University of Houston and Rice University, providing consultations on architectural history to city visitors, educators, students, writers, and artists.
Arts & Culture — Including exhibitions, programs support, and arts and culture programming
Education — K-12 schools, charter schools, and Head Start programs
Human Services
Philanthropy & Voluntarism
Community Preservation

The foundation also produces and distributes books through an independent publisher, featuring essays and photo documentation on architecture and education, from which it receives royalties.

Grantmaking

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in Texas, Kansas, and Florida.

Grant Distribution by State

Texas $1.4M (77%)

Kansas $315K (17%)

Colorado $78K (4%)

Florida $15K (1%)

Arizona $5K (0%)

District of Columbia $5K (0%)

North Carolina $1K (0%)

States

Arizona Colorado District of Columbia Florida Kansas North Carolina Texas

Cities

AustinColorado SpringsDurhamFort WorthHoustonNew BraunfelsOverland ParkRound TopSan JuanTempeWashingtonWinter Park

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Total Assets: $6,391,706 (2024)
Total Giving: $690,000 (most recent year)
Total Revenues: $730,238 (2024)
Total Expenses: $779,666 (2024)
Number of Employees: 0

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$6,391,706	$11,411,642	$11,020,232
Revenue	$730,238	$990,801	$322,567
Expenses	$779,666	$599,391	$354,315
Qualifying Distributions	$735,532	$521,995	$259,848
Net Investment Income	$269,902	$569,038	$113,158
Distributable Amount	$576,236	$548,379	$519,218

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

79 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include St John's School ($340,000), Heart of America Patriot Foundation ($190,000), Hispanic Health Coalition ($20,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA TROOP 540 HOUSTON, TX	PROGRAM SUPPORT	$5,000
CATHOLIC CHARITIES RGV SAN JUAN, TX	GENERAL SUPPORT	$10,000
EMANCIPATION PARK CONSERVANCY HOUSTON, TX	GENERAL SUPPORT	$5,000
FAMILY TO FAMILY NETWORK HOUSTON, TX	GENERAL SUPPORT	$10,000
THE GLASSELL SCHOOL OF ART HOUSTON, TX	GENERAL SUPPORT	$10,000
HEART OF AMERICA PATRIOT FOUNDATION OVERLAND PARK, KS	GENERAL SUPPORT	$190,000
HISPANIC HEALTH COALITION HOUSTON, TX	GENERAL SUPPORT	$20,000
HOUSTON MUSEUM AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE HOUSTON, TX	GENERAL SUPPORT	$10,000
HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA FOUNDATION HOUSTON, TX	GENERAL SUPPORT	$10,000
KINDER INSTITUTE WINTER PARK, FL	GENERAL SUPPORT	$10,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
MARC C MELCHER	PRESIDENT	1	—
C LEROY MELCHER	SECRETARY	1	—
PIERRE S MELCHER	DIRECTOR	1	—

Contact Information

Address: 10 Waverly Court, Houston, TX 77005-1842
Telephone: 713-521-2811
EIN: 74-2071804

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Anchorage Foundation of Texas fund?

The foundation's primary funding interests include: • **Architectural History & Education** — The foundation maintains an active architectural history program featuring Stephen Fox as a foundation fellow. Fox contributes to publications including Rice Design Alliance magazine, Architectural Record, and the Houston Chronicle. He serves as a visiting lecturer in architecture at the University of Houston and Rice University, providing consultations on architectural history to city visitors, educat…

How do I apply for a grant from Anchorage Foundation of Texas?

**Grant Amounts:** Typical awards range from $1,000 to $340,000. **Recent Activity:** The foundation made 13 grants in its most recent fiscal year. Recent grantees have included the Houston Grand Opera Association Inc. **Total Annual Giving:** $690,000 (most recent year)

Where does Anchorage Foundation of Texas make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in Texas, Kansas, and Florida.

What size grants does Anchorage Foundation of Texas award?

In 2024, Anchorage Foundation of Texas awarded 16 grants totaling $690K — an average of about $43K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Anchorage Foundation of Texas required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Anchorage Foundation of Texas reported a distributable amount of $576K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.