Briar Hollow Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Houston, TX EIN: 74-6061437

Briar Hollow Foundation is a private foundation based in Houston, Texas. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including schools, churches, healthcare organizations, and community and cultural organizations.

Briar Hollow Foundation at a glance

In short: Briar Hollow Foundation gave $126K across 26 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in Texas. 8% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$126,411
+26.7% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
26
-18.8% vs 2024
Average grant
$4,862
+56.0% vs 2024
Median grant
$1,750
Total assets
$1,505,446
+1.5% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
8% first-time grantees (2 of 26, 2025)
Primary geography
Texas (99% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to Briar Hollow Foundation

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Contact

Mailing address: 1001 Fannin Suite 1250, Houston, TX 77002
Phone: (713) 955-4160

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Briar Hollow Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Episcopal High School: $41KEpiscopal High School$41KFriends of Pumpkin Park: $25KFriends of Pumpkin Park$25KSt Martin's Episcopal Church: $6KSt Martin's Episcopal Church$6KSilver Creek Heritage Society: $5KSilver Creek Heritage Society$5KFirst Methodist Church: $5KFirst Methodist Church$5KHouston Methodist Hospital Foundation: $5KHouston Methodist HospitalFoundation$5KRice University: $5KRice University$5KSt Michael's Episcopal Church: $5KSt Michael's Episcopal Church$5KHunt Methodist Church: $5KHunt Methodist Church$5KWaldemar Legacy Fund: $5KWaldemar Legacy Fund$5K

The largest 2025 recipient was Episcopal High School ($41K). Together the top 10 received $107K.

Grant Size Distribution

124 grants across all recorded years

124<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 124 grants of 124 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas and 1% to recipients in Virginia.

Grant Distribution by State

3states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 26 itemized grants.

Cities

HoustonAustinLynchburgAzleDallasHuntWacoEastlandWashington

Is Briar Hollow Foundation open to new grantees?

8%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 2 of 26 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $5K. How we count

Medians: $3K first-time, $2K repeat.

  • 85% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 28% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 89% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$50K$100K$150K12 grants2020 13 grants2021 24 grants2022 29 grants2023 32 grants2024 26 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $60K (2020) to $126K (2025). In 2025 it made 26 grants totaling $126K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Episcopal High School Houston, TXTo assist in ehs' mission of engaging students, opening minds, pursuing meaningful live with a commitment to service beyond oneself$41,000
Friends of Pumpkin Park Houston, TXTo support opening the door to childrens dreams campaign in creating a treasured green space for exploration, relaxation and community$25,000
St Martin's Episcopal Church Houston, TXGeneral Fund and Church Furnishing$6,000
Silver Creek Heritage Society Azle, TXTo assist in preserving the history and culture of the silver creek community$5,200
First Methodist Church Houston, TXGeneral Ministries$5,000
Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation Houston, TXTo continue to provide high quality, cost-effective healthcare that delivers the best value to the people served in a spiritual environment of caring.$5,000
Rice University Houston, TXRice Annual Fund- Residential College Life$5,000
St Michael's Episcopal Church Austin, TXTo support general programs at smec and equip, resource and inspire communities of faith to discover what god is calling them to be.$5,000
Hunt Methodist Church Hunt, TXGeneral Ministries$5,000
Waldemar Legacy Fund Austin, TXTo assist in preserving and extending the mission, values, and impact of camp waldemar for future generations$5,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$1,505,446$164,996$142,947$126,41126$126,411$151,268$141,309
2024$1,483,766$215,771$114,498$99,75032$99,750$201,982$127,329
2023$1,382,122$79,830$114,453$101,60029$101,600$68,992$103,645
2022$1,416,745$162,067$119,400$99,00024$99,000$144,931$98,626
2021$1,374,078$243,219$87,233$76,00013$76,000$234,112$101,450
2020$1,218,093$171,930$75,120$60,00012—$158,571$78,055

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Briar Hollow Foundation reported a distributable amount of $141K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants show support for education, religious organizations, healthcare and mental health, community spaces, and preservation. For example, the foundation’s filing describes its grant to Menninger Clinic as supporting depression research and its grant to Friends of Pumpkin Park as supporting a campaign to create a community green space.

Grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the range of organizations supported. Friends of Pumpkin Park says it supports a place for the Houston community to enjoy experiences in an outdoor setting. RE:MIND describes its work as providing free, confidential support groups for people affected by depression and bipolar disorders. Texas Children’s Hospital says its mission is to improve the health of children and women through patient care, education, and research.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 26 grants totaling $126,411. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $41,000, with a median of $1,750. It reported 32 grants totaling $99,750 in 2024 and 29 grants totaling $101,600 in 2023.

The largest reported 2025 grant was $41,000 to Episcopal High School in Houston, to assist with its educational mission and commitment to service. Other notable grants included $25,000 to Friends of Pumpkin Park; $6,000 to St. Martin’s Episcopal Church for its general fund and church furnishings; and $5,000 each to Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation, Rice University, St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, Hunt Methodist Church, and Waldemar Legacy Fund.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Cynthia J. Adkins as chairman/president, Marjorie Bintliff Johnson as vice president/director, Robin K. Lipinski as treasurer/secretary, and Meredith J. Landry as director.

Briar Hollow Foundation is led by Cynthia J. Adkins, Chairman & President since 2023 (on filings since 2020); none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Cynthia J. Adkins

    Chairman & President

    Director → Chairman & President, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Meredith J. Landry

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    No compensation reported

  • Marjorie Bintliff Johnson

    Vice President-Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Robin K. Lipinski

    Treasurer & Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Raleigh W. Johnson Jr. (2020–2022) — Chairman & President

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Frequently asked questions about Briar Hollow Foundation

How much does Briar Hollow Foundation give each year?

Briar Hollow Foundation gave $126K across 26 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $100K across 32 grants.

What is Briar Hollow Foundation's typical grant size?

Briar Hollow Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,750, and its average grant was $4,862, across 26 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Briar Hollow Foundation that year got $3K on average.

Where does Briar Hollow Foundation give grants?

Briar Hollow Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (20 grants) and Austin, TX (2 grants).

Does Briar Hollow Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 46% of Briar Hollow Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 26) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Briar Hollow Foundation's largest grantees?

Briar Hollow Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Episcopal High School ($41,000), Friends of Pumpkin Park ($25,000) and St Martin's Episcopal Church ($6,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 57% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Briar Hollow Foundation?

Briar Hollow Foundation reported $1.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $126K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $141K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.

What does Briar Hollow Foundation fund?

The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants show support for education, religious organizations, healthcare and mental health, community spaces, and preservation. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Briar Hollow Foundation?

The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Briar Hollow Foundation's EIN?

Briar Hollow Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-6061437. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does Briar Hollow Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

Data update history

(2)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 3, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Briar Hollow Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/briar-hollow-foundation-morg_d4a6b0d4c5264745b215e56e45bffe90

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_746061437_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Briar Hollow Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/briar-hollow-foundation-morg_d4a6b0d4c5264745b215e56e45bffe90},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-16. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}

The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.

Figures come from Briar Hollow Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.

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