Calpine Foundation
The Calpine Foundation is a 501(c)(3) private foundation based in Houston, Texas, established in 2002. It operates as a company-sponsored foundation dedicated to providing meaningful support to local communities through philanthropic giving and grantmaking.
Key facts about Calpine Foundation
- EIN
- 26-0025038
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $301,560
- Grants made (2024)
- 13
- Average grant
- $23,197
- Median grant
- $21,540
- Total assets
- $4,792,360
- Primary geography
- Texas (93% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Applications for grants are provided internally. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Calpine Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Calpine Foundation's 13 itemized 2024 grants were Texas (93%) and Florida (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (3 grants). None of its 13 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Youth/Health" (4 grants).
How Calpine Foundation gives
- 92% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 61% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 190% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Calpine Foundation
- How to evaluate Calpine Foundation as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$4.8M
+2.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$302K
+3.1% YoY
Grant Count
13
+8.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$23K
-4.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Calpine Foundation reported a distributable amount of $231K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation's philanthropic mission is to continually enhance the quality of life in the communities where Calpine employees live and work through ongoing support of organizations focused on:
- Improving education and workforce development
- Environmental and community issues
- Social justice initiatives
- Economic opportunity for all
- Arts and culture
- Housing and human services
- Community development
- Lung disease prevention
The Foundation places particular emphasis on giving to organizations where employees volunteer their time and resources.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$22,000–$43,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation primarily funds organizations in Texas and Florida, with particular emphasis on communities where Calpine employees live and work.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 13 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Most Recent Filing (2024):
- Total assets: $4,792,360
- Total giving: $301,560
- Total revenues: $1,536,554 (2023)
- Total expenses: $440,980 (2023)
- Total assets: $4,695,077 (2023)
The Foundation has no paid employees.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $4,792,360 | $4,695,077 | $3,599,182 |
| Revenue | $536,810 | $1,536,554 | $504,314 |
| Expenses | $441,651 | $440,980 | $143,166 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $439,656 | $440,980 | $143,166 |
| Net Investment Income | $163,244 | $143,520 | $33,841 |
| Distributable Amount | $230,868 | $178,052 | $165,779 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
110 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Hill County Child Protective Services Board ($43,080), CASA De Esperanza De Los Ninos Inc ($21,540), Cure RTD Foundation ($21,540).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| HILL COUNTY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES BOARD Hillsboro, TX | YOUTH/HUMAN SERVICES | $43,080 |
| CASA DE ESPERANZA DE LOS NINOS INC Houston, TX | YOUTH/HEALTH | $21,540 |
| CURE RTD FOUNDATION Dallas, TX | HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES | $21,540 |
| KIDS MEALS INC Houston, TX | YOUTH/HEALTH | $21,540 |
| PLEASANT HILL CHILDREN'S HOME Oakwood, TX | YOUTH COMMUNITY/ EDUCATION | $21,540 |
| SHAPE COMMUNITY CENTER Houston, TX | COMMUNITY & CIVIC | $21,540 |
| SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN Tampa, FL | YOUTH/HEALTH | $21,540 |
| THE BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS INC Pasadena, TX | COMMUNITY & CIVIC | $21,540 |
| THE LAUREL'S ARMY FOUNDATION Cypress, TX | YOUTH/HEALTH | $21,540 |
| THE RAY E MARTIN MEMORIAL FUND San Antonio, TX | GRANTS/SCHOLARSHIPS | $21,540 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board and leadership include:
- Denise Straka (Director & President)
- Zamir Rauf (Director & Treasurer)
- Heather Benjamin Brown (Director & Vice President)
- Kevin McMahon (Director & Vice President)
- Rick Pena (Director & Vice President)
- Rosemary Antonopoulos (Vice President)
- Diana Woodman Hammett (Director and Secretary)
All board members serve with minimal time commitment (0.1 hours per week) and receive no compensation.
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hether Benjamin Brown | Director & Vice President | 0.1 | — |
| Diana Woodman Hammett | Director and Secretary | 0.1 | — |
| Kevin McMahon | Director & Vice President | 0.1 | — |
| Rosemary Antonopoulos | Vice President | 0.1 | — |
| Rick Pena | Director & Vice President | 0.1 | — |
| Zamir Rauf | Director & Treasurer | 0.1 | — |
| Denise Straka | Director & President | 0.1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**Signature Program:**
The Foundation's largest philanthropic effort is the Annual Texas Regional Charity Golf Tournament, now in its 22nd year. This event serves as the primary means by which the Foundation accomplishes its mission.
**Community Engagement:**
The Foundation supports Calpine's annual "Calpine in Our Communities Day" — a companywide tradition where employees at each Calpine location choose community outreach activities to work on together as a team.
Calpine Community Benefits Grants Awarded to Three Local Nonprofits - Orange**Recent Donations:**
The Foundation has made recent donations to organizations including Shriners Children's and provided disaster relief support through food and supply distribution efforts.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Calpine Foundation fund?
The Foundation's philanthropic mission is to continually enhance the quality of life in the communities where Calpine employees live and work through ongoing support of organizations focused on: • Improving education and workforce development • Environmental and community issues • Social justice initiatives • Economic opportunity for all • Arts and culture • Housing and human services • Community development • Lung disease prevention The Foundation places particular emphasis on giving to organi…
How do I apply for a grant from Calpine Foundation?
Applications for grants are provided internally. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does Calpine Foundation make grants?
The Foundation primarily funds organizations in Texas and Florida, with particular emphasis on communities where Calpine employees live and work.
What size grants does Calpine Foundation award?
In 2024, Calpine Foundation awarded 13 grants totaling $302K — an average of about $23K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Calpine Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Calpine Foundation reported a distributable amount of $231K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Calpine Foundation's EIN?
Calpine Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-0025038. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.