Centerpoint Energy Foundation Inc
CenterPoint Energy Foundation Inc. is a private independent foundation based in Houston, Texas, established in 1995. The foundation operates as a corporate foundation affiliated with CenterPoint Energy and serves as a catalyst for community impact by leveraging resources to achieve outcomes that improve stakeholders' lives and build strong foundations for the future.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$61.7M
-16.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$24.3M
+37.7% YoY
Grant Count
576
+18.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$42K
+16.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Centerpoint Energy Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $4.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation strives to ensure a high quality of life in the communities it serves, recognizing that the company's success is linked to the vibrancy of its communities. The foundation focuses grant funding on two main strategic areas:
Community Vitality — Initiatives addressing affordable housing, community outdoor spaces, environmental stewardship and outdoor recreation, and community sustainability.
Education — Programs improving literacy rates, expanding access to STEM programs, and workforce development.
Within these focus areas, the foundation prioritizes programs that serve under-resourced populations to help entire communities thrive.
Grantmaking
The foundation has distributed significant grant funding over recent years:
Review Cycle
schedule with separate cycles for each funding priority area:
How to Apply
The foundation operates on an annual grant cycle schedule with separate cycles for each funding priority area:
Ready to take the next step with Centerpoint Energy Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation awards grants annually to eligible organizations in Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio, and Texas, where CenterPoint Energy has a business presence. A detailed list of counties served is available in the foundation's 2026 Guidelines and FAQs document.
Recent grant recipients include organizations in Texas (such as United Way of Greater Houston and Salvation Army), Minnesota (Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans), and other service areas.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $74.1 million
- Total Revenues: $13.9 million
- Total Expenses: $26.2 million
- Total Distributions: $25 million
Historical Growth:
- Total assets have grown from $857,000 in 2011 to $74.1 million in 2023
- Annual giving has grown from $10.9 million in 2020 to $17.3 million in 2023
Tax Status:
- Designated as a 501(c)(3) organization
- Tax-exempt since May 1995
- EIN: 35-1950691
- Contributions are tax deductible
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $61,678,971 | $74,130,417 | $59,485,017 |
| Revenue | $13,971,511 | $34,146,675 | $5,340,538 |
| Expenses | $26,229,576 | $18,084,671 | $17,115,074 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $24,646,679 | $17,473,320 | $16,578,062 |
| Net Investment Income | $5,439,006 | $1,239,222 | $1,783,416 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,034,426 | $3,715,283 | $3,202,966 |
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
201 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Centerpoint Energy Foundation Inc
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include American Online Giving Foundation Inc ($596,003), Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation ($107,442), Bakerripley Formerly Neighborhood Centers Inc ($85,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 100 BLACK MEN OF METROPOLITAN HOUSTON INC HOUSTON, TX | GENERAL DONATION | $37,800 |
| 14TH AND CHESTNUT COMMUNITY CENTER TERRE HAUTE, IN | GENERAL DONATION | $7,500 |
| 4B DISASTER RESPONSE TEXAS CITY, TX | GENERAL DONATION | $25,000 |
| AFTERNOON ADVENTURE LEARNING CENTER NEWTON, MS | GENERAL DONATION | $5,000 |
| ALDINE EDUCATION FOUNDATION HOUSTON, TX | GENERAL DONATION | $16,500 |
| ALIEF ISD ALIEF, TX | GENERAL DONATION | $15,000 |
| ALLIANCE HOUSING INC MINNEAPOLIS, MN | GENERAL DONATION | $20,000 |
| ALTERNATIVES INCORPORATED OF MADISON COUNTY ANDERSON, IN | GENERAL DONATION | $3,500 |
| ALVIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC ALVIN, TX | GENERAL DONATION | $10,000 |
| AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY-INDIANA INDIANAPOLIS, IN | GENERAL DONATION | $2,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is governed by seven officers and trustees:
- Amanda Schmitt — President
- Mark DeBoer — Treasurer
- Brett A. Jerasa — Assistant Treasurer
- Madeleine Neet — Secretary
- Jason Ryan — Director
- Monica Karuturi — Director
- Lynne Harkel-Rumford — Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMANDA SCHMITT | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| BRETT A JERASA | ASSISTANT TREASURER | 1 | — |
| MARK DEBOER | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| MADELEINE NEET | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| JASON RYAN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MONICA KARUTURI | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LYNNE HARKEL-RUMFORD | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation continues active grantmaking with regular grant cycles. Recent grant announcements include support for disaster response initiatives, such as a grant to the Salvation Army for disaster response efforts in Houston. The foundation opened its first grant cycle of 2026 in January, focusing on education initiatives including literacy, STEM, and workforce development programs.
CenterPoint Energy Foundation opens first grant cycle of 2026 for educationSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Centerpoint Energy Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation strives to ensure a high quality of life in the communities it serves, recognizing that the company's success is linked to the vibrancy of its communities. The foundation focuses grant funding on two main strategic areas: **Community Vitality** — Initiatives addressing affordable housing, community outdoor spaces, environmental stewardship and outdoor recreation, and community sustainability. **Education** — Programs improving literacy rates, expanding access to STEM programs, an…
How do I apply for a grant from Centerpoint Energy Foundation Inc?
The foundation has distributed significant grant funding over recent years: • **2024**: $24.3 million in total giving across 577 grants • **2023**: $17.3 million in annual giving • **2021**: $18.9 million distributed across 646 grants (highest grantmaking activity year on record) • **2020**: $10.9 million in annual giving The foundation has made a cumulative 1,637 grants totaling $63.9 million to 1,044 unique organizations. Individual grants have ranged from $10,000 to $3.4 million, with a medi…
Where does Centerpoint Energy Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation awards grants annually to eligible organizations in Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio, and Texas, where CenterPoint Energy has a business presence. A detailed list of counties served is available in the foundation's 2026 Guidelines and FAQs document. Recent grant recipients include organizations in Texas (such as United Way of Greater Houston and Salvation Army), Minnesota (Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans), and other service areas.
What size grants does Centerpoint Energy Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, Centerpoint Energy Foundation Inc awarded 576 grants totaling $24.3M — an average of about $42K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Centerpoint Energy Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Centerpoint Energy Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $4.0M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Centerpoint Energy Foundation Inc's EIN?
Centerpoint Energy Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-1950691. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Centerpoint Energy Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
William Z Hayes Foundation
DALLAS, TX
Assets
$629K
Grants
4
Total Given
$28K
Tr Uw Jane James Cook Item 19
DALLAS, TX
Assets
$861K
Grants
11
Total Given
$41K
Forsyth Fbo Leonard Wood Memorial
DALLAS, TX
Assets
$320K
Grants
1
Total Given
$18K
Teas Foundation
AMARILLO, TX
Assets
$3.0M
Grants
3
Total Given
$138K
Crystelle Waggoner Charitable Trust
DALLAS, TX
Assets
$13.5M
Grants
41
Total Given
$3.9M
Nelson & Debbie Fox Charitable Fdtn
LUBBOCK, TX
Assets
$329K
Grants
9
Total Given
$90K
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with Centerpoint Energy Foundation Inc on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities
Go from researching Centerpoint Energy Foundation Inc to a real strategy.