Circle Bar Foundation
Circle Bar Foundation is a private family foundation based in San Antonio, Texas. Established in 1964 as the John H. & Dela W. White Fund and operating under its current name since 1965, the foundation maintains a low public profile with no website or published giving guidelines. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and functions as a significant philanthropic presence in the San Antonio area.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$28.9M
+2.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.6M
+19.7% YoY
Grant Count
49
+25.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$33K
-4.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Circle Bar Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's stated purpose is to provide support for secondary education and programs for child welfare. Based on recent giving patterns, the foundation funds across several priority areas:
- Youth development
- Human services
- Community foundations and charitable organizations
- Historical preservation and cultural institutions
- Education, particularly special education and deaf education
- Arts and culture
- Community and human services
Grantmaking
Grant Range
** $1,000 to $235,000
Average Grant
amount: approximately $32,500–$139,000
Review Cycle
, or decision timelines are publicly available.
How to Apply
** The foundation does not maintain publicly advertised grant programs and suggests a preference for private, relationship-based philanthropy. No formal application guidelines, deadlines, or decision timelines are publicly available.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Texas, with some grants awarded to Kansas and Georgia. Specific cities where grants have been distributed include San Antonio, Austin, and Albany.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Most Recent Filing (2023–2024):
| Metric | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total Assets | $26.6–$28.9 million |
| Annual Revenue | $1.8–$3.1 million |
| Annual Giving | $1.1–$1.4 million |
| Total Expenses | $1.2–$1.6 million |
| Total Liabilities | $105,000 |
Financial Trend: Assets have grown approximately 2.6% year-over-year.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $28,864,390 | $28,255,760 | $26,628,736 |
| Revenue | $2,434,783 | $3,090,672 | $1,810,890 |
| Expenses | $1,919,366 | $1,568,548 | $1,178,277 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,636,307 | $1,367,020 | $1,052,809 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,113,967 | $2,885,963 | $1,047,371 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,595,012 | $1,401,054 | $1,397,567 |
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
193 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include San Antonio Zoo ($200,000), Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children ($133,717), Texas Cavaliers Charitable Foundation ($106,250).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AID THE SILENT BOERNE, TX | OPERATING EXPENSES | $50,000 |
| ANIMAL DEFENSE LEAGUE OF TEXAS SAN ANTONIO, TX | OPERATING EXPENSES | $30,000 |
| ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF SAN ANTONIO SAN ANTONIO, TX | OPERATING EXPENSES | $20,000 |
| AUGUSTHEART SAN ANTONIO, TX | OPERATING EXPENSES | $7,000 |
| AUTISM COMMUNITY NETWORK SAN ANTONIO, TX | OPERATING EXPENSES | $50,000 |
| BELIEVE IT FOUNDATION SAN ANTONIO, TX | OPERATING EXPENSES | $10,000 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF SAN ANTONIO SAN ANTONIO, TX | OPERATING EXPENSES | $20,000 |
| CANDLELIGHT RANCH FOUNDATION AUSTIN, TX | OPERATING EXPENSES | $40,000 |
| CHILD ADVOCATES SAN ANTONIO SAN ANTONIO, TX | OPERATING EXPENSES | $20,000 |
| CHILDREN'S ASSOCIATION FOR MAXIMUM POTENTIAL SAN ANTONIO, TX | OPERATING EXPENSES | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is managed by the White family, all of whom serve voluntarily without compensation:
- John H. White Jr. – Manager
- Tuleta C. White – Trustee
- Laurie M. White – Trustee
- John White III – Trustee
- Molly C. White – Trustee
- Matthew White – Trustee
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN H WHITE JR | MANAGER | 1 | — |
| TULETA C WHITE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| LAURIE M WHITE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MOLLY C WHITE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MATTHEW WHITE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Mailing Address:
PO Box 791000
San Antonio, TX 78279-1000
Phone: (210) 349-8822
Email: Not publicly available
Website: None identified
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Circle Bar Foundation fund?
The foundation's stated purpose is to provide support for secondary education and programs for child welfare. Based on recent giving patterns, the foundation funds across several priority areas: • Youth development • Human services • Community foundations and charitable organizations • Historical preservation and cultural institutions • Education, particularly special education and deaf education • Arts and culture • Community and human services
How do I apply for a grant from Circle Bar Foundation?
**Grant Range:** $1,000 to $235,000 **Typical Award Sizes:** • Average grant amount: approximately $32,500–$139,000 • Median grant amount: $20,000–$34,082 **Recent Activity:** • 2024: 32 grants awarded totaling approximately $1.1 million • 2023: 48 grants awarded totaling $1,367,020 • Total giving rate: approximately 5.0% of assets annually **Application Process:** The foundation does not maintain publicly advertised grant programs and suggests a preference for private, relationship-based phila…
Where does Circle Bar Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Texas, with some grants awarded to Kansas and Georgia. Specific cities where grants have been distributed include San Antonio, Austin, and Albany.
What size grants does Circle Bar Foundation award?
In 2024, Circle Bar Foundation awarded 49 grants totaling $1.6M — an average of about $33K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Circle Bar Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Circle Bar Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Circle Bar Foundation's EIN?
Circle Bar Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-6063672. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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