Earl C Sams Foundation Inc
The Earl C. Sams Foundation, Inc. is a private family foundation created by Earl C. Sams in New York on December 9, 1946. Originally capitalized with forty thousand shares of common stock of J. C. Penney Company, the foundation relocated its administration to Brownsville, Texas following Earl C. Sams' death on July 23, 1950. The foundation was subsequently moved to Corpus Christi, Texas and reincorporated as a Texas foundation in June 1988. Since its inception, the foundation has distributed over $48 million in grants to charitable organizations.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$20.7M
+2.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$777K
+4.7% YoY
Grant Count
49
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$16K
+4.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Earl C Sams Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation provides giving support for health care, youth and community development, and the environment. It awards grants to a wide array of charities for projects in various educational, medical, social, religious, and environmental fields.
Grantmaking
The foundation's Board of Directors meets three times annually, generally on the first Monday of March, June, and November. The application deadline for each meeting is generally thirty days before the scheduled meeting date. Applications received after the deadline will be considered at the following meeting.
Grant Range
is approximately $10,000, with an average grant size of $18,500.
Average Grant
of $18,500.
Review Cycle
for each meeting is generally thirty days before the scheduled meeting date. Applications received after the deadline will be considered at the following meeting.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in the South Texas area, with particular emphasis on Corpus Christi and surrounding regions. However, its funding extends beyond South Texas to include support for organizations in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and other areas in Texas, as well as organizations in New York and Colorado.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $20.7 million
- Total Annual Giving: $742,000
- Annual Revenue: $1.88 million
- Annual Expenses: $1.39 million
- Number of Employees: 3
The foundation's assets have grown 2.6% from the previous year.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $20,676,255 | $20,189,789 | $20,714,548 |
| Revenue | $1,883,764 | $835,784 | $858,445 |
| Expenses | $1,389,019 | $1,360,543 | $1,537,926 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,157,858 | $1,130,482 | $1,273,439 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,647,665 | $597,573 | $618,492 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,291,902 | $1,183,426 | $1,202,970 |
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
213 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Earl C Sams Foundation Inc
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Valley Zoological Society Gladys Porter Zoo ($170,500), Texas State Aquarium ($100,000), Hill Country Daily Bread Ministry ($40,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1 HOPE FOR KIDS SAN ANTONIO, TX | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION AUSTIN, TX | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| AGAPE RANCH CORPUS CHRISTI, TX | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| ARANSAS PASS FOR YOUTH INC ARANSAS PASS, TX | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $11,000 |
| ART MUSEUM OF SOUTH TEXAS CORPUS CHRISTI, TX | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| BAND PARENTS WINSTON CHURCHILL HIGH SCHOOL SAN ANTONIO, TX | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF SOUTH TEXAS CORPUS CHRISTI, TX | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| FOSTER ANGELS OF SOUTH TEXAS FOUNDATION CORPUS CHRISTI, TX | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| BONTON FARMS DALLAS, TX | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| CIBOLO CENTER FOR CONSERVATION BOERNE, TX | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The current board of directors consists of Bruce S. Hawn, Nancy E. Hawn, Candace N. Coutinho, Rohan P. Coutinho, M.D., Caitlyn J. Cairns, DVM, Peter I. Cairns, Sydney E. Bonner, Brian J. Bonner, Benjamin S. Hawn, Noel W. Hawn, Jonathan D. Hawn, and Papassara Hawn.
Key Officers:
- Bruce S. Hawn — President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Director
- Nancy E. Hawn — Vice President, Treasurer, and Director
- Susan Ohnmacht — Secretary and Assistant Treasurer
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRUCE S HAWN | PRESIDENT, CEO & DIRECTOR | 30 | $84,691 |
| NANCY HAWN | DIRECTOR | 1 | $3,900 |
| SUSAN OHNMACHT | ASST TREASURER/SECRETARY | 36 | $108,526 |
| CANDACE N COUTINHO | DIRECTOR | 1 | $3,900 |
| CAITLYN J CAIRNS | DIRECTOR | 1 | $3,900 |
| SYDNEY E THAMES BONNER | DIRECTOR | 1 | $3,900 |
| WILLIAM P THAMES | DIRECTOR | 1 | $3,900 |
| BENJAMIN S HAWN | DIRECTOR | 1 | $3,900 |
| JONATHAN D HAWN | DIRECTOR | 1 | $3,900 |
| ROHAN P COUTINHO | DIRECTOR | 1 | $3,900 |
| PETER CAIRNS | DIRECTOR | 1 | $3,900 |
| SUSAN G HAWN | V PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR | 15 | $59,696 |
Contact Information
Address: 101 N Shoreline Blvd Ste 500, Corpus Christi, TX 78401-2826
Phone: 361-883-1871
Website: www.ecsams.org
EIN: 74-1463151
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Earl C Sams Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation provides giving support for health care, youth and community development, and the environment. It awards grants to a wide array of charities for projects in various educational, medical, social, religious, and environmental fields.
How do I apply for a grant from Earl C Sams Foundation Inc?
The foundation's Board of Directors meets three times annually, generally on the first Monday of March, June, and November. The application deadline for each meeting is generally thirty days before the scheduled meeting date. Applications received after the deadline will be considered at the following meeting. Recent grant activity shows the foundation awarded approximately $742,000 in 2024 across 49 grants. Notable recent grants include $40,000 to Hill Country Daily Bread Ministries, $23,800 t…
Where does Earl C Sams Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in the South Texas area, with particular emphasis on Corpus Christi and surrounding regions. However, its funding extends beyond South Texas to include support for organizations in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and other areas in Texas, as well as organizations in New York and Colorado.
What size grants does Earl C Sams Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, Earl C Sams Foundation Inc awarded 49 grants totaling $777K — an average of about $16K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Earl C Sams Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Earl C Sams Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Earl C Sams Foundation Inc's EIN?
Earl C Sams Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-1463151. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Earl C Sams Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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