Elma Dill Russell Spencer Foundation
The Elma Dill Russell Spencer Foundation is a private foundation established in 1962 and based in San Antonio, Texas. Named after Elma Dill Russell Spencer (1895-1969), a San Antonio resident with interests in the history and culture of the Southwest, the foundation operates as an independent 501(c)(3) organization with significant assets dedicated to philanthropic work primarily in Texas.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$105.5M
+4.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.0M
+3.7% YoY
Grant Count
38
+18.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$131K
-12.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Elma Dill Russell Spencer Foundation reported a distributable amount of $5.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation focuses on funding education initiatives for underserved students, with particular emphasis on:
- Educational leadership development
- Pre-K-12 education programs
- Zoo admission and educational encounters for students attending Title 1 schools
- General operations support for nonprofit organizations
- Conservation and environmental education initiatives
Grantmaking
The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications. All grants are awarded to preselected organizations through internal selection processes.
Grant Range
$1,000 to $1,633,300
Average Grant
approximately $149,000
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Elma Dill Russell Spencer Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Primary focus on the San Antonio, Texas region, with some funding activity in New York and broader Texas initiatives.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2023-2024):
- Total assets: $105,548,041 (2024)
- Total revenue: $9,546,270 (2023)
- Total expenses: $5,613,606 (2023)
- Total liabilities: $314,000 (2023)
- Charitable disbursements: $4,960,849 (representing 83.2% of annual expenses)
- Giving rate: 4.8% of assets
Revenue Sources:
- 77% from asset sales
- 17.3% from dividends
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $105,548,041 | $101,030,189 | $96,790,692 |
| Revenue | $8,961,491 | $9,546,270 | $6,844,059 |
| Expenses | $5,959,591 | $5,613,606 | $5,956,246 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $4,960,849 | $4,781,633 | $5,221,006 |
| Net Investment Income | $8,168,927 | $8,901,100 | $4,896,670 |
| Distributable Amount | $5,290,148 | $4,962,565 | $4,779,917 |
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
145 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include University of the Incarnate Word ($1,125,000), Texas Wildlfe Association Foundation ($500,000), Trinity University ($375,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BRISCOE WESTERN ART MUSEUM SAN ANTONIO, TX | TABLE SPONSOR FOR GALA | $10,000 |
| CHARITY BALL ASSOCIATION SAN ANTONIO, TX | CHILDREN'S SUPPORT PROGRAMS | $50,000 |
| CHOOSE TO SUCCEED SAN ANTONIO, TX | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $175,000 |
| CIBOLO NATURE CENTER BOERNE, TX | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $25,000 |
| CITY KIDS ADVENTURES SAN ANTONIO, TX | PURCHASE OF EQUIPMENT | $35,000 |
| COASTAL BEND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION CORPUS CHRISTI, TX | HARVEY WEIL DINNNER SPONSORSHIP | $10,000 |
| FRIENDS OF CIBOLO WILDERNESS BOERNE, TX | CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS AND NATURE LITERACY EDUCATION | $75,000 |
| HILL COUNTRY YOUTH RANCH INGRAM, TX | ENRICHMENT AND EDUCATION PROGRAM | $100,000 |
| KIPP TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS SAN ANTONIO, TX | BEXAR COUNTY GROWTH | $30,000 |
| NAVY LEAGUE-ALAMO BATTALION SAN ANTONIO, TX | SUPPORT ALAMO BATTALION | $8,050 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Steve C. Lewis — President (20 hours/week, $95,000 compensation)
- AJ Lewis III — Vice President/Treasurer (0 hours/week, $0 compensation)
- Kathy Sutton — Secretary/Administrative Director (10 hours/week, $24,000 compensation)
- Louis H. Stumberg Jr. — Vice President (0 hours/week, $0 compensation)
- Raul C. Arredondo — Ranch Manager (40 hours/week, $61,000 compensation)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEVE C LEWIS | PRESIDENT | 20 | $95,000 |
| AJ LEWIS III | VP/TREASURER | — | — |
| KATHY SUTTON | SEC/ADMIN DIR | 10 | $24,000 |
| LOUIS H STUMBERG JR | VICE PRESIDENT | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
University of the Incarnate Word received a transformative gift of $5 million (October 2024)
UIW Receives Transformative Gift of $5 Million | OctoberTrinity University received $1.5 million from the foundation
Trinity Receives $1.5 Million from Elma Dill Russell Spencer Foundation |Rice University School Mathematics Project (RUSMP) received a prestigious small research grant from the Spencer Foundation
Trinity Receives $1.5 Million from Elma Dill Russell Spencer Foundation |Foundation continues to support educational leadership development and conservation initiatives
Contact Information
Address: 1900 Broadway Street, Suite 1405, San Antonio, TX 78215-1497
Phone: 210-733-1930
Tax ID (EIN): 74-6060515
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Elma Dill Russell Spencer Foundation fund?
The foundation focuses on funding education initiatives for underserved students, with particular emphasis on: • Educational leadership development • Pre-K-12 education programs • Zoo admission and educational encounters for students attending Title 1 schools • General operations support for nonprofit organizations • Conservation and environmental education initiatives
How do I apply for a grant from Elma Dill Russell Spencer Foundation?
**Grant Activity & Amounts:** • Annual giving: approximately $4.8 million (2023) • Total assets: $105.5 million (2024) • Grant range: $1,000 to $1,633,300 • Median grant size: $50,000 • Average grant size: approximately $149,000 • Number of annual awards: 26-32 grants per year **Recent Notable Grants (2023):** • University of the Incarnate Word: $1,633,300 (Maher Mission and Ministry Fund for Cardinal Cupboard and Scholarships) • Texas Agricultural Land Trust: $800,000 (Conservation/education) …
Where does Elma Dill Russell Spencer Foundation make grants?
Primary focus on the San Antonio, Texas region, with some funding activity in New York and broader Texas initiatives.
What size grants does Elma Dill Russell Spencer Foundation award?
In 2024, Elma Dill Russell Spencer Foundation awarded 38 grants totaling $5.0M — an average of about $131K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Elma Dill Russell Spencer Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Elma Dill Russell Spencer Foundation reported a distributable amount of $5.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Elma Dill Russell Spencer Foundation's EIN?
Elma Dill Russell Spencer Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-6060515. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Elma Dill Russell Spencer Foundation'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 Elma Dill Russell Spencer Foundation 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 Elma Dill Russell Spencer Foundation to a real strategy.