Foundations & Grantmakers in Texas
13,551 grantmakers in Texas reported grants on their latest 990s. The 4,869 that made at least 5 grants gave $11.5B. The largest by giving are The Big 12 Conference Inc, Musk Foundation and Tarrant Safety Net Support Corporation. The list below ranks grantmakers with at least 5 grants by annual giving, and each funder links to a profile with its grant history and financials.
Looking for open funding opportunities instead? Browse Texas grants
Foundation giving in Texas at a glance
Active grantmakers
13,551
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$11.5B
from the 4,869 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$20K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$69K
per grantmaker
Top 10 foundations in Texas by annual giving
| # | Funder | City | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Big 12 Conference Inc | Irving | $557.0M | 16 |
| 2 | Musk Foundation | Austin | $474.3M | 55 |
| 3 | Tarrant Safety Net Support Corporation | Arlington | $345.0M | 36 |
| 4 | Dallas Safety Net Support Corporation | Dallas | $321.6M | 44 |
| 5 | Greater Houston Community Foundation | Houston | $232.3M | 1,724 |
| 6 | Catholic Charities Diocese of Fort Worth | Fort Worth | $226.0M | 20 |
| 7 | The Houston Food Bank | Houston | $210.7M | 1,128 |
| 8 | Communities Foundation of Texas Inc | Dallas | $209.2M | 2,209 |
| 9 | North Texas Food Bank | Plano | $208.7M | 198 |
| 10 | American Heart Association Inc | Dallas | $198.2M | 833 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked.
Most common focus areas
- Education 678 · 28%
- Human Services 315 · 13%
- Religion Related 233 · 10%
- Health 196 · 8%
- Arts, Culture & Humanities 166 · 7%
- Community Improvement & Capacity Building 139 · 6%
Share of grantmakers with a program NTEE code (39% carry any NTEE code); general grantmaking foundations (NTEE T) are not counted.
Community foundations in Texas
- Greater Houston Community Foundation $232.3M · 1,724 grants
- Communities Foundation of Texas Inc $209.2M · 2,209 grants
- The Dallas Foundation $87.3M · 788 grants
- Community Foundation of the Texas Hill $60.0M · 202 grants
- Austin Community Foundation Inc $54.7M · 764 grants
- Dallas Jewish Community Foundation $52.9M · 579 grants
- Community Foundation of North Texas (Tax $41.3M · 872 grants
- San Antonio Area Foundation $35.4M · 379 grants
Showing the largest 8 of 37 with at least 10 grants.
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2025).
Most open to new grantees in Texas
Foundations based in Texas whose latest grant list had the largest share of organizations they had not funded in any earlier year on file.
| # | Funder | First-time grantees | Grantees | Avg first grant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation | 91% (21) | 23 in 2024 | $17K |
| 2 | Jacksonville Education Foundation Inc | 89% (32) | 36 in 2024 | $2K |
| 3 | The Medrano Family Foundation | 89% (31) | 35 in 2025 | $4K |
| 4 | Collaborative for Children | 88% (22) | 25 in 2025 | $11K |
| 5 | Tr R & CT Gwathmey Mem Uw Egj | 87% (33) | 38 in 2025 | $19K |
| 6 | Donatestock Charitable Inc | 84% (181) | 215 in 2024 | $41K |
| 7 | Katherine C Carmody Charitable Tuw | 82% (73) | 89 in 2025 | $31K |
| 8 | Joseph and Desiree Whitney Family | 82% (18) | 22 in 2025 | $3K |
| 9 | Je and Le Mabee Foundation Inc | 82% (84) | 103 in 2025 | $740K |
| 10 | Oldham Little Church Foundation | 81% (100) | 124 in 2024 | $14K |
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990 and 990-PF grant lists. Only foundations with at least 20 grants in each of the last three years (and 20 distinct grantees in the latest), a filing from the last 2 years, and first grants averaging at least $1K are ranked; grants to individuals are left out, and recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed grantee can look new. How we calculate this.
Showing 4,869 grantmakers in Texas with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
The Big 12 Conference Inc
Irving, TX
Assets
$59.6M
Grants
16
Total Given
$557.0M
Musk Foundation
Austin, TX
Assets
$463.0M
Grants
55
Total Given
$474.3M
Tarrant Safety Net Support Corporation
Arlington, TX
Assets
$8.0M
Grants
36
Total Given
$345.0M
Dallas Safety Net Support Corporation
Dallas, TX
Assets
$5.5M
Grants
44
Total Given
$321.6M
Greater Houston Community Foundation
Houston, TX
Assets
$1.1B
Grants
1,724
Total Given
$232.3M
Catholic Charities Diocese of Fort Worth
Fort Worth, TX
Assets
$76.9M
Grants
20
Total Given
$226.0M
The Houston Food Bank
Houston, TX
Assets
$164.4M
Grants
1,128
Total Given
$210.7M
Communities Foundation of Texas Inc
Dallas, TX
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
2,209
Total Given
$209.2M
North Texas Food Bank
Plano, TX
Assets
$190.7M
Grants
198
Total Given
$208.7M
American Heart Association Inc
Dallas, TX
Assets
$2.0B
Grants
833
Total Given
$198.2M
Laura and John Arnold Foundation
Houston, TX
Assets
$4.8B
Grants
789
Total Given
$193.3M
O'Donnell Foundation
Dallas, TX
Assets
$195.1M
Grants
33
Total Given
$187.4M
Michael & Susan Dell Foundation
Austin, TX
Assets
—
Grants
835
Total Given
$164.6M
Alamo Workforce Development Inc
San Antonio, TX
Assets
$34.3M
Grants
10
Total Given
$163.1M
Children's Health System of Texas
Dallas, TX
Assets
$5.9B
Grants
9
Total Given
$161.1M
American Athletic Conference
Irving, TX
Assets
$88.2M
Grants
15
Total Given
$126.8M
The Moody Foundation
Galveston, TX
Assets
$3.5B
Grants
373
Total Given
$121.3M
The 85 Fund
Fort Worth, TX
Assets
$2.8M
Grants
39
Total Given
$118.2M
San Antonio Food Bank
San Antonio, TX
Assets
$116.9M
Grants
429
Total Given
$115.5M
The Sarofim Foundation
Houston, TX
Assets
$3.2B
Grants
90
Total Given
$105.2M
The Rees-Jones Foundation
Dallas, TX
Assets
$666.1M
Grants
177
Total Given
$103.9M
Houston Endowment Inc
Houston, TX
Assets
$2.5B
Grants
355
Total Given
$99.6M
Children's Medical Center Foundation
Dallas, TX
Assets
$2.5B
Grants
5
Total Given
$99.2M
Methodist Hospitals of Dallas
Dallas, TX
Assets
$4.3B
Grants
65
Total Given
$88.2M
Here's the math on clicking through this list.
You, clicking into all 24 funders
~2.8 hrs
at ~7 min per funder profile
Your agents, the same 24
~1 min
every profile evaluated and scored, with reasoning
Questions about foundations in Texas
What are the largest foundations in Texas?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are The Big 12 Conference Inc ($557.0M across 16 grants), Musk Foundation ($474.3M) and Tarrant Safety Net Support Corporation ($345.0M). Together the top 10 account for 26% of the $11.5B given by the 4,869 grantmakers in Texas that made at least 5 grants. Organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants, usually a single transfer to an affiliated charity, are left out of the ranking.
How big is a typical foundation grant in Texas?
The typical grant is about $20K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $69K in total in their latest filing year, so many are small foundations that give to a few organizations they already know. The largest funders make many more grants, but also get the most requests.
Are there community foundations in Texas?
Yes. We found 37 community foundations in Texas with grant activity. The largest by giving are Greater Houston Community Foundation, Communities Foundation of Texas Inc and The Dallas Foundation. Community foundations pool gifts from many local donors and usually run open grant rounds for nonprofits in their area, which makes them a good first stop for local funding.
How do I find Texas foundations that accept unsolicited proposals?
Most private foundations don't run an open application. Their 990-PF says whether they only give to preselected charities, and their past grants show who they actually fund. Start with the funders above whose grant counts and typical grant size fit your budget, then check each profile's grant history for organizations like yours before you reach out. Read the grant prospecting guide.
Related guides
- Grant prospecting: how to find funders that fit
How to shortlist foundations in Texas from their 990s and giving history.
- AI grant writing: draft proposals in your voice
Turn a shortlist into LOIs and proposals drafted from your own materials.