Frankel Family Foundation
The Frankel Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Houston, Texas, established in 1991. The foundation operates as a non-operating foundation with a focus on philanthropic giving across multiple states, primarily in Texas and California.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$10.8M
+7.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$800K
+32.2% YoY
Grant Count
26
+18.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$31K
+11.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Frankel Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $746K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports a diverse range of charitable organizations. Recent grantmaking has included support for educational institutions, including post-graduate programs at academies, charter school initiatives, and capital campaigns at schools. The foundation also supports cultural and research institutions.
Grantmaking
The foundation maintains an active grantmaking program with the following characteristics:
Grant Range
**: Individual grants have ranged from $5,000 to $200,000, with an average award of approximately $24,000 and a median grant of $10,000
How to Apply
**: The foundation makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports organizations in Texas, California, and Massachusetts, which account for 89% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across six states, including Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Utah. Specific cities receiving support include Houston, Stanford, Cambridge, Atherton, Carlisle, Hillsdale, Kanab, and Monterey.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2023)
- Total Assets: $10,118,428
- Total Revenue: $1,849,381
- Total Expenses: $613,838
- Total Liabilities: $0
Revenue Breakdown (2023)
- Grants and Contributions: $919,470
- Investment Income and Dividends: $383,330
Historical Growth
- Total assets have grown from $5.9 million in 2011 to $10.1 million in 2023
- Annual giving has grown from $440,000 in 2020 to $605,000 in 2023
Tax Status
- Designated as a 501(c)(3) organization
- Tax-exempt since February 1992
- EIN: 76-0354825
- Contributions are tax-deductible
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $10,826,758 | $10,118,428 | $9,448,321 |
| Revenue | $1,827,735 | $1,849,381 | $1,482,073 |
| Expenses | $808,874 | $613,838 | $576,638 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $800,000 | $605,000 | $570,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $728,064 | $921,073 | $452,399 |
| Distributable Amount | $746,078 | $589,969 | $548,912 |
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
116 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Baylor College of Medicine ($150,000), Houston Food Bank ($150,000), Hoover Institution at Stanford University ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN HERITAGE EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC HOUSTON, TX | GENERAL | $10,000 |
| ARMY WAR COLLEGE FOUNDATION CARLISLE, PA | GENERAL | $5,000 |
| BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE HOUSTON, TX | BAYLOR ANDROLOGY RESEARCH SCHOLARS | $150,000 |
| BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY KANAB, UT | GENERAL | $25,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF AUSTIN AUSTIN, TX | GENERAL | $5,000 |
| TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL HOUSTON, TX | GENERAL | $25,000 |
| CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL HOUSTON, TX | GENERAL | $10,000 |
| MD ANDERSON CHILDREN'S CANCER HOSPITAL HOUSTON, TX | GENERAL | $25,000 |
| HILLSDALE COLLEGE HILLSDALE, MI | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $10,000 |
| HOUSTON GRAND OPERA ASSOCIATION INC HOUSTON, TX | GENERAL | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Russell M. Frankel - Principal Officer and Chairman
- Sherry G. Frankel - Vice President
- Marvin D. Nathan - Secretary
- Julia Frankel - Trustee
All leadership members serve without compensation. The foundation is governed by four officers and trustees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RUSSELL M FRANKEL | CHAIRMAN | 1 | — |
| SHERRY G FRANKEL | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| MARVIN D NATHAN | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| JULIA FRANKEL | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 3604 Meadow Lake Lane, Houston, TX 77027-4111
Phone: (713) 526-5525
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Frankel Family Foundation fund?
The foundation supports a diverse range of charitable organizations. Recent grantmaking has included support for educational institutions, including post-graduate programs at academies, charter school initiatives, and capital campaigns at schools. The foundation also supports cultural and research institutions.
How do I apply for a grant from Frankel Family Foundation?
The foundation maintains an active grantmaking program with the following characteristics: • **Grant Range**: Individual grants have ranged from $5,000 to $200,000, with an average award of approximately $24,000 and a median grant of $10,000 • **Annual Activity**: The foundation distributed $605,000 across 22 grants in 2023. Historical grantmaking peaked in 2022 with $1.1 million distributed across 50 grants • **Total Grantmaking**: The foundation has made 115 grants totaling $2.7 million to ap…
Where does Frankel Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily supports organizations in Texas, California, and Massachusetts, which account for 89% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across six states, including Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Utah. Specific cities receiving support include Houston, Stanford, Cambridge, Atherton, Carlisle, Hillsdale, Kanab, and Monterey.
What size grants does Frankel Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Frankel Family Foundation awarded 26 grants totaling $800K — an average of about $31K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Frankel Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Frankel Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $746K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Frankel Family Foundation's EIN?
Frankel Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 76-0354825. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Frankel Family Foundation'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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