Houston Arts Alliance
Houston Arts Alliance (HAA) is a local arts and culture nonprofit agency based in Houston, Texas. Established in 1977, HAA serves as the city's designated local arts and culture agency. The organization implements the City of Houston's vision, values, and goals for arts grantmaking and civic art investments through contracts with the City of Houston, overseen by the Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs. HAA also executes privately funded programs and projects to meet the needs of the arts community.
Key facts about Houston Arts Alliance
- EIN
- 74-1946756
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $12,421,542
- Grants made (2024)
- 128
- Average grant
- $97,043
- Median grant
- $41,352
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (21 of 124, 2024)
- Total assets
- $39,726,791
- Primary geography
- Texas (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Houston Arts Alliance funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Houston Arts Alliance's 128 itemized 2024 grants were Texas (100%). The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (126 grants) and Kingwood, TX (2 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Houston Arts Alliance open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 21 of 124 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $58K; repeat grants $109K. How we count
Medians: $14K first-time, $52K repeat.
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Houston Arts Alliance
- How to evaluate Houston Arts Alliance as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$39.7M
+7.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$12.4M
+5.9% YoY
Grant Count
128
+4.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$97K
+1.7% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
HAA's mission is to help artists and nonprofits be bold, productive, and strong. The organization works to improve the quality of life for Houstonians and visitors while promoting Houston as a premier arts and culture destination.
HAA invests in Houston through the following activities:
- Providing grants to arts, culture, and community organizations and individual artists
- Commissioning, conserving, and promoting public art and enlivening public spaces
- Highlighting and celebrating the region's rich folklife and diverse cultural traditions through programming and documentation
- Helping arts and culture organizations develop business acumen
- Engaging neighborhoods and civic partners to advance equity in and access to arts and culture
- Furthering the arts and culture field through research and convenings
- Funding cultural tourism initiatives
- Expanding the overall creative economy
Grantmaking
HAA manages the City of Houston's competitive Arts Grants Program under contract with the City, awarding grants through a peer review panel process. Grant decisions are based on key elements including artistic/cultural merit, audience development and community outreach, cultural tourism impact, and the administrative and management ability of grant recipients.
Ready to take the next step with Houston Arts Alliance?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
HAA focuses on the Greater Houston Area and Houston, Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 128 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $39,726,791
- Total Revenues: $25,459,308
- Total Expenses: $21,984,472
Previous Year Data (2023):
- Total Assets: $37.1M
- Total Revenues: $22.7M
- Total Expenses: $25.5M
- Total Liabilities: $22.4M
Budget Composition:
- Approximately 55% from Hotel Occupancy Tax
- Approximately 30% from the City of Houston's Percent for Art Program (supports commissions of new civic art projects and conservation of existing artworks)
- Approximately 15% from private fundraising (grants, contributions, and other revenue)
Staffing:
- 31 employees (as of 2024)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $39,726,791 | $37,118,560 | $34,542,590 |
| Revenue | $25,459,308 | $22,732,047 | $21,603,501 |
| Expenses | $21,984,472 | $25,458,950 | $18,544,264 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $23,289 | $40,481 | $14,309 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
691 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
6 open opportunities from Houston Arts Alliance
Houston Arts Alliance: City's Initiative Grant
Houston Arts Alliance
Amount
Up to US $10,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Houston Arts Alliance: Festival Grant
Houston Arts Alliance
Amount
Up to US $10,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Let Creativity Happen! Grant
Houston Arts Alliance
Amount
Up to US $2,500
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Museum of Fine Arts Houston ($755,710), Houston Ballet Foundation ($734,979), Houston Zoo Inc ($730,327).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Museum of Fine Arts Houston Houston, TX | General support | $755,710 |
| Houston Ballet Foundation Houston, TX | General support | $734,979 |
| Houston Zoo Inc Houston, TX | General support | $730,327 |
| The Hobby Center Foundation Houston, TX | General support | $727,641 |
| Alley Theatre Houston, TX | General support | $717,690 |
| Houston Grand Opera Association Inc Houston, TX | General support | $704,263 |
| Houston Symphony Society Houston, TX | General support | $703,582 |
| Menil Foundation Inc Houston, TX | General support | $698,249 |
| The Houston Museum Of Natural Science Houston, TX | General support | $690,870 |
| Theatre Under The Stars Inc Houston, TX | General support | $608,772 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Houston Arts Alliance is led by John M Abodeely, CEO to since 2024 (on filings since 2020); 7 of 39 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
John M Abodeely
CEO to
CEO → CEO to, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$184K (2020) → $303K (2024)
Taylor Simone Jackson
Interim CEO From
Director of Grants → Interim CEO From, 2024
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$109K (2023) → $131K (2024)
Michele Leal Farah
Chair
Vice Chair → Chair, 2023
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Grace Zuniga
Director of Civic Art
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$104K (2022) → $124K (2024)
Sixto Wagan
Director of Banf
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$113K (2022) → $128K (2024)
Karen Martinez
Director of Communications
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$109K (2024)
Michelle Dobbins
Director of Disaster Svc
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$118K (2024)
Alim Adatia
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Davis
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brenda Peters-Chase
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
CC Conner
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jackie Maldonado
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joe Brettell
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Judy Nyquist
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
June Deadrick
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lauren Anderson
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Louise Upshaw-McClenny
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rosi Hernandez
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shaheen Rahman
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susanne Burkeholder
Director
Treasurer → Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Victoria Lara
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Garfield Johnson
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Juan Alanis
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Necole Irvin
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Beryl Basham
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Darryl Gaines
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jerry Barnett
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rosalinda Martinez
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christopher Cardenas
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eric Blackwell
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eryn Roberts
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Paul Capistran
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Justin Goodman
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Paola Creixell
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shani Burnett
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stacey P Keene
COO
CFO → COO, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$106K (2020) → $180K (2024)
Paula Sutton
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jackie Phillips
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sergio Selvera
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2023
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (22)
- Former: Craig Massey (2020–2022) — Chairman
- Former: Fabene Welch (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Lester Marks (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Marc Nguyen (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Carla Lane (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Cynthia Toles (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Jack Moriniere (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Leigh Smith (2020–2021) — Imm Past Chair & Director
- Former: Tammy Dowe (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Adnan Medrano (2021) — Secretary
- Former: Gregory Shannon (2021) — Director
- Former: Adn Medrano (2020) — Secretary
- Former: Antonio Tillis (2020) — Director
- Former: Ashley Langley (2020) — Director
- Former: Debbie McNulty (2020) — Director
- Former: Deidre Thomas (2020) — Director of Grants
- Former: Erin McClarty (2020) — Director
- Former: Mady Kades (2020) — Director
- Former: Michael Heckman (2020) — Director
- Former: Michele Leal (2020) — Vice Chair
- Former: Sebastien Solar (2020) — Director
- Former: Sylvia Csares (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
HAA has announced multiple grant cycles and recipients in recent years, including:
Houston Arts Alliance Announces 2026 Grant Recipients - Glasstire2026 Grant Recipients announcement
Houston Arts Alliance Announces 2026 Grant Recipients - GlasstireOpen call for Let Creativity Happen! City's Initiative Grants (2026)
City of Houston Awards Grants to Projects Amplifying Artistic CreativityCity of Houston awards to projects amplifying artistic creativity and innovation (2024 and 2025)
City of Houston Awards Grants to Projects Amplifying Artistic CreativityThe organization maintains a public list of grantees on its website.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Houston Arts Alliance fund?
HAA's mission is to help artists and nonprofits be bold, productive, and strong. The organization works to improve the quality of life for Houstonians and visitors while promoting Houston as a premier arts and culture destination. HAA invests in Houston through the following activities: • Providing grants to arts, culture, and community organizations and individual artists • Commissioning, conserving, and promoting public art and enlivening public spaces • Highlighting and celebrating the regio…
How do I apply for a grant from Houston Arts Alliance?
HAA manages the City of Houston's competitive Arts Grants Program under contract with the City, awarding grants through a peer review panel process. Grant decisions are based on key elements including artistic/cultural merit, audience development and community outreach, cultural tourism impact, and the administrative and management ability of grant recipients. **Recent Grant Activity:** • Total grants awarded through the City of Houston's Arts Grants Program: $15,251,949 • Typical award range: …
Where does Houston Arts Alliance make grants?
HAA focuses on the Greater Houston Area and Houston, Texas.
What size grants does Houston Arts Alliance award?
In 2024, Houston Arts Alliance awarded 128 grants totaling $12.4M — an average of about $97K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Houston Arts Alliance's EIN?
Houston Arts Alliance's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-1946756. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Houston Arts Alliance's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.