Houston Endowment is a nonpartisan, private foundation established in 1937 by Jesse H. and Mary Gibbs Jones. Based in Houston, Texas, the organization operates as a place-based funder committed to addressing the Greater Houston community's significant challenges and reducing barriers to opportunities. The foundation employs 37 staff members and maintains a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status since March 1938.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.5B
+5.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$99.6M
-6.6% YoY
Grant Count
355
+40.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$281K
-33.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Houston Endowment Inc reported a distributable amount of $120.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To improve the quality of life for everyone in Greater Houston.
Vision: A vibrant region where all have the opportunity to thrive.
The foundation's primary funding areas include:
- Public Education – Supporting children to graduate with choices for their future
- Civic Engagement – Growing civic engagement across the region
- Arts & Culture – Building Greater Houston's arts and culture sector
- Greenspaces – Expanding access to green spaces in the community
Grantmaking
Houston Endowment maintains an active grantmaking program with the following characteristics:
Grant Range
** $500 to $10 million, with median grants of $125,000–$150,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Texas, with secondary focus on the District of Columbia and California. Grantmaking is concentrated in the Greater Houston region and Texas broadly, with approximately 92% of grants supporting organizations in Texas, New York, and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $2.5 billion (as of 2024)
- Annual Revenue: $31.4 million to $427.4 million (varies by reporting source)
- Total Giving (2024): $99.6 million
- Total Giving (2023): $106.6 million
- Total Liabilities: $114 million (2024)
- Giving Rate: Approximately 4.5% of assets
- Cumulative Grants: 2,950 grants totaling $517.8 million across available records
- Deployment Commitment: $1 billion to deploy over the next 10 years
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,503,355,968 | $2,370,195,483 | $2,334,442,325 |
| Revenue | $160,328,117 | $122,609,629 | $188,440,163 |
| Expenses | $122,463,869 | $130,622,259 | $146,020,688 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $120,053,966 | $121,839,855 | $136,890,805 |
| Net Investment Income | $150,928,536 | $67,282,375 | $150,014,877 |
| Distributable Amount | $120,158,294 | $116,365,531 | $112,747,567 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Houston Endowment Inc
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Alliance of Community Assistance Ministries ($1,000,000), Casa Mateo ($1,000,000), Brazosport Independent School District ($950,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 50CAN Inc Washington, DC | Project Support for a Houston Fellow in the National Voices Fellowship | $25,000 |
| A Healthier Democracy Boston, MA | Program Support to Increase Civic Engagement among Healthcare Professionals and Patients | $300,000 |
| ACLU Foundation of Texas Inc Houston, TX | Program Support for Election Protection | $350,000 |
| Aldine Independent School District Houston, TX | Project Support to Improve Teacher Recruitment, Support, and Retention at Aldine Independent School District | $500,000 |
| Aldine Independent School District Houston, TX | Project Support to Increase Civic Engagement among Students and Families, Coordinate District Activities with Community Groups, and Conduct an Independent Evaluation of the Project | $578,000 |
| Aldine Independent School District Houston, TX | Project Support for Opportunity Culture Initiatives | $125,000 |
| Aldine Independent School District Houston, TX | Project Support for the Launch of a Grow Your Own Program | $200,000 |
| Alief Independent School District Houston, TX | Project Support to Increase Civic Engagement among Students and Families, Coordinate District Activities with Community Groups, and Conduct an Independent Evaluation of the Project | $285,000 |
| Alief Independent School District Houston, TX | Project Support to Expand Citizenship and English Language Acquisition Services | $425,000 |
| Alief Independent School District Houston, TX | Project Support for Postsecondary Outcomes Planning | $250,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Executive Leadership:
- Ann B. Stern – Director, President & CEO
- Steven A Hartman – Vice President, Finance
- Tabitha Rice – Vice President, Programs (beginning July 2024)
- John Rosenkild – General Counsel
Board Members:
- Melanie M Trent – Chair
- Arshad Matin – Director
- John M Esquivel – Director
- Pedro JJ Alvarez – Director
- Ann Barnes – Director
- Anthony R Chase – Director
- Darryl L Wilson – Director
- George Levan – Director
- Joseph C Dilg – Director
Program Staff:
- August Hamilton – Program Director, Education
- Meghna Goswami – Program Director, Civic Engagement
- Erin Forssman – Director, Grants Management
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
No officer/director data available.
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Houston Endowment has demonstrated significant recent grantmaking activity focused on education, nonprofit capacity building, and community engagement:
Houston Endowment | News | Houston Endowment awards $5 million to\u2026Awarded $5 million to support postsecondary success initiatives at nine area community colleges
Granted $450,000 to TNTP for teacher certification strengthening in Houston-area school districts
Expanded the Collaboration Fund with a $15 million investment in local nonprofit leadership and resiliency
Launched a $4.9 million Collaboration Fund initiative to strengthen organizational capacity of local nonprofits
Awarded $3 million to United Way to enhance nonprofit access to additional grant funding
Houston Endowment | News | $450,000 grant awarded to TNTP to\u2026The foundation maintains active engagement with the Greater Houston community through its program areas and continues to expand its grantmaking initiatives in response to evolving community needs.
Houston Endowment | News | Houston Endowment expands Collaboration\u2026Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Houston Endowment Inc fund?
**Mission:** To improve the quality of life for everyone in Greater Houston. **Vision:** A vibrant region where all have the opportunity to thrive. The foundation's primary funding areas include: • **Public Education** – Supporting children to graduate with choices for their future • **Civic Engagement** – Growing civic engagement across the region • **Arts & Culture** – Building Greater Houston's arts and culture sector • **Greenspaces** – Expanding access to green spaces in the community
How do I apply for a grant from Houston Endowment Inc?
Houston Endowment maintains an active grantmaking program with the following characteristics: • **Grant Range:** $500 to $10 million, with median grants of $125,000–$150,000 • **Annual Giving:** Approximately $99.6 million to $106.6 million annually • **Grant Volume:** Between 245–355 grants per year • **Application Status:** Open to applications • **Staffing:** The foundation maintains dedicated paid staff to manage grant operations Recent grant announcements include: • $5 million to support p…
Where does Houston Endowment Inc make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Texas, with secondary focus on the District of Columbia and California. Grantmaking is concentrated in the Greater Houston region and Texas broadly, with approximately 92% of grants supporting organizations in Texas, New York, and the District of Columbia.
What size grants does Houston Endowment Inc award?
In 2024, Houston Endowment Inc awarded 355 grants totaling $99.6M — an average of about $281K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Houston Endowment Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Houston Endowment Inc reported a distributable amount of $120.2M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Houston Endowment Inc's EIN?
Houston Endowment Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-6013920. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Houston Endowment 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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