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Impetus Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker San Antonio, TX EIN: 27-1602489 Website

Impetus Foundation is a private foundation based in San Antonio, Texas (EIN 27-1602489). Its 2025 filing reports 84 grants totaling $14,144,829, with most grant dollars going to recipients in Texas.

Impetus Foundation at a glance

In short: Impetus Foundation gave $14.1M across 84 grants in 2025 (avg $168K), mostly in Texas. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$14,144,829
+80.5% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
84
+86.7% vs 2024
Average grant
$168,391
-3.3% vs 2024
Median grant
$25,000
Total assets
$296,551,858
+7.9% vs 2024
Primary geography
Texas (91% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.

How to apply to Impetus Foundation

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Its 2024 filing statement says it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.

Contact

Mailing address: 4114 Pond Hill Suite 201, San Antonio, TX 78231
Phone: (210) 404-2211
Website: https://impetus.org.uk

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Impetus Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Tecnologico de Monterrey Foundation: $3.0MTecnologico de MonterreyFoundation$3.0MUnited Way of San Antonio and Bexar County: $2.4MUnited Way of San Antonio andBexar County$2.4MUT Health Science Center of San Antonio: $2.0MUT Health Science Center ofSan Antonio$2.0MSt Mary's Hall: $838KSt Mary's Hall$838KFriends of CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Foundation: $541KFriends of CHRISTUS Santa RosaFoundation$541KUS Fund for UNICEF: $533KUS Fund for UNICEF$533KHaven For Hope Bexar County: $500KHaven For Hope Bexar County$500KBexar Co Performing Arts Ctr: $500KBexar Co Performing Arts Ctr$500KClassical Musical Institute: $500KClassical Musical Institute$500KTeach for America San Antonio: $313KTeach for America San Antonio$313K

The largest 2025 recipient was Tecnologico de Monterrey Foundation ($3.0M). Together the top 10 received $11.1M.

Grant Size Distribution

206 grants across all recorded years

108<$50K23$50–100K40$100–250K4$250–500K14$500K–1M12$1–5M5$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 108 grants of 206 (52%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The 2025 filing reports that 91% of grant dollars went to Texas recipients, 4% to New York, 3% to California, and 1% each to the District of Columbia and Tennessee. Many of the listed Texas recipients are in San Antonio.

Grant Distribution by State

11states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 84 itemized grants.

Cities

San AntonioAustinNew YorkHoustonIrvingWashingtonNorth AndoverDavidsonLos AngelesBooneNew HavenAusinAusitnBulverdeDallasKerrvilleMemphisNew BaltimoreRochesterSan Anotnio

How Impetus Foundation gives

  • 39% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 26% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 92% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$10M$20M$30M14 grants2019 19 grants2020 19 grants2021 24 grants2022 34 grants2023 45 grants2024 84 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $7.8M (2024) to $22.1M (2021). In 2025 it made 84 grants totaling $14.1M.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Tecnologico de Monterrey Foundation Houston, TXGeneral Charitable Purpse$3,000,000
United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County San Antonio, TXGeneral Charitable Purpose$2,406,356
UT Health Science Center of San Antonio San Antonio, TXGeneral Charitable Purpose$2,000,000
St Mary's Hall San Antonio, TXGeneral Charitable Purpose$837,500
Friends of CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Foundation San Antonio, TXGeneral Charitable Purpose$540,600
US Fund for UNICEF New York, NYGeneral Charitable Purpose$533,000
Haven For Hope Bexar County San Antonio, TXgeneral charitable purpose$500,000
Bexar Co Performing Arts Ctr San Antonio, TXGeneral Charitable Purpose$500,000
Classical Musical Institute San Antonio, TXGeneral Charitable Purpose$500,000
Teach for America San Antonio San Antonio, TXGeneral Charitable Purpose$312,500
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$296,551,858$37,628,077$16,005,602$14,144,82984$14,144,829$13,767,304$15,376,999
2024$274,929,383$32,128,450$9,583,343$7,834,93445$7,834,934$14,380,041$13,960,413
2023$252,384,275$7,635,616$13,552,468$12,244,09234$12,244,092$6,550,796$12,848,915
2022$258,301,124$23,038,604$13,232,663$11,192,50024$11,192,500$2,998,441$12,149,198
2021$248,495,187$85,291,192$23,479,857$22,103,64519$22,103,645$31,916,062$11,719,014
2020$186,683,852$6,887,483$12,404,877$11,398,74119—$5,881,347$10,916,904
2019$192,201,246$46,278,722$9,901,179$8,656,81114—$8,034,354$9,064,019

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Impetus Foundation reported a distributable amount of $15.4M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The funder’s website says it finds, funds, and builds high-potential organizations supporting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. It describes long-term unrestricted funding, hands-on support from an Investment team, access to pro bono experts, and policy work as parts of its approach.

The 2025 recipients’ own descriptions illustrate the range of organizations supported. United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County says its mission is to unite the community to identify and solve critical issues. Saint Mary’s Hall says it prepares students for success in college and fulfillment in life. Classical Music Institute says it cultivates classical music education and performance as a gateway to the arts. Haven for Hope of Bexar County says it provides a system of care for people experiencing homelessness in Bexar County. Alamo Colleges Foundation says it provides scholarships and other educational support to Alamo Colleges students.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2025, Impetus Foundation reported 84 grants totaling $14,144,829. Grant amounts ranged from $1,200 to $3,000,000, with a median of $25,000.

The largest reported grants included $3,000,000 to Tecnologico de Monterrey Foundation; $2,406,356 to United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County; $2,000,000 to UT Health Science Center of San Antonio; $837,500 to St. Mary’s Hall; and $540,600 to Friends of CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Foundation. The filing lists the purposes of these grants as general charitable purposes.

The funder’s website describes past rounds for organizations working on school attainment and skills. Those rounds are closed. Its 2026 school attainment round sought one new partner, and its 2026 skills round sought one or two; each described an initial year of £100,000 in core, unrestricted funding and organizational support. The website also lists 2025 rounds, which are past cycles.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Maria Alvarez as a trustee.

Impetus Foundation is led by Maria Alvarez, Trustee on every filing since 2024 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Maria Alvarez

    Trustee

    On filings since 2024

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Carlos Alvarez (2019–2023) — Trustee

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Frequently asked questions about Impetus Foundation

How much does Impetus Foundation give each year?

Impetus Foundation gave $14.1M across 84 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $7.8M across 45 grants.

What is Impetus Foundation's typical grant size?

Impetus Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $168,391, across 84 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Impetus Foundation give grants?

Impetus Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 91% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were San Antonio, TX (59 grants), Austin, TX (5 grants), Houston, TX (3 grants) and Los Angeles, CA (3 grants).

Does Impetus Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 98% of Impetus Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (82 of 84) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Impetus Foundation's largest grantees?

Impetus Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Tecnologico de Monterrey Foundation ($3,000,000), United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County ($2,406,356) and UT Health Science Center of San Antonio ($2,000,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 52% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Impetus Foundation?

Impetus Foundation reported $296.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $14.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $15.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.

What does Impetus Foundation fund?

The funder’s website says it finds, funds, and builds high-potential organizations supporting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. It describes long-term unrestricted funding, hands-on support from an Investment team, access to pro bono experts, and policy work as parts of its approach. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Impetus Foundation?

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Impetus Foundation's EIN?

Impetus Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-1602489. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Does Impetus Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

Data update history

(8)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 3, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 7, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 8, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 9, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 29, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 12, 2025)
  7. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 12, 2026)
  8. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025

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Total Given

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Impetus Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/impetus-foundation-morg_317eef08b82f4c23a3d068e9410951d3

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_271602489_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Impetus Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/impetus-foundation-morg_317eef08b82f4c23a3d068e9410951d3},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-12. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}

The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.

Figures come from Impetus Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.

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