Oshman Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker HOUSTON, TX EIN: 74-6039864

The Oshman Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1958 and based in Houston, Texas. The foundation operates as a company-sponsored foundation with a focus on supporting charitable organizations across multiple sectors.

Key facts about Oshman Foundation

EIN: 74-6039864
Latest 990 filing: Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024): $506,500
Grants made (2024): 7
Average grant: $72,357
Median grant: $5,000
Total assets: $745,753
Primary geography: Texas (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals: No
How to apply: The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Oshman Foundation funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Oshman Foundation's 7 itemized 2024 grants were Texas (100%). The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (6 grants). None of its 7 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (7 grants).

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$746K

-21.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$507K

+39.0% YoY

Grant Count

-41.7% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$72K

+138.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Oshman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $238K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation supports organizations involved with:

Arts and culture
Education
Hospitals and healthcare
Cancer research and services
Human services
Judaism

Grantmaking

Grant Range

$2,000

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in Houston, Texas and the surrounding region.

Grant Distribution by State

Texas $504K (100%)

Maryland $3K (0%)

Share of all 7 itemized 2024 grant dollars.

States

California Georgia Illinois Louisiana Maryland New Jersey New York Texas

Cities

HoustonNew YorkBaltimoreBeaumontChicagoHamiltonLa MarqueNew OrleansRiversideSan RafaelSandersville

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Current Financial Position (2024):

Total assets: $948,000
Total giving: $365,000

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$745,753	$947,813	$1,091,701
Revenue	$727,119	$99,757	$101,063
Expenses	$511,404	$369,900	$182,358
Qualifying Distributions	$508,300	$366,250	$177,650
Net Investment Income	$275,533	$124,525	$124,324
Distributable Amount	$238,209	$230,577	$213,918

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 7 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

77 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include The Orange Show Foundation ($473,000), Holocaust Museum Houston ($10,000), Methodist Hospital Foundation ($10,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
THE ORANGE SHOW FOUNDATION HOUSTON, TX	CHARITABLE	$473,000
HOLOCAUST MUSEUM HOUSTON HOUSTON, TX	CHARITABLE	$10,000
METHODIST HOSPITAL FOUNDATION HOUSTON, TX	CHARITABLE	$10,000
STAGES REPERTORY THEATER HOUSTON, TX	CHARITABLE	$5,000
CHRISTMAS BAY FOUNDATION HOUSTON, TX	CHARITABLE	$3,500
SUSAN SMITH BLACKBURN PRIZE HOUSTON, TX	CHARITABLE	$2,500
AMERICAN VISIONARY ARTS MUSEUM BALTIMORE, MD	CHARITABLE	$2,500

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
MARILYN OSHMAN	PRESIDENT/TREASURER	10	—
KAREN DESENBERG	V.P./SECRETARY	10	—
ANDREW LUBETKIN	V.P./ASST. SECRETARY/TREAS	10	—

Contact Information

Address: PO Box 27969, Houston, TX 77227-7969
Telephone: 713-621-3800

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Oshman Foundation fund?

The foundation supports organizations involved with: • Arts and culture • Education • Hospitals and healthcare • Cancer research and services • Human services • Judaism

How do I apply for a grant from Oshman Foundation?

**Grant Activity (2024):** • Total giving: $365,000 • Number of grants: 12 • Median grant size: $2,000 • Grant range: $500–$323,000 **Historical Giving Trends:** | Year | Total Assets | Total Giving | Number of Grants | Median Grant | |------|--------------|--------------|------------------|--------------| | 2024 | $948,000 | $365,000 | 12 | $2,000 | | 2023 | $1.1M | $176,000 | 16 | $2,000 | | 2022 | $1.2M | $135,000 | 22 | $3,000 | | 2021 | $1.1M | $102,000 | 20 | $2,000 | **Application Proces…

Where does Oshman Foundation make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in Houston, Texas and the surrounding region.

What size grants does Oshman Foundation award?

In 2024, Oshman Foundation awarded 7 grants totaling $507K — an average of about $72K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Oshman Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Oshman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $238K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.