Ruth and Ted Bauer Family Foundation
The Ruth and Ted Bauer Family Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1997 and based in Houston, Texas. As a 501(c)(3) organization, it operates as a family foundation focused on philanthropic giving in education and children's services.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$19.4M
-1.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.2M
+10.7% YoY
Grant Count
13
-18.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$92K
+36.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ruth and Ted Bauer Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $992K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving primarily supports education and addresses the needs of children. Specific funding interests include:
- Education support, particularly in public school systems
- Teacher salary support
- Student programs and enrichment activities
- Children's services and development
- Animal welfare and shelter medicine initiatives
Grantmaking
The foundation primarily funds two third-grade classrooms in Alief ISD, provides teacher salary support, supports capital campaigns, hosts student concert series, and partners with Shelter Medicine & Animal Partnership-Texas.
Grant Range
$25,000
Average Grant
amount: approximately $80,800
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's primary geographic focus is Houston, Texas and the surrounding region, with particular emphasis on local education initiatives within Alief ISD.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Giving (2024):
- Total assets: $19,422,864
- Total revenues: $877,048
- Total expenses: $1,232,064
- Total giving: Approximately $970,000–$1,075,000
Historical Financials (2023):
- Total assets: $19,777,880
- Total revenues: $685,000
- Total expenses: $1,140,000
Giving Rate: Approximately 4.7% of assets annually
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $19,422,864 | $19,777,880 | $20,233,120 |
| Revenue | $877,048 | $684,878 | $468,065 |
| Expenses | $1,232,064 | $1,140,118 | $1,003,615 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,207,182 | $1,099,558 | $1,002,456 |
| Net Investment Income | $859,866 | $660,318 | $449,390 |
| Distributable Amount | $991,804 | $995,344 | $1,053,303 |
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
81 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Memorial Hermann Foundation ($850,000), Agape Development Ministries ($75,000), Small Steps Nurturing Center ($60,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Agape Development Ministries Houston, TX | General support | $75,000 |
| Emerge Fellowship Houston, TX | High School Fellowships, College Scholars Program | $10,000 |
| Houston Arboretum & Nature Center Houston, TX | Educational Programs | $30,000 |
| Houston Grand Opera Assoc Houston, TX | Bauer Family High School Voice Studio | $25,000 |
| Houston SPCA Houston, TX | Shelter Medicine & Animal Partnership - Texas A&M | $20,000 |
| Houston Symphony Society Houston, TX | Student Concert Series | $15,000 |
| Memorial Hermann Foundation Houston, TX | General support | $850,000 |
| Roxbury Latin School West Roxbury, MA | Professional Development | $30,000 |
| Small Steps Nurturing Center Houston, TX | Teacher salary support | $60,000 |
| The Kinkaid School Inc Houston, TX | EMSI Program | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- C. Douglas Bauer — President/Trustee
- Jeffrey C. Lamberth — Secretary/Trustee
- Jay C. Houren — Treasurer/Trustee
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| C Douglas Bauer | Pres/Trustee | 0.25 | — |
| Jeffrey C Lamberth | Sec/Trustee | 0.25 | — |
| Jay C Houren | Treas/Trustee | 0.25 | — |
| Ted Pulsifer | Trustee | 0.25 | — |
| Meredith Cullen | Trustee | 0.25 | — |
| Henry JN Taub II | Trustee | 0.25 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has supported educational initiatives at major institutions, including:
Funding for the Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston, which celebrates cohorts of Ted Bauer Undergraduate Business Scholars
Bauers\u2019 generous gift will establish leadership academy for Danforth\Support for Washington University's Danforth Scholars program, establishing a leadership academy
Bauers\u2019 generous gift will establish leadership academy for Danforth\Contributions to educational endowments and scholarships at institutions including Bucknell University
Endowed Scholarships - Bucknell's course catalogSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Ruth and Ted Bauer Family Foundation fund?
The foundation's giving primarily supports education and addresses the needs of children. Specific funding interests include: • Education support, particularly in public school systems • Teacher salary support • Student programs and enrichment activities • Children's services and development • Animal welfare and shelter medicine initiatives
How do I apply for a grant from Ruth and Ted Bauer Family Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • The foundation made 18 grants in 2024 • Median grant size: $25,000 • Average grant amount: approximately $80,800 • Grant range: $10,000 to $675,000 **Recent Grants (2024):** • Memorial Hermann Foundation: $850,000 (General Support) • Agape Development Ministries: $75,000 (General Support) • Small Steps Nurturing Center: $60,000 (Teacher Salary Support) **Specific Funding Activities:** The foundation primarily funds two third-grade classrooms in Alief ISD, provides teacher …
Where does Ruth and Ted Bauer Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation's primary geographic focus is Houston, Texas and the surrounding region, with particular emphasis on local education initiatives within Alief ISD.
What size grants does Ruth and Ted Bauer Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Ruth and Ted Bauer Family Foundation awarded 13 grants totaling $1.2M — an average of about $92K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Ruth and Ted Bauer Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Ruth and Ted Bauer Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $992K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Ruth and Ted Bauer Family Foundation's EIN?
Ruth and Ted Bauer Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 76-0537473. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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