The Saunders Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Houston, Texas. Established in November 1998, it operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to philanthropic giving across multiple states.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$8.0M
+11.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$363K
+0.5% YoY
Grant Count
22
+69.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$17K
-40.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding focuses on:
- Education
- Science and STEM education
- Human services
- Philanthropy and grantmaking support
- Hospice services
Grantmaking
The foundation typically makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations only and does not accept unsolicited applications.
Average Grant
amount: $12,000
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports organizations in:
- Texas (primary focus)
- California
- Tennessee
- New York
Grantmaking reaches organizations across 9 states, with 93% of all grants concentrated in Texas, California, and Tennessee. The foundation has supported 66 unique organizations.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | Amount | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $8,030,197 | 2024 |
| Annual Income | $1.7M | 2024 |
| Total Giving | $363,433 | 2024 |
| Total Expenses | $389K | 2023 |
| Total Revenue | $647K | 2023 |
Asset growth: From $4.6M in 2011 to $8M in 2024
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $8,030,197 | $7,176,719 | $7,345,166 |
| Revenue | $460,949 | $647,168 | $580,635 |
| Expenses | $394,264 | $389,391 | $408,161 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $363,433 | $361,800 | $363,550 |
| Net Investment Income | $428,162 | $615,947 | $542,583 |
| Distributable Amount | $373,932 | $328,457 | $359,416 |
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
133 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Principal Officer: Stuart Sunders
- The foundation is governed by 4 officers and trustees
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| FREDRIC M SAUNDERS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| GAYLE D SAUNDERS | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| MEREDITH S MASON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| STUART D SAUNDERS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Saunders Foundation has made significant commitments to educational institutions:
UR Nursing Receives $3M Gift from Saunders Foundation to Support Student**University of Rochester:** The foundation committed $30 million to support the Department of Orthopaedics and School of Nursing, including research and other programs
UR Nursing Receives $3M Gift from Saunders Foundation to Support Student**University of Rochester School of Nursing:** Received a $3 million gift to support student scholarships
UR Nursing Receives $3M Gift from Saunders Foundation to Support StudentSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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