Semmes Foundation Inc
Semmes Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in San Antonio, Texas. Established by D. R. Semmes in 1952, it supports charitable, scientific, and educational purposes and awards grants primarily in San Antonio.
Semmes Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Semmes Foundation Inc gave $272K across 5 grants in 2025 (avg $54K), mostly in Alabama. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $271,950
- -99.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 5
- +25.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $54,390
- -99.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $15,886,471
- +6.9% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Alabama (92% 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 Semmes Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. It asks applicants to send a concise written proposal describing and justifying the project by regular mail, along with an IRS determination letter demonstrating exempt status. Elaborate proposals and in-person presentations are discouraged; the foundation may contact applicants if it needs more information. It does not make grants to individuals or loans. The foundation says most funding is directed to areas of interest to its directors, and its filing notes awards are generally in the San Antonio area, with some contributions to board-specified institutions.
- Review Cycle
- There are no application deadlines. Requests are reviewed periodically, and applicants should hear from the foundation within six months.
- Deadline
- There are no application deadlines.
- Contact
Application contact: Cory Albracht
Mailing address: 800 Navarro Suite 210, San Antonio, TX 78205
Phone: (210) 225-0887
Website: https://semmesfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Semmes Foundation Inc
Who Semmes Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 5 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The University of Alabama ($250K). Together the top 5 received $272K.
Grant Size Distribution
42 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 25 grants of 42 (60%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website says it awards grants primarily in San Antonio. Its 2025 filing reports that 92% of grant dollars went to recipients in Alabama and 8% to recipients in Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 5 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Semmes Foundation Inc gives
- Giving fell 91% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 15% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $272K (2025) to $26.5M (2024). In 2025 it made 5 grants totaling $272K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL | Hazel Phelps Jones Award of Merit | $250,000 |
| McNay Art Museum San Antonio, TX | Art Exhibits | $18,300 |
| Texas Bar Foundation Austin, TX | Legal Aid | $2,000 |
| Texas Biomedical Research Institute San Antonio, TX | Medical Research Support | $1,150 |
| University of Texas San Antonio San Antonio, TX | General Support | $500 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $15,886,471 | $1,625,876 | $605,234 | $271,950 | 5 | $331,965 | $1,352,607 | $2,286,981 |
| 2024 | $14,865,829 | $21,839,877 | $27,124,067 | $26,505,000 | 4 | $26,566,572 | $21,280,127 | $1,959,692 |
| 2023 | $20,154,932 | $2,893,877 | $5,656,839 | $5,294,650 | 9 | $5,366,880 | $2,640,600 | $3,026,776 |
| 2022 | $22,912,981 | $2,417,432 | $3,491,744 | $3,101,150 | 13 | $3,175,473 | $2,130,800 | $3,099,329 |
| 2021 | $23,991,157 | $3,499,489 | $2,726,051 | $2,236,950 | 11 | $2,306,357 | $3,123,208 | $3,031,584 |
| 2020 | $23,118,803 | $2,277,032 | $2,884,290 | $2,548,450 | 8 | — | $2,032,439 | $2,484,763 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Semmes Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $2.3M 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 foundation was established for charitable, scientific, and educational purposes. Its 2025 grants included support for an award at the University of Alabama, art exhibits, legal aid, medical research, and general support.
Among its 2025 grantees, the McNay Art Museum describes its mission as engaging a diverse community in the discovery and enjoyment of visual arts. The Texas Bar Foundation says it funds work to enhance the rule of law and the justice system in Texas, including legal assistance for people in need. Texas Biomedical Research Institute describes its work as pioneering and sharing scientific breakthroughs to protect people and communities from infectious diseases.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported five grants totaling $271,950. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $250,000, with a median of $2,000. The largest grant was $250,000 to the University of Alabama for the Hazel Phelps Jones Award of Merit. Other reported grants included $18,300 to the McNay Art Museum for art exhibits, $2,000 to the Texas Bar Foundation for legal aid, $1,150 to Texas Biomedical Research Institute for medical research support, and $500 to the University of Texas San Antonio for general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Thomas R Semmes as president; Patricia Semmes as vice-president/secretary; William M Fisher as director; and Cory Albracht as secretary-treasurer.
Semmes Foundation Inc is led by Thomas R. Semmes, President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 4 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Thomas R. Semmes
President
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William M. Fisher
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cory Albracht
Secretary-Treasurer
On filings since 2023
10 hrs/week
$50K (2023) → $50K (2025)
Patricia Semmes
Vice President & Secretary
Vice President → Vice President & Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Douglas R. Semmes (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Carol Duffell (2020–2021) — Secretary
- Former: Dr Semmes (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $50K, to Cory Albracht (Secretary-Treasurer).
Frequently asked questions about Semmes Foundation Inc
How much does Semmes Foundation Inc give each year?
Semmes Foundation Inc gave $272K across 5 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $26.5M across 4 grants.
What is Semmes Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Semmes Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $54,390, across 5 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Semmes Foundation Inc give grants?
Semmes Foundation Inc gives mostly in Alabama: 92% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Texas (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Antonio, TX (3 grants).
Does Semmes Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 20% of Semmes Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 5) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Semmes Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Semmes Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include The University of Alabama ($250,000), McNay Art Museum ($18,300) and Texas Bar Foundation ($2,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 99% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Semmes Foundation Inc?
Semmes Foundation Inc reported $15.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $332K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.3M (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 Semmes Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation was established for charitable, scientific, and educational purposes. Its 2025 grants included support for an award at the University of Alabama, art exhibits, legal aid, medical research, and general support. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Semmes Foundation Inc?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Semmes Foundation Inc's EIN?
Semmes Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-6062264. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Semmes Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Semmes Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Semmes Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?