Sursum Corda Foundation
Sursum Corda Foundation is a private foundation based in Edna, Texas. Its 2025 filing states that awards are restricted to religious education or health purposes for underprivileged minors.
Sursum Corda Foundation at a glance
In short: Sursum Corda Foundation gave $23K across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in Texas. 7% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $22,800
- +9.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- +7.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,629
- +1.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $548,468
- +8.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 7% first-time grantees (1 of 14, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Texas (81% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Sursum Corda Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing says no formal applications are required and lists Mary Ann Weiss Bitter as the contact. Awards are restricted to religious education or health purposes for underprivileged minors. The filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
- Review Cycle
- No deadlines.
- Deadline
- No deadlines.
- Contact
Application contact: Mary Ann Weiss Bitter
Mailing address: 446 County Road 115, Edna, TX 77957
Phone: (361) 782-2820
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sursum Corda Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Texas Right to Life Educational Fund ($3K). Together the top 10 received $20K.
Grant Size Distribution
66 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 66 grants of 66 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars went primarily to Texas recipients: 81% went to Texas, 9% to Florida, 9% to Illinois, and 1% to Louisiana.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Sursum Corda Foundation open to new grantees?
7%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 14 grantees (7%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 86% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+10%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 133% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $21K (2021) to $23K (2025). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $23K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Texas Right to Life Educational Fund Bellaire, TX | Education | $2,500 |
| Ave Maria University Ave Maria, FL | Education | $2,000 |
| Central Catholic High School San Antonio, TX | Education | $2,000 |
| MSGR CB Motsett Scholarship Fund Danville, IL | Education | $2,000 |
| Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic School Port Lavaca, TX | Education | $2,000 |
| St John Bosco School San Antonio, TX | Education | $2,000 |
| University of Dallas Irving, TX | Education | $2,000 |
| Sam Houston State University for Ira & Margaret SKLAR Memorial Scholarship Houston, TX | Education | $2,000 |
| St Ignatius Martyr Catholic School Austin, TX | Education | $2,000 |
| Our Lady of Victory Catholic School Victoria, TX | Education | $1,000 |
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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 | $548,468 | $42,622 | $23,615 | $22,800 | 14 | $22,800 | $22,307 | $17,188 |
| 2024 | $507,651 | $40,732 | $21,615 | $20,800 | 13 | $20,800 | $21,917 | $16,132 |
| 2023 | $493,547 | $30,153 | $21,822 | $20,800 | 13 | $20,800 | $19,531 | $15,869 |
| 2022 | $484,564 | $29,391 | $21,722 | $20,800 | 13 | $20,800 | $13,771 | $16,310 |
| 2021 | $476,895 | $16,393 | $21,545 | $20,800 | 13 | $20,800 | $11,648 | $16,531 |
| 2020 | $373,204 | $14,240 | $22,096 | $21,300 | 13 | — | $9,166 | $17,686 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sursum Corda Foundation reported a distributable amount of $17K 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’s filing identifies religious education and health purposes for underprivileged minors as restrictions on awards. Its 2025 grants were listed for education and included schools, universities, and other educational recipients.
Among its grantees, the University of Dallas describes its mission as pursuing wisdom, truth, and virtue through education. Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children says it promotes early identification and intervention for children who are deaf or hard of hearing, helping them develop through listening, spoken language, and literacy.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave $22,800 through 14 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $300 to $2,500, with a median of $2,000.
Notable 2025 grants included $2,500 to Texas Right to Life Educational Fund; $2,000 each to Ave Maria University, Central Catholic High School, Msgr CB Motsett Scholarship Fund, Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic School, St John Bosco School, University of Dallas, Sam Houston State University for the Ira & Margaret Sklar Memorial Scholarship, and St Ignatius Martyr Catholic School; and $1,000 each to Our Lady of Victory Catholic School, St Mary’s Catholic Center, and Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Barbara B Terracina, Mary Ann Bitter, and Patrick Bitter as trustees.
Sursum Corda Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Mary Ann Bitter
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patrick Bitter
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Barbara B. Terracina
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Joseph W. Bitter (2020–2021) — Trustee
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.
Frequently asked questions about Sursum Corda Foundation
How much does Sursum Corda Foundation give each year?
Sursum Corda Foundation gave $23K across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $21K across 13 grants.
What is Sursum Corda Foundation's typical grant size?
Sursum Corda Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $1,629, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sursum Corda Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does Sursum Corda Foundation give grants?
Sursum Corda Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 81% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Florida (9%) and Illinois (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Antonio, TX (3 grants) and Austin, TX (2 grants).
Does Sursum Corda Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 14 grants with a stated purpose on Sursum Corda Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education" (13 grants).
Who are Sursum Corda Foundation's largest grantees?
Sursum Corda Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Texas Right to Life Educational Fund ($2,500), Ave Maria University ($2,000) and Central Catholic High School ($2,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 29% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Sursum Corda Foundation?
Sursum Corda Foundation reported $548K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $23K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $17K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Sursum Corda Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filing identifies religious education and health purposes for underprivileged minors as restrictions on awards. Its 2025 grants were listed for education and included schools, universities, and other educational recipients. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sursum Corda Foundation?
The filing says no formal applications are required and lists Mary Ann Weiss Bitter as the contact. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Sursum Corda Foundation's EIN?
Sursum Corda Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-2833600. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
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 August 4, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Sursum Corda Foundation funds
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