The Charles Butt Foundation
The Charles Butt Foundation is a private foundation and corporate foundation of H-E-B Grocery Company based in San Antonio, Texas. Founded in 2000 by billionaire Charles Butt, Chairman and CEO of the Texas-based H-E-B grocery chain, the foundation pursues a more equitable and prosperous future for all Texans through education and community partnerships. The foundation operates from a family legacy of philanthropy dating back to the Great Depression, when Charles Butt's family committed 5% of H-E-B's pre-tax earnings to civic causes—a practice that continues today. Charles Butt joined The Giving Pledge in 2018 and has committed over $250 million to Texas causes.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.5M
+77.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$7.1M
-30.1% YoY
Grant Count
80
-15.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$89K
-17.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Pursuing a more equitable and prosperous future for all Texans through education and community partnerships.
The foundation's primary funding areas include:
Statewide Programs:
- Raising Texas Teachers — A statewide initiative aimed at ensuring every student in Texas has access to an effective teacher by elevating the status of the teaching profession, improving teacher preparation, and providing scholarships to aspiring teachers.
- Raising Blended Learners — An initiative showcasing blended learning strategies for improving student achievement across diverse student demographics and geographic regions in Texas, particularly among districts with persistent achievement gaps. Through a statewide competitive application process, twenty school district teams have been selected to receive up to $300,000 to implement a blended learning program, with intensive technical assistance provided over three years.
- Raising School Leaders — Supporting the development of school leaders.
Regional Initiatives (San Antonio Area):
- Birth to Career Success — Supporting early childhood development and career pathways, including the establishment of Early Matters, the first Educare Center in Texas in the southern sector of San Antonio, and CAST Schools, a network of innovative schools designed in partnership with local public school districts and industry partners.
- An Informed Community — Supporting community awareness and engagement initiatives.
- Addressing San Antonio's Pressing Challenges — Providing seed funding and support for initiatives demonstrating potential to improve the lives of local children, families, schools, and the overall community.
The foundation also supports job shadowing and real-world learning opportunities through initiatives like SA Works.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
s:**
Invitation Only
** The foundation explicitly does not accept unsolicited grant applications or requests. Applications are by invitation only.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation focuses primarily on Texas statewide, with a regional emphasis on the Greater San Antonio area. Grantmaking extends across Texas, with some activity in Maryland and Washington, D.C.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
2024 (Most Recent Filing):
- Total Assets: $2,522,749
- Total Revenue: $17,474,590
- Total Expenses: $16,376,879
- Total Giving: $7,135,477
- Number of Grants: 80
- Average Grant Size: $89,000
2023:
- Total Assets: $1,424,546
- Total Revenue: $11,244,928
- Total Expenses: $20,874,798
- Total Giving: $10,212,536
- Number of Grants: 95
2022:
- Total Assets: $11,068,686
- Total Revenue: $26,036,047
- Total Expenses: $20,545,653
- Total Giving: $20,421,725
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,522,749 | $1,424,546 | $11,068,686 |
| Revenue | $17,474,590 | $11,244,928 | $26,036,047 |
| Expenses | $16,376,879 | $20,874,798 | $20,545,653 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $16,219,602 | $17,723,341 | $20,421,725 |
| Net Investment Income | $16,251 | $122,330 | $3,669 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
223 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
- J. Cody Huie — President (effective January 1, 2026)
- Dr. Shari Albright — Former President (served more than seven years; transitioned to advisor role to the CEO of Fair Winds Management, LLC in January 2026)
- Karen Matt — Regional Alumni Director
- Joel Goudeau — Creative Director
- Lori De Leon — Human Resources Director
- Christine Lowak — Director
The foundation employs 26 staff members as of 2024.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHARLES C BUTT - SEE STMT 14 | CHAIRMAN, DIRECTOR, MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| CHARLES H CLINES - SEE STMT 14 | CEO (UNTIL 01/24), TREASURER, DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| ELIZABETH LORENZ | SECRETARY, DIRECTOR (UNTIL 08/24) | 1 | — |
| SHARI ALBRIGHT | PRESIDENT, DIRECTOR (UNTIL 03/24) | 40 | $440,821 |
| CHRISTY BANAZEK | CEO OF BOARD (EFF. 01/24) | 5 | — |
| GEORGINA PODJENSKI | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| SARAH ELIZONDO | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| SCOTT MITCHELL | DIRECTOR (UNTIL 03/24) | 5 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**Leadership Transition (January 2026):** The Charles Butt Foundation announced that Cody Huie became President effective January 1, 2026, succeeding Dr. Shari Albright, who served in the role for more than seven years.
Charles Butt Scholarships for Aspiring Teachers Build Strong Foundations**2022 Merger:** In 2022, the foundation merged with Raise Your Hand Texas Foundation, consolidating Charles Butt's education philanthropy under one banner.
Charles Butt Scholarship for Aspiring Teachers - College of Education**Charles Butt Scholarship for Aspiring Teachers:** The foundation offers scholarships to aspiring teachers through partnerships with Texas universities, including The University of Texas at Austin and Texas Tech University, among others.
Charles Butt Scholarship for Aspiring Teachers - College of EducationContact Information
Offices:
- Austin Office: 1005 Congress Ave., Suite 100, Austin, TX 78701
- San Antonio Office: 200 E Basse Rd, Suite 201, San Antonio, TX 78209
Website: charlesbuttfdn.org
Contact: Available through contact form at charlesbuttfdn.org/who-we-are/contact/
Subject 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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