The Cooper Matthews Foundation
The Cooper Matthews Foundation is a private foundation based in Austin, Texas. Its 2024 filing lists 27 grants totaling $1,458,809, with the largest awards designated for operational support.
The Cooper Matthews Foundation at a glance
In short: The Cooper Matthews Foundation gave $1.5M across 27 grants in 2024 (avg $54K), mostly in Texas. 33% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,458,809
- +3.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 27
- -10.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $54,030
- +15.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $14,792,277
- +6.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (9 of 27, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Texas (71% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Cooper Matthews Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The 2024 filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Applications should be written; contact Mary Clare Matthews. Recipients must be tax-exempt entities.
- Contact
Application contact: Mary Clare Matthews
Mailing address: 3703 Eastledge Dr, Austin, TX 78731
Phone: (512) 236-1638
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Cooper Matthews Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Explore Austin ($374K). Together the top 10 received $1.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
98 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 80 grants of 98 (82%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, Texas recipients received 71% of grant dollars, California recipients 17%, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire recipients 3% each, and Massachusetts recipients 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 27 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Cooper Matthews Foundation open to new grantees?
33%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 27 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $76K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $33K repeat.
- 67% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 149% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 96% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2024). 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 2021 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $585K (2021) to $1.5M (2024). In 2024 it made 27 grants totaling $1.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Explore Austin Austin, TX | Operational Support | $374,000 |
| Central Austin Hockey Association Abilene, TX | Operational Support | $350,000 |
| The Meaning Foundation Los Angeles, CA | Operational Support | $225,000 |
| Canine Companions for Independence Irving, TX | Operational Support | $100,000 |
| Dell Children's Medical Center Foundation Austin, TX | Operational Support | $40,000 |
| Episcopal High School Bellaire, TX | Operational Support | $40,000 |
| Flatwater Foundation Austin, TX | Operational Support | $40,000 |
| Amigos of Costa Rica West Chester, PA | Operational Support | $36,845 |
| Boston University Boston, MA | Operational Support | $35,000 |
| Brewster Academy Wolfeboro, NH | Operational Support | $35,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Cooper Matthews Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $14,792,277 | $2,747,029 | $1,858,638 | $1,458,809 | 27 | $1,458,809 | $2,252,318 | $1,520,219 |
| 2023 | $13,866,593 | $2,031,287 | $1,885,913 | $1,406,651 | 30 | $1,406,651 | $1,357,940 | $1,371,118 |
| 2022 | $13,684,842 | $2,899,913 | $1,922,986 | $1,399,900 | 26 | $1,399,900 | $2,142,073 | $1,418,942 |
| 2021 | $12,221,419 | $1,348,226 | $993,379 | $585,000 | 15 | $585,000 | $898,974 | $1,822,215 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Cooper Matthews Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations with varied activities. For example, Central Austin Hockey Association says it provides affordable, convenient access to recreational hockey, while Flatwater Foundation says it provides access to mental health therapy for people and families navigating cancer. Other grantees describe work in animal transport and adoption, soccer-based community support, youth activities, hospice care, education, and connecting Costa Rican organizations with global resources.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 27 grants totaling $1,458,809. Awards ranged from $900 to $374,000, with a median grant of $20,000. The largest awards included $374,000 to Explore Austin, $350,000 to Central Austin Hockey Association, and $225,000 to The Meaning Foundation. Each was listed for operational support. Other grants included $100,000 to Canine Companions for Independence and $40,000 each to Dell Children’s Medical Center Foundation, Episcopal High School, and Flatwater Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists James Amatthews as president, Mary Clare Matthews as vice president/secretary, Clive Demmons as treasurer, and Jackson Matthews as advisory director.
The Cooper Matthews Foundation is led by James Amatthews, President on every filing since 2021; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
James Amatthews
President
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Jackson Matthews
Advisory Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Clive Demmons
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Mary Clare Matthews
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2024. "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 The Cooper Matthews Foundation
How much does The Cooper Matthews Foundation give each year?
The Cooper Matthews Foundation gave $1.5M across 27 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.4M across 30 grants.
What is The Cooper Matthews Foundation's typical grant size?
The Cooper Matthews Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $54,030, across 27 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Cooper Matthews Foundation that year got $9K on average.
Where does The Cooper Matthews Foundation give grants?
The Cooper Matthews Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 71% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (17%). The most frequent recipient cities were Austin, TX (9 grants), Boston, MA (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does The Cooper Matthews Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Cooper Matthews Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (27 of 27) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Cooper Matthews Foundation's largest grantees?
The Cooper Matthews Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Explore Austin ($374,000), Central Austin Hockey Association ($350,000) and The Meaning Foundation ($225,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 65% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Cooper Matthews Foundation?
The Cooper Matthews Foundation reported $14.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.5M (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 The Cooper Matthews Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations with varied activities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Cooper Matthews Foundation?
The 2024 filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Cooper Matthews Foundation's EIN?
The Cooper Matthews Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4922870. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(5)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 12, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Cooper Matthews Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Cooper Matthews Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-cooper-matthews-foundation-morg_75d9ff646b224bceaa88a73896f38cf7
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_364922870_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Cooper Matthews Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-cooper-matthews-foundation-morg_75d9ff646b224bceaa88a73896f38cf7},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Cooper Matthews Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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