The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation
The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation is a Texas-based grantmaking foundation, classified as a private foundation on its Form 990-PF filing. Based in The Woodlands, with offices in The Woodlands and Austin according to its website, it seeks innovative, sustainable solutions to human and environmental problems, with grantmaking focused primarily on Texas.
The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation at a glance
In short: The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation gave $12.1M across 398 grants in 2024 (avg $30K), mostly in Texas. 16% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $12,078,114
- -7.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 398
- +0.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $30,347
- -7.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $419,986,359
- +8.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 16% first-time grantees (57 of 348, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Texas (51% 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 Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation
- Contact
Application contact: The Cynthia George Mitchell Foundat
Mailing address: Wwwcgmforg, The Woodlands, TX 77381
Phone: (713) 377-5060
Website: https://www.cgmf.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 The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation
Who The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Greater Houston Community Foundation ($762K across 6 grants). Together the top 10 received $4.0M.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($20,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
1,731 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 1,403 grants of 1,731 (81%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website identifies Texas as its continuing geographic focus. It says that, in rare cases, regional or national projects may be considered when they directly and immediately affect Texas and fit program priorities. In 2024, 51% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas; other leading recipient states or locations were California (12%), DC (8%), North Carolina (7%), and New York (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 398 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation open to new grantees?
16%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 57 of 348 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $21K; repeat grants $37K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 77% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 54% 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 (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $6.7M (2020) to $14.3M (2022). In 2024 it made 398 grants totaling $12.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Greater Houston Community Foundation Houston, TX | For Save Our Springs Alliance to protect the Edwards Aquifer | $412,792 |
| Vision Galveston Inc Galveston, TX | To support the implementation of Vision Galveston's initiatives, including PhilanthroVision, MORTAR Galveston 2025, and the 2025 Learning Journey | $400,000 |
| Water Foundation Sacramento, CA | To Advance a Resilient Water Future through the Water Table and Texas Wellspring | $400,000 |
| US Water Alliance Oakland, CA | One Water, One Texas | $315,000 |
| Texas Agricultural Land Trust San Antonio, TX | To Secure and Share Land Legacies and Advocate for Private Lands Through the Texas Land Policy Center | $300,000 |
| Environmental Defense Fund Incorporated New York, NY | Setting Durable Guardrails on Texas and the Gulf Coast's Path to a Cleaner Future | $275,000 |
| National Wildlife Federation (Austin) Austin, TX | To advance sound and equitable water policy in Texas | $250,000 |
| The University of Texas at Austin (EI) Austin, TX | To convene experts toward developing a model for understanding the macroeconomic impacts of an orderly phase-down of unabated fossil fuels | $212,000 |
| Hill Country Alliance Austin, TX | To build tools and networks for a more resilient Hill Country | $210,000 |
| Rocky Mountain Institute Boulder, CO | Developing the Critical 'Connective Tissue' Infrastructure in Texas for Powering a new Energy Economy | $200,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Cynthia & George Mitchell 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 | $419,986,359 | $50,009,442 | $18,667,468 | $12,078,114 | 398 | $18,237,765 | $49,699,340 | $19,082,335 |
| 2023 | $388,623,760 | $28,428,897 | $18,359,968 | $13,050,177 | 397 | $18,296,959 | $19,999,951 | $17,263,199 |
| 2022 | $378,544,831 | $18,959,177 | $19,681,521 | $14,292,544 | 390 | $18,988,311 | $6,873,151 | $17,591,120 |
| 2021 | $379,261,425 | $375,406 | $12,113,429 | $7,867,470 | 290 | $11,771,777 | $5,377,884 | $18,687,405 |
| 2020 | $390,970,808 | $-162,759,090 | $10,406,917 | $6,743,747 | 256 | — | $6,262,935 | $14,701,866 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation reported a distributable amount of $19.1M 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
The foundation describes its work as supporting high-impact projects at the intersection of environmental protection, social equity, and economic vibrancy. Its website lists programs focused on clean energy, Galveston, land conservation, legacy, the Mitchell Innovation Lab, subsurface energy, sustainability education, and water. Its filing also identifies sustainability science and shale sustainability among the initiatives for which it accepts grant requests.
The foundation’s grant record includes support for water policy and resilience, land conservation, clean energy and energy transition work, and community initiatives in Galveston. Examples illustrate the range of grantees: Greater Houston Community Foundation describes its work as connecting donors with causes and convening resources for community needs; Vision Galveston says it works to help Galveston become a place to raise a family, uncover opportunities, and grow the economy; and Water Foundation describes its mission as advancing safe water, freshwater ecosystem restoration, and climate resilience. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 398 grants totaling $12,078,114. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $412,792, with a median of $10,000.
Among its largest reported 2024 grants were $412,792 to Greater Houston Community Foundation for Save Our Springs Alliance’s work to protect the Edwards Aquifer; $400,000 to Vision Galveston for initiatives including PhilanthroVision, MORTAR Galveston 2025, and the 2025 Learning Journey; and $400,000 to Water Foundation to advance a resilient water future through the Water Table and Texas Wellspring. Other large grants included $315,000 to US Water Alliance for One Water, One Texas; $300,000 to Texas Agricultural Land Trust for land-legacies and Texas land-policy work; and $275,000 to Environmental Defense Fund for work on Texas and Gulf Coast clean-energy transition guardrails.
The foundation’s website says grantmaking is highly strategic and specialized and that it rarely funds unsolicited applications. Applicants who believe their project fits a program may submit an online Letter of Inquiry; the foundation will notify them if a full proposal is warranted. The inquiry requires basic information about the organization and a brief project description. Projects should align with a specific program, focus on Texas, and explain how they support the relevant strategy. The foundation generally cannot fund organizations that are not IRS-classified 501(c)(3) public charities, and research should have an explicit practical policy application or outcome. Favorably viewed projects include a viable communications strategy for sharing results. The website says responses generally take up to 45 days for a Letter of Inquiry and up to 90 days after submission of a full proposal and supporting materials.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Katherine Lorenz as president; C Grant Mitchell as chair; M Kent Mitchell as vice chair; Nichelle Bielinski as secretary; and Spiros Vassilakis as treasurer. It also lists Graham Mitchell, Christine Mitchell, Sarah Mitchell, Cody Mitchell, and Sheridan Lorenz as board members.
The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation is led by Katherine Lorenz, President since 2022 (on filings since 2020); 10 of 16 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Katherine Lorenz
President
Chair & President → President, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$454K (2020) → $265K (2024)
C Grant Mitchell
Chair
Director → Chair, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Adrienne Dreiss Ropp
Board Member
Vice President → Vice Chair, 2021
Vice Chair → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$44K (2020) → $60K (2024)
Graham Mitchell
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$7K (2023) → $9K (2024)
M Kent Mitchell
Vice Chair
Director → Board Member, 2022
Board Member → Vice Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$7K (2022) → $16K (2024)
Mark D Mitchell
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$3K (2022) → $6K (2024)
Sarah Mitchell
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
$7K (2022) → $4K (2024)
Christine Mitchell
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$4K (2022) → $4K (2024)
Katina Mitchell
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
$4K (2022) → $9K (2024)
Cody Mitchell
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
$3K (2024)
Nichelle Bielinski
Secretary
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$107K (2024)
J Kirk Mitchell
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Meredith Heimburger
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sheridan Lorenz
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Spiros Vassilakis
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Skye Tellen
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: Michelle Robinson (2020–2023) — Secretary
- Former: G Scott Mitchell (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Randall Kempner (2020–2021) — CEO
- Former: Katie Mitchell (2021) — Director
- Former: Alex Mitchell (2020) — Director
- Former: Carleton G Mitchell (2020) — Chairman
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $265K, to Katherine Lorenz (President). 10 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation
How much does The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation give each year?
The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation gave $12.1M across 398 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $13.1M across 397 grants.
What is The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation's typical grant size?
The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $30,347, across 398 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation that year got $21K on average.
Where does The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation give grants?
The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 51% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were California (12%) and District of Columbia (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Austin, TX (60 grants), Wilmington, NC (40 grants), Houston, TX (25 grants) and Galveston, TX (20 grants).
Does The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 1% of The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (5 of 398) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "PEDL collaboration Jan- Apr 2024" (4 grants).
Who are The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation's largest grantees?
The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Greater Houston Community Foundation ($761,740 across 6 grants), Environmental Defense Fund Incorporated ($605,000 across 4 grants) and Vision Galveston Inc ($415,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($20,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 15% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation?
The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation reported $420.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $18.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $19.1M (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 Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation fund?
The foundation describes its work as supporting high-impact projects at the intersection of environmental protection, social equity, and economic vibrancy. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation?
The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check cgmf.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation's EIN?
The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-2170127. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-cynthia-and-george-mitchell-foundation-morg_ebf8348bd2d9487db20746ee6834ffdd
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_742170127_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Cynthia \& George Mitchell Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-cynthia-and-george-mitchell-foundation-morg_ebf8348bd2d9487db20746ee6834ffdd},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Cynthia & George Mitchell 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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