The Elkins Foundation
The Elkins Foundation is a private foundation based in Houston, Texas, established in 1956 by Margaret Wiess Elkins and James A. Elkins, Jr. It supports educational, healthcare, cultural, community, and religious organizations serving Houston and the Greater Gulf Coast.
The Elkins Foundation at a glance
In short: The Elkins Foundation gave $17.3M across 76 grants in 2025 (avg $227K), mostly in Texas. 38% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $17,256,822
- +10.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 76
- -14.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $227,063
- +29.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $100,000
- Total assets
- $206,613,529
- +2.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (29 of 76, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Texas (99% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Elkins Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation accepts unsolicited requests through its online application. Applications are submitted online and should state the purpose of the request. Applications are reviewed by the Board of Trustees and Associate Board during the summer, with final decisions by October 31. The Foundation says it receives more applications than it can fund and does not provide individual feedback on declined applications.
- Review Cycle
- June 30. The Foundation’s application page says applications may be submitted from February through June 30.
- Deadline
- June 30.
- Contact
Application contact: Larry Medford Co Paraffine Manageme
Mailing address: 3737 Buffalo Speedway Suite 750, Houston, TX 77098
Phone: (713) 652-2020
Email: info@theelkinsfoundation.org
Website: https://theelkinsfoundation.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 Elkins Foundation
Who The Elkins Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Depelchin Children's Center ($1.5M). Together the top 10 received $8.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
421 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 120 grants of 421 (29%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation primarily focuses on organizations serving Houston and the Greater Gulf Coast. In 2025, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas and 1% to recipients in New York. Its 2023 filing describes awards as generally limited to the Houston area for charitable, religious, scientific, and educational purposes.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 76 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Elkins Foundation open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 29 of 76 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $160K; repeat grants $268K. How we count
Medians: $100K first-time, $100K repeat.
- 33% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 27% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 95% 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 (2020–2025). 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 $10.6M (2021) to $17.3M (2025). In 2025 it made 76 grants totaling $17.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Depelchin Children's Center Houston, TX | In support of transitioning region 6 to community based care | $1,500,000 |
| Harris Health Strategic Fund Bellaire, TX | In support of investing in a healthier Harris county | $1,000,000 |
| St John's School Houston, TX | In support of the campaign for a new lower school | $1,000,000 |
| Baylor College of Medicine Houston, TX | In support of the new health sciences education building | $765,000 |
| Friends of Pumpkin Park Houston, TX | In support of the opening doors to children's dreams campaign | $750,000 |
| MD Anderson Cancer Center Houston, TX | In Support of the Allison Institute | $750,000 |
| Texas Children's Hospital Houston, TX | In support of expanding the Texas children's pavilion for women | $750,000 |
| University of Texas McCombs School Austin, TX | In Support of the Mulva Hall Facilities Project | $750,000 |
| River Oaks Baptist School Houston, TX | In support of the purchase of contiguous property to the school | $600,000 |
| Foundation for Jones Hall Houston, TX | In support of overture to the future: a campaign for jones hall | $500,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Elkins 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $206,613,529 | $23,404,684 | $19,821,493 | $17,256,822 | 76 | $17,660,950 | $21,520,844 | $18,493,715 |
| 2024 | $202,414,363 | $15,642,974 | $17,921,978 | $15,607,057 | 89 | $15,810,312 | $13,891,321 | $17,504,558 |
| 2023 | $204,396,739 | $16,766,495 | $16,784,708 | $14,744,000 | 100 | $14,914,506 | $9,261,115 | $15,773,524 |
| 2022 | $205,514,799 | $22,495,248 | $15,399,989 | $13,621,500 | 75 | $13,791,851 | $19,958,753 | $14,917,841 |
| 2021 | $198,253,763 | $29,708,836 | $12,161,986 | $10,550,201 | 81 | — | $7,116,550 | $14,002,797 |
| 2020 | $181,313,634 | $-2,816,490 | $13,112,483 | $11,849,900 | 98 | — | $6,140,674 | $10,654,614 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Elkins Foundation reported a distributable amount of $18.5M 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 mission is to “enrich the quality of life for individuals from all walks of life” by supporting educational, healthcare, cultural, community, and religious organizations located in and serving Houston and the Greater Gulf Coast.
Its 2025 grants included support for child welfare, healthcare, education, parks, arts, environmental resilience, and food assistance projects. For example, Depelchin Children’s Center, which received $1.5 million, says its mission is to strengthen children’s lives by enhancing their mental health and physical well-being. Harris Health Strategic Fund, which received $1 million, says it mobilizes philanthropy to help ensure Harris County residents have access to care. Friends of Pumpkin Park, which received $750,000, says it supports a vision for a place offering the Houston community outdoor experiences.
Grantmaking
The Foundation awarded 76 grants totaling $17,256,822 in 2025. Grant amounts ranged from $10,822 to $1,500,000, with a median grant of $100,000. Notable 2025 awards included $1.5 million to Depelchin Children’s Center; $1 million each to Harris Health Strategic Fund and St. John’s School; $765,000 to Baylor College of Medicine; and $750,000 each to Friends of Pumpkin Park, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Texas Children’s Hospital, and the University of Texas McCombs School.
The Foundation typically does not fund the same organizations year after year. With a limited number of appeals as exceptions, it declines requests for annual giving campaigns, endowment funds, operating budgets, and special events. It does not make grants to individuals.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Leslie E. Sasser as president and trustee; Virginia A. Elkins and Elise E. Joseph as vice presidents and trustees; Larry Medford as secretary and treasurer; and Kira C. Elbert as executive director. The Foundation’s website also identifies Virginia Arnold Elkins, Elise Elkins Joseph, and Leslie Elkins Sasser as trustees and describes its Associate Board as representing the next generation of the Elkins family.
The Elkins Foundation is led by Kira C. Elbert, Executive Director on the 2025 filing; 1 of 5 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kira C. Elbert
Executive Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$89K (2025)
Leslie E. Sasser
President & Trustee
Vice President & Trustee → President & Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elise E. Joseph
Vice President & Trustee
President & Trustee → Vice President & Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Virginia A. Elkins
Vice President & Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Larry Medford
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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 $89K, to Kira C Elbert (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about The Elkins Foundation
How much does The Elkins Foundation give each year?
The Elkins Foundation gave $17.3M across 76 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $15.6M across 89 grants.
What is The Elkins Foundation's typical grant size?
The Elkins Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $100,000, and its average grant was $227,063, across 76 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Elkins Foundation that year got $160K on average.
Where does The Elkins Foundation give grants?
The Elkins Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (60 grants), Bellaire, TX (3 grants), Dallas, TX (3 grants) and Austin, TX (2 grants).
Does The Elkins Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 76 grants with a stated purpose on The Elkins Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Elkins Foundation's largest grantees?
The Elkins Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Depelchin Children's Center ($1,500,000), Harris Health Strategic Fund ($1,000,000) and St John's School ($1,000,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 20% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Elkins Foundation?
The Elkins Foundation reported $206.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $17.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $18.5M (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 Elkins Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s mission is to “enrich the quality of life for individuals from all walks of life” by supporting educational, healthcare, cultural, community, and religious organizations located in and serving Houston and the Greater Gulf Coast. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Elkins Foundation?
The Foundation accepts unsolicited requests through its online application. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Elkins Foundation's EIN?
The Elkins Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-6051746. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Elkins Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 24, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 18, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 1, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 19, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 9, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Elkins Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Elkins Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-elkins-foundation-morg_bc7ea9d5ed584a428da8f030e4b317d9
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_746051746_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Elkins Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-elkins-foundation-morg_bc7ea9d5ed584a428da8f030e4b317d9},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Elkins 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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