The Elkins Foundation

HOUSTON, TX EIN: 74-6051746 Website

The Elkins Foundation is a private foundation established in 1956 by Margaret Wiess Elkins and James A. Elkins, Jr., based in Houston, Texas. The foundation is dedicated to strengthening the Houston community and the Greater Gulf Coast region through philanthropic support of diverse organizations.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$202.4M

-1.0% YoY

Annual Giving

$15.6M

+5.9% YoY

Grant Count

-11.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$175K

+18.9% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Elkins Foundation reported a distributable amount of $17.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

Primary funding areas include:

Education (elementary, secondary, higher education, and medical education)
Healthcare (in-patient medical care, hospital care, diseases and conditions)
Science and technology
Public safety and disaster management
Religion
Human services (family services, child welfare, child development)

Grantmaking

The foundation prioritizes specific capital needs and projects over ongoing operational support. Applications are submitted through an online portal.

Grant Range

** $5,000 to $2,000,000

Review Cycle

** Single annual cycle with applications accepted January through June 30. Decisions typically made by October 31, with a decision timeline of 3-4 months.

Ready to take the next step with The Elkins Foundation?

Assess fit for your org Draft an LOI Find open RFPs

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Primary focus: Houston and the Greater Gulf Coast region of Texas

Secondary focus areas: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia

Grant Distribution by State

Texas $38.0M (99%)

New Jersey $500K (1%)

States

New Jersey Pennsylvania Texas Virginia

Cities

AlexandriaAustinBellaireBrookshireBurtonConroeCypressDallasFriendswoodGalvestonHoustonHumbleIrvingJersey VillageKemahKingwoodLa PorteLexingtonMagnoliaMissouri City

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Total Assets: $202.4 million (2024)
Total Giving: $15.6 million (2024)
Total Revenue: $15.6 million (2024)
Total Expenses: $17.9 million (2024)

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$202,414,363	$204,396,739	$205,514,799
Revenue	$15,642,974	$16,766,495	$22,495,248
Expenses	$17,921,978	$16,784,708	$15,399,989
Qualifying Distributions	$15,810,312	$14,914,506	$13,791,851
Net Investment Income	$13,891,321	$9,261,115	$19,958,753
Distributable Amount	$17,504,558	$15,773,524	$14,917,841

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

250 grants across all recorded years

Open Grants

1 open opportunity from The Elkins Foundation

Foundation

Elkins Grant

THE ELKINS FOUNDATION

Amount

Varies

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Friends of Pumpkin Park ($1,000,000), Baylor College of Medicine ($765,000), Annunciation Orthodox School ($500,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
AMAZING PLACE HOUSTON, TX	IN SUPPORT OF AMAZING PLACE CENTRAL REFRESH ACTIVITY ROOM CARPET REPLACEMENT	$25,000
ANNUNCIATION ORTHODOX SCHOOL HOUSTON, TX	IN SUPPORT OF THE LIGHT THE WAY CAPITAL CAMPAIGN	$500,000
BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE HOUSTON, TX	IN SUPPORT OF THE NEW HEALTH SCIENCES EDUCATION BUILDING	$765,000
BETA ACADEMY HOUSTON, TX	IN SUPPORT OF THE JOY II CAMPAIGN FOR THE CONFETTI CAMPUS	$50,000
BO'S PLACE HOUSTON, TX	IN SUPPORT OF CHILLER REPLACEMENT	$35,000
BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP HOUSTON, TX	IN SUPPORT OF THE BUFFALO BAYOU EAST PROJECT	$500,000
CAMP FOR ALL HOUSTON, TX	IN SUPPORT OF THE BLAZING NEW TRAILS CAPITAL CAMPAIGN	$250,000
CANCARE INC HOUSTON, TX	IN SUPPORT OF THE SELF-MATCHING PLATFORM	$15,000
CATHOLIC CHARITIES HOUSTON, TX	IN SUPPORT OF THE BUILDING TO SERVE CAMPAIGN	$100,000
COMBINED ARMS HOUSTON, TX	IN SUPPORT OF THE EXPANSION OF THE PROGRAM, IMPROVING VETERAN OUTCOMES ACROSS TEXAS	$150,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Leslie E. Sasser – President & Trustee
Virginia A. Elkins – Vice President & Trustee
Elise E. Joseph – Vice President & Trustee
Larry Medford – Secretary & Treasurer
Rinda Corbin – Trustee

The foundation is now led by third-generation family members and operates with an 11-member Associate Board. All trustees serve without compensation.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
VIRGINIA A ELKINS	VICE PRESIDENT & TRUSTEE	2	—
ELISE E JOSEPH	VICE PRESIDENT & TRUSTEE	2	—
LESLIE E SASSER	PRESIDENT & TRUSTEE	2	—
LARRY MEDFORD	SECRETARY & TREASURER	2	—

Contact Information

Address: 3737 Buffalo Speedway, Suite 750, Houston, TX 77098

Phone: 713-652-2020

Website: www.theelkinsfoundation.org

Primary Contacts: Kira Elbert or Lacie Brawner

Frequently Asked Questions

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. Primary funding areas include: • Education (elementary, secondary, higher education, and medical education) • Healthcare (in-patient medical care, hospital care, diseases and conditions) • Science and technology • Public safety and disaster management •…

How do I apply for a grant from The Elkins Foundation?

**Grant Range:** $5,000 to $2,000,000 **Annual Giving:** $15.6 million (2024) **Grant Cycle:** Single annual cycle with applications accepted January through June 30. Decisions typically made by October 31, with a decision timeline of 3-4 months. **Recent Grant Activity (2024):** • Friends of Pumpkin Park: $1,000,000 (Opening Doors To Children's Dreams Campaign) • St. John's School: $1,000,000 (Campaign for A New Lower School) • Baylor College of Medicine: $765,000 (New Health Sciences Educatio…

Where does The Elkins Foundation make grants?

Primary focus: Houston and the Greater Gulf Coast region of Texas Secondary focus areas: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia

What size grants does The Elkins Foundation award?

In 2024, The Elkins Foundation awarded 89 grants totaling $15.6M — an average of about $175K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Elkins Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Elkins Foundation reported a distributable amount of $17.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.