The Gelb Family Foundation
The Gelb Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Houston, Texas. In its 2025 filing, it reported 27 grants totaling $244,350 to organizations including arts and cultural institutions, media, health organizations, educational organizations, and nonprofits serving communities in Texas and elsewhere.
Key facts about The Gelb Family Foundation
In short: The Gelb Family Foundation gave $244K across 27 grants in 2025 (avg $9K), mostly in Texas. 19% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 26-3878983
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $244,350
- Grants made (2025)
- 27
- Average grant
- $9,050
- Median grant
- $3,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 19% first-time grantees (5 of 27, 2025)
- Total assets
- $2,598,949
- Primary geography
- Texas (57% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The filing says to send a letter of no more than two pages, with no enclosures, to Morris and Amanda Jane Gelb. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- None.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.6M
-2.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$244K
+5.1% YoY
Grant Count
27
+12.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$9K
-6.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Gelb Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $241K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Gelb Family Foundation open to new grantees?
19%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 27 grantees (19%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $11K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 81% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+17%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 101% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees illustrate the range of organizations it supports. For example, Holocaust Museum Houston says it educates about the Holocaust and other genocides and teaches the dangers of hatred, prejudice, and apathy. Comp-U-Dopt describes its work as providing technology access and education to underprivileged children, while St. Luke’s Foundation says it works to improve health, especially for vulnerable people, and advance social justice.
Other 2025 grantees include the Johnny Mac Tennis Project, which describes its work as introducing young athletes to tennis and supporting opportunities for competitive play, and the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, which says it protects and preserves Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks through stewardship and public education.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 27 grants totaling $244,350. Grants ranged from $300 to $50,000, with a median of $3,000. Its largest reported grants included $50,000 each to Houston Grand Opera and Cooper Union, $35,000 to Houston Public Media, and $30,000 to Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Other grants included $10,000 each to Comp-U-Dopt, Holocaust Museum Houston, and St. Luke’s Foundation. The stated purposes for the largest grants were general operating support.
Review Cycle
None.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 57% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas and 37% to recipients in New York; recipients in Colorado and Maryland received 4% and 2%, respectively. The filing also reports 0% for Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 27 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $173K (2021) to $244K (2025). In 2025 it made 27 grants totaling $244K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Houston Grand Opera ($50K). Together the top 10 received $210K.
Grant Size Distribution
128 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 120 grants of 128 (94%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Houston Grand Opera Houston, TX | Gifts were made togeneral operating fundof this organization | $50,000 |
| Cooper Union New York, NY | Gifts were made togeneral operating fundof this organization | $50,000 |
| Houston Public Media Houston, TX | Gifts were made togeneral operating fundof this organization | $35,000 |
| Planned Parenthood Federation of America New York, NY | Gifts were made togeneral operating fundof this organization | $30,000 |
| Compu-Dopt Houston, TX | Gifts were made togeneral operating fundof this organization | $10,000 |
| Holocaust Museum Houston Houston, TX | Gifts were made togeneral operating fundof this organization | $10,000 |
| St Luke's Foundation Houston, TX | Gifts were made togeneral operating fundof this organization | $10,000 |
| Museum of Fine Arts Houston Houston, TX | Gifts were made togeneral operating fundof this organization | $5,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders Hagerstown, MD | Gifts were made togeneral operating fundof this organization | $5,000 |
| The Menil Collection Houston, TX | Gifts were made togeneral operating fundof this organization | $5,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,598,949 | $179,844 | $248,627 | $244,350 |
| 2024 | $2,667,732 | $252,376 | $234,693 | $232,500 |
| 2023 | $2,650,049 | $222,235 | $213,017 | $210,500 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,598,949 | $2,667,732 | $2,650,049 |
| Revenue | $179,844 | $252,376 | $222,235 |
| Expenses | $248,627 | $234,693 | $213,017 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $244,350 | $232,500 | $210,500 |
| Net Investment Income | $179,344 | $251,876 | $115,202 |
| Distributable Amount | $241,133 | $222,109 | $198,374 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Morris Gelb as president and Amanda J. Gelb, Alex Gelb, and Sarah Gelb as directors.
The Gelb Family Foundation is led by Morris Gelb, President on every filing since 2021; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Morris Gelb
President
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Alex Gelb
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Amanda J Gelb
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Sarah Gelb
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Application contact: Morris And Amanda Jane Gelb
Mailing address: 1275 South Post Oak Lane 1702, Houston, TX 77056
Phone: (713) 961-0561
Frequently asked questions about The Gelb Family Foundation
How much does The Gelb Family Foundation give each year?
The Gelb Family Foundation gave $244K across 27 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $233K across 24 grants.
What is The Gelb Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Gelb Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $3,000, and its average grant was $9,050, across 27 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Gelb Family Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does The Gelb Family Foundation give grants?
The Gelb Family Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 57% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (37%). The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (13 grants), New York, NY (5 grants) and Breckenridge, CO (2 grants).
Does The Gelb Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Gelb Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (27 of 27) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Gelb Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Gelb Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Houston Grand Opera ($50,000), Cooper Union ($50,000) and Houston Public Media ($35,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 55% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Gelb Family Foundation?
The Gelb Family Foundation reported $2.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $244K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $241K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Gelb Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees illustrate the range of organizations it supports. For example, Holocaust Museum Houston says it educates about the Holocaust and other genocides and teaches the dangers of hatred, prejudice, and apathy. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Gelb Family Foundation?
The filing says to send a letter of no more than two pages, with no enclosures, to Morris and Amanda Jane Gelb. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Gelb Family Foundation's EIN?
The Gelb Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-3878983. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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