The Jacobson Family Foundation
The Jacobson Family Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1988 and based in Houston, Texas. The foundation supports organizations involved with higher education, family planning, patient services, children and youth, and Judaism.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
-100.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.1M
+573.3% YoY
Grant Count
15
-42.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$207K
+1067.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Jacobson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $57K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding interests include:
- Higher Education — Particularly supporting educational institutions and leadership programs
- Jewish Causes — Supporting Jewish community organizations and religious initiatives
- Health and Patient Services — Including public health access and medical care
- Children and Youth — Supporting programs and services for young people
- Family Planning
- The Arts
Grantmaking
Based on available financial data, the foundation has demonstrated significant grantmaking capacity:
How to Apply
and grantmaking guidelines, making it difficult for prospective grantees to identify clear submission procedures.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation operates primarily in Texas, with its headquarters in Houston. However, grantmaking extends to multiple states including New York, California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, and others.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- EIN: 76-0239810
- Tax-Exempt Status: Since July 1988
- Total Assets: $2,501,041 (2023)
- Total Giving: $461,500 (2023)
- Total Expenses: $3.13 million (2024)
- Revenue: $753,000 (2024)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | $2,501,041 | $3,096,527 |
| Revenue | $753,362 | $167,374 | $116,077 |
| Expenses | $3,125,425 | $492,860 | $370,590 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,113,766 | $475,604 | $356,656 |
| Net Investment Income | $803,285 | $177,221 | $152,962 |
| Distributable Amount | $57,420 | $132,046 | $161,676 |
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
88 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Bny Mellon Charitable Gift Fund ($2,947,741), The Shlenker School ($47,000), Holocaust Museum Houston ($25,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A PURPOSEFUL RESCUE LOS ANGELES, CA | DOG RESCUE AND REHABILITAION | $5,000 |
| ANTI- DEFAMATION LEAGUE HOUSTON, TX | ANTI BIAS TRAINING, EDUCATION AND SECURITY | $2,500 |
| ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION HOUSTON, TX | RESEARCH AND SUPPORT SERVICES | $5,000 |
| AVENUE CDC HOUSTON, TX | AFFORDABLE HOUSING | $15,000 |
| BNY MELLON CHARITABLE GIFT FUND BOSTON, MA | TO SUPPORT CHARITABLE ACTIVIITIES THORUGH A DONOR ADVISED FUND MAINTAINED BY A PUBLIC CHAIRTY. | $2,947,741 |
| GALVESTON BAY FOUNDATION KEMAH, TX | BAY CONSERVATION | $1,050 |
| HOLOCAUST MUSEUM HOUSTON HOUSTON, TX | HOLOCAUST EDUCATION | $25,000 |
| MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER HOUSTON, TX | CANCER RESEARCH | $20,000 |
| NATURE CONSERVANCY ARLINGTON, TX | LAND CONSERVATION | $1,000 |
| RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE HOUSTON, TX | FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES FOR ILL CHILDREN | $2,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Mitchell Jacobson — Director/Vice President (works without compensation)
- Kathy Howard-Jacobson — Director/President (works without compensation)
Mitchell Jacobson is a businessman who began working for MSC Direct, an office and industrial equipment distributor founded by his father Sidney, in 1976. He served as CEO from 1995 to 2005 and is an Executive Officer of Central Street Capital, a private equity firm.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROCHELLE JACOBSON | CO-TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ALAN JACOBSON | CO-TRUSTEE | — | — |
| JULIE JACOBSON | CO-TRUSTEE | — | — |
| SCOTT JACOBSON | CO-TRUSTEE | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has directed significant support to educational institutions, including a seven-figure gift to New York University School of Law through the foundation. NYU is home to the Jacobson Leadership Program in Law and Business, reflecting Mitchell Jacobson's strong support for his alma mater.
The Richard O. Jacobson Foundation gives $4.5 million to improve pediatric\Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Jacobson Family Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary funding interests include: • **Higher Education** — Particularly supporting educational institutions and leadership programs • **Jewish Causes** — Supporting Jewish community organizations and religious initiatives • **Health and Patient Services** — Including public health access and medical care • **Children and Youth** — Supporting programs and services for young people • **Family Planning** • **The Arts**
How do I apply for a grant from The Jacobson Family Foundation?
Based on available financial data, the foundation has demonstrated significant grantmaking capacity: • **Total Assets:** Approximately $2.5 million (as of 2023) • **Annual Giving:** $461,500 in total grants reported • **Recent Activity:** The foundation made grants totaling $3.13 million in expenses during 2024 The foundation does not maintain a public website and lacks transparency regarding its specific application process and grantmaking guidelines, making it difficult for prospective grante…
Where does The Jacobson Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation operates primarily in Texas, with its headquarters in Houston. However, grantmaking extends to multiple states including New York, California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, and others.
What size grants does The Jacobson Family Foundation award?
In 2024, The Jacobson Family Foundation awarded 15 grants totaling $3.1M — an average of about $207K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Jacobson Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Jacobson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $57K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Jacobson Family Foundation's EIN?
The Jacobson Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 76-0239810. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Jacobson Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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