The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation
The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation is a philanthropic organization focused on supporting education and healthcare initiatives. The foundation is associated with the McNair family and directs funding toward institutions and programs that align with their charitable priorities.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$330.6M
+12.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$13.8M
+2.7% YoY
Grant Count
68
-28.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$203K
+43.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation reported a distributable amount of $13.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports educational access and advancement, with particular emphasis on helping students pay for college. The foundation also funds healthcare initiatives and medical education.
Grantmaking
The foundation employs challenge grant mechanisms to encourage philanthropic participation. Recent challenge grants have included:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation has demonstrated funding activity in Texas, including support for Houston-area institutions and programs. The foundation also supports educational initiatives at universities with broader geographic reach.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $330,644,221 | $293,960,260 | $257,241,954 |
| Revenue | $169,030,389 | $17,020,766 | $30,532,379 |
| Expenses | $18,373,924 | $15,558,235 | $13,658,108 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $14,532,443 | $14,404,735 | $12,356,752 |
| Net Investment Income | $167,508,280 | $14,949,608 | $27,528,650 |
| Distributable Amount | $13,241,948 | $13,592,339 | $13,480,934 |
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
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Baylor College of Medicine ($950,000), Baylor College of Medicine ($750,000), Columbia College ($625,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 3S MINISTRIES BEDFORD, TX | Marriage workshops for first responders. | $15,000 |
| BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE HOUSTON, TX | McNair Scholar (M. Bround) | $386,303 |
| BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE HOUSTON, TX | McNair Scholar (Q. Zhao) | $950,000 |
| BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE HOUSTON, TX | McNair Scholar (Q. Zhao) | $750,000 |
| BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE HOUSTON, TX | McNair Scholar (T. Chao) | $113,947 |
| BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE HOUSTON, TX | McNair Scholar (B. Hayden) | $98,001 |
| BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE HOUSTON, TX | McNair Scholar (S. Buffington) | $320,685 |
| BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE HOUSTON, TX | McNair MD/PhD Scholars, payment academic year 24-25 (FY25). | $449,905 |
| BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE Houston, TX | McNair Scholar (K. Marshall) | $378,074 |
| BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE HOUSTON, TX | McNair Scholar (S. Sheth) | $404,317 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmetto Trust Company LLC | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Janice S McNair | Chair | 1 | — |
| HOLLY ALVIS | VICE CHAIR | 1 | — |
| KRISTI S COOPER | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $103,532 |
| MEGHAN BLANTON | President | 40 | $133,750 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The McNair Foundation announced a $4 million challenge grant to build Hope Lodge
McNair Institute announces Blockchain Challenge - Office of the ...The foundation made a historic gift to Baylor College of Medicine
McNairs announce historic gift to Baylor College of MedicineThe foundation provided support to help students pay for college through educational partnerships
Bob, Janice McNair help students pay for collegeThe foundation was honored by Houston Independent School District (HISD) for its contributions
The foundation announced a Blockchain Challenge through an academic institution's McNair Institute
McNair Institute announces Blockchain Challenge - Office of the ...Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation fund?
The foundation supports educational access and advancement, with particular emphasis on helping students pay for college. The foundation also funds healthcare initiatives and medical education.
How do I apply for a grant from The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation?
The foundation employs challenge grant mechanisms to encourage philanthropic participation. Recent challenge grants have included: • A $4 million challenge grant to build Hope Lodge • Support for educational programs and student financial aid The foundation makes significant gifts to major institutions, including historic donations to medical schools and universities.
Where does The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation make grants?
The foundation has demonstrated funding activity in Texas, including support for Houston-area institutions and programs. The foundation also supports educational initiatives at universities with broader geographic reach.
What size grants does The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation award?
In 2024, The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation awarded 68 grants totaling $13.8M — an average of about $203K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation reported a distributable amount of $13.2M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation's EIN?
The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 76-6050185. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Robert and Janice McNair 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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