The Sarofim Foundation is a private foundation based in Houston, Texas, established by Fayez Sarofim in gratitude for the opportunities provided to him as an emigrant from Egypt. The foundation was created as part of Mr. Sarofim's estate to exist in perpetuity and has become one of Houston's largest philanthropic entities.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.6B
Annual Giving
$9.7M
Grant Count
62
Avg Grant Size
$156K
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation is guided by Fayez Sarofim's principles of "steadfast and disciplined approach to excellence, hard work and trust in others," with a philosophy of "betting on people as the most important thing." The foundation's leadership is currently engaged in strategic planning to define its approach as a major philanthropic force.
Primary funding focus areas include:
- Education
- Healthcare
- The Arts
- Science and STEM Education
- Philanthropy and Grantmaking
Grantmaking
The foundation is **not currently accepting unsolicited grant requests**. The foundation is in a formative period while establishing its formal giving strategy. Current grantmaking is limited to organizations with existing relationships to the founder's philanthropic legacy.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- Houston, Texas
- Texas (statewide)
- New York
- Connecticut
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (as of June 2024):
- Total assets: $2,567,962,045
- Total revenues: $246,503,858
- Total expenses: $32,651,721
- Annual income: $567.2 million
- Investment income and dividends: $26,891,603
Tax Status:
- EIN: 37-2090276
- 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization
- IRS ruling year: 2023
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,567,962,045 | — |
| Revenue | $246,503,858 | — |
| Expenses | $32,651,721 | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | $10,603,899 | — |
| Net Investment Income | $41,832,884 | — |
| Distributable Amount | $104,384,375 | — |
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
50 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board Members:
- Christopher Sarofim – Chairman of Fayez Sarofim & Co., President of Sarofim International Management Company, and a Director of The Sarofim Group. He holds an AB in History from Princeton University and serves on multiple boards including the Brown Foundation, Inc., Baylor College of Medicine, and the George R. Brown Partnership.
Staff:
- Ryan Dolibois – Executive Director
Trustees:
- Christopher B Sarofim
- Raye G White
- William Gentry Lee Jr.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHRISTOPHER B SAROFIM | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| RAYE G WHITE | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| William Gentry Lee Jr | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| Ryan Dolibois | Executive Director | — | $298,549 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation received a significant $1.35 billion bequest from founder Fayez Sarofim, who passed away in May 2022. This bequest substantially increased the foundation's assets and positioned it as a major force in Houston philanthropy.
In Partnership with Houston Philanthropy, Sarofim Foundation Funds HistoricRecent grant activity includes partnership with Houston Philanthropy to fund a historic healthcare project, and contributions to institutions including Baylor College of Medicine, United Way of Greater Houston, and Episcopal High School.
In Partnership with Houston Philanthropy, Sarofim Foundation Funds HistoricThe foundation is currently in a strategic planning phase to establish its formal giving priorities and approach as one of Houston's largest philanthropic entities.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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