The Seawell Elam Foundation
The Seawell Elam Foundation is an Austin, Texas-based private foundation established in 1992. It funds 501(c)(3) organizations working to improve quality of life and interrupt the cycle of poverty through programs focused on education, nature, and the performing and visual arts.
The Seawell Elam Foundation at a glance
In short: The Seawell Elam Foundation gave $111K across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $10K), mostly in Texas. 55% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $111,000
- -21.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- -8.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $10,091
- -14.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $3,181,561
- +1.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 55% first-time grantees (6 of 11, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Texas (91% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Seawell Elam Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The website describes a two-round process. Organizations begin by submitting a proposal letter of no more than two pages (approximately 1,000 words), briefly describing the project, how the grant would be spent, its timeframe, and how it would address the cyclical nature of poverty. Applicants are asked to include a PDF copy of their 501(c)(3) designation and not to send other materials unless invited to submit a full application. The website directs applicants to complete its proposal form and submit it with the designation letter; the filing says forms may be obtained from Elizabeth Jarrett Birdwell. The filing lists awards as restricted to charitable, educational, or scientific purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
- Review Cycle
- The website’s 2026 proposal-letter deadline was May 22, with later application steps scheduled for August 10 and September 25. Those 2026 submission dates have passed.
- Deadline
- The website’s 2026 proposal-letter deadline was May 22, with later application steps scheduled for August 10 and…
- Contact
Application contact: Elizabeth Jarrett Birdwell
Mailing address: PO Box 5546, Austin, TX 78763
Phone: (512) 476-0715
Website: https://seawellelam.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Seawell Elam Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Foster Angels of Central Texas ($11K). Together the top 10 received $101K.
Grant Size Distribution
66 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 66 grants of 66 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s mission focuses on improving quality of life for people living in Austin. Its 2025 grants went to recipients in Texas and Minnesota; the reported distribution of grant dollars was 91% to Texas and 9% to Minnesota.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Seawell Elam Foundation open to new grantees?
55%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 11 grantees (55%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $10K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 0% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 31% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 84% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $111K (2025) to $161K (2022). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $111K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Foster Angels of Central Texas Austin, TX | Program Support | $11,000 |
| Austin Classical Guitar Austin, TX | Program Support | $10,000 |
| Creative Action Austin, TX | Program Support | $10,000 |
| Girlstart Austin, TX | Program Support | $10,000 |
| Lifeworks Austin Austin, TX | Program Support | $10,000 |
| Peas Office (Partners for Education Agriculture and Sustainability) Austin, TX | Program Support | $10,000 |
| Avance San Antonio, TX | Program Support | $10,000 |
| College Possible Saint Paul, MN | Program Support | $10,000 |
| Kipp Houston, TX | Program Support | $10,000 |
| Welcome Table Austin, TX | Program Support | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Seawell Elam Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,181,561 | $218,515 | $184,502 | $111,000 | 11 | $152,025 | $184,103 | $180,746 |
| 2024 | $3,147,589 | $220,718 | $222,906 | $142,000 | 12 | $191,457 | $188,738 | $179,934 |
| 2023 | $3,154,189 | $50,344 | $206,848 | $140,000 | 14 | $181,981 | $51,765 | $166,121 |
| 2022 | $3,305,398 | $53,665 | $237,349 | $160,800 | 16 | $203,136 | $31,813 | $183,514 |
| 2021 | $3,479,611 | $330,275 | $192,169 | $130,000 | 13 | $163,401 | $298,831 | $193,003 |
| 2020 | $3,340,974 | $128,725 | $200,615 | $127,500 | 14 | — | $106,122 | $168,105 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Seawell Elam Foundation reported a distributable amount of $181K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to improve the quality of life for people living in Austin by funding 501(c)(3) organizations whose programs address poverty through education, nature, and the performing and visual arts. It emphasizes innovative educational programs for children and families, collaboration among nonprofits, and projects it believes can have a catalytic effect. The foundation also says it values evidence of longitudinal impact. It sometimes considers matching or challenge grants and nonprofit endowments. Requests for staff-position support must show how the position will ultimately become self-sufficient.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate a range of work. AVANCE describes its mission as creating pathways to economic mobility for predominantly Latino families through two-generation programming. Girlstart says it empowers girls through STEM education, while Creative Action describes arts and education programs that help young people build life skills, creative expression, and confidence. College Possible says it supports college admission and success for students from low-income backgrounds. Welcome Table describes assistance to East Austin families in areas including nutrition, health care, education, and cultural activities.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 11 grants totaling $111,000. Individual grants ranged from $10,000 to $11,000, with a median of $10,000. The listed grants were for program support. The largest was $11,000 to Foster Angels of Central Texas; other listed recipients received $10,000 each, including Austin Classical Guitar, Creative Action, Girlstart, LifeWorks Austin, PEAS Office, AVANCE, College Possible, KIPP, Welcome Table, and Westcave Preserve.
The foundation reported 12 grants totaling $142,000 in 2024 and 14 grants totaling $140,000 in 2023.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Elizabeth Jarrett Birdwell as president and secretary, Robert Roth as vice president and treasurer, and Jennifer Roth as chairman.
The Seawell Elam Foundation is led by Elizabeth Jarrett Birdwell, President & Secretary on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Elizabeth Jarrett Birdwell
President & Secretary
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$30K (2020) → $0 (2025)
Jennifer Roth
Chairman
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Roth
Vice President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $44K, to Elizabeth Jarrett Birdwell (President/Secretary).
Frequently asked questions about The Seawell Elam Foundation
How much does The Seawell Elam Foundation give each year?
The Seawell Elam Foundation gave $111K across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $142K across 12 grants.
What is The Seawell Elam Foundation's typical grant size?
The Seawell Elam Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $10,091, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Seawell Elam Foundation that year got $10K on average.
Where does The Seawell Elam Foundation give grants?
The Seawell Elam Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 91% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Minnesota (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Austin, TX (7 grants).
Does The Seawell Elam Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on The Seawell Elam Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (11 grants).
Who are The Seawell Elam Foundation's largest grantees?
The Seawell Elam Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Foster Angels of Central Texas ($11,000), Austin Classical Guitar ($10,000) and Creative Action ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 28% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Seawell Elam Foundation?
The Seawell Elam Foundation reported $3.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $152K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $181K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Seawell Elam Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to improve the quality of life for people living in Austin by funding 501(c)(3) organizations whose programs address poverty through education, nature, and the performing and visual arts. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Seawell Elam Foundation?
The website describes a two-round process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Seawell Elam Foundation's EIN?
The Seawell Elam Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-2637039. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Seawell Elam Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Seawell Elam Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-seawell-elam-foundation-morg_847830a9d1e941f8a2bf9defd999b7b0
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_742637039_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Seawell Elam Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-seawell-elam-foundation-morg_847830a9d1e941f8a2bf9defd999b7b0},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Seawell Elam Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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