The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker San Antonio, TX EIN: 74-2730275

The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation is a private foundation based in San Antonio, Texas. Its 2024 grants supported organizations working in areas including wildlife conservation, zoological organizations, and services for veterans.

Key facts about The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation

In short: The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation gave $474K across 33 grants in 2024 (avg $14K), top state Texas. 3% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
74-2730275
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$474,028
Grants made (2024)
33
Average grant
$14,364
Median grant
$10,000
New grantees (estimate)
3% first-time grantees (1 of 33, 2024)
Total assets
$5,143,745
Primary geography
Texas (47% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; 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 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$5.1M

+1.7% YoY

Annual Giving

$474K

-5.7% YoY

Grant Count

33

-2.9% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$14K

-2.8% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation reported a distributable amount of $507K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation open to new grantees?

3%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 1 of 33 grantees (3%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $15K. How we count

Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.

  • 97% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+9%). Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 94% 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 (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations, including conservation and wildlife groups, a zoo, and organizations serving veterans.

Among its grantees, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation describes its work as fostering conservation solutions and awarding grants to sustain, restore, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and habitats. The Wildlife Conservation Society says it works to save wildlife and wild places through science, conservation action, education, and public engagement. The World Wildlife Fund describes its mission as conserving nature and reducing threats to life on Earth. Other 2024 grantees include the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, which says it works to conserve and restore fisheries and habitats, and Bat Conservation International, which says it works to conserve bats and their ecosystems.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation made 33 grants totaling $474,028. Awards ranged from $2,500 to $40,000, with a median grant of $10,000. The largest listed grants included $40,000 each to the San Antonio Zoo, the Peregrine Fund, and the Special Forces Charitable Trust; $30,528 to the Austin Hatcher Foundation; and $30,000 to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. These grants were listed for operating support.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2024, 47% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas, 12% to Idaho, 9% to the District of Columbia, 8% to North Carolina, and 6% to Tennessee. The listed recipients also included organizations in other states.

Grant Distribution by State

15states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 33 itemized grants.

Cities

San AntonioAustinWashingtonArlingtonBoiseBronxHomesteadKingsvilleMiamiBoerneCalaisDania BeachDripping SpringsEssexSan FranciscoTallahasseeChattanoogaDallasPortlandAustn

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$200K$400K$600K29 grants2020 32 grants2021 34 grants2022 34 grants2023 33 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $404K (2020) to $520K (2022). In 2024 it made 33 grants totaling $474K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

San Antonio Zoo: $40KSan Antonio Zoo$40KPeregrine Fund Inc: $40KPeregrine Fund Inc$40KSpecial Forces Charitable Trust: $40KSpecial Forces CharitableTrust$40KAustin Hatcher Foundation: $31KAustin Hatcher Foundation$31KTexas Parks and Wildlife Foundation: $30KTexas Parks and WildlifeFoundation$30KCaesar Kleburg Wildlife Research Institute: $25KCaesar Kleburg WildlifeResearch Institute$25KNational Fish and Wildlife Foundation: $25KNational Fish and WildlifeFoundation$25KTexas Wildlife Association: $25KTexas Wildlife Association$25KWildlife Conservation Society: $20KWildlife Conservation Society$20KWorld Wildlife Fund Inc: $20KWorld Wildlife Fund Inc$20K

The largest 2024 recipient was San Antonio Zoo ($40K). Together the top 10 received $296K.

Grant Size Distribution

162 grants across all recorded years

158<$50K4$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 158 grants of 162 (98%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
San Antonio Zoo San Antonio, TXOperating Fund$40,000
Peregrine Fund Inc Boise, IDOperating Fund$40,000
Special Forces Charitable Trust Southern Pines, NCoperating fund$40,000
Austin Hatcher Foundation Chattanooga, TNOperating Fund$30,528
Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation Dallas, TXOperating Fund$30,000
Caesar Kleburg Wildlife Research Institute Kingsville, TXOperating Fund$25,000
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Washington, DCOperating Fund$25,000
Texas Wildlife Association New Braunfels, TXOperating Fund$25,000
Wildlife Conservation Society Bronx, NYOperating Fund$20,000
World Wildlife Fund Inc Chicago, ILOperating Fund$20,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants Grant count
2024 $5,143,745 $644,238 $556,224 $474,028 33
2023 $5,055,732 $371,532 $586,501 $502,554 34
2022 $5,270,700 $502,635 $608,504 $519,876 34
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$500K$1M$1.5M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$5,143,745$5,055,732$5,270,700
Revenue$644,238$371,532$502,635
Expenses$556,224$586,501$608,504
Qualifying Distributions$475,420$503,884$521,083
Net Investment Income$526,891$257,369$424,632
Distributable Amount$507,368$474,028$502,554

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Karen J. Hixon and Jack J. Spector as directors; Kathryn N. Sanco as secretary and director; and Bryan S. Hixon and George S. Hixon as vice presidents and directors.

The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation's 2024 filing lists 5 officers; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Bryan S. Hixon

    Vice President & Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • George S. Hixon

    Vice President & Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Jack J. Spector

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Karen J. Hixon

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Kathryn N. Sanco

    Secretary & Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Contact

Mailing address: 711 Broadway Suite 250, San Antonio, TX 78215
Phone: (210) 225-3053

Frequently asked questions about The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation

How much does The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation give each year?

The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation gave $474K across 33 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $503K across 34 grants.

What is The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation's typical grant size?

The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $14,364, across 33 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation that year got $10K on average.

Where does The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation give grants?

The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation's top state is Texas, with 47% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Idaho (12%) and District of Columbia (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Antonio, TX (10 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants), Austin, TX (2 grants) and Arlington, VA (2 grants).

Does The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 97% of The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (32 of 33) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation's largest grantees?

The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include San Antonio Zoo ($40,000), Peregrine Fund Inc ($40,000) and Special Forces Charitable Trust ($40,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 25% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation?

The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation reported $5.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $475K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $507K (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 Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations, including conservation and wildlife groups, a zoo, and organizations serving veterans. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation?

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation's EIN?

The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-2730275. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Does The Tim and Karen Hixon Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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