The Tobin Endowment
The Tobin Endowment is a private foundation based in San Antonio, Texas, that makes charitable grants to nonprofit organizations, primarily in the San Antonio area. Its philanthropy supports the arts, theater, opera, historic preservation, and civic causes, continuing the legacy of benefactor Robert Lynn Batts Tobin.
The Tobin Endowment at a glance
In short: The Tobin Endowment gave $3.1M across 13 grants in 2024 (avg $238K), mostly in Texas. 8% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,098,087
- -2.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 13
- -27.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $238,314
- +35.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $60,000
- Total assets
- $148,928,450
- -3.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (1 of 13, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Texas (91% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Tobin Endowment
- How to Apply
-
The Endowment’s filing states that grant requests must be submitted in writing and specify the purpose of the requested funds. Applicants must be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and include their IRS tax-exemption letter. The Endowment states that it supports qualifying distributions to public charities, private operating foundations, and other qualifying 501(c)(3) organizations.
- Review Cycle
- No formal submission deadlines.
- Deadline
- No formal submission deadlines.
- Contact
Application contact: Tullos Wells Co-Chair
Mailing address: PO Box 90869, San Antonio, TX 78209
Phone: (210) 930-5160
Website: https://tobinendowment.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Tobin Endowment funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Bexar County Performing Arts Center Foundation ($1.8M). Together the top 10 received $3.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
93 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 47 grants of 93 (51%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Endowment describes its grantmaking as primarily focused on the San Antonio area. In 2024, 91% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas and 9% to recipients in New Mexico.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Tobin Endowment open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 13 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $50K; repeat grants $254K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $80K repeat.
- 85% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 57% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 98% 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.7M (2022) to $3.2M (2023). In 2024 it made 13 grants totaling $3.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Bexar County Performing Arts Center Foundation San Antonio, TX | Support to provide a diverse range of cultural, educational, and artistic experiences for youth and community | $1,792,457 |
| The Tobin Theatre Arts Fund San Antonio, TX | Charitable Grant for Operating Budget | $500,000 |
| The Santa Fe Opera Santa Fe, NM | Support the santa fe opera's apprentice program and production sponsor for a mainstage production for the 2024 season | $277,364 |
| McNay Art Museum San Antonio, TX | Support for underwriting the cost of operating the curatorial department of the tobin collection of theatre arts and the tobin wing, and the presenting sponsor for tim burton and the nightmare before christmas exhibition | $135,000 |
| Christus Santa Rosa Friends Foundation San Antonio, TX | Support for christus santa rosa friends foundation to complete the christus santa rosa hospital - medical center's comprehensive oncology unit's capital campaign | $104,266 |
| San Antonio Report San Antonio, TX | Charitable Contribution | $100,000 |
| Texas Tribune Inc Austin, TX | Support of one symposium annually to be titled "the tobin endowment symposium" | $60,000 |
| Mission Road Ministries San Antonio, TX | Support Mission Road Ministries General Operations | $50,000 |
| Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas San Antonio, TX | Support the fund initiative for the girl scouts of southwest Texas to provide nearly 15,000 girls the opportunity to learn about the performance and visual arts in the san antonio area and earn the "tobin endowment art" patch | $35,000 |
| Elf Louise Inc San Antonio, TX | Support for the Elf Louis Christmas Project | $15,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Tobin Endowment?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $148,928,450 | $-400,360 | $4,956,129 | $3,098,087 | 13 | $4,020,791 | $1,044,401 | $4,117,114 |
| 2023 | $154,284,939 | $1,968,225 | $4,656,525 | $3,168,346 | 18 | $3,914,273 | $1,226,305 | $3,762,844 |
| 2022 | $67,720,452 | $3,909,040 | $3,060,930 | $1,730,026 | 18 | $2,343,861 | $3,279,462 | $3,737,972 |
| 2021 | $66,872,342 | $3,974,678 | $3,262,163 | $1,978,550 | 22 | $2,566,625 | $3,320,924 | $3,511,028 |
| 2020 | $66,159,827 | $1,618,868 | $3,102,721 | $1,881,234 | 22 | — | $1,131,599 | $3,267,395 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Tobin Endowment reported a distributable amount of $4.1M for 2024 — 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 Endowment’s stated mission is to support areas cherished by the Tobin family through charitable grants to nonprofit organizations. Its filing describes support for the arts, as well as other charitable, scientific, literary, and educational organizations. The Endowment’s website also identifies theater, opera, historic preservation, and civic support as areas of its philanthropy.
Its 2024 grants included arts and cultural organizations as well as organizations working in other fields. For example, the McNay Art Museum describes its mission as engaging a diverse community in the discovery and enjoyment of the visual arts. Mission Road Ministries says it assists nonprofit agencies in providing a continuum of care for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities. The Texas Tribune describes its work as promoting civic engagement and public education through public data, events, and reporting.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Endowment reported 13 grants totaling $3,098,087. Grant amounts ranged from $9,000 to $1,792,457, with a median grant of $60,000.
Among its largest reported grants were $1,792,457 to the Bexar County Performing Arts Center Foundation for cultural, educational, and artistic experiences for youth and the community; $500,000 to the Tobin Theatre Arts Fund for operating-budget support; and $277,364 to the Santa Fe Opera for its apprentice program and sponsorship of a mainstage production. Other grants included $135,000 to the McNay Art Museum for support related to the Tobin Collection of Theatre Arts and a presenting sponsorship, and $104,266 to the Christus Santa Rosa Friends Foundation for a hospital oncology unit capital campaign.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
J. Bruce Bugg, Jr., is the Endowment’s chairman and trustee. The 2024 filing lists him as chairman.
The Tobin Endowment is led by J. Bruce Bugg Jr., Chairman on the 2024 filing — the only officer listed, and compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
J. Bruce Bugg Jr.
Chairman
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$1.2M (2024)
Former officers (1)
- Former: J. Bruce Bugg Jr See Statment (2023) — Chairman
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $1.2M, to J Bruce Bugg Jr (Chairman).
Frequently asked questions about The Tobin Endowment
How much does The Tobin Endowment give each year?
The Tobin Endowment gave $3.1M across 13 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $3.2M across 18 grants.
What is The Tobin Endowment's typical grant size?
The Tobin Endowment's median grant in 2024 was $60,000, and its average grant was $238,314, across 13 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Tobin Endowment that year got $50K on average.
Where does The Tobin Endowment give grants?
The Tobin Endowment gives mostly in Texas: 91% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New Mexico (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Antonio, TX (11 grants).
Does The Tobin Endowment give general operating support?
Yes: 23% of The Tobin Endowment's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (3 of 13) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Tobin Endowment's largest grantees?
The Tobin Endowment's largest 2024 grantees include Bexar County Performing Arts Center Foundation ($1,792,457), The Tobin Theatre Arts Fund ($500,000) and The Santa Fe Opera ($277,364), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 83% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Tobin Endowment?
The Tobin Endowment reported $148.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $4.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4.1M (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 Tobin Endowment fund?
The Endowment’s stated mission is to support areas cherished by the Tobin family through charitable grants to nonprofit organizations. Its filing describes support for the arts, as well as other charitable, scientific, literary, and educational organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Tobin Endowment?
The Endowment’s filing states that grant requests must be submitted in writing and specify the purpose of the requested funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Tobin Endowment's EIN?
The Tobin Endowment's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-6478848. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Tobin Endowment funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-tobin-endowment-morg_1f6016fd7c4a4fb29e222b2d312f411d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_746478848_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Tobin Endowment funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-tobin-endowment-morg_1f6016fd7c4a4fb29e222b2d312f411d},
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 Tobin Endowment'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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