The Tobin Endowment is a private charitable foundation headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. Established in 1999, the organization sustains the Tobin family legacy through philanthropic work in the arts, theater, opera, historic preservation, and civic support. The foundation makes charitable grants to qualifying 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, primarily serving the San Antonio area and broader Texas region.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$148.9M
-3.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.1M
-2.2% YoY
Grant Count
13
-27.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$238K
+35.4% YoY
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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Tobin Endowment's mission is to support the ideals cherished by the Tobin family through charitable grants to nonprofit organizations in the following areas:
- Arts and Culture — including theater, opera, and performing arts
- Historic Preservation
- Civic Support
- Charitable, Scientific, Literary, and Educational Organizations
The foundation also administers the Tobin estate conference facility, which is made available free of charge to nonprofit organizations holding meetings and functions to advance their charitable activities.
Grantmaking
The foundation has no formal deadlines for submission.
Grant Range
s & Amounts:**
Average Grant
amount: approximately $123,000
Review Cycle
for submission.
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Tobin Endowment primarily funds nonprofit organizations in:
- Texas (with emphasis on San Antonio)
- New Mexico
- New York (limited activity)
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Income (2024):
- Total assets: $148,928,450
- Total revenues: -$400,360
- Total expenses: $4,956,129
- Annual grants made: $3,701,823
Historical Growth: Total assets have grown from $69.1 million in 2011 to $148.9 million in 2024.
Grant Distribution: The foundation has made 54 grants totaling $6.6 million across supported organizations, with grants distributed to 26 unique organizations.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $148,928,450 | $154,284,939 | $67,720,452 |
| Revenue | $-400,360 | $1,968,225 | $3,909,040 |
| Expenses | $4,956,129 | $4,656,525 | $3,060,930 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $4,020,791 | $3,914,273 | $2,343,861 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,044,401 | $1,226,305 | $3,279,462 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,117,114 | $3,762,844 | $3,737,972 |
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
93 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Bexar County Performing Arts Center Foundation ($1,792,457), The Tobin Theatre Arts Fund ($500,000), The Santa Fe Opera ($277,364).
| 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 |
| 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 |
| CLASSICAL MUSIC INSTITUTE SAN ANTONIO, TX | SUPPORT TO GROW CONCERT SEASON AND EXPAND EDUCATION PROGRAMS | $9,000 |
| ELF LOUISE INC SAN ANTONIO, TX | SUPPORT FOR THE ELF LOUIS CHRISTMAS PROJECT | $15,000 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| THE CHARITY BALL ASSOCIATION OF SAN ANTO SAN ANTONIO, TX | SUPPORT FOR SAN ANTONIO'S CHILDREN'S CHARITIES AS A GRAND PATRON | $10,000 |
| 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 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
J. Bruce Bugg, Jr. — Chairman and Trustee of The Tobin Endowment
The foundation is governed by one officer or trustee and operates with a staff of three employees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| J BRUCE BUGG JR | CHAIRMAN | 40 | $1,152,559 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Tobin Endowment fund?
The Tobin Endowment's mission is to support the ideals cherished by the Tobin family through charitable grants to nonprofit organizations in the following areas: • **Arts and Culture** — including theater, opera, and performing arts • **Historic Preservation** • **Civic Support** • **Charitable, Scientific, Literary, and Educational Organizations** The foundation also administers the Tobin estate conference facility, which is made available free of charge to nonprofit organizations holding meet…
How do I apply for a grant from The Tobin Endowment?
**Grant Ranges & Amounts:** • Typical grant awards range from $1,230 to $1,792,457 • Average grant amount: approximately $123,000 • Median grant amount: $35,000 • Total annual giving: approximately $3.1 to $3.7 million **Recent Grants (2024):** • Bexar County Performing Arts Center Foundation/Tobin Center for the Performing Arts: $1,792,457 (support for diverse cultural, educational, and artistic experiences for youth and community) • The Tobin Theatre Arts Fund: $500,000 (charitable grant for …
Where does The Tobin Endowment make grants?
The Tobin Endowment primarily funds nonprofit organizations in: • **Texas** (with emphasis on San Antonio) • **New Mexico** • **New York** (limited activity)
What size grants does The Tobin Endowment award?
In 2024, The Tobin Endowment awarded 13 grants totaling $3.1M — an average of about $238K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Tobin Endowment required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Tobin Endowment reported a distributable amount of $4.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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.
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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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