The William and Ella Owens Medical Research Foundation is a private foundation established in 1998 and based in San Antonio, Texas. The foundation operates as an independent trust focused on supporting medical research initiatives across the United States.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$24.6M
-1.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.6M
-17.7% YoY
Grant Count
2
-50.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$800K
+64.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, William and Ella Owens Medical Research Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary purpose is to support original research on the cause, cure, treatment, and prevention of human diseases and disorders. This includes basic research, applied research, and clinical trials.
Specific research priorities include:
- Brain cancer research, particularly investigating whether ica-1 can treat brain cancer by neutralizing the carcinogen pkc-iota
- Kidney cancer treatment through targeting chromatin remodeler defects
- Pancreatic cancer research
- Alzheimer's disease research
- Childhood cancer research
Grantmaking
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds research in Texas and Oklahoma, with demonstrated support for institutions in Texas including The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and the University of South Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Total Assets: $24,613,233 (as of 2024)
Annual Giving: $1,600,000 (2024)
Total Revenues: $1,672,729 (2023)
Total Expenses: $1,946,483 (2023)
Revenue Composition (2023):
- Investment income and dividends: $1,308,879
- Grants and contributions: $286,822
- Miscellaneous revenues: $76,095
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $933
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $24,613,233 | $24,873,214 | $25,168,775 |
| Revenue | $1,748,680 | $1,672,729 | $1,503,954 |
| Expenses | $1,601,472 | $1,946,483 | $1,946,366 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,600,060 | $1,945,060 | $1,945,060 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,415,389 | $1,358,946 | $1,215,659 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,776,938 | $2,519,301 | $2,517,393 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 2 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
63 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Ut Health - San Antonio ($1,500,000), U Oklahoma Foundation ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| U OKLAHOMA FOUNDATION NORMAN, OK | PANCREATIC CANCER RESEARCH FUND | $100,000 |
| UT HEALTH - SAN ANTONIO SAN ANTONIO, TX | BLOCK GRANT FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH PROJECTS | $1,500,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| WILLIAM C OWENS JR TRUSTEE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has actively awarded grants to support cutting-edge medical research:
Owens Medical Research Foundation awards UT Health San Antonio investigators\Dr. Sijia He received a 2025 William and Ella Owens Medical Research Foundation Award
Owens Medical Research Foundation awards UT Health San Antonio investigators\Drs. Qian Shi and Manzoor Bhat were recipients of the 2024 William and Ella Owens Medical Research Foundation Award
Owens Medical Research Foundation awards UT Health San Antonio investigators\Dr. Sayre's research project was selected for foundation support in neurosurgery
Owens Medical Research Foundation awards UT Health San Antonio investigators\Contact Information
Address: PMB 197, 8452 Fredericksburg Road, San Antonio, TX 78229
Telephone: 210-698-2162
EIN: 74-2884415
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does William and Ella Owens Medical Research Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary purpose is to support original research on the cause, cure, treatment, and prevention of human diseases and disorders. This includes basic research, applied research, and clinical trials. Specific research priorities include: • Brain cancer research, particularly investigating whether ica-1 can treat brain cancer by neutralizing the carcinogen pkc-iota • Kidney cancer treatment through targeting chromatin remodeler defects • Pancreatic cancer research • Alzheimer's dise…
How do I apply for a grant from William and Ella Owens Medical Research Foundation?
**Grant Amounts:** Typical awards range from $95,000 to $1,500,000. **Recent Activity:** In 2024, the foundation made 38 grants to various organizations. Recent notable awards include $1.5 million awarded to The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio for research projects addressing pancreatic cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and childhood cancers, distributed as $250,000 each to six research projects. **Funding Areas:** The foundation prioritizes Education, Health Care, and Profe…
Where does William and Ella Owens Medical Research Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds research in Texas and Oklahoma, with demonstrated support for institutions in Texas including The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and the University of South Florida.
What size grants does William and Ella Owens Medical Research Foundation award?
In 2024, William and Ella Owens Medical Research Foundation awarded 2 grants totaling $1.6M — an average of about $800K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is William and Ella Owens Medical Research Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, William and Ella Owens Medical Research Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is William and Ella Owens Medical Research Foundation's EIN?
William and Ella Owens Medical Research Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-2884415. 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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