William Knox Holt Foundation
The William Knox Holt Foundation is a private foundation based in San Antonio, Texas. It supports organizations in charitable fields that include education, medical research, social services, and arts and sciences, with the filing listing California, Texas, Colorado, and New York as geographic areas.
William Knox Holt Foundation at a glance
In short: William Knox Holt Foundation gave $336K across 24 grants in 2024 (avg $14K), top state Texas. 38% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $336,000
- +1.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 24
- +14.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $14,000
- -11.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $4,353,241
- -5.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (9 of 24, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Texas (42% 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 William Knox Holt Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It instructs applicants to send a letter request stating the organization’s name and address, the purpose of the grant, and background information on the organization. The listed charitable fields are education, medical research, social services, and arts and sciences; the listed geographic areas are California, Texas, Colorado, and New York.
- Contact
Application contact: William Knox Holt Foundation Attn C
Mailing address: PO Box 90070, San Antonio, TX 78209
Phone: (210) 601-3702
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who William Knox Holt Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Colorado Rocky Mountain School Inc ($50K). Together the top 10 received $230K.
Grant Size Distribution
98 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 97 grants of 98 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation lists California, Texas, Colorado, and New York as geographic areas. In 2024, 42% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas, 40% to California, 15% to Colorado, and 3% to Missouri.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
Cities
Is William Knox Holt Foundation open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 24 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. With only 24 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $16K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 58% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+3%). 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 $120K (2020) to $336K (2024). In 2024 it made 24 grants totaling $336K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado Rocky Mountain School Inc Carbondale, CO | To Fund Organization's Exempt Purpose. | $50,000 |
| Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation Monterey, CA | To Fund Organization's Exempt Purpose. | $35,000 |
| Just Keep Livin Foundation Sherman Oaks, CA | To Fund After School Programs. | $30,000 |
| University of the Pacific Stockton, CA | To Fund the Library Project. | $25,000 |
| Mobile Loaves & Fishes Inc Austin, TX | To Fund Community First Village Program. | $20,000 |
| University of California Berkeley Foundation Berkeley, CA | To fund the lawrence hall of science outdoor nature lab. | $20,000 |
| San Joaquin Pioneer & Historical Society Stockton, CA | To Fund Organization's Exempt Purpose. | $15,000 |
| Witte Museum San Antonio, TX | To Fund Organization's Exempt Purpose. | $15,000 |
| Austin Ymbl Sunshine Camp Austin, TX | To Fund Organization's Exempt Purpose. | $10,000 |
| CMC Foundation of Central Texas St. Louis, MO | To Fund Organization's Exempt Purpose. | $10,000 |
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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 | $4,353,241 | $332,039 | $591,838 | $336,000 | 24 | $463,782 | $203,437 | $472,675 |
| 2023 | $4,612,890 | $137,104 | $547,225 | $332,500 | 21 | $465,487 | $121,494 | $403,718 |
| 2022 | $5,011,324 | $110,221 | $527,694 | $300,050 | 21 | $435,636 | $37,677 | $433,879 |
| 2021 | $5,428,797 | $354,011 | $569,935 | $325,050 | 23 | $458,255 | $263,591 | $484,661 |
| 2020 | $5,665,898 | $118,505 | $366,077 | $120,000 | 9 | — | $13,210 | $390,856 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, William Knox Holt Foundation reported a distributable amount of $473K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The filing does not state a mission for the foundation. Its listed charitable fields are education, medical research, social services, and arts and sciences. Its 2024 grants included support for a college-preparatory school, an ocean-conservation organization, a university, social services, and museums.
Grantees describe their own work in varied ways. Colorado Rocky Mountain School says it is a co-educational, college-preparatory boarding and day school for students in grades 9 through 12. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation says its mission is to inspire ocean conservation. Mobile Loaves & Fishes says it provides food and clothing and promotes dignity for people experiencing homelessness. The Witte Museum says it inspires people to shape the future of Texas through experiences in nature, science, and culture.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 24 grants totaling $336,000. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $50,000, with a median of $10,000. It reported 21 grants totaling $332,500 in 2023 and 21 totaling $300,050 in 2022.
The largest 2024 awards included $50,000 to Colorado Rocky Mountain School, $35,000 to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation, $30,000 to Just Keep Livin Foundation for after-school programs, and $25,000 to the University of the Pacific for a library project. Other awards included $20,000 to Mobile Loaves & Fishes for its Community First Village program, $20,000 to the University of California Berkeley Foundation for the Lawrence Hall of Science Outdoor Nature Lab, and $15,000 to the Witte Museum.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Kathryn Atherton, Geary Atherton, Catherine N Cooke, and Peter Atherton as directors.
William Knox Holt Foundation's 2024 filing lists 4 officers; all 4 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Catherine N. Cooke
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$31K (2020) → $31K (2024)
Geary Atherton
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$31K (2020) → $31K (2024)
Kathryn Atherton
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$31K (2020) → $31K (2024)
Peter Atherton
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$31K (2020) → $31K (2024)
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 $31K, to Kathryn Atherton (Director). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about William Knox Holt Foundation
How much does William Knox Holt Foundation give each year?
William Knox Holt Foundation gave $336K across 24 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $333K across 21 grants.
What is William Knox Holt Foundation's typical grant size?
William Knox Holt Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $14,000, across 24 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from William Knox Holt Foundation that year got $11K on average.
Where does William Knox Holt Foundation give grants?
William Knox Holt Foundation's top state is Texas, with 42% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (40%) and Colorado (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were Austin, TX (8 grants), San Antonio, TX (7 grants) and Stockton, CA (2 grants).
Who are William Knox Holt Foundation's largest grantees?
William Knox Holt Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Colorado Rocky Mountain School Inc ($50,000), Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation ($35,000) and Just Keep Livin Foundation ($30,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is William Knox Holt Foundation?
William Knox Holt Foundation reported $4.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $464K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $473K (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 William Knox Holt Foundation fund?
The filing does not state a mission for the foundation. Its listed charitable fields are education, medical research, social services, and arts and sciences. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from William Knox Holt Foundation?
The filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is William Knox Holt Foundation's EIN?
William Knox Holt Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-6084245. 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 October 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). William Knox Holt Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/william-knox-holt-foundation-morg_112b91a6f38646cd8f904b4dfb82d29a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_746084245_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{William Knox Holt Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/william-knox-holt-foundation-morg_112b91a6f38646cd8f904b4dfb82d29a},
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 William Knox Holt 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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