Natem Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- Natem Foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests, and the filing describes its giving as by invitation only, so a grant writer should not send a cold application.
- The best first step is to build a relationship and wait to be invited.
- Its grants go to public charities, including community and other foundations, across community, cultural, educational, health and food-system work, so an organisation working in those areas can describe a fit.
- About 8 in 10 of its grants fall between $35,500 and $610,000, with a median of about $150,000, and half of its 30 grants to organisations were about $150,000 or less, so a request near that level is more realistic than a very large one, although its largest grant was about $2,200,000.
- All of its grant dollars to organisations in its latest filing went to organisations it had also funded in one of its two earlier filings, so giving is strongly repeat-led, and no geographic focus is stated, so the filing does not show where an organisation must be based.
Overview
Natem Foundation is a US private foundation based in Houston, TX.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Grant recipients are public charities, including community and other foundations. The stated purposes include support for contemplative sciences and food forests stewarded by local communities, as well as solutions journalism and independent publishers of solutions journalism. Other grants support infrastructure for programming for Indigenous women, farming communities and sustainable farming practices, research of educational methodologies, community medical care, hunger and food-system transformation, and programmes designed to promote social well-being. The grant record also includes community arts accessibility and social justice, Indigenous culture, archives, community theatre, healing intergenerational trauma and free educational content. Its giving therefore reaches a varied range of community, cultural, educational, health and food-system activities through charitable organisations.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants spread across the United States.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 100% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 30 grants to organisations were about $150,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 72% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 100% of grant dollars went to organisations Natem Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 100% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 10 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $126k (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Tides Foundation · Support contemplative sciences$1,167,9672024 tax year
- Tides Foundation · Support food forests stewarded by local communities$507,7672024 tax year
- Tides Foundation · Support programs designed to promote social well-being$203,1982024 tax year
- Tides Foundation · Support research of educational methodologies$152,4372024 tax year
- Santa Fe Community Foundation · Support community, arts accessibility, and social justice activities$150,0002024 tax year
- Tides Foundation · Support hunger and food system transformation$101,5802024 tax year
- Tides Foundation · Support independent publishers of solutions journalism$50,9142024 tax year
- Santa Fe Community Foundation · Support community theater$50,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Adam Rubel — Executive Director
- Alice Bailey — Secretary / Treasurer
- Mary Jo Sandlin — Director
- Aaron Stern — Director
- Linda Pritzker — President / Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $5,131,611 | $4,858,788 | $4,233,755 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $2,164,700 | $1,878,807 | $2,225,701 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $2,741,013 | $2,444,882 | $6,663,286 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
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At a glance
Applying to Natem Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Houston, TX
Applying to Natem Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Houston, TX