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Winn Family Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$1.7M
Grant Range
$50K - $50.0M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $1,673,658 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation-only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $152,000 average; major grants $10-50 million
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily Texas, with some national U.S. grants
  • Total Assets: $83.9 million

Contact Details

The Winn Family Foundation does not maintain a public website or published contact information. The foundation is based in Dallas, Texas.

Leadership:

  • Stephen T. Winn - President/Director
  • Melinda G. Winn - Co-Vice President/Director
  • Natalie W. Amoroso - Co-Vice President/Director
  • Christopher S. Winn - Co-Vice President/Director
  • Heather W. Bowman - Co-Vice President/Director
  • Peyton Bryant - Treasurer/Secretary

Overview

Established in 2011, the Winn Family Foundation is a private family foundation created by Stephen Winn, founder of RealPage (sold to Thoma Bravo for $10.2 billion in 2021) and currently managing partner of Dallas-based Mirasol Capital investment firm. With assets of approximately $83.9 million, the foundation distributed $1.7 million in grants in 2023. Since 2015, the foundation has awarded 113 grants totaling over $20.8 million. The foundation maintains an exceptionally low profile, operating without a public website and making grants exclusively by invitation to preselected organizations. The Winn family's philanthropic approach focuses on long-term institutional support, particularly for transformative capital projects and endowed programs that create lasting impact in STEM education, environmental conservation, and women's empowerment.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with published guidelines. Instead, grants are made by invitation only to preselected organizations. Recent major grants include:

  • Major Capital/Endowment Gifts: $10-50 million range

    • University of Texas at Austin biodiversity research ($50+ million)
    • St. Mark's School of Texas Science Center ($10 million)

  • Standard Institutional Grants: Average $152,000

    • Approximately 11 grants awarded annually
    • Includes operational support and program funding

Priority Areas

The foundation organizes its giving around three core pillars:

  1. STEM Education

    • Science and engineering facilities
    • Mathematics programs
    • Technology infrastructure
    • Pre-K through university level
    • Robotics, bioengineering, DNA science, computer science

  2. Environmental Protection

    • Biodiversity research and monitoring
    • Ecological field stations
    • Climate research
    • Natural resource conservation
    • Focus on Texas and throughout the U.S.

  3. Women's Empowerment and Equal Opportunity

    • Girls' education programs
    • Women's leadership development
    • STEM access for women and girls

Known Recipients Include:

  • University of Texas at Austin (College of Natural Sciences, Cockrell School of Engineering)
  • St. Mark's School of Texas (Dallas)
  • Christo Rey School (Mathematics Center)
  • McDonald Observatory (telescope funding)

What They Don't Fund

The foundation explicitly states it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Organizations outside their pre-existing network or areas of strategic interest are unlikely to receive consideration.

Governance and Leadership

Stephen T. Winn (President/Director) - UT Austin alumnus (B.S. '69), Stanford graduate degree. Net worth approximately $1.7 billion. Originally trained as an engineer, founded RealPage Inc. in 1998 and served as President, CEO and Chairman until selling the company in 2021. Currently runs Mirasol Capital, an investment firm active in real estate, technology, and entertainment. Member of St. Mark's School Board of Trustees (1988-1994).

Quote from Stephen Winn (St. Mark's School gift announcement): "I've seen what you are capable of in the past 50 years. Now, it's time to think about the next 50 years."

Melinda G. Winn (Co-Vice President/Director) - Active volunteer and supporter of Texas educational institutions. Co-donor on major gifts to UT Austin and St. Mark's School.

Christopher S. Winn (Co-Vice President/Director) - St. Mark's School alumnus (Class of 1999), currently serves on the school's Alumni Board.

Quote from Christopher Winn (St. Mark's School): "Our hearts go out to you, and we appreciate everything that you have done."

Natalie W. Amoroso (Co-Vice President/Director) - Family member involved in shaping the foundation's support for women's empowerment and environmental causes.

Heather W. Bowman (Co-Vice President/Director) - Family member involved in shaping the foundation's support for women's empowerment and environmental causes.

The foundation operates as a family-run organization with no compensated directors or committee members. According to Inside Philanthropy, "The Winns' daughters, meanwhile, have shaped the family's support for women's empowerment and for the environment."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Winn Family Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Grants are awarded through:

  • Invitation only - The foundation identifies and selects organizations aligned with their priorities
  • Trustee discretion - The family board determines grant recipients based on their strategic interests
  • Pre-existing relationships - Strong connections to institutions, particularly those with family ties (alma maters, schools attended by family members)

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation's approach to identifying grantees appears heavily influenced by:

  • Family connections to institutions - Stephen Winn is a UT Austin alumnus; Christopher Winn attended St. Mark's School; the family has deep roots in Texas educational and civic institutions
  • Board service and institutional involvement - Stephen Winn served on St. Mark's Board of Trustees (1988-1994); Christopher serves on the Alumni Board
  • Science Philanthropy Alliance membership - The foundation is a member of this network, suggesting engagement with the scientific philanthropy community
  • Major institutional initiatives - The foundation appears responsive to significant strategic opportunities, particularly those involving long-term research or transformative capital projects in their priority areas

Organizations seeking support would need to develop authentic relationships with the Winn family or their affiliated institutions over time, though even this provides no guarantee of consideration given the foundation's highly selective approach.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. Major gifts appear to involve extended discussions and planning periods, as evidenced by the multi-year commitment structures for their largest grants.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. In 2023, the foundation made 11 grants totaling $1.7 million to their preselected organizations.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable given the invitation-only structure.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation operates exclusively by invitation, there is no application process. However, analyzing their giving patterns reveals what attracts the Winn family's philanthropic support:

Institutional Characteristics They Support:

  • Transformative scale and vision - Their largest grants ($10-50 million) support initiatives that fundamentally advance an institution's capabilities, such as the UT Austin field station network that will create permanent infrastructure for decades of research
  • Long-term impact orientation - Preference for endowments, capital projects, and sustained research programs over short-term projects
  • STEM excellence and innovation - Facilities and programs advancing cutting-edge science, from bioengineering to biodiversity monitoring
  • Texas connections - Strong preference for institutions in their home state, particularly Dallas and Austin
  • Educational institutions at all levels - Support spans from pre-K through university, with emphasis on independent schools and flagship public universities

Language and Priorities from the Winns:

  • Focus on "the next 50 years" of institutional impact
  • Interest in understanding "changes in the molecular biodiversity of the land over time"
  • Commitment to "inspire the next generation" of students in STEM fields
  • Support for institutions that "prepare future leaders"

Their Major Funded Projects:

  • UT Austin Hill Country Field Station and Texas Field Station Network (biodiversity research, long-term ecological monitoring)
  • St. Mark's School Winn Science Center (modern laboratories, maker space, planetarium for engineering, robotics, bioengineering)
  • UT Austin Cockrell School of Engineering building
  • McDonald Observatory giant Magellan telescope
  • Christo Rey Winn Mathematics Center
  • UT Austin Winn Software Lab

What Distinguishes Recipients:

  • Personal connections to family members (alma maters, schools children attended)
  • Alignment with all three foundation pillars (STEM + environment/women's empowerment)
  • Capacity for transformative use of major gifts
  • Institutional excellence and reputation
  • Demonstrated commitment to advancing scientific knowledge or STEM education

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This foundation is not accessible through traditional grant seeking - They operate exclusively by invitation to preselected organizations and explicitly do not accept unsolicited requests
  • Family connections are paramount - Nearly all major grants go to institutions with direct family ties (UT Austin where Stephen studied, St. Mark's School attended by family members)
  • Think transformative, not transactional - Their major grants ($10-50 million) support generation-defining initiatives like establishing permanent field research stations or state-of-the-art science centers
  • Texas-focused with STEM emphasis - Geographic priority is clearly Texas, particularly Dallas and Austin, with strong preference for science, engineering, technology, and mathematics programs
  • Long-term relationships matter - Stephen Winn's board service at St. Mark's began in 1988; their first major gift wasn't until 2014 - a 26-year relationship
  • Environmental science is an emerging priority - The $50 million UT Austin biodiversity gift represents their largest known commitment and signals deep interest in ecological research and climate science
  • Women's empowerment requires research - While listed as a core pillar, specific grants in this area are less publicly documented compared to STEM/environmental giving; may be more targeted to specific programs or integrated into educational grants

References

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