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Houston Endowment Inc

Annual Giving
$106.6M
Grant Range
$0K - $10.0M
Decision Time
6mo

Houston Endowment Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $106,590,942 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $2.5 billion
  • Number of Grants: 249 awards (2023)
  • Grant Range: $50 - $10,000,000
  • Average Grant: $421,308
  • Decision Time: 4-9 months
  • Geographic Focus: Greater Houston (Harris County and contiguous counties: Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller)

Contact Details

Website: https://houstonendowment.org
General Email: connect@houstonendowment.org
Phone: (713) 238-8100
Address: 3683 Willia Street, Houston, TX 77007

Staff Email Format: First initial + last name (no spacing) @houstonendowment.org

Overview

Houston Endowment is a nonpartisan, private foundation established by founders Jesse H. and Mary Gibbs Jones, serving the people of Greater Houston since its inception. With $2.5 billion in assets, the foundation has committed to deploying $1 billion over the next 10 years to improve quality of life for everyone in Greater Houston. Under the leadership of President and CEO Ann B. Stern (2012-2026), the foundation has fostered a collaborative, mission-driven culture that centers community, prioritizes learning, and values empathy and listening. Elisa Villanueva Beard has been selected as the foundation's seventh president and CEO and will assume the role on March 30, 2026. The foundation's strategic approach focuses on four core areas: public education, civic engagement, arts and culture, and greenspaces, with an emphasis on equity of opportunity and community-centered solutions.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Houston Endowment organizes its grantmaking around four strategic priority areas:

Public Education - Supporting initiatives to ensure every student graduates with choices for their future, including K-12 and postsecondary success programs.

Civic Engagement - Investing in efforts to increase electoral participation, naturalization, and community participation, including support for local news organizations.

Arts and Culture - Supporting efforts to strengthen the arts and cultural sector, from world-recognized institutions to small and mid-size organizations to individual artists, with funding for projects that increase access and collaboration.

Greenspaces - Investing in community development that creates a sense of belonging and wellbeing through expanded access to shared natural spaces and parks.

Collaboration Fund - A targeted $4.9 million program launched in 2024 for current grantees with smaller operating budgets, enabling investment in organizational capacity strengthening (human capital, work environment, and technical expertise).

Priority Areas

  • K-12 and postsecondary education initiatives in Greater Houston
  • Electoral participation and civic infrastructure
  • Arts access and organizational capacity for cultural institutions
  • Community greenspaces and environmental projects
  • Organizational capacity building for nonprofits
  • Local journalism and information access

What They Don't Fund

As an invitation-only funder focused on Greater Houston, organizations outside of Harris County and the seven contiguous counties (Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller) are not eligible. Specific exclusions and ineligible organization types are not publicly detailed, but funding is restricted to 501(c)(3) organizations described in section 509(a)(1), (2), or (3) of the Internal Revenue Code or educational organizations/governmental units recognized by the IRS.

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

Houston Endowment is governed by a self-perpetuating Board of Directors composed of business, academic, and civic leaders in Greater Houston. Each member is elected to a three-year term and may serve up to four terms.

Current Board Chair: Arshad Matin
Previous Board Chair: Melanie Edwards (began two-year term January 1, 2024; Director since July 2019)
Earlier Board Chairs: Joe Dilg (2022), Douglas L. Foshee (2020)

Board Chair Melanie Trent (at time of leadership transition announcement) said of outgoing CEO Ann Stern: "Ann has led Houston Endowment with remarkable vision, curiosity, and compassion. She consistently reminds us what a privilege it is to serve the people of Houston."

Leadership

Current President and CEO: Ann B. Stern (2012-2026)
Incoming President and CEO: Elisa Villanueva Beard (assumes role March 30, 2026)

Ann B. Stern, a native Houstonian, has led the foundation since 2012, shaping grantmaking priorities with an eye toward equity of opportunity and community-centered solutions. She is credited with fostering a collaborative, mission-driven culture. Upon announcing her departure, Stern stated: "As a native Houstonian, it has been the honor of my lifetime to serve this city and this Foundation."

Regarding nonprofit challenges, Stern noted: "Our nonprofit community in Houston has faced compounding challenges in recent years—COVID-19, natural disasters, rising costs, and funding uncertainty."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. Grants are awarded on an invite-only basis, and Houston Endowment does not accept unsolicited grant requests. Organizations cannot submit traditional grant applications unless specifically invited by foundation staff.

Unsolicited Requests: While full applications are by invitation only, organizations may submit unsolicited requests to inquire about possible funding through the foundation's online system. After review, program officers will either invite an application or notify you that your unsolicited request has been declined, typically within three months.

Important Limitations:

  • After five declined unsolicited requests, an organization will not be able to submit any additional unsolicited requests
  • Staff members cannot provide feedback about declined unsolicited requests
  • An invitation to complete an application does not guarantee funding
  • Organizations are prohibited from contacting board members directly

When Invited: Eligible organizations will be invited to complete an application when the foundation's team believes there is significant potential to drive their priorities. Applications must be submitted via the online Grant Management System, and deadlines will be communicated at the time of invitation.

Decision Timeline

The invited application review process generally takes 4-9 months from submission to decision. Notifications are communicated by email.

Success Rates

Due to the invitation-only nature of Houston Endowment's grantmaking, traditional success rate statistics are not publicly available. In 2023, the foundation made 249 awards totaling $106,590,942, compared to 1,008 awards in 2022 and 892 awards in 2021, showing significant variation in grant activity year to year.

Reapplication Policy

For organizations that submit unsolicited requests: Organizations can resubmit unsolicited requests after being declined, but are limited to a maximum of five declined requests before being prohibited from submitting additional ones.

For invited applications: The foundation does not publicly detail its reapplication policy for organizations that submit full applications but do not receive funding.

Application Success Factors

Since Houston Endowment operates on an invitation-only basis, "success" begins with getting invited to apply. The foundation emphasizes specific factors when evaluating organizations:

Alignment with Priorities: The foundation looks for organizations with a clear understanding of the results they seek to achieve and how those desired results align with the foundation's vision, mission, and priorities. Organizations are strongly encouraged to thoroughly review Houston Endowment's four program areas (public education, civic engagement, arts and culture, and greenspaces) before any contact with the foundation.

Results and Capacity: In deciding which organizations and initiatives to fund, Houston Endowment considers the results that the applicant seeks to achieve and gauges the applicant's capacity to produce those results and how those results drive their priorities. Demonstrating organizational capacity is critical.

Geographic Focus: The foundation exclusively supports projects serving Greater Houston, including Harris County and its contiguous counties (Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller Counties).

Recent Funding Examples Show Foundation Values:

  • The Menil Foundation received $1 million for the Menil Drawing Institute, the first free-standing museum building in the U.S. dedicated solely to modern and contemporary drawings
  • Project Row Houses received a 2-year, $160,000 grant to support strategic plan implementation
  • The Arts Access Initiative received a 2-year, $250,000 grant to build capacity to reach more students
  • The Foundation for Jones Hall received $2.5 million in 2021
  • Houston Ballet received a 2-year, $200,000 grant for operations
  • Gulf Coast Journal received a 3-year, $60,000 grant for operations
  • The Collaboration Fund (2024) provided $4.9 million to 65 organizations with smaller operating budgets for capacity strengthening

Process Notes:

  • Staff will not critique proposals or provide feedback about improving grant applications
  • Interested organizations are welcome to call the foundation at its general phone number but should not contact board members
  • The foundation's grantee guide provides detailed assistance for invited applicants

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Invitation-only model: You cannot submit a traditional application without an invitation; focus on getting on the foundation's radar through unsolicited requests that clearly demonstrate alignment with their four priority areas
  • Geographic restriction is absolute: Only organizations serving Harris County and the seven contiguous counties are eligible—this is non-negotiable
  • Demonstrate capacity and results: The foundation prioritizes organizations that can clearly articulate desired outcomes and demonstrate the organizational capacity to achieve them
  • Emphasize community-centered solutions and equity: Under Stern's leadership, the foundation has prioritized equity of opportunity and community-centered approaches
  • Be strategic about unsolicited requests: You only get five chances—make each unsolicited request count by thoroughly researching alignment before submission
  • Long-term commitment: With $1 billion to deploy over 10 years, the foundation is thinking strategically about long-term impact rather than one-off projects
  • Capacity building is valued: The 2024 Collaboration Fund demonstrates the foundation's interest in strengthening organizational infrastructure, not just programmatic work

References

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