Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 74-6044810 · since 1952klebergfoundation.org·Kingsville, Kleberg County, Texas·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$13.1M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$25,000 to $800k

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$109k

Typical grant (median)

47 grants in the latest filing

Open to applications

Fixed application deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

The Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation supports medical and basic science research, community services, arts and humanities, and wildlife and animal-science work, with its geographic focus given as Kleberg, prioritising Texas, Kingsville, South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas.
Most grants to organisations fall between $25,000 and $800,000, with a median of about $135,000, so a request in that range is realistic; the largest grant recorded was about $2,100,000.
Applications are made online in one of two recurring cycles, spring and fall, with fixed deadlines and no late submissions accepted.
Priority goes to organisations with a previous relationship, and 94% of grant dollars to organisations in its latest filing went to those it had also funded in the two previous filings, so this looks relationship-led and competitive for newcomers.
It does not fund individuals, community, health and education organisations serving clients outside of Kleberg and its adjoining counties of South Texas, operating or general endowments, deficit financing, appeals for religious purposes or organisations limited by race or religion, propaganda organisations or committees aimed at influencing legislation, table sponsorships, fundraising events or advertising, indirect costs or overhead, or organisations which discriminate with respect to race, colour or religion; wildlife, conservation and animal-science applicants are excluded unless an animal shelter, zoo or local rehabilitation effort has a history of previous funding, and medical research applications submitted by an individual researcher are not accepted.

Overview

Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation is a US private foundation based in San Antonio, TX.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The Foundation awards grants to qualifying institutions and agencies whose work advances medical and basic science research, conservation, community services and the arts. Its medical research programme seeks innovative, groundbreaking proposals from top-tier institutions in basic biological and applied research that can advance scientific knowledge and human health; it gives priority to organisations with a previous relationship, preferably in Texas. Community services funding supports health, education and social services in Kingsville, Kleberg County, South Texas and rural adjoining counties, with Kingsville the primary focus. Arts and humanities support centres on high-calibre visual-arts exhibitions at established museums with national impact, favouring education, public events and outreach that widen access. Wildlife and animal-science funding supports applied research, habitat restoration, native wildlife and studies of animal diseases, genetics and health, primarily in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. The Foundation aims to select projects and programmes where funding will have the greatest impact.

Themes

Medical and basic science research
Community services
Arts and humanities
Wildlife conservation
Animal science
Education
Social services

Geographic Focus

Kleberg. Priority: Texas; Kingsville; South Texas; Rio Grande Valley of South Texas.

What They Don't Fund

Individuals
Community, health and education organizations that serve clients outside of Kleberg and its adjoining counties of South Texas
Operating or general endowments
Deficit financing
Appeals for religious purposes or organizations limited by race or religion
Propaganda organizations or committees whose efforts are aimed at influencing legislation
Table sponsorships
Fundraising events or advertising
Indirect costs or overhead allocated to projects
Normal operating functions (generally)
Organizations which discriminate with respect to race, color or religion
Wildlife, Conservation and Animal Science only: Animal shelters, zoos and local rehabilitation efforts unless the organization has a history of previous funding
Medical Research only: Applications submitted by an individual researcher

How to apply

Organisations apply online in one of the Foundation’s recurring grant cycles. It has spring and fall cycles, and late submissions are not accepted.

Deadlines: Two grant cycles per year, with spring and fall deadlines.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 94% 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 136 grants to organisations were about $135,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

Priority goes to organisations with a previous relationship with the Foundation.
Medical research proposals should be highly innovative and groundbreaking, distinctive and novel, and advance knowledge in their field.
Medical research applications are reviewed by a scientific advisory committee.
Capital requests should begin with a conversation with Foundation staff to assess fit with its priorities.
Visual-arts exhibitions at established museums should be of the highest calibre; educational initiatives, public events and outreach are preferred.
Recipients submit evaluation reports assessing project effectiveness and lessons learned, with budget information.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

Texas57%

California15%

Massachusetts8%

Pennsylvania7%

Tennessee4%

New York4%

3 other states: 6%

The largest single recipient received 9% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 94% of grant dollars went to organisations Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.

Grants

47 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $109k

How much do they typically give?

Share of 47 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$5k–$10k4%

$10k–$25k9%

$25k–$50k21%

$50k–$100k13%

$100k–$250k11%

$250k–$500k19%

$500k–$1M17%

$1M and over6%

Median $109k (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Baylor College of Medicine · Support medical study
$1,223,5682024 tax year
University Of California · Charitable
$1,020,6142024 tax year
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center · Support medical studies
$1,000,0002024 tax year
Rice University · Support medical study
$994,3802024 tax year
Thomas Jefferson University · Charitable
$838,5672024 tax year
University Of Texas MD Anderson · Support medical studies
$657,0032024 tax year
University Of Texas Austin · Charitable
$624,8432024 tax year
Foundation of Massachusetts Eye and Ear · Charitable
$600,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

John D Alexander III — Director
Helen A Hamilton — Director
Dorothy A Matz — Vice-President
Henrietta K Alexander — Director
Caroline A Forgason — Director
John D Alexander JR — V/P - Secretary
Emory A Hamilton — V/P - Treasurer
Helen C Alexander — President

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$17,505,259	$14,737,830	$263,195,222	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$17,137,275	$14,250,802	$283,141,751	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$15,135,374	$13,127,766	$293,670,901	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.