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The Elkins Foundation

Annual Giving
$15.6M
Grant Range
$5K - $2.0M
Decision Time
4mo

The Elkins Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $15,607,057 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (highly competitive)
  • Decision Time: 3-4 months (summer review, decision by October 31)
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $2,000,000
  • Geographic Focus: Houston and Greater Gulf Coast

Contact Details

  • Website: https://www.theelkinsfoundation.org/
  • Address: 3737 Buffalo Speedway, Suite 750, Houston, TX 77098
  • Phone: 713.652.2020
  • Contacts: Kira Elbert or Lacie Brawner
  • Email: Not publicly listed

Overview

The Elkins Foundation was established in 1956 by Margaret Wiess Elkins and James A. Elkins, Jr., to strengthen the Houston community. With assets of approximately $202.4 million, the Foundation distributed $15.6 million in grants during 2024 across 89 awards. The Foundation's mission is to "enrich the quality of life for individuals from all walks of life" by supporting educational, healthcare, cultural, community, and religious organizations located in and serving Houston and the Greater Gulf Coast region. Now led by third-generation family members—trustees Virginia Arnold Elkins, Elise Elkins Joseph, and Leslie Elkins Sasser, alongside an 11-member Associate Board—the Foundation continues its family's legacy of diverse community investment. Guided by the belief that "a community's strength lies in the vision of its people and the health of its institutions," the Foundation prioritizes specific capital needs and projects over ongoing operational support.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation operates a single annual grant cycle with awards ranging from $5,000 to $2,000,000. Applications are accepted through an online portal from January through June 30 each year, with decisions announced by October 31.

Priority Areas

The Foundation supports a wide range of subject areas including:

  • Education: All levels of education, from early childhood through higher education
  • Healthcare: Medical education and healthcare facilities/programs
  • Science and Technology: Research and technology advancement
  • Public Safety: Emergency services and community safety programs
  • Disaster Management: Preparedness and response initiatives
  • Religion: Faith-based community organizations
  • Human Services: Programs serving vulnerable populations
  • Culture: Museums, arts organizations, and cultural institutions

The Foundation specifically prefers to support capital needs and projects rather than ongoing operations.

What They Don't Fund

The trustees have a clear policy of declining grants for:

  • Annual giving campaigns
  • Endowment funds
  • Operating budgets
  • Special events (with limited exceptions)
  • Grants to individuals
  • Multi-year commitments to the same organizations (they typically do not fund the same organization year after year)

Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

  • Virginia Arnold Elkins: Former trustee of St. John's School; serves on boards of Texas Children's Hospital, The Salvation Army of Greater Houston Advisory Board, Houston Zoo, and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Development Board
  • Elise Elkins Joseph
  • Leslie Elkins Sasser

All trustees serve without compensation.

Associate Board (Next Generation Leadership)

The 11-member Associate Board includes:

  • Margaret Elkins Davis
  • Buck A. Elkins
  • Harry C. Elkins
  • Samuel H. Elkins
  • Christopher E. Joseph
  • Russell C. Joseph, Jr.
  • Caroline E. Sasser

The Foundation also employs Larry Medford in a leadership capacity.

Foundation Philosophy

The Elkins family was honored with The Salvation Army's William Booth Award for outstanding community service. Through the Foundation, "the family supports a wide variety of educational, health care, cultural, community and religious organizations that benefit individuals from all walks of life across Houston and the Greater Gulf Coast region."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Foundation accepts applications exclusively through its online application system from January 1 through June 30 annually. No other submission methods are permitted. Organizations must be 501(c)(3) tax-exempt and serve Houston and the Greater Gulf Coast.

Key Application Requirements:

  • Geographic focus: Must serve Houston and Greater Gulf Coast residents
  • Project focus: Capital needs and specific projects strongly preferred
  • Online submission only
  • Application window: January 1 - June 30 annually

Decision Timeline

  • Application Submission: January 1 - June 30
  • Review Period: Summer months (July - September)
  • Board Review: Board of Trustees and Associate Board evaluate applications
  • Decision Deadline: October 31
  • Notification: The Foundation does not provide individual feedback on declined applications due to high application volume

Success Rates

While specific acceptance rates are not publicly disclosed, several indicators suggest the Foundation is highly competitive:

  • The Foundation made 89 awards in 2024, distributing $15.6 million
  • The Foundation receives "significantly more applications than it can fund"
  • No individual feedback is provided to declined applicants
  • Recent annual awards: 98 (2020), 81 (2021), 75 (2022), 100 (2023), 89 (2024)

Reapplication Policy

The Foundation does not publish a specific reapplication policy for unsuccessful applicants. However, given that they typically avoid funding the same organizations repeatedly, there appears to be no formal restriction preventing new applications in subsequent years. Organizations should note the Foundation's preference for supporting a "wide variety of organizations and projects" rather than ongoing relationships with the same grantees.

Application Success Factors

Based on the Foundation's stated policies and priorities, successful applications likely demonstrate:

  1. Clear Capital Focus: The trustees prefer to support "specific capital needs and projects." Applications should clearly articulate concrete, project-based needs rather than operational support requests.

  2. Geographic Alignment: Strong demonstration of how the organization serves Houston and Greater Gulf Coast residents. The trustees "primarily focus on organizations serving Houston and the Greater Gulf Coast."

  3. Diverse Community Impact: The Foundation seeks to "enrich the quality of life for individuals from all walks of life," suggesting they value projects serving diverse populations.

  4. One-Time vs. Ongoing Needs: Given the Foundation's policy of typically not funding the same organizations year after year, applications should present discrete, time-limited projects rather than requesting renewable support.

  5. Institutional Strength: The Foundation is "guided by a belief that a community's strength lies in the vision of its people and the health of its institutions," suggesting they value organizational capacity and vision.

  6. Strategic Timing: Applications submitted early in the January-June window may receive fuller consideration before the Foundation reaches capacity.

  7. Alignment with Funding Areas: While the Foundation supports diverse causes, applications should clearly fit within their stated priority areas (education, healthcare, science/technology, public safety, disaster management, religion, human services, culture).

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Capital over operations: This Foundation strongly prefers funding specific projects and capital needs rather than operating budgets or ongoing programs. Frame requests around discrete, tangible deliverables.

  • One-time opportunity mindset: Don't expect multi-year funding or annual renewals. The trustees intentionally rotate support among organizations, so position your request as a one-time strategic investment.

  • Geographic precision matters: Clearly demonstrate how your project serves Houston and the Greater Gulf Coast region. This is a primary screening criterion.

  • High competition requires strategic targeting: With only 89 grants awarded in 2024 from a much larger applicant pool, apply only if your project strongly aligns with their capital-focused, project-based approach.

  • Submit early in the cycle: The January 1 - June 30 window is wide, but submitting earlier (January-March) may be advantageous before the Foundation commits resources.

  • No feedback means strong first submission: You won't receive guidance on declined applications, so invest time upfront ensuring your application is complete, compelling, and precisely aligned with their priorities.

  • Family foundation values: As a third-generation family foundation, they value long-term institutional health and diverse community benefit—emphasize how your project strengthens Houston's institutional fabric.

References

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