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San Antonio Area Foundation

Annual Giving
$36.3M
Grant Range
$5K - $0.1M
Decision Time
4mo

San Antonio Area Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $36+ million (2023)
  • Total Assets: $1.1 billion
  • Decision Time: Varies by program; April notification for some programs
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $150,000+ (varies by program)
  • Geographic Focus: Bexar County and seven surrounding counties (Atascosa, Bandera, Comal, Guadalupe, Kendall, Medina, Wilson)
  • Founded: 1964
  • Total Historic Giving: $809+ million in grants and scholarships

Contact Details

Address: 155 Concord Plaza Dr. Suite 301, San Antonio, TX 78216

Phone: (210) 225-2243

Email: info@saafdn.org

Website: https://saafdn.org

Office Hours: Monday-Friday (front office closed 12-1 p.m.)

Grant Applications Portal: GrantInterface.com

Overview

The San Antonio Area Foundation, established in 1964, is recognized as one of the top 20 community foundations in the nation and the first community foundation in Texas. Managing over $1.1 billion in assets across more than 500 charitable funds, the foundation serves as San Antonio's most trusted philanthropic partner. In 2023, the foundation distributed $36.3 million in grants across 339 awards. The foundation's growth was dramatically accelerated in 2015 when cinema magnate John L. Santikos left most of his $605 million estate to the Area Foundation, transforming it into one of the largest community foundations in the country. Under the leadership of CEO Nadege Souvenir (appointed April 2024), who is the first Black woman to lead the foundation, the organization focuses on "closing opportunity gaps for those who need it most" through trust-based philanthropy and multi-year general operating support. The foundation has distributed more than $809 million in grants and scholarships since its founding.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Responsive Grants - Three-year general operating support grants awarded to organizations aligned with one of the four primary impact areas. The 2023-2025 cycle awarded nearly 100 nonprofits receiving $9 million. Applications typically open April-June with September notifications and disbursements.

Future Ready Impact Grant - Six-year grants totaling $7.1 million to 16 organizations supporting middle and high school students. Awards contingent on participation in Future Ready workgroups, milestone check-ins, and annual reports. Expected to award 10-15 organizations per cycle.

Collaborative Grants - Up to one year of funding with a maximum award of $75,000 for program providers looking to innovate and/or deepen key partnerships. Proposals reviewed by staff; approved requestors invited to apply for funding.

Special and Urgent Needs Grants - One-time grants up to $5,000 for unexpected, unbudgeted needs critical to operations. Does not fund routine operating costs or start-up expenses.

Capital Grants - Support for nonprofit infrastructure development projects. Recent 2024 awards included $150,000 to Connections Individual and Family Services for construction of a counseling and substance abuse center.

Scholarships - Over 100 scholarship funds awarding $6+ million annually to students, with individual awards ranging from $500 to $6,000 (average $2,000).

Priority Areas

Cultural Vibrancy (Arts and Culture) - Increases community connectivity and embraces cultural diversity of San Antonio. Supports arts accessibility, broad community participation, arts education and outreach. Emphasizes support for under-resourced arts and culture organizations.

Livable and Resilient Communities - Boosts access to affordable, safe, and stable housing, transportation, health and wellness resources, and public spaces. Catalyzes cross-sector collaboration and shifts resources to ZIP codes with limited access. Includes workforce development and pandemic recovery programs.

Youth Success - Supports cradle-to-career educational programming addressing disparities and youth leadership development. Organizations providing out-of-school-time activities for grades 6-9 that demonstrate improvements in school attendance, academic performance, and/or behavior.

Successful Aging - Improves quality of life for older adults through programs supporting health, autonomy, and community connection, with emphasis on caregiver support.

Animal Services - Programs that improve health and wellness of animals, educate the community about animal care, and/or provide spay/neuter and adoption services. Historically supported San Antonio's No-Kill Initiative.

Priority given to organizations serving under-represented and under-served communities across all impact areas.

What They Don't Fund

  • Endowments
  • Debt reduction
  • Funds for individuals (except through designated scholarship programs)
  • Political activities
  • Routine operating or program costs (for Special and Urgent Needs grants)
  • Start-up costs (for Special and Urgent Needs grants)

Note: Scholarships and capital campaigns are funded under separate processes from general grantmaking.

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership

Nadege Souvenir, CEO - Appointed April 2024, Souvenir is the first Black woman to lead the Area Foundation. She has emphasized equity and the foundation's potential: "One of the biggest issues is equity: Helping those who need it most. It's really about making sure that your life circumstances… aren't determinative of your outcome." She describes the foundation as being "at the precipice of potential" at its 60-year mark.

Arenda Burns, Chief Operating Officer

April Hansard, CPA, Chief Financial Officer

Lisa Brunsvold, Chief Development Officer

Sarah Manzke, Chief Marketing Officer

Ryan Lugalia-Hollon, PhD, Chief Impact Officer

Board of Directors

Officers:

  • Sarah Harte, Chair
  • Suzanne Wade, Vice Chair
  • Yonnie Blanchette, Secretary
  • Stacey Isenberg, Treasurer

Members: Laura Cabanilla, Laura Liang, Debbie Serot, Mari Aguirre Rodriguez, Jorge Elizondo, Joseph S. McLauchlan, Gurpaul Singh, Michael Bolner, Robert Hernandez, Tyler Peace, Morris Stribling

The 14-member board consists of community volunteers selected by several appointing authorities (CPAs, attorneys, chambers, bank trustees, physicians, etc.) who serve a maximum of two three-year terms. The board conducts formal written self-assessments within the past three years.

Program Officers

  • Gavin Nichols, Senior Program Officer
  • Jesus Garcia-Gonzalez, Senior Program Officer
  • Andrea Figueroa, Director of Youth Success
  • Jennifer Cook, Director of Strategy and Impact
  • Julio Lopez, Program Officer of Youth Success

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The foundation uses an online application system through GrantInterface.com. Registration as a new user takes approximately five minutes; applicants should have their contact information and EIN available.

When logged into the system, applicants can see which competitive grant programs are accepting applications by clicking "Apply." The system offers options for printing questions, saving work as drafts, and uploading required documents.

General Eligibility: Organizations must be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3), schools, churches, or governmental bodies for a minimum of one year by the application deadline. Programs must benefit Bexar County and/or the seven surrounding counties.

Application Tips:

  • Give yourself ample time to gather documents, craft responses, and seek feedback
  • Do not use abbreviations when entering information
  • Use drop-down options as provided
  • Any required field missing will be noted at the top in red after saving
  • Complete all sections thoroughly to be considered for all applicable scholarships/grants

Decision Timeline

Responsive Grants: Applications typically open April-June; notifications and disbursements in September

Future Ready Impact Grant: Applications reviewed; notification in April

Multi-Year Model: The foundation shifted to multi-year funding in 2021, with three-year responsive grants reducing the annual application burden for grantees

Success Rates

For the Future Ready Impact Grant, the foundation expects to award between 10-15 organizations per cycle. In 2023, the foundation made 339 awards totaling $36.3 million, demonstrating substantial grantmaking activity. Due to the volume of applications, the foundation does not notify non-recipients about specific reasons for declining applications.

Reapplication Policy

Specific reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants were not publicly documented in available materials. Organizations should contact program officers directly to discuss future application opportunities.

Application Success Factors

Philosophy and Approach

The foundation operates on trust-based philanthropic principles, emphasizing multi-year general operating support to help organizations achieve stability and plan for sustainability. CEO Nadege Souvenir emphasizes: "I believe deeply in the power of community foundations to be a catalyst for change and convening and leadership in a community."

Recent Funded Projects (2024 Examples)

  • Connections Individual and Family Services ($150,000) - Construction of counseling and substance abuse center serving 850 youth
  • Children at Risk ($30,000) - Research study examining health of Hispanic children in Bexar County
  • Culturingua ($100,000) - Providing refugees with critical services
  • Agarita Chamber Players ($30,000) - Expanding musical partnership to underserved areas including San Antonio's West Side

What the Selection Committee Values

The scholarship committee statement provides insight into the foundation's broader values: "The scholarship committee is looking for students who not only excel academically but also possess a strong sense of community and a desire to make a difference." This suggests the foundation values demonstrated community impact and commitment to positive change across all programs.

Key Terminology

  • Trust-based philanthropy - The foundation's operating philosophy
  • Multi-year support - Three to six-year commitments
  • General operating support - Flexible funding for organizational needs rather than project-specific
  • Closing opportunity gaps - Core mission language
  • Under-represented and under-served communities - Priority populations

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Multi-year thinking is essential: The foundation has shifted to three and six-year grant cycles, seeking partners committed to sustained impact rather than project-by-project funding
  • General operating support focus: The foundation prefers flexible funding that allows organizations to build capacity and sustainability rather than restricting grants to specific projects
  • Equity is central: Demonstrate how your work closes opportunity gaps and serves under-represented communities; CEO Souvenir has made this a clear priority
  • Geographic specificity matters: Clearly articulate how your work benefits Bexar County and/or the seven surrounding counties
  • Align with one of four impact areas: Clearly position your organization within Cultural Vibrancy, Livable and Resilient Communities, Youth Success, or Successful Aging
  • Trust-based relationship: The foundation values partnership and collaborative relationships over transactional grantmaking
  • Recent transformation: With new leadership and massive asset growth from the Santikos estate, the foundation is "at the precipice of potential" and may be open to innovative approaches

References

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