Elizabeth Huth Coates Charitable Foundation of 1992

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $1,975,000 (2023)
• Number of Grants: 58 awards (2023)
• Average Grant Size: ~$34,000
• Geographic Focus: Texas, with special emphasis on Bexar County
• Foundation Type: Private foundation
• EIN: 74-6399782
• Application Policy: Note - Past tax filings indicate "preselected organizations only," but foundation is managed through Broadway Bank's online grant portal

Contact Details

Foundation Administrator: Broadway Bank Wealth Management
Phone: (210) 283-6700
Online Application Portal: https://grants.broadway.bank/
Foundation Page: https://broadway.bank/wealth-management/foundations-grants/foundations-we-manage/elizabeth-huth-coates-charitable-foundation-of-1992
Location: San Antonio, Texas

Overview

The Elizabeth Huth Coates Charitable Foundation of 1992 was established by Elizabeth Huth Coates Maddux (1909-1996) to continue her legacy of supporting the arts and education in San Antonio. A lifelong philanthropist, Elizabeth was married to oilman George H. Coates from 1943 until his death in 1973. Together, they were major supporters of Trinity University, the San Antonio Museum of Art (helping create SAMA in what had been an abandoned brewery), the McNay Art Museum, Southwest Research Institute, and many other San Antonio institutions. Elizabeth grew up surrounded by music - her father played violin and her mother played piano - instilling an appreciation for the arts that shaped her philanthropic vision. She remained actively involved with the foundation until her death in 1996. In 2023, the foundation distributed $1,975,000 across 58 grants, focusing primarily on organizations in Bexar County, Texas that advance the arts, support private educational institutions, and conduct medical research.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation makes distributions annually to 501(c)(3) organizations. Based on 2023 data:

• 58 grants awarded totaling $1,975,000
• Average grant: approximately $34,000
• Recent years: 46 awards (2022), 75 awards (2021), 46 awards (2020), 48 awards (2019)
• Notable large grant: $750,000 to St. Mary's University to endow the Ed Boyle Accounting Professorship

Priority Areas

The foundation's principal charitable purposes focus on:

Arts and Culture

• Promotion, encouragement, understanding, appreciation and love of the arts
• Primary focus in Texas, with special emphasis on Bexar County
• Historical support for: San Antonio Museum of Art, McNay Art Museum, San Antonio Symphony
• Recent funding: McNay Art Museum's "de la Torre Brothers: Upward Mobility" exhibition
• Recent funding: San Antonio Museum of Art's "Victorian Radicals" exhibition

Education

• Support of educational institutions, with primary emphasis on private educational institutions
• Historical major support for Trinity University (landscape, scholarships, music library, building remodels and construction)
• The Elizabeth Huth Coates Library at Trinity University is named in her honor
• Partnership funding: Coates Foundation Trinity-San Antonio Museum Postdoctoral Fellowship (began fall 2019)
• Recent funding: St. Mary's University accounting professorship endowment

Medical Research

• Support for medical research initiatives in the region
• Historical grant: $300,000 to Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research for an Illumina Genome Analyzer

Geographic Requirements

Grants must be used primarily in the State of Texas, with special emphasis on uses within Bexar County (San Antonio area). The foundation primarily supports nonprofit organizations in Bexar County, TX.

Eligibility Requirements

Organizations must be described in Sections 170(c), 2055(a) and 2522(a) of Internal Revenue Code and entitled to exemption from federal income tax (501(c)(3) status).

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the foundation's focus on arts, private education, and medical research suggests limited funding for:

• Public K-12 education institutions
• General operating support outside priority areas
• Organizations outside Texas
• Individual scholarships (institutional support only)

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is administered by Broadway Bank Wealth Management, which manages several charitable foundations in the San Antonio area. Specific trustee information is available in the foundation's Form 990-PF filings accessible through ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer and similar databases.

The foundation honors the legacy of its founder, Elizabeth Huth Coates Maddux, who was known for the philosophy that "George provided the means while Elizabeth provided the philanthropic inspiration which she had learned from her parents growing up in San Antonio."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Important Note: The foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings have historically stated that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." However, the foundation is managed by Broadway Bank Wealth Management, which operates an online grant application portal for the foundations it administers.

Organizations interested in applying should:

1. Visit the online portal: https://grants.broadway.bank/
2. Register or log in to the grant management system (powered by Survey Monkey)
3. Submit a completed grant application through the online portal
4. Follow the foundation's specific deadlines and guidelines (available on the Broadway Bank foundation page)

The application process is described as "online and easy to follow," though organizations should be aware of the historical "preselected organizations" designation.

Recommendation: Organizations not previously funded by the foundation should consider contacting Broadway Bank Wealth Management at (210) 283-6700 to inquire about eligibility before investing time in a full application.

Decision Timeline

• The foundation makes distributions only on an annual basis
• Specific deadline dates should be confirmed on the foundation's Broadway Bank page
• Only requests submitted by the deadline will be considered
• Requests submitted after the deadline are considered in the following year
• Each foundation managed by Broadway Bank has its own cycle with specific deadlines and decision dates

Reapplication Policy

Organizations are generally advised to submit only one request per year to foundations managed by Broadway Bank, unless the foundation distributes grants more than once per year.

Application Success Factors

Alignment with Legacy and Mission

The foundation honors Elizabeth Huth Coates' specific philanthropic interests. Successful applications likely demonstrate:

• Deep connection to the arts: Elizabeth grew up surrounded by music and opera, and this appreciation shaped her giving. Projects that promote understanding and love of the arts, particularly those making arts accessible to the community, align with her vision.

• Support for private educational institutions: The foundation explicitly prioritizes private education over public institutions. Trinity University received extensive support for landscape, scholarships, music library, and buildings - suggesting preference for comprehensive institutional development rather than single-purpose projects.

• Medical research with community impact: The foundation supports medical research, particularly when connected to San Antonio institutions like Southwest Research Institute.

Geographic Connection to San Antonio

• Bexar County emphasis: While Texas-wide projects may be considered, special emphasis is on Bexar County uses
• Historical institutional relationships: The foundation has long-standing relationships with major San Antonio cultural and educational institutions (Trinity University, SAMA, McNay, San Antonio Symphony)
• Community transformation: Elizabeth's gift helped transform an abandoned brewery into the San Antonio Museum of Art - suggesting appreciation for projects that enhance San Antonio's cultural landscape

Institutional Capacity and Sustainability

Based on the foundation's support patterns:

• Major capital projects: The foundation has supported building projects, equipment purchases (like the $300,000 genome analyzer), and endowments (like the $750,000 accounting professorship)
• Long-term institutional development: Support for Trinity included multiple aspects (landscape, scholarships, library, buildings) suggesting preference for comprehensive institutional partnerships
• Cultural programming with lasting impact: Recent support for museum exhibitions demonstrates continued interest in arts programming

Past Funding Relationships

Given the "preselected organizations" designation in tax filings, organizations with existing relationships to the foundation or its historical beneficiaries may have an advantage. Building relationships with Broadway Bank Wealth Management and demonstrating awareness of the foundation's legacy may be beneficial.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Verify application acceptance: Contact Broadway Bank at (210) 283-6700 before applying if your organization has not previously received funding, given the historical "preselected organizations only" designation.

• Emphasize arts and private education: These are the foundation's core priorities, particularly when serving Bexar County. Medical research is also supported but appears to be a smaller focus area.

• Connect to Elizabeth's legacy: Understanding and referencing Elizabeth Huth Coates' specific philanthropic interests and values may strengthen applications. She valued making San Antonio "a better place to live" through arts and education.

• Think institutionally, not programmatically: The foundation's largest grants support institutional capacity (endowments, buildings, major equipment) rather than annual program funding. Average grants around $34,000 suggest a range from smaller program support to larger institutional investments.

• Geographic focus matters: Projects must primarily serve Texas with special emphasis on Bexar County. San Antonio-focused projects appear most aligned with the foundation's mission.

• Submit well before deadline: The foundation reviews only once per year, and late applications are held until the following year, so timeliness is critical.

• Annual giving cycle: With distributions "only on an annual basis," plan your funding timeline accordingly and submit only one request per year unless otherwise specified.

References

• Broadway Bank Wealth Management, Elizabeth Huth Coates Charitable Foundation of 1992 Foundation Page: https://broadway.bank/wealth-management/foundations-grants/foundations-we-manage/elizabeth-huth-coates-charitable-foundation-of-1992 (Accessed March 3, 2026)
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, Elizabeth Huth Maddux Charitable Foundation (EIN 74-6399782): https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/746399782 (Accessed March 3, 2026)
• Instrumentl 990 Report, Elizabeth Huth Coates Charitable Foundation of 1992: https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/elizabeth-huth-maddux-charitable-foundation (Accessed March 3, 2026)
• Grantmakers.io Profile, Elizabeth Huth Coates Charitable Foundation of 1992: https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/746399782-elizabeth-huth-coates-charitable-foundation-of-1992/ (Accessed March 3, 2026)
• Broadway Bank Wealth Management, Foundations & Grants Management: https://broadway.bank/wealth-management/foundations-grants/overview/foundations-grants-management (Accessed March 3, 2026)
• The Word Online, "The Art of Giving" (biographical information about Elizabeth Huth Coates): https://www.thewordonline.org/2015/11/the-art-of-giving/ (Accessed March 3, 2026)
• Candid Foundation Directory, Elizabeth Huth Maddux Charitable Foundation: https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?key=COAT009 (Accessed March 3, 2026)
• LinkedIn, "Elizabeth Huth Coates Charitable Foundation Funds Professorship at St. Mary's University": https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/elizabeth-huth-coates-charitable-foundation-funds-st-marys-joel-lauer (Accessed March 3, 2026)
• GenomeWeb, Elizabeth Huth Coates Foundation grant to Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research: https://www.genomeweb.com/sequencing/elizabeth-huth-coates-foundation-illumina-nhgri-u-louisville-uc-davis-applera-ab (Accessed March 3, 2026)