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The Underwood Foundation

Annual Giving
$0.9M
Grant Range
$50K - $0.5M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $875,000 - $950,000
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available (invitation-only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: Estimated $50,000 - $500,000+ (based on 4 awards totaling ~$875,000)
  • Geographic Focus: Texas, primarily Houston area and surrounding cities (Bellville, Bellaire, Dallas)
  • Assets: $16.7 - $17 million

Contact Details

Address: 1335 W Gray St Ste 399, Houston, TX 77019-4470

Phone: (713) 655-7800

Website: No public website identified

Note: This is a private family foundation. Contact information is provided for reference, but the foundation operates primarily through trustee discretion rather than public applications.

Overview

The Underwood Foundation was established in 1997 as a private independent foundation rooted in one of Houston's most distinguished philanthropic families. Founded by descendants of Walter and Ella Fondren, whose legacy includes major contributions to Houston Methodist Hospital and Rice University, the foundation continues this tradition of giving. With assets of approximately $16.7-$17 million, the foundation distributes $875,000-$950,000 annually in grants. The foundation is led by family members Catherine Underwood Murray (President) and Lynda K. Underwood (Vice President), who serve without compensation. The Underwood family's philanthropic reach extends beyond this foundation, notably through David M. Underwood's historic $20 million personal gift to Houston Methodist Hospital in 2013 to create the Lynda K. and David M. Underwood Center for Digestive Disorders. The foundation focuses primarily on health initiatives and education, making selective grants to institutions in the Houston area and across Texas.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with published guidelines. Based on available data:

  • Annual Grants: The foundation makes approximately 4 grants per year
  • Average Grant Size: Approximately $218,750 per award
  • Application Method: Invitation-only/trustee discretion (no public application process)

Priority Areas

Health Initiatives (Primary Focus)

  • Hospital support and medical research
  • Digestive health and related medical specialties
  • Healthcare institutions in the Houston area

Education

  • Private schools and educational institutions
  • Boarding schools
  • Educational endowment support

Geographic Focus

  • Houston metropolitan area
  • Other Texas cities including Bellville, Bellaire, and Dallas

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented, but as a small private family foundation with invitation-only grantmaking:

  • Unsolicited applications are not accepted
  • Organizations outside the foundation's established network of relationships
  • Likely excludes international projects (focus is Texas-based)

Governance and Leadership

Catherine Underwood Murray - President

  • Granddaughter of Walter and Ella Fondren, Houston's historic philanthropists
  • Serves without compensation
  • Part of a family with eight members who have served on Houston Methodist Hospital board for a combined 189 years

Lynda K. Underwood - Vice President, Secretary, and Director

  • Widow of David M. Underwood (1937-2015)
  • Lifetime Trustee at Episcopal High School in Houston
  • Co-donor with her late husband of $20 million to Houston Methodist Hospital in 2013
  • The Lynda K. and David M. Underwood Center for Digestive Disorders at Houston Methodist is named in their honor
  • Serves without compensation

M. Patric Mascorro - Assistant Secretary and Treasurer

  • Handles administrative and financial oversight
  • Serves without compensation

David M. Underwood Jr. - Director

  • Family member continuing the philanthropic tradition
  • Serves without compensation

Duncan K. Underwood - Director

  • Family member
  • Serves without compensation

Family Philanthropic Legacy

The Underwood family descends from Walter and Ella Fondren, legendary Houston philanthropists. Ella Fondren was known for her generous spirit, once stating: "I'm not interested in making money. Only in giving it away." This philosophy continues through the Underwood Foundation and family members' individual giving.

David M. Underwood (1937-2015) served as:

  • Chairman of Texas Medical Center board for 23 years
  • Director and vice-chairman of Houston Methodist Health Care System board (longest-serving member)
  • Member of the Board of Governors of The Fondren Foundation (which gave nearly $11 million in grants in 2014)
  • Life trustee and chairman of The Kinkaid Endowment Fund

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Underwood Foundation does not have a public application process.

This is a private family foundation that makes grants based on trustee discretion and pre-existing relationships. Grants are awarded through the foundation's board of directors, who identify beneficiaries through their extensive network in Houston's healthcare, education, and philanthropic communities.

The foundation operates similarly to other small private family foundations in Houston, where grantmaking decisions are made internally without soliciting external applications. Organizations supported by the foundation typically have:

  • Long-standing relationships with family members or trustees
  • Connections through board service or prior involvement
  • Alignment with the family's historic philanthropic interests (particularly Houston Methodist Hospital, The Kinkaid School, Episcopal High School, and similar institutions)

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation's trustees have deep connections in Houston's healthcare and education sectors, particularly:

Healthcare Sector

  • The family has multi-generational leadership involvement with Houston Methodist Hospital and the Texas Medical Center
  • David M. Underwood served as chairman of the Texas Medical Center board for 23 years
  • The Lynda K. and David M. Underwood Center for Digestive Disorders demonstrates their ongoing commitment to Houston Methodist

Education Sector

  • Lynda K. Underwood serves as a Lifetime Trustee at Episcopal High School in Houston (which has multiple facilities named for the family: Underwood Theater, Underwood Student Center, and Underwood Library)
  • David M. Underwood was a life trustee and chairman of The Kinkaid Endowment Fund
  • Family connections to Phillips Academy Andover

The Fondren Foundation Connection

  • The Underwood family maintains involvement with The Fondren Foundation, a much larger grantmaking entity ($11 million in annual grants)
  • Organizations that align with Fondren Foundation priorities may have indirect connections to Underwood family trustees

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As a private foundation operating on trustee discretion, there are no formal decision cycles or published timelines.

Success Rates

Not applicable. The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, so there is no measurable success rate for external applicants.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable due to invitation-only grantmaking model.

Application Success Factors

This section is not applicable as the foundation does not accept applications. However, organizations that receive funding from the Underwood Foundation typically demonstrate:

Institutional Alignment

  • Strong connection to healthcare (particularly digestive health, hospital systems, medical research)
  • Educational institutions with which family members have personal relationships
  • Located in Houston or other parts of Texas where the foundation has documented grantmaking activity

Relationship-Based Selection

  • Organizations where family members serve or have served as trustees
  • Institutions with historic ties to the Fondren-Underwood family legacy
  • Healthcare and educational organizations in the Houston Methodist/Texas Medical Center ecosystem

Mission Continuity

  • Organizations that reflect Ella Fondren's philosophy of giving back to the community
  • Institutions focused on long-term impact rather than short-term programs
  • Healthcare and education as enduring priorities across generations

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: The Underwood Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis through trustee discretion. Do not submit unsolicited proposals.

  • Focus on Healthcare and Education: The foundation's documented priorities center on health initiatives (particularly digestive health and hospital support) and education (particularly private schools in Houston).

  • Relationship-Driven Grantmaking: Grants are made to organizations with established relationships to family members, typically through board service or long-standing institutional connections.

  • Houston-Centric: Geographic focus is primarily the Houston metropolitan area, with some grants extending to other Texas cities.

  • Small Number of Large Grants: With only 4 grants averaging $218,750 each annually, this is highly selective grantmaking focused on significant institutional support rather than broad community giving.

  • Family Legacy Continues: The foundation represents one aspect of the Underwood family's broader philanthropic work, which includes major individual donations and involvement with The Fondren Foundation.

  • Consider Alternative Pathways: Organizations seeking support might have better success pursuing relationships with The Fondren Foundation (where the family maintains governance roles) or approaching Houston Methodist and other institutions where the family has leadership positions.

References

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