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Samuels Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$3.3M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $3,298,566 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Spring and Fall board meetings (twice yearly)
  • Grant Range: Not publicly specified
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily Houston area, but not exclusively
  • Application Method: Invitation only (Letter of Inquiry required)

Contact Details

Website: https://samuelsfoundation.org/

Phone: 713-894-8077

Address: 4533 Magnolia St, Bellaire, TX 77401-4230

Letter of Inquiry Deadlines:

  • Spring board meeting: Submit by January 15
  • Fall board meeting: Submit by July 15

Overview

The Samuels Family Foundation was founded in 2015 by Vic and Bobbi Samuels, their children, and their sons' spouses, on the guiding principle of "tikkun olam" (repairing the world). This Houston-based private family foundation holds assets of approximately $33.5 million and distributed $3.3 million in grants during 2024. The foundation supports organizations making meaningful and measurable impact in education, children in need, Jewish life, and social justice. Vic Samuels, who passed away in June 2020, was a serial entrepreneur who created successful businesses in the packaging, building-products, and furniture industries, while Bobbi spent decades as a professor of reading and language arts. Together, they pioneered integration efforts in Houston Independent School District during the 1960s through their political group, Citizens for Good Schools. The foundation continues their legacy of strategic philanthropy focused on the Houston community and Jewish values.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates with an invitation-only grant process. Grant applications are reviewed by the Board of Directors twice annually in Spring and Fall meetings. Organizations must first submit a Letter of Inquiry online, after which selected organizations are invited to submit full applications.

Priority Areas

Education

  • Equal access to quality education for underserved communities
  • Particular emphasis on Early Childhood Education

Children in Need

  • Programs supporting vulnerable children
  • Organizations addressing children's welfare

Jewish Life

  • Organizations promoting core Jewish values
  • Programs focused on expanding outreach and education
  • Support for vulnerable populations within the Jewish community

Social Justice

  • Organizations promoting and protecting civil liberties
  • Programs advancing personal freedoms

What They Don't Fund

The foundation requires that organizations:

  • Do not have delinquent grant reports from previous Samuels Family Foundation grants
  • Can only receive one grant per calendar year from the foundation

Governance and Leadership

Benjamin (Ben) Samuels - Director of the Samuels Family Foundation

Ben Samuels is the former CEO of Victory Packaging, the company he led for most of his career before it was acquired by KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation. He holds an undergraduate degree in American studies and economics from Amherst College and an MBA from Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration.

Ben's extensive community involvement includes:

  • Co-chair of the Board of Teach for America in Houston
  • Immediate Past Chair of the Board of the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston
  • Chair of the Leo Baeck Education Center Foundation
  • Current board member: Emerge, Move For Hunger, Brighter Bites
  • Past Chairman of Houston Food Bank and Board Leadership Council of Feeding Texas
  • Past President of the Houston Chapter of the American Jewish Committee and National Board of Governors member

Jeremy Samuels - Also serves as a Director of the Samuels Family Foundation

The Founding Family: The foundation was created by Vic and Bobbi Samuels, their children, and their sons' spouses, continuing as a family-run philanthropic organization with no direct employees.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Samuels Family Foundation operates an invitation-only grant process. Organizations cannot submit unsolicited full grant applications.

Step 1: Letter of Inquiry (LOI)

  • Organizations must first submit an online Letter of Inquiry through the foundation's website
  • LOIs are accepted throughout the year
  • Organizations whose inquiries match the foundation's interests will be contacted and provided with a grant application

Step 2: Full Application (By Invitation Only)

  • Only organizations selected after LOI review receive an invitation to submit a full grant application
  • Full applications are then reviewed by the Board of Directors at Spring and Fall meetings

LOI Deadlines:

  • Spring board meeting consideration: Submit by January 15
  • Fall board meeting consideration: Submit by July 15

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Current 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the IRS
  • Projects aligned with the foundation's interest areas
  • No delinquent grant reports from previous Samuels Family Foundation grants
  • Maximum of one grant per calendar year

Decision Timeline

  • Board Meetings: Spring and Fall (twice per year)
  • Notification: Organizations whose LOIs fit the foundation's areas of interest will be contacted and invited to submit full applications. Specific timeframes for final grant decisions are not publicly disclosed.

Success Rates

Success rates and application statistics are not publicly available. The foundation receives significantly more requests for support than it can fund.

Reapplication Policy

Organizations may only receive one grant per calendar year from the foundation. Organizations with delinquent grant reports from previous Samuels Family Foundation grants are not eligible to apply.

Application Success Factors

Alignment with Foundation Values

The foundation was founded on the principle of "tikkun olam" (repairing the world), a concept deeply rooted in Jewish tradition that emphasizes repairing, healing, and transforming the world. Organizations that demonstrate understanding of and alignment with this principle may resonate more strongly with the foundation.

Demonstrated Impact

The foundation seeks to support "organizations making a meaningful and measurable impact." Applications should clearly articulate both the significance of the impact and how it will be measured. Quantifiable outcomes and data-driven approaches to program evaluation are likely important.

Connection to Houston Community

While the foundation considers organizations beyond Houston, it primarily serves the Houston area. Organizations with strong ties to and impact in the Houston community may have an advantage.

Geographic and Thematic Focus

Organizations working at the intersection of the foundation's priority areas may be particularly compelling. For example:

  • Early childhood education programs serving underserved communities
  • Educational initiatives that also promote Jewish values
  • Programs addressing children's needs through a social justice lens

Board Connections

Director Ben Samuels serves on the boards of several Houston organizations including Brighter Bites, Move For Hunger, and Emerge, and has past leadership roles with Houston Food Bank, Jewish Federation of Greater Houston, and others. Organizations in these networks or similar spaces may benefit from understanding the foundation's existing philanthropic relationships.

Professional Approach to Grant Reporting

The foundation explicitly excludes organizations with delinquent grant reports from previous grants, signaling the importance they place on accountability and professional grant management. Organizations should be prepared to provide thorough, timely reporting if awarded a grant.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Submit LOI by deadline: Even though LOIs are accepted year-round, submit by January 15 for Spring consideration or July 15 for Fall consideration to ensure your inquiry is reviewed at the next board meeting.

  • Emphasize measurable impact: The foundation specifically seeks "meaningful and measurable impact," so include clear metrics and evaluation plans in your LOI and application.

  • Connect to tikkun olam: Understanding and articulating how your organization's work aligns with the Jewish principle of "repairing the world" may strengthen your application, particularly for programs related to Jewish life but also across all priority areas.

  • Be patient with the process: This is a two-stage process (LOI then invitation to full application) with only two decision points per year. Plan your funding timeline accordingly.

  • Prioritize Houston connections: While the foundation considers organizations beyond Houston, clearly articulate your connection to and impact on the Houston community.

  • Demonstrate overlap with board interests: The foundation's director has extensive involvement in education, hunger relief, Jewish community organizations, and children's welfare. Programs in these areas with proven track records may align well.

  • Prepare for strong grant stewardship: Given the foundation's policy on delinquent reports, be prepared to provide excellent, timely reporting if awarded a grant to maintain eligibility for future funding.

References

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