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Charles Butt Foundation

Annual Giving
$10.2M
Grant Range
$8K - $1.5M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $10,212,536 (2023)
  • Total Awards: 95 grants (2023)
  • Grant Range: Varies by program (Scholarships: $8,000/year; Institutional grants: $50,000-$150,000+)
  • Geographic Focus: Texas statewide, with regional focus on San Antonio
  • Application Method: Invitation only (no unsolicited applications accepted)

Contact Details

Mailing Addresses:

  • San Antonio Office: 200 E Basse Rd, Suite 201, San Antonio, TX 78209
  • Austin Office: 1005 Congress Ave., Suite 100, Austin, TX 78701

Website: https://charlesbuttfdn.org/

Contact Form: Available at https://charlesbuttfdn.org/who-we-are/contact/

Note: The foundation explicitly states they do not accept unsolicited grant applications or requests.

Overview

The Charles Butt Foundation was founded in 2000 by billionaire Charles Butt, Chairman and CEO of the Texas-based H-E-B grocery chain. In 2022, the foundation merged with Raise Your Hand Texas Foundation, consolidating Charles Butt's education philanthropy under one banner. The foundation's mission is "pursuing a more equitable and prosperous future for all Texans through education and community partnerships." With annual giving of approximately $10.2 million (2023), the foundation focuses on improving teacher quality, developing school leaders, advancing educational innovation, and supporting regional community initiatives primarily in San Antonio. The foundation operates from a family legacy of philanthropy dating back to the Great Depression, when Charles Butt's family committed 5% of H-E-B's pre-tax earnings to civic causes—a practice that continues today. Charles Butt joined The Giving Pledge in 2018 and has committed over $250 million to Texas public education initiatives, including founding The Holdsworth Center with $100 million in seed funding.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Statewide Programs:

  • Charles Butt Scholarship for Aspiring Teachers: $8,000 annually for up to four years (covers expenses up to cost of attendance). Over $15.7 million awarded to 1,000+ recipients to date. Recipients must commit to teaching in Texas public schools in either Title I schools or shortage subject areas (math, science, bilingual, or special education). Applications open each October through partner universities.

  • Raising Texas Teachers Program: $50 million, 10-year initiative (launched 2017) supporting 24 university-based teacher preparation programs across Texas. Universities receive $50,000-$150,000 annually plus coaching support, training from TeachingWorks, and data improvement support from WestEd.

  • Raising School Leaders Program: 2008-2025 program that invested in 1,600+ principals and educational leaders, covering all expenses for training at Harvard Graduate School of Education's Principals' Center, plus ongoing professional development and alumni network support.

  • Raising Blended Learners: Eight-year initiative (concluded) focused on designing, testing, and scaling student-centered, blended, and personalized learning approaches.

Regional Initiatives (San Antonio Focus):

The foundation provides seed funding and grants to organizations working in:

  • Early childhood education: Educare (first Texas center), Early Matters, CAST Schools
  • Workforce development: SA Works (job shadowing and internships for high school/college students)
  • Post-secondary access: Alamo Promise ($1.5 million grant supporting tuition-free two-year college programs)
  • Community information: UP Partnership ($300,000 for data analysis), San Antonio Education Forums
  • Digital equity: SA Digital Connects

Research:

  • Annual Texas Teacher Poll and Texas Education Poll conducted in partnership with Langer Research Associates, surveying 1,000+ Texans about public education priorities and teacher experiences

Priority Areas

  • Teacher recruitment, preparation, retention, and professional development
  • School leadership development and continuous improvement
  • Educational innovation and student-centered learning approaches
  • Early childhood education (birth to age 5)
  • Post-secondary access and workforce development
  • Data-driven educational improvements
  • Public education advocacy and community engagement
  • Digital access and equity
  • Programs serving Title I schools and economically disadvantaged communities

What They Don't Fund

The foundation explicitly states they do not accept unsolicited grant applications. Their grants go only to preselected charitable organizations, indicating they:

  • Do not fund organizations outside their established partnerships
  • Do not fund non-education initiatives
  • Do not support organizations outside of Texas
  • Appear to focus exclusively on systemic educational improvements rather than individual school or classroom projects

Governance and Leadership

Current Leadership:

  • J. Cody Huie, President (effective January 1, 2026): Succeeded Dr. Shari Albright after serving as Vice President of Programs. Currently completing Doctor of Education Leadership at Harvard University (May 2026). Stated: "I am grateful for the opportunity to continue serving Texas educators, families, and communities, and I look forward to working alongside our partners to advance a more equitable and hopeful future for all Texans."

  • Dr. Shari Albright, Former President (2018-2025): Led the foundation for seven years, guiding the 2022 merger with Raise Your Hand Texas Foundation, strengthening programmatic impact, and launching statewide teacher elevation efforts.

  • Thea Ulrich-Lewis, Vice President of Programs

  • Robin Durst, Chief of Staff

  • Amanda Sierra, Controller

  • Melissa Garza, PhD, Director of Research

Key Program Directors:

  • Christina Dunigan, Director of Programs (Charles Butt Scholarship)
  • Amber Lynn Diaz, Senior Director of Programs
  • Petri Darby, VP of Brand, Creative & Communications
  • Kurt Lockhart, Senior Program Director of Data Insights

Founder: Charles Butt, Chairman and CEO of H-E-B, serves as the foundation's founder and primary funder. With a net worth of $10.3 billion, he has committed over $250 million to Texas public education and is a Giving Pledge signatory.

The foundation operates without a traditional board structure according to publicly available records.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Charles Butt Foundation explicitly states on their website: "We do not accept unsolicited grant applications or requests." The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations.

Exception - Charles Butt Scholarship for Aspiring Teachers:

Individual students (not organizations) can apply for the Charles Butt Scholarship through one of 24 partner universities' teacher preparation programs. Applications typically open in October and close in late January or early February. The competitive selection process includes:

  1. Online application through the partner university
  2. Pre-screening and interview with university program leads
  3. Recommendation to the Charles Butt Foundation
  4. Final selection by foundation staff based on written application and individual interview

Eligible students must be enrolled in or planning to enter an eligible teacher preparation program at a partner university.

Getting on Their Radar

The Charles Butt Foundation develops relationships with organizations through:

San Antonio Regional Focus: The foundation maintains deep connections in San Antonio, where it has long supported regional community and philanthropic initiatives. Organizations working on early childhood education, workforce development, informed community initiatives, and digital equity in San Antonio appear more likely to be on the foundation's radar.

University Partnerships: The foundation has expanded its Raising Texas Teachers program from 11 to 24 university partners over time, suggesting they continue identifying new institutional partners. Universities with strong teacher preparation programs, particularly those serving diverse student populations and focusing on shortage subject areas (math, science, bilingual, special education), may be considered for partnership.

Education Sector Presence: The foundation conducts annual Texas Teacher and Education Polls, hosts Leadership Symposiums, and maintains extensive alumni networks of scholarship recipients and school leaders. Active participation in Texas education improvement efforts and demonstrated impact in areas aligned with the foundation's priorities may increase visibility.

Collaborative, Data-Driven Approach: The foundation explicitly seeks organizations that are collaborative, data-driven, and focused on systemic improvements rather than one-time projects. Organizations that can demonstrate asset-based approaches, sustainable solutions, and capacity-building models align with the foundation's stated values.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. Given the invitation-only nature and strategic partnerships, decision timelines likely vary significantly by program and opportunity.

Success Rates

Not publicly available due to invitation-only model.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable for unsolicited applications. For the Charles Butt Scholarship, students who are not selected may reapply in subsequent years if still eligible.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, traditional application success factors don't apply. However, based on their funded initiatives and stated priorities, organizations that align with the foundation's interests share these characteristics:

Mission Alignment with Foundation Priorities:

  • Focus on teacher quality, school leadership, or educational innovation in Texas
  • Serve economically disadvantaged communities or Title I schools
  • Address shortage subject areas (math, science, bilingual, special education)
  • Support early childhood education or post-secondary access
  • Bridge digital divides or improve community engagement in education

Approach and Methodology:

  • Asset-based philosophy: The foundation emphasizes building on existing strengths rather than deficit-based approaches. As stated on their website, they focus on "existing successes and working collaboratively with communities to build capacity and create sustainable solutions."
  • Data-driven: All funded initiatives demonstrate commitment to research, measurement, and continuous improvement
  • Collaborative: The foundation values partnerships and explicitly works "alongside" communities rather than dictating solutions
  • Systemic change focus: Investments target sustainable, scalable improvements rather than temporary interventions
  • Long-term commitment: Multi-year initiatives (5-10 years) are common, suggesting preference for deep, sustained partnerships

Geographic Connection: Organizations with presence in San Antonio or serving Texas communities have clear advantages given the foundation's explicit Texas-only focus.

Recent Funded Examples:

  • Alamo Promise: Received $1.5 million for tuition-free two-year college program
  • UP Partnership: Received $300,000 for data analysis supporting educational initiatives
  • 24 university teacher preparation programs: Receiving $50,000-$150,000 annually
  • The Holdsworth Center: Founded with $100 million for school leadership development

Foundation Values from Leadership: Dr. Shari Albright's tenure focused on "raising the quality of teachers and school leaders, boosting collaboration among families, schools, and communities, and applying a combination of technology and classroom teaching to improve student performance."

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Do not submit unsolicited applications - The foundation explicitly states they do not accept them. Focus instead on building authentic relationships within the Texas education community and demonstrating measurable impact in areas aligned with the foundation's priorities.

  • Texas-only focus - All funding supports Texas educators, students, families, and communities exclusively.

  • Teacher and school leader quality is paramount - The majority of the foundation's investments focus on improving educator preparation, development, and retention, particularly for shortage areas and economically disadvantaged schools.

  • Long-term, systemic change - The foundation invests in multi-year initiatives (typically 5-10 years) aimed at sustainable transformation rather than short-term projects. Demonstrate capacity for sustained partnership.

  • Data and continuous improvement - All funded programs emphasize research, measurement, and data-driven decision-making. The foundation provides coaching support for continuous improvement and expects partners to engage in ongoing refinement.

  • San Antonio regional opportunities - Organizations serving San Antonio communities, particularly in early childhood education, workforce development, or digital equity, have received significant support.

  • Asset-based, collaborative approach required - The foundation explicitly rejects deficit-based models. Focus on building community strengths, fostering collaboration, and creating replicable solutions.

  • Relationship with Charles Butt's broader philanthropy - The foundation is closely connected to The Holdsworth Center and other Charles Butt initiatives. Success in one area of his philanthropic ecosystem may create pathways to support from the foundation.

References

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