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Butt Rogers Charitable Trust

Annual Giving
$2.4M
Grant Range
$2K - $0.3M
00

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2,416,350 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $26.7 million (2024)
  • Number of Grants: 44 awards (2023), 45 awards (2024)
  • Grant Range: $1,500 - $250,000
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily Bexar County, Texas; also Texas, Wisconsin, and Washington
  • Application Type: Pre-selected organizations only

Contact Details

Address: 140 W. Sunset, San Antonio, TX 78209
Phone: 830-315-9204
Email: info@brcharitabletrust.org
Website: https://hebfdn.org/buttrogerstrust/

Overview

The Butt Rogers Charitable Trust is a private foundation established in 2022 and supported by the DBR 2010 Legacy Trust. With total assets of approximately $26.7 million, the trust distributed $2.4 million in grants during 2023 across 44 awards. The trust describes itself as "a catalytic philanthropy that works through pre-existing relationships and its own research to impact families and children who have not had opportunity access." Led by co-trustees David Rogers and Deborah Butt Rogers, the foundation focuses primarily on organizations serving Bexar County, Texas, though it also supports select initiatives in Wisconsin and Washington. The trust is closely connected to the H.E. Butt Foundation, where David Rogers serves as President and CEO.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The trust operates a single grant program focused on children and families who lack opportunity access. Grants range from $1,500 to $250,000, with awards made to pre-selected 501(c)(3) organizations. The foundation does not operate on fixed deadlines or rolling applications; grants are made at the discretion of the trustees based on their ongoing research and pre-existing relationships.

Priority Areas

  • Education: Supporting educational access and opportunities
  • Human Services: Organizations serving families and children
  • Philanthropy and Voluntarism: Capacity-building for nonprofits
  • Mental Health and Wellness: Supporting community mental health initiatives
  • Nonprofit Capacity Building: Strengthening organizational effectiveness

Geographic Focus

Primarily Bexar County, Texas (where San Antonio is located), with additional grants to organizations in Wisconsin and Washington state.

What They Don't Fund

The trust does not accept unsolicited applications and works exclusively with pre-selected organizations identified through trustee research and existing relationships.

Governance and Leadership

Co-Trustees:

  • David M. Rogers: President and CEO of the H.E. Butt Foundation, David has led the Foundation for three decades, growing it to one of the largest operating foundations in the nation. He leads community engagement initiatives in San Antonio and South Texas focused on mental health awareness, nonprofit capacity building, rural community development, and addressing socioeconomic inequity.
  • Deborah Butt Rogers: Daughter of Howard Butt Jr., Deborah co-leads both the Butt Rogers Charitable Trust and the H.E. Butt Foundation with her husband David.

David and Deborah Rogers have built their lives and raised their family in San Antonio, Texas, where they maintain deep community connections. They enjoy outdoor activities including hiking and bird-watching in the Texas Hill Country.

Philanthropic Philosophy: The Rogers' approach reflects Deborah's father's belief that "the Foundation helps people find transformation on the other side of hardship." David Rogers has stated: "We work with organizations to identify their most urgent needs and help them find support resources."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Butt Rogers Charitable Trust does not have a public application process. The trust provides grants exclusively to pre-selected 501(c)(3) organizations identified through the trustees' own research and pre-existing relationships.

Organizations may submit a brief description of their mission via email to info@brcharitabletrust.org. However, the trust explicitly states that "due to the volume of requests, most inquiries do not receive a formal response." The trust indicates that "they will reach out if your organization is aligned with their mission."

Decision Timeline

The trust does not operate on a fixed grant cycle. Decisions are made at the discretion of the trustees based on ongoing research and relationship development. There is no standard timeline for decisions.

Success Rates

Success rates for unsolicited inquiries are extremely low, as the trust primarily works with organizations already known to the trustees. In 2023, 44 organizations received funding, representing a highly selective group of pre-identified grantees.

Application Success Factors

Given that this trust operates primarily through trustee discretion and pre-existing relationships rather than open applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, organizations seeking to align with the trust's mission should consider:

  • Focus on children and families: Organizations serving families and children who lack opportunity access are central to the trust's mission
  • Bexar County presence: Strong preference for organizations based in or serving Bexar County, Texas
  • Capacity for transformation: The trustees' philosophy emphasizes "helping people find transformation on the other side of hardship"
  • Organizational effectiveness: Given David Rogers' leadership in nonprofit capacity building at the H.E. Butt Foundation, organizations demonstrating strong operational capacity may align with trustee values
  • Mental health and wellness: The Rogers family has demonstrated particular interest in mental health initiatives, as evidenced by their broader philanthropic work
  • Evidence-based approaches: The trust describes working "through its own research," suggesting data-driven and evidence-based programs may be valued

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This is a private foundation with no public application process - unsolicited proposals are unlikely to receive consideration
  • The trust makes grants exclusively to pre-selected organizations, primarily in Bexar County, Texas
  • With 44-45 grants annually totaling approximately $2.4 million, this is a moderately active private foundation
  • Grant sizes range widely from $1,500 to $250,000, suggesting the trustees support both small community organizations and larger initiatives
  • The trust's mission focuses specifically on families and children who have not had opportunity access
  • Organizations with existing connections to the H.E. Butt Foundation or its network may have better visibility with the trustees
  • The trust values catalytic philanthropy - suggesting preference for transformative initiatives rather than general operating support
  • If contacted by the trust, organizations should be prepared to demonstrate clear evidence of impact on children and families and strong organizational capacity

References

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