Funders › Texas

The Alkek and Williams Foundation

Houston, TX · EIN 76-6122587. Reported 162 grants totalling $4,548,580 to 93 recipients across tax years 2021-2024. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.

Yesaccepts unsolicited requests
$2,000median grant
$4,548,580granted, 2021-2024
93recipients, as named on its returns
50%of grantees funded again the next year
$1,343,978assets, latest filing

Does this foundation accept applications?

Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. The Alkek and Williams Foundation did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.

This is the foundation's own statement to the IRS, not our judgement, and it says nothing about whether they have a form, a deadline, or an appetite for new grantees. Treat it as the reason this foundation is worth your research time, not as an invitation. Many small foundations of this kind have no website and no application process -- a letter of inquiry is the normal first step.

How big are its grants?

The median grant is $2,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $1,000 and $15,000; the smallest was $200 and the largest $500,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.

Under $1,000
23 grants
$1,000 - $5,000
69 grants
$5,000 - $10,000
22 grants
$10,000 - $25,000
16 grants
$25,000 - $50,000
15 grants
$50,000 - $100,000
6 grants
$100,000 and Up
11 grants

Every organization it funded

This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.

OrganizationLocationTotal receivedGrantsYears fundedLast
Houston Ballet FoundationHouston, TX$1,500,000332024
Houston Symphony SocietyHouston, TX$865,000322022
Houston Grand OperaHouston, TX$742,500442024
The Museum of Fine Arts HoustonHouston, TX$360,000642024
Unicef USANew York, NY$210,500442024
Theatre Under the StarsHouston, TX$132,650442024
Alley TheatreHouston, TX$100,000442024
Houston Children's CharityHouston, TX$64,600442024
Greater Houston Women's Chamber of CommerceHouston, TX$57,000222024
Performing Arts HoustonHouston, TX$50,000222024
Teach (to Educate All Children)Houston, TX$50,000222022
Holocaust Museum HoustonHouston, TX$33,000332024
Asia Society Texas CenterHouston, TX$26,000442024
Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of AmericaHouston, TX$26,000332023
University of HoustonHouston, TX$25,000112021
Queen Sofia Spanish InstituteNew York, NY$24,000112023
Knowautism FoundationHouston, TX$23,500442024
Gaston Lenotre ScholarshipHouston, TX$21,000222022
Society for the Performing ArtsHouston, TX$21,000222022
Ut HealthHouston, TX$20,000222022
The Hobby Center FoundationHouston, TX$18,630332024
Gaston Lenotre Culinary Endowment and Scholarship IncHouston, TX$13,500112024
Barbara Bush Houston Literacy FoundationHouston, TX$11,000442024
Arthritis FoundationAtlanta, GA$10,000222024
Avenue 360 Health and WellnessHouston, TX$10,000112024
Mission of YahwehHouston, TX$9,000442024
Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association Charitable FoundationHouston, TX$8,500442024
Memorial Hermann FoundationHouston, TX$8,000332024
March of DimesHouston, TX$6,000222024
Men of Distinction of Greater HoustonHouston, TX$6,000442024
Crime Stoppers of Houston IncHouston, TX$5,000112022
Houston Freedmen's Town ConservancyHouston, TX$5,000112022
Houston RevisionHouston, TX$5,000112023
University of Houston FoundationHouston, TX$5,000112023
Hermann Park ConservancyHouston, TX$4,000222022
Pathways for Little FeetHouston, TX$4,000222022
Big Brothers Big SistersHouston, TX$3,500222022
Houston HospiceHouston, TX$3,000112021
Nora's HomeHouston, TX$3,000112022
Texas Children's HospitalHouston, TX$3,000222024
Houston PetsetHouston, TX$2,500332023
Houston Zoo IncHouston, TX$2,500112022
Rice UniversityHouston, TX$2,500112022
The Middle East InstituteWashington, DC$2,500112022
The Woman's FundHouston, TX$2,500222024
Children at RiskHouston, TX$2,000112022
El Centro De CorazonHouston, TX$2,000222023
Houston Methodist Hospital FoundationHouston, TX$2,000222023
Discovery Green ConservancyHouston, TX$1,500222024
Houston Arts AllianceHouston, TX$1,500112021
Japan-America Society of Houston (jash)Houston, TX$1,500112024
National Arab OrchestraSterling Heights, MI$1,500112023
Medical Bridges IncHouston, TX$1,200112021
Advocates of a Latino Museum and Visual Arts & Archives Complex in HoustonHouston, TX$1,000112024
American Cancer SocietyHouston, TX$1,000222023
American Heart AssociationHouston, TX$1,000112021
Cancare IncHouston, TX$1,000112024
Child Advocates IncHouston, TX$1,000112021
Dress for Success HoustonHouston, TX$1,000112023
Greater Houston Community FoundationHouston, TX$1,000112021
Harris County Hospital District FoundationHouston, TX$1,000112021
Helping a HeroHouston, TX$1,000112021
Houston Habitat for HumanityHouston, TX$1,000112021
Houston Livestock Show and RodeoHouston, TX$1,000112023
Houston Museum of Natural ScienceHouston, TX$1,000112021
Interfaith Ministries of Greater HoustonHouston, TX$1,000112022
Legacy Community Health ServicesHouston, TX$1,000112022
Life HoustonHouston, TX$1,000112024
Lone Star Flight MuseumHouston, TX$1,000112021
Ptsd Foundation of AmericaHouston, TX$1,000112022
Raleigh Civic Symphony AssociationRaleigh, NC$1,000112022
River Oaks Foundation IncHouston, TX$1,000112024
Search Homeless ServicesHouston, TX$1,000112022
The Junior League of Houston IncHouston, TX$1,000112021
The Texas Heart InstituteHouston, TX$1,000112023
Virtuosi of HoustonHouston, TX$1,000112021
Avda (aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse)Houston, TX$500112021
Bach Society HoustonHouston, TX$500112022
Communities in Schools of Houston IncHouston, TX$500112024
Houston Barc FoundationHouston, TX$500112022
Houston Food BankHouston, TX$500112021
Japan-America Society of HoustonHouston, TX$500112022
National Ms SocietyHouston, TX$500112024
Recipe for Success FoundationHouston, TX$500112021
The Brookwood CommunityBrookshire, TX$500112021
The Salvation ArmyHouston, TX$500112023
University of Texas Health Science Center at HoustonHouston, TX$500112024
Arrow's Freedom PlaceSpring, TX$300112021
Baylor College of MedicineHouston, TX$300112022
Center for PursuitHouston, TX$250112021
Sankara Nethralaya USARockville, MD$250112022
Houston Center for Contemporary CraftHouston, TX$200112023
Phi Beta Kappa Alumni of Greater HoustonHouston, TX$200112024

36 of 93 (39%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold.

Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 50%, across 3 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is less consistent than most. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.

What kind of organizations it funds

By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 114 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.

Arts & Culture
39 grants
Diseases & Disorders
12 grants
Human Services
11 grants
Community Improvement
9 grants
Health Care
8 grants
Philanthropy & Grantmaking
5 grants
Crime & Legal
5 grants
Animal Welfare
4 grants

Giving by year

Tax yearGrantsTotalMedian grant
202147$926,750$1,000
202245$1,434,050$2,500
202336$1,014,255$1,500
202434$1,173,525$3,750

Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.

Already committed for future years

Form 990-PF has a separate schedule for grants approved but not yet paid. The Alkek and Williams Foundation has 5 of them, worth $14.7M. This is the one part of the filing that looks forward rather than back.

OrganizationLocationApproved
Houston Ballet FoundationHouston, TX$9,500,000
Foundation for Jones HallHouston, TX$5,000,000
Houston Grand OperaHouston, TX$200,000
Gaston Lenotre Culinary Endowment and Scholarship IncHouston, TX$17,600
Museum of Fine Arts HoustonHouston, TX$2,500

Where its money goes

95% of its giving went to organizations in Texas. If your organization is based elsewhere, look in the recipient list for grants to your area before writing.

Texas
$4.3M
New York
$234K
Georgia
$10K
District of Columbia
$2K
Michigan
$2K
North Carolina
$1K
Maryland
$250

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Funders that support the same organizations

These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.

Greater Houston Community Foundation60 shared recipientsFidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund58 shared recipientsDonor Advised Charitable Giving Inc56 shared recipientsNational Philanthropic Trust47 shared recipientsAmerican Online Giving Foundation Inc43 shared recipientsVanguard Charitable Endowment Program38 shared recipients

How to approach this foundation

  1. Check you are its size. The median grant is $2,000. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
  2. Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Texas.
  3. Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
  4. Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.

Related guides

Foundations funding diseases & disorders in TexasEvery funder in this groupFoundations funding human services in TexasEvery funder in this group

Where these numbers come from

Everything above is taken from The Alkek and Williams Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2021-2024). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.

Address of record on the latest return: 1100 Louisiana 5250, Houston, TX, 77002. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.

EIN 76-6122587 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this

This is history, not an open call. Foundation returns are published about a year after the tax year ends. Nothing on this page is a deadline. It is a record of who this foundation has actually funded.

Is something here wrong about your foundation? Email [email protected] and we will correct it.