The Clark and Charlene Thompson Foundation concentrates its giving locally in Houston, directing large, multi‑thousand dollar gifts to prominent cultural, civic and social‑service organizations. Major support goes to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, while the foundation also funds targeted resiliency and housing support for women and families through Saint Louise House. Their grants emphasize sustaining flagship institutions and locally rooted programs that combine arts, community events, and direct social services.
The Clark and Charlene Thompson Foundation’s clearest pattern is repeated support for Houston institutions at meaningful six-figure and near-six-figure levels, especially the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Those grants sit alongside a steady stream of smaller local awards that back cultural, civic, and social-service organizations across the Houston area. The foundation also uses dedicated support for Saint Louise House’s Charlene Thompson Resiliency Fund, tying its giving to housing stability and services for women and families. Its recent grants show a preference for general support rather than tightly restricted project funding. That appears in gifts to Holocaust Museum Houston, Christian Community Service Center, and River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, as well as support for faith communities and neighborhood-serving nonprofits. The foundation’s portfolio also reaches into youth and family supports through organizations such as Depelchin Childrens Center and Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star, with the stated purpose often centered on Houston programs. Across the record, the giving is local, heavily Houston-centered, and oriented toward sustaining established community institutions and targeted support funds.
Arts and civic life are a major thread. In 2025, the foundation gave $100,000 to Museum of Fine Arts Houston for general support, and it also funded River Oaks Chamber Orchestra with $10,000 in 2025. Family stability and housing support is another recurring area. The foundation awarded $70,000 in 2025 to St Louise House (Vincare Services of Austin Foundation) for The Charlene Thompson Resiliency Fund, following a $50,000 grant in 2024 to Saint Louise House for the same fund. Youth and education-related support appears in several forms. The Westview School received $15,000 in 2024 for a new science lab and science lab improvements, while The Briarwood School received $25,000 in 2025 for the Little School Sensory Room. The foundation also supported anti-bias programming with $10,000 to the Anti-Defamation League for No Place for Hate initiatives.
Typical grants cluster around the mid-five-figure range: p25 is $10,000, median grant size is $25,000, and p75 is $30,250. The foundation’s annual grantmaking is substantial relative to its asset base, with $972,540 given in the latest year on file against $8,406,365 in assets. The record suggests recurring support rather than one-off gifts. Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Holocaust Museum Houston, Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston, YMCA Camp Cullen, and Saint Louise House all appear in multiple years. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Grants are issued directly, with no application process described in the data.
$556K
$8.4M
$679K
$695K
Most grants fall between $10K and $30K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$30K
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Concentrated, local giving with a small number of relatively large grants; repeat funding to flagship Houston organizations and a mix of cultural and direct service beneficiaries.
Notable grantees: Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, Saint Louise House (The Charlene Thompson Resiliency Fund)
Giving is overwhelmingly concentrated in Texas, with 96% of grants awarded to recipients in the foundation’s headquarters state. Houston is the main recipient city, but awards also reached Austin, Irving, Dallas, Navasota, Trinity, and West University Place. All recorded grants went to U.S. recipients. The pattern is local rather than multi-state or international, with Houston-area organizations forming the core of the portfolio.
The foundation supports Houston cultural institutions, civic and community organizations, and family-service providers. Recent grants include general support for major arts and civic groups, housing-related support through Saint Louise House’s Charlene Thompson Resiliency Fund, and youth or education-related programming such as science lab improvements and sensory supports.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Holocaust Museum Houston, Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston, YMCA Camp Cullen, and Saint Louise House. The repeated awards suggest ongoing relationships rather than isolated gifts.
The middle of the distribution sits in the mid-five figures: p25 is $10,000, median grant size is $25,000, and p75 is $30,250. Recent grants also include larger awards such as $130,000, $125,000, and $100,000, alongside smaller targeted gifts.
Most grants go to Texas, and 96% of grants were awarded to recipients in the foundation’s headquarters state. Houston receives the bulk of the funding, with additional grants going to Austin, Irving, Dallas, Navasota, Trinity, and West University Place.
No. The foundation funds organizations rather than individuals, and it does not make program-related investments. Its record shows direct grants to nonprofits and public-serving institutions.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Museum of Fine Arts Houston | Houston, TX | $100,000 | 2026 | General support |
| Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Inc | Houston, TX | $80,000 | 2026 | General support |
| Saint Louise House | Austin, TX | $50,000 | 2026 | Childrens Resilience Fund |
| Camp Allen Camp & Conference Center | Navasota, TX | $50,000 | 2026 | Back to Nature Campaign |
| Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Inc | Houston, TX | $40,000 | 2026 | Scholarship fund |
| Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston | Houston, TX | $30,000 | 2026 | Meals on Wheels and AniMeals programs |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star | Dallas, TX | $25,000 | 2026 | One-to-One Mentoring |
| DePelchin's Children's Center | Houston, TX | $25,000 | 2026 | La Porte programs |
| Christian Community Service Center Inc | Houston, TX | $25,000 | 2026 | General support |
| TIRR Foundation | W University Place, TX | $20,000 | 2026 | Moran Camp Xtreme |
| Holocaust Museum Houston | Houston, TX | $15,000 | 2026 | Lyndon Baines Johnson Moral Courage Award Dinner |
| St Michael the Archangel Catholic Church | Houston, TX | $10,000 | 2026 | St. Vincent de Paul Society and the Gabriel Project |
| Saint Louise House | Austin, TX | $10,000 | 2026 | 2025 Game Changer Event |
| The Church of St John the Divine | Houston, TX | $10,000 | 2026 | General support |
| Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston | Houston, TX | $10,000 | 2026 | IM Houston Tapestry Event |
| Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Inc | Houston, TX | $10,000 | 2026 | Llama & Alpaca Committee Support |
| River Oaks Chamber Orchestra | Houston, TX | $10,000 | 2026 | General support |
| Anti-Defamation League | New York, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | 2024 No Place for Hate Initiative |
| Adam's Army | College Station, TX | $10,000 | 2026 | General support |
| YMCA Camp Cullen | Trinity, TX | $10,000 | 2026 | General support |
| West University Place | Houston, TX | $5,700 | 2026 | Safe Sitter program |
| Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Inc | Houston, TX | $130,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Museum of Fine Arts Houston | Houston, TX | $100,000 | 2025 | General support |
| St Louise House (Vincare Services of Austin Foundation) | Austin, TX | $70,000 | 2025 | The Charlene Thompson Resiliency Fund |
| Interfaith Ministries Greater Houston | Houston, TX | $31,000 | 2025 | Meals on Wheels and Animeals programs |
| Holocaust Museum Houston | Houston, TX | $26,000 | 2025 | General support |
| The Briarwood School | Houston, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | Support for the Little School Sensory Room |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star | Dallas, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | General support for Houston programs |
| TIRR Foundation | Houston, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | Moran Camp Xtreme |
| River Oaks Chamber Orchestra | Houston, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Anti-Defamation League | New York, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | Support for No Place for Hate Initiatives |
| YMCA Camp Cullen | Trinity, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | Camper assistance |
| West University Place | W University Place, TX | $6,460 | 2025 | Safe Sitter program |
| Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo | Houston, TX | $125,000 | 2024 | General support |
| Museum of Fine Arts Houston | Houston, TX | $100,000 | 2024 | General support |
| Saint Louise House | Austin, TX | $50,000 | 2024 | The Charlene Thompson Resiliency Fund |
| Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston | Houston, TX | $30,000 | 2024 | Meals on Wheels and Animeals programs |
| Holocaust Museum Houston | Houston, TX | $25,000 | 2024 | General support |
| Depelchin Childrens Center | Houston, TX | $25,000 | 2024 | Programs at LaPorte location |
| Christian Community Service Center | Houston, TX | $25,000 | 2024 | General support |
| TIRR Foundation | Houston, TX | $25,000 | 2024 | Moran Camp Xtreme |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star | Irving, TX | $25,000 | 2024 | General support for Houston programs |
| Camp Allen Camp and Conference Center | Navasota, TX | $15,000 | 2024 | Camper scholarships |
| The Westview School | Houston, TX | $15,000 | 2024 | New science lab and science lab improvements |
| ROCO | Houston, TX | $10,000 | 2024 | General support |
| YMCA Camp Cullen | Trinity, TX | $10,000 | 2024 | Camper assistance |
| St Michael Catholic Church | Houston, TX | $10,000 | 2024 | General support |
| St John the Divine Episcopal Church | Houston, TX | $10,000 | 2024 | General support |
| The City of West University Place | W University Place, TX | $4,080 | 2024 | Safe Sitter program |
Saint Louise House
$50,000Childrens Resilience Fund
Meals on Wheels and AniMeals programs
TIRR Foundation
$20,000Moran Camp Xtreme
St Michael the Archangel Catholic Church
$10,000St. Vincent de Paul Society and the Gabriel Project
The Church of St John the Divine
$10,000General support
Adam's Army
$10,000General support
YMCA Camp Cullen
$10,000General support
West University Place
$5,700Safe Sitter program
St Louise House (Vincare Services of Austin Foundation)
$70,000The Charlene Thompson Resiliency Fund
TIRR Foundation
$25,000Moran Camp Xtreme
YMCA Camp Cullen
$10,000Camper assistance
West University Place
$6,460Safe Sitter program
TIRR Foundation
$25,000Moran Camp Xtreme
Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star
$25,000General support for Houston programs
YMCA Camp Cullen
$10,000Camper assistance
St Michael Catholic Church
$10,000General support
St John the Divine Episcopal Church
$10,000General support
The City of West University Place
$4,080Safe Sitter program