The Harris & Eliza Kempner Fund Inc concentrates its philanthropy tightly on a single local institution: the University of Texas Medical Branch (Galveston). All recorded grants are directed to UTMB for institutional/operating assistance, indicating a clear preference for supporting academic medicine and healthcare infrastructure in its home community. The foundation appears to act as a local benefactor focused on sustaining a flagship medical/higher-education organization rather than funding a broad portfolio of causes.
Highly concentrated: all grants went to a single grantee (UTMB), repeated gifts across years, focused, sizeable institutional support rather than many small or diverse grants.
Notable grantees: The University of Texas Medical Branch
A large share of Harris & Eliza Kempner Fund Inc’s recent giving centers on The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, with grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025 that each exceeded $300,000. That repeat support shows a funder that sustains a major local medical institution over time rather than making isolated awards. The recent-grants record also shows support for Galveston-based community organizations such as Reedy Chapel Ame Church, Vision Galveston, and Teen Health Center Inc, alongside other civic, cultural, and health-related recipients. The fund’s activity is broad enough to reach several parts of Galveston’s civic life, but it remains geographically concentrated. Most grants go to organizations in Texas, and the latest listed awards include multiple recipients in Galveston, with smaller numbers extending to Houston and Texas City. The pattern suggests an institution that combines large operating support for established organizations with smaller awards to local nonprofits. Its program list also includes core grants, micro-grants, and invitation-only areas, indicating a mix of open application and selective funding across community needs.
Health and medical support are central in the grant record. The foundation gave $351,614 in 2025 to The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston for operating support, following similar awards of $311,533 in 2024 and $353,818 in 2023. Civic and family-service work appears across several recipients. In 2025, it granted $141,500 to Family Service Center of Galveston County and $115,000 to St Vincent's House, both in Galveston. Its cultural funding includes established local institutions. The Grand 1894 Opera House received $66,000 in 2025, while the Galveston Arts Center received $56,000 in 2025 and Nia Cultural Center received $72,518 in 2025. Youth-oriented support also shows up in the record through Teen Health Center Inc, which received $142,939 in 2025 and $74,939 in 2024.
Typical grants are modest relative to the fund’s largest awards: the 25th percentile is $500, the median is $2,000, and the 75th percentile is $10,000. The recent-grants list also shows much larger operating awards, especially to established organizations in Galveston. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including The University of Texas Medical Branch, Vision Galveston, Teen Health Center Inc, Galveston Historical Foundation, Family Service Center of Galveston County, St Vincent's House, The Grand 1894 Opera House, and Nia Cultural Center. The fund’s program structure mixes unsolicited core grants with invitation-only areas, and it also includes a family matching gifts program and discretionary grants directed by advisors.
$2.8M
$54.5M
$6M
$3.7M
Most grants fall between $500 and $10K, with a median of $2K.
25th Percentile
$500
Median
$2K
75th Percentile
$10K
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Harris & Eliza Kempner Fund.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 539 | $7.3M | 99.6% |
| 2 | United Kingdom |
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Grantmaking is strongly concentrated in Galveston and the surrounding Texas region. Texas accounts for 61% of grants, and the recent list places many awards in Galveston itself, with additional recipients in Houston and Texas City. Outside Texas, the recipient-country distribution shows just two grants in the United Kingdom, alongside 539 U.S. grants. That pattern points to a primarily local fund with only occasional non-U.S. activity.
The fund supports Empowered Youth, Vibrant Culture, Resilient Island, Stable Housing, Strong Nonprofits, and a Micro-Grants Program. Its program list also includes a family matching gifts program and directors’ and advisors’ discretionary grants.
Yes for several core areas and the micro-grants program. Empowered Youth, Vibrant Culture, Resilient Island, and the Core Grants Program accept unsolicited proposals, while Strong Nonprofits, Stable Housing, and discretionary grants do not.
The distribution is small in the middle: the 25th percentile is $500, the median is $2,000, and the 75th percentile is $10,000. The program pages also show some core grants in the $20,000 to $75,000 range, while micro-grants run from $0 to $5,000.
Texas is the top state by grant count, and 61% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. The recent grants list is heavily weighted to Galveston, with additional Texas recipients in Houston and Texas City.
Yes. The recent grants record includes repeat awards to The University of Texas Medical Branch, Vision Galveston, Teen Health Center Inc, Galveston Historical Foundation, Family Service Center of Galveston County, St Vincent's House, The Grand 1894 Opera House, and Nia Cultural Center across 2023, 2024, and 2025.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| 2 |
| $9K |
0.4% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MEDICAL BRANCH | GALVESTON, TX | $351,614 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| VISION GALVESTON | GALVESTON, TX | $147,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| TEEN HEALTH CENTER INC | GALVESTON, TX | $142,939 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| FAMILY SERVICE CENTER OF GALVESTON COUNTY | GALVESTON, TX | $141,500 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| ST VINCENT'S HOUSE | GALVESTON, TX | $115,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| GALVESTON HISTORICAL FOUNDATION | GALVESTON, TX | $112,437 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| SERJOBS | HOUSTON, TX | $100,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF GREATER HOUSTON | HOUSTON, TX | $95,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| NIA CULTURAL CENTER | GALVESTON, TX | $72,518 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| THE SALVATION ARMY OF GALVESTON | GALVESTON, TX | $66,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| THE GRAND 1894 OPERA HOUSE | GALVESTON, TX | $66,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| CASA OF GALVESTON COUNTY | TEXAS CITY, TX | $60,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| GALVESTON ARTS CENTER | GALVESTON, TX | $56,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| SUNSHINE CENTER INC | GALVESTON, TX | $55,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| GULF COAST BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS | GALVESTON, TX | $52,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| UNITED WAY OF GALVESTON | GALVESTON, TX | $50,750 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| GALVESTON'S OWN FARMERS MARKET | GALVESTON, TX | $50,500 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| THE ARTIST BOAT INC | GALVESTON, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES | HOUSTON, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| GALVESTON-HOUSTON IMMIGRANT REPRESENTATION PROJECT | HOUSTON, TX | $40,750 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| GALVESTON DIAPER BANK | GALVESTON, TX | $40,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| MOODY EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER | GALVESTON, TX | $40,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| JC LEAGUE HOUSE INC | GALVESTON, TX | $40,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| GALVESTON COUNTY FOOD BANK | TEXAS CITY, TX | $36,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| ADVOCACY CENTER FOR CHILDREN OF GALVESTON COUNTY | GALVESTON, TX | $32,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| SMART FAMILY LITERACY | GALVESTON, TX | $32,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| LUTHERAN MUSIC ACADEMY OF GALVESTON | GALVESTON, TX | $30,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| GALVESTON BAY FOUNDATION | KEMAH, TX | $27,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| GALVESTON ISD EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION | GALVESTON, TX | $25,089 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| ICONOCLAST ARTISTS | HOUSTON, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| GALVESTON COLLEGE FOUNDATION | GALVESTON, TX | $20,750 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| AUDUBON TEXAS | AUSTIN, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| GALVESTON ISLAND NATURE TOURISM COUNCIL | GALVESTON, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| SEEDING GALVESTON | GALVESTON, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| THE DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP | GALVESTON, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| ST VINCENT'S HOPE CLINIC | GALVESTON, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| TURTLE ISLAND RESTORATION NETWORK | GALVESTON, TX | $18,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE | NEW YORK, NY | $18,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| ALCOHOL DRUG ABUSE WOMEN'S CENTER | GALVESTON, TX | $18,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| PREVENT BLINDNESS TEXAS | HOUSTON, TX | $18,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY | FORT WORTH, TX | $15,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| KICKSTART KIDS | HOUSTON, TX | $12,500 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| TEXAS JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY | AUSTIN, TX | $11,608 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| SATORI INC | GALVESTON, TX | $11,500 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| FIDF | NEW YORK, NY | $11,013 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| GALVESTON CHILDREN'S MUSEUM | GALVESTON, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| CONTEMPORARY ARTS MUSEUM HOUSTON | HOUSTON, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| TEXAS FREEDOM NETWORK EDUCATION FUND | AUSTIN, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| BARNARD COLLEGE | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
| EB RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION |
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MEDICAL BRANCH
$351,614ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
VISION GALVESTON
$147,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
TEEN HEALTH CENTER INC
$142,939ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
FAMILY SERVICE CENTER OF GALVESTON COUNTY
$141,500ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
ST VINCENT'S HOUSE
$115,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
GALVESTON HISTORICAL FOUNDATION
$112,437ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
SERJOBS
$100,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF GREATER HOUSTON
$95,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
NIA CULTURAL CENTER
$72,518ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
THE SALVATION ARMY OF GALVESTON
$66,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
THE GRAND 1894 OPERA HOUSE
$66,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
CASA OF GALVESTON COUNTY
$60,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
GALVESTON ARTS CENTER
$56,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
SUNSHINE CENTER INC
$55,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
GULF COAST BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS
$52,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
UNITED WAY OF GALVESTON
$50,750ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
GALVESTON'S OWN FARMERS MARKET
$50,500ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
THE ARTIST BOAT INC
$50,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
CATHOLIC CHARITIES
$50,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
GALVESTON-HOUSTON IMMIGRANT REPRESENTATION PROJECT
$40,750ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
GALVESTON DIAPER BANK
$40,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
MOODY EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER
$40,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
JC LEAGUE HOUSE INC
$40,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
GALVESTON COUNTY FOOD BANK
$36,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
ADVOCACY CENTER FOR CHILDREN OF GALVESTON COUNTY
$32,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
SMART FAMILY LITERACY
$32,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
LUTHERAN MUSIC ACADEMY OF GALVESTON
$30,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
GALVESTON BAY FOUNDATION
$27,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
GALVESTON ISD EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
$25,089ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
ICONOCLAST ARTISTS
$25,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
GALVESTON COLLEGE FOUNDATION
$20,750ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
AUDUBON TEXAS
$20,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
GALVESTON ISLAND NATURE TOURISM COUNCIL
$20,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
SEEDING GALVESTON
$20,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
THE DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP
$20,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
ST VINCENT'S HOPE CLINIC
$20,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
TURTLE ISLAND RESTORATION NETWORK
$18,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE
$18,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
ALCOHOL DRUG ABUSE WOMEN'S CENTER
$18,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
PREVENT BLINDNESS TEXAS
$18,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
$15,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
KICKSTART KIDS
$12,500ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
TEXAS JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY
$11,608ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
SATORI INC
$11,500ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
FIDF
$11,013ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
GALVESTON CHILDREN'S MUSEUM
$10,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
CONTEMPORARY ARTS MUSEUM HOUSTON
$10,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
TEXAS FREEDOM NETWORK EDUCATION FUND
$10,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
BARNARD COLLEGE
$10,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
EB RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP
$10,000ASSIST 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION
Current and upcoming funding from Harris & Eliza Kempner Fund that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Must align with Resilient Island priorities and Kempner Fund core grant eligibility requirements; emphasis on collaborative initiatives serving Galveston.
Deadline: LOI Due: September 15; Invite to Apply by September 22; Applications Due: October 23; Board Decision: Mid-December
Who can apply: Organization five years old or younger or with annual budget under $500,000; current 501(c)(3) or fiscal sponsor considered case-by-case; funding must primarily benefit Galveston; must align with Kempner Fund program areas; priority for strong values alignment; requested funding must be $5,000 or less; one Micro-Grant per year for up to 2 consecutive years.
Deadline: Applications accepted year-round and considered in three cycles: January 19, June 15, and October 1 deadlines.
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