About Jerry C Dearing Family Foundation
The Jerry C Dearing Family Foundation makes relatively large, place-based grants in the Houston area focused on hospitals/medical institutions, civic cultural institutions, and programs that support economic mobility and education. Their giving mixes major one-off or repeat gifts to high-profile local institutions (medical centers, parks/conservatory, ballet) with targeted support for workforce/education programs that advance opportunity for individuals. Overall, the portfolio reflects civic-minded philanthropy that strengthens Houston’s health, public spaces, arts, and pathways to employment/college completion.
Focus Areas
Hospital and health-system philanthropy in Houston (Houston Methodist, Methodist)Urban park and botanical/conservatory support (Hermann Park Conservatory)Performing arts anchor funding (Houston Ballet)Women’s economic empowerment and workforce readiness (Dress for Success)College completion and secondary-to-postsecondary coaching programs (OneGoal)
Giving Approach
Concentrated, large-dollar grants to a small number of local institutions — including repeat funding to select grantees — with an emphasis on civic anchors (healthcare, parks, arts) alongside targeted investments in education and workforce services.
Funding Style
About Jerry C Dearing Family Foundation
Jerry C Dearing Family Foundation’s recent giving is anchored by six-figure general support for Houston’s civic and health institutions, with Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation receiving $300,000 in 2023 and $250,000 in 2024. The foundation also backed Houston Ballet with $255,000 in 2023 and $150,000 in 2024, showing support for both medical infrastructure and the performing arts. Across the recent grants list, the pattern is not limited to one institution type: it includes conservatory and park support through Hermann Park Conservatory, workforce and education programs such as Dress for Success and OneGoal, and community-serving organizations like The Village Centers and Memorial Assistance Ministries. Most awards are listed as general support, suggesting flexible operating funding rather than tightly restricted project grants. Houston names dominate the portfolio, but the funder also shows selective support outside Texas, including OneGoal in Chicago and Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach. Taken together, the grant record reflects a place-based family foundation that repeatedly supports established local nonprofits while also funding programs connected to economic mobility, education, and community well-being.
What Jerry C Dearing Family Foundation Funds
Health and hospital philanthropy is a clear thread in the foundation’s portfolio. In 2023, it gave $300,000 to Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation for general support, followed by $250,000 in 2024 to the same organization. Arts and culture appear alongside that civic-health focus: Houston Ballet received $255,000 in 2023 and $150,000 in 2024, and the Houston Symphony received $100,000 in 2025. The foundation also supports public space and environmental amenities through two $250,000 general-support grants to Hermann Park Conservatory in 2024 and 2023. On the opportunity side, Dress for Success received $250,000 in 2024 and $175,000 in 2023, while OneGoal received $250,000 in 2025 for general support.
How Jerry C Dearing Family Foundation Gives
Typical grants cluster in the mid-five-figure to low-six-figure range: p25 is $20,000, median is $50,000, and p75 is $100,000. The recent record shows repeated support to the same organizations across multiple years, including Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation, Houston Ballet, Hermann Park Conservatory, Dress for Success, Greater Houston Community, and Stages. The foundation is a regular funder rather than a donor-advised fund or PRI vehicle, and the grants are generally listed as general support or unrestricted in style, which points to flexible operating grants rather than program-only awards.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$2.6M
Total Assets
$49.6M
Total Revenue
$4M
Total Expenses
$2.9M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $20K and $100K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$100K
Geographic Reach
Local7 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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