The Semmes Foundation concentrates its giving on durable, institution-building investments, primarily endowments and endowed positions in education and local community infrastructure. Most grants are large, multi-million dollar gifts that strengthen specific institutions—especially a prominent private K–12 school in San Antonio and higher‑education endowments—while also supporting local philanthropic capacity through the community foundation.
Semmes Foundation Inc. stands out for using large, institution-building grants to create lasting support through endowments and endowed positions. The largest recent gift in the record was a $5,000,000 endowment fund to San Antonio Academy of Texas, followed by a $1,500,000 endowed directorship at The University of Alabama. Those awards point to a grantmaker that favors long-term capacity over short-term project funding. Within San Antonio, the foundation has backed a broad civic and educational base. It gave $1,000,000 to the San Antonio Area Foundation for general support, $151,000 to McNay Art Museum, and six-figure support to several local colleges and universities. Its recent grants also show attention to early childhood education, STEM scholarships, medical research, legal aid, and observatory support. The foundation’s 2024 filing lists annual grants of $8,395,800 against total assets of $20,154,932, with giving concentrated in Texas and most often in San Antonio. The pattern is consistent with a family foundation that funds both major endowments and smaller operating grants across education, culture, and community infrastructure.
Education is a central theme in the recent record. The foundation gave $100,000 to Alamo Colleges Foundation for STEM scholarship support, and it supported Our Lady of the Lake University twice, including $100,000 in 2024 and $100,000 in 2023 for the president’s discretionary fund. Its grant list also reaches into early childhood and student support. United Way San Antonio received $150,000 for early childhood education, while Texas Diaper Bank received $5,000 for general support. In higher education and research, the foundation gave $26,000 to UT Health Science Center - Sa for general operations support for medical and educational development, and $1,150 in both 2023 and 2024 to Texas Biomedical Research Institute for medical research support. Astronomy appears through $22,000 to University of Texas Austin for McDonald Observatory in 2023 and $5,000 in 2024. Cultural support is also present, including $25,000 to Opera San Antonio and $10,000 to The Santa Fe Opera.
Recent grants range from $5,000 at the 25th percentile to $38,000 at the median and $100,000 at the 75th percentile. The list includes both very large endowment-style gifts and smaller operating or project grants. Several recipients appear more than once across 2023 and 2024, including Our Lady of the Lake University, Texas Bar Foundation, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, and University of Texas Austin, showing some repeat support rather than one-time-only giving. The foundation is a private family foundation, and its program listings describe discretionary general grantmaking for charitable, scientific, and educational purposes. Unsolicited applications are accepted.
$272K
$15.9M
$1.6M
$605K
Most grants fall between $5K and $100K, with a median of $38K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$38K
75th Percentile
$100K
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Very concentrated, high-dollar giving: few but very large grants focused on endowments and long-term institutional sustainability rather than many small program grants; primarily place-based with at least one out-of-state academic endowment.
Notable grantees: San Antonio Academy of Texas, The University of Alabama, San Antonio Area Foundation
Giving is overwhelmingly Texas-centered: 91% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s headquarters state, and the grant record is entirely U.S.-based. San Antonio is the clearest hub, with recipients such as San Antonio Academy of Texas, San Antonio Area Foundation, McNay Art Museum, and United Way San Antonio. Austin appears through the University of Texas Austin and Texas Bar Foundation. Outside Texas, the record includes The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and The Santa Fe Opera in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The foundation awards charitable, scientific, and educational grants. Recent recipients include schools, universities, cultural organizations, a community foundation, a medical research institute, and a legal aid funder. The record also includes support for early childhood education and observatory-related work.
Very concentrated. The data shows 91% of grants went to recipients in Texas, and Texas is the top state by grant count. San Antonio accounts for most of the listed grants.
The grant-size distribution is $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $38,000 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile. The record also includes much larger gifts, including a $5,000,000 endowment fund and a $1,500,000 endowed directorship.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Our Lady of the Lake University, Texas Bar Foundation, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, and University of Texas Austin. That points to repeat support for at least part of the portfolio.
Yes. The program listing says the foundation accepts unsolicited applications for its general grantmaking program, which supports charitable, scientific, and educational grants primarily in San Antonio.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Semmes Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Organizations engaged in charitable, scientific, or educational work, primarily serving San Antonio; likely 501(c)(3) nonprofits or equivalent. Applicants should consult the Foundation's application guidelines for details.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA | TUSCALOOSA, AL | $250,000 | 2026 | HAZEL PHELPS JONES AWARD OF MERIT |
| MCNAY ART MUSEUM | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $18,300 | 2026 | ART EXHIBITS |
| TEXAS BAR FOUNDATION | AUSTIN, TX | $2,000 | 2026 | LEGAL AID |
| TEXAS BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $1,150 | 2026 | MEDICAL RESEARCH SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SAN ANTONIO | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TRINITY UNIVERSITY | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $26,500,000 | 2025 | SEMMES SCHOOL OF SCIENCE (EDUCATION, RESEARCH, ENDOWMENT) |
| MCNAY ART MUSEUM | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $2,500 | 2025 | EVENT SUPPORT |
| TEXAS BAR FOUNDATION | AUSTIN, TX | $2,000 | 2025 | LEGAL AID |
| UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SAN ANTONIO | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SAN ANTONIO ACADEMY OF TEXAS | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $5,000,000 | 2024 | ENDOWMENT FUND |
| MCNAY ART MUSEUM | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $151,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| OUR LADY OF THE LAKE UNIVERSITY | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $100,000 | 2024 | PRESIDENT'S DISCRETIONARY FUND |
| OPERA SAN ANTONIO | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE SANTA FE OPERA | SANTA FE, NM | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AUSTIN | AUSTIN, TX | $5,000 | 2024 | MCDONALD OBSERVATORY |
| TEXAS BAR FOUNDATION | AUSTIN, TX | $2,000 | 2024 | LEGAL AID |
| TEXAS BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $1,150 | 2024 | MEDICAL RESEARCH SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SAN ANTONIO | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $500 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA | TUSCALOOSA, AL | $1,500,000 | 2023 | WALTER AND HAZEL JONES ENDOWED DIRECTORSHIP |
| SAN ANTONIO AREA FOUNDATION | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $1,000,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNITED WAY SAN ANTONIO | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $150,000 | 2023 | EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION |
| ALAMO COLLEGES FOUNDATION | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $100,000 | 2023 | STEM SCHOLARSHIP |
| OUR LADY OF THE LAKE UNIVERSITY | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $100,000 | 2023 | PRESIDENT'S DISCRETIONARY FUND |
| CHILDRENS BEREAVEMENT CENTER | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $75,000 | 2023 | STAFFING SUPPORT |
| THE SAN ANTONIO LIBRARY FOUNDATION | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $70,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TRINITY UNIVERSITY | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $50,000 | 2023 | THE ANDERSON FACULTY PRIZE |
| UT HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER - SA | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $26,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATIONS SUPPORT FOR MEDICAL AND EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT |
| UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AUSTIN | AUSTIN, TX | $22,000 | 2023 | MCDONALD OBSERVATORY |
| TEXAS DIAPER BANK | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TEXAS BAR FOUNDATION | AUSTIN, TX | $2,000 | 2023 | LEGAL AID |
| TEXAS BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $1,150 | 2023 | MEDICAL RESEARCH SUPPORT |
THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA
$250,000HAZEL PHELPS JONES AWARD OF MERIT
MCNAY ART MUSEUM
$18,300ART EXHIBITS
TEXAS BAR FOUNDATION
$2,000LEGAL AID
TEXAS BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE
$1,150MEDICAL RESEARCH SUPPORT
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SAN ANTONIO
$500GENERAL SUPPORT
TRINITY UNIVERSITY
$26,500,000SEMMES SCHOOL OF SCIENCE (EDUCATION, RESEARCH, ENDOWMENT)
MCNAY ART MUSEUM
$2,500EVENT SUPPORT
TEXAS BAR FOUNDATION
$2,000LEGAL AID
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SAN ANTONIO
$500GENERAL SUPPORT
SAN ANTONIO ACADEMY OF TEXAS
$5,000,000ENDOWMENT FUND
MCNAY ART MUSEUM
$151,000GENERAL SUPPORT
OUR LADY OF THE LAKE UNIVERSITY
$100,000PRESIDENT'S DISCRETIONARY FUND
OPERA SAN ANTONIO
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE SANTA FE OPERA
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AUSTIN
$5,000MCDONALD OBSERVATORY
TEXAS BAR FOUNDATION
$2,000LEGAL AID
TEXAS BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE
$1,150MEDICAL RESEARCH SUPPORT
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SAN ANTONIO
$500GENERAL SUPPORT
THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA
$1,500,000WALTER AND HAZEL JONES ENDOWED DIRECTORSHIP
SAN ANTONIO AREA FOUNDATION
$1,000,000GENERAL SUPPORT
UNITED WAY SAN ANTONIO
$150,000EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
ALAMO COLLEGES FOUNDATION
$100,000STEM SCHOLARSHIP
OUR LADY OF THE LAKE UNIVERSITY
$100,000PRESIDENT'S DISCRETIONARY FUND
CHILDRENS BEREAVEMENT CENTER
$75,000STAFFING SUPPORT
THE SAN ANTONIO LIBRARY FOUNDATION
$70,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TRINITY UNIVERSITY
$50,000THE ANDERSON FACULTY PRIZE
UT HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER - SA
$26,000GENERAL OPERATIONS SUPPORT FOR MEDICAL AND EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AUSTIN
$22,000MCDONALD OBSERVATORY
TEXAS DIAPER BANK
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TEXAS BAR FOUNDATION
$2,000LEGAL AID
TEXAS BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE
$1,150MEDICAL RESEARCH SUPPORT