The CT Bauer Foundation concentrates its philanthropy on Houston-based higher education—particularly the University of Houston system—and complementary community services for children. Most dollars are large, targeted gifts to a few repeat institutional partners (notably UH’s College of Business and UH–Downtown), with smaller, single gifts to local child- and family-focused nonprofits. The foundation’s giving reflects a preference for strengthening local education, workforce development, and direct services for children in the Houston area.
Concentrated, high-dollar grants to a few repeat local institutions (multiple multi-year or multi-grant commitments to UH entities), supplemented by modest single grants to community child-service organizations.
The CT Bauer Foundation’s largest recent grants have gone repeatedly to Houston higher education, especially the UH College of Business Foundation and University of Houston - Downtown. Those awards are not isolated checks: the same institutions appear across 2023 and 2025, with the College of Business receiving three grants of $1,843,000 and University of Houston - Downtown receiving awards of $815,000 and $635,000 in 2025, alongside another $635,000 in 2023. That pattern points to a funder that prefers sustained institutional support over one-time experiments. The foundation also extends that same general-support approach to a smaller set of Houston nonprofits serving children and youth. Camp For All Foundation received $512,500 in 2025 for general support, and Small Steps Nurturing Center received multiple grants, including $330,000 in 2025. Other recipients include Texas Southern University, Yellowstone Academy, KIPP Texas Inc, Houston Zoo Inc, Foundation for Teen Health, YES Prep Public Schools, Chinquapin Preparatory School, and Teach for America Inc. The grant list is dominated by Houston addresses, with one Massachusetts recipient appearing among the recent awards.
Higher education is the clearest theme in The CT Bauer Foundation’s recent giving. In business education, the foundation gave $1,843,000 to UH College of Business Foundation for general support, reinforcing its connection to workforce-oriented university programs. For broader institutional support, it gave University of Houston - Downtown $815,000 and $635,000 in 2025, plus $635,000 in 2023. The foundation also supports educational access beyond the university system. Texas Southern University received $80,000 in both 2023 and 2025, while YES Prep Public Schools received $30,000 in 2023 and 2025. Chinquapin Preparatory School also received $30,000 in both years, showing a repeated relationship with K-12 and college-preparatory education. Child and family services are another consistent area. Small Steps Nurturing Center received $330,000 in 2025, and Camp For All Foundation received $512,500 in 2025 for general support.
The CT Bauer Foundation’s grant sizes cluster in the mid-five-figure range, with a typical grant size of $20,000 at the 25th percentile, $30,000 at the median, and $35,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent grant list also includes much larger institutional gifts, showing a dual pattern of substantial anchor support and smaller general-support awards. Recipients appear across multiple years, especially in Houston higher education and school support, which suggests recurring relationships rather than one-off grants. The foundation gives directly as a private foundation; it does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. The recent awards are all listed as general support, indicating a preference for unrestricted or core support.
$3.8M
$58.4M
$8.3M
$4.3M
Most grants fall between $20K and $35K, with a median of $30K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$30K
75th Percentile
$35K
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Notable grantees: UH College of Business Foundation, University of Houston–Downtown, Camp For All Foundation, Small Steps Nurturing Center
The CT Bauer Foundation gives almost entirely in Texas: 91% of its grants go to recipients in its HQ state, and the top state by grant count is TX. Houston dominates the recipient map, with additional grants in Highlands, TX and one recent grant in West Roxbury, MA. The country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 69 grants to U.S. recipients in the recent sample. The overall picture is a locally focused funder centered on Houston-area institutions and services.
Its recent grants are centered on Houston higher education and local youth services. University of Houston - Downtown, Texas Southern University, YES Prep Public Schools, Chinquapin Preparatory School, Camp For All Foundation, and Small Steps Nurturing Center all appear in the recent list, most as general support awards.
The foundation’s typical grant size is $20,000 at the 25th percentile, $30,000 at the median, and $35,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards also include larger institutional gifts, especially to Houston universities and related foundations.
Its giving is overwhelmingly Texas-based. 91% of grants go to recipients in TX, and the top state by grant count is also TX. In the recent grant list, Houston and other Texas locations dominate, with one recent Massachusetts recipient in West Roxbury.
Yes. Several recipients appear in both 2023 and 2025, including UH College of Business Foundation, University of Houston - Downtown, Texas Southern University, Yellowstone Academy, KIPP Texas Inc, YES Prep Public Schools, Chinquapin Preparatory School, Small Steps Nurturing Center, Houston Zoo Inc, and Teach for America Inc.
The recent grants are consistently listed as general support, which points to unrestricted or core support. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UH College of Business Foundation | Houston, TX | $1,843,000 | 2025 | General support |
| UH College of Business Foundation | Houston, TX | $1,843,000 | 2025 | General support |
| University of Houston - Downtown | Houston, TX | $815,000 | 2025 | General support |
| University of Houston - Downtown | Houston, TX | $635,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Camp For All Foundation | Houston, TX | $512,500 | 2025 | General support |
| Small Steps Nurturing Center | Houston, TX | $330,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Texas Southern University | Houston, TX | $80,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Texas Southern University | Houston, TX | $80,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Small Steps Nurturing Center | Houston, TX | $40,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Yellowstone Academy | Houston, TX | $40,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Yellowstone Academy | Houston, TX | $40,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Houston Zoo Inc | Houston, TX | $35,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Foundation for Teen Health | Houston, TX | $35,000 | 2025 | General support |
| KIPP Texas Inc | Houston, TX | $35,000 | 2025 | General support |
| KIPP Texas Inc | Houston, TX | $35,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Houston Zoo Inc | Houston, TX | $35,000 | 2025 | General support |
| YES Prep Public Schools | Houston, TX | $30,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Roxbury Latin School Inc | West Roxbury, MA | $30,000 | 2025 | General support |
| YES Prep Public Schools | Houston, TX | $30,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Chinquapin Preparatory School | Highlands, TX | $30,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Teach for America Inc | Houston, TX | $30,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory School of Houston | Houston, TX | $30,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Chinquapin Preparatory School | Highlands, TX | $30,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory School of Houston | Houston, TX | $30,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Teach for America Inc | Houston, TX | $30,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Roxbury Latin School Inc | West Roxbury, MA | $30,000 | 2025 | General support |
| FEI Houston Scholarship Foundation | Houston, TX | $28,000 | 2025 | General support |
| FEI Houston Scholarship Foundation | Houston, TX | $28,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Houston SPCA | Houston, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Young Life - Cypress | Cypress, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Young Life - Cypress | Cypress, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Houston SPCA | Houston, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Foundation for Teen Health | Houston, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Monarch School Inc | Houston, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | General support |
| SPARK | Houston, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | General support |
| SPARK | Houston, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Monarch School Inc | Houston, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Bo's Place | Houston, TX | $15,000 | 2025 | General support |
| W Oscar Neuhaus Memorial Foundation | Bellaire, TX | $15,000 | 2025 | General support |
| W Oscar Neuhaus Memorial Foundation | Bellaire, TX | $15,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Bo's Place | Houston, TX | $15,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Camp For All Foundation | Houston, TX | $12,500 | 2025 | General support |
| American Camp Association | Martinsville, IN | $11,750 | 2025 | General Support |
| American Camp Association | Martinsville, IN | $11,750 | 2025 | General Support |
| Breakthrough Houston | Houston, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Breakthrough Houston | Houston, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | General support |
| UH College of Business Foundation | Houston, TX | $1,843,000 | 2023 | General support |
| University of Houston - Downtown | Houston, TX | $635,000 | 2023 | General support |
| Texas Southern University | Houston, TX | $80,000 | 2023 | General support |
| Yellowstone Academy | Houston, TX | $40,000 | 2023 | General support |
UH College of Business Foundation
$1,843,000General support
UH College of Business Foundation
$1,843,000General support
University of Houston - Downtown
$815,000General support
University of Houston - Downtown
$635,000General support
General support
Texas Southern University
$80,000General support
Texas Southern University
$80,000General support
Yellowstone Academy
$40,000General support
Foundation for Teen Health
$35,000General support
Roxbury Latin School Inc
$30,000General support
Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory School of Houston
$30,000General support
Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory School of Houston
$30,000General support
Teach for America Inc
$30,000General support
Roxbury Latin School Inc
$30,000General support
FEI Houston Scholarship Foundation
$28,000General support
FEI Houston Scholarship Foundation
$28,000General support
Young Life - Cypress
$25,000General support
Young Life - Cypress
$25,000General support
Foundation for Teen Health
$25,000General support
American Camp Association
$11,750General Support
American Camp Association
$11,750General Support
UH College of Business Foundation
$1,843,000General support
University of Houston - Downtown
$635,000General support