The DeBakey Medical Foundation concentrates almost entirely on higher education in the medical and biomedical fields, directing large, targeted gifts to Baylor-affiliated institutions. Its funding supports faculty leadership (an endowed chair in surgery) and curricular initiatives that bridge medicine and the humanities, signaling a focus on strengthening medical education and clinical scholarship within Baylor institutions in Texas.
The DeBakey Medical Foundation’s giving is built around large, repeated commitments to Baylor College of Medicine and Baylor University, with support that reaches from endowed surgery chairs to museum, library, and new-building projects. In the latest grants, Baylor College of Medicine received multi-million-dollar awards tied to the Micheal E. DeBakey Library and Museum and the new medical school building, alongside continued support for faculty and institutional capacity. The foundation also backs named surgical endowments such as the George P. Noon, M.D. Endowed Chair in Surgery and the Surgery Endowment, showing a sustained interest in clinical leadership and academic medicine. Beyond Houston, it funds Baylor University’s Medical Humanities Program in Waco, linking medicine with the humanities in an academic setting. Smaller awards extend that same pattern to research recognition, student programming, and health-science infrastructure, including support for the Michael E. DeBakey Cell Lab, the DeBakey Summer Student Program, and the DeBakey Health Sciences Park. The overall picture is a Texas-based medical philanthropy focused on education, scholarship, facilities, and institutional strength.
A central theme is medical education infrastructure. The foundation gave $1,999,736 and $1,935,450 to Baylor College of Medicine for the Micheal E. DeBakey Library and Museum and new medical school building, and another $300,000 for the construction of the Cullen Tower. It also supported the DeBakey Health Sciences Park with $300,000, tying philanthropy to campus development. Another area is faculty and surgical leadership. Baylor College of Medicine received $500,000 for the George P. Noon, M.D. Endowed Chair in Surgery and $300,000 for the Surgery Endowment, reinforcing long-term support for surgical capacity. The foundation also funds medical humanities: Baylor University in Waco received $350,000 for the Medical Humanities Program in the College of Arts and Sciences. Research and training appear as well, through the Michael E. DeBakey Excellence in Research Awards and the DeBakey Summer Student Program.
Typical grants are large, with a p25 of $175,000, a median of $300,000, and a p75 of $500,000. The pattern is recurring rather than one-off: several named commitments appear in both 2023 and 2025, including support for Baylor College of Medicine, Baylor University, and the John P. McGovern Museum of Health and Medical Science. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Its awards are institutional and often tied to endowments, construction, research awards, or student training rather than open application-driven grantmaking.
$4.4M
$17.3M
$5.7M
$5.3M
Most grants fall between $175K and $500K, with a median of $300K.
25th Percentile
$175K
Median
$300K
75th Percentile
$500K
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Highly concentrated, large gifts to a very small set of repeat grantees (six grants to Baylor College of Medicine and three to Baylor University), focused on endowments and program support rather than broad, distributed funding.
Notable grantees: Baylor College of Medicine, Baylor University
Grantmaking is local and entirely within Texas, with 100% of grants going to recipients in the state. Houston is the main recipient city, including Baylor College of Medicine, The John P. McGovern Museum of Health and Medical Science, and Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation. Waco also appears through Baylor University. The distribution is concentrated in just these Texas locations rather than spread across multiple states or countries.
The foundation primarily supports Baylor-affiliated institutions and other Houston-based medical organizations. Recent grants went to Baylor College of Medicine, Baylor University, The John P. McGovern Museum of Health and Medical Science, and Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation, with several awards tied to endowments, building projects, research, and training.
Its grant sizes are relatively large: the 25th percentile is $175,000, the median is $300,000, and the 75th percentile is $500,000. The recent record also includes multi-million-dollar awards tied to major campus and museum projects.
No. The recent grant data shows 22 grants to U.S. recipients, and 100% of grants went to recipients in Texas. Houston is the main city, with Waco also represented through Baylor University.
Its recent grants support surgical chairs and endowments, medical school and health-science facilities, medical humanities, research awards, and student training. Examples in the data include the George P. Noon, M.D. Endowed Chair in Surgery, the Medical Humanities Program at Baylor University, and the DeBakey Summer Student Program.
The data shows a recurring pattern. Several named grants appear in both 2023 and 2025, including support for Baylor College of Medicine, Baylor University, and the Michael E. DeBakey Cell Lab, indicating repeated commitments rather than isolated awards.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, TX | $2,056,218 | 2026 | New Medical School agreement |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, TX | $701,166 | 2026 | Cullen Tower |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, TX | $701,166 | 2026 | Baylor Surgery Department |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, TX | $500,000 | 2026 | George P. Noon, M.D. Endowed Chair in Surgery |
| The John P McGovern Museum of Health and Medical Science | Houston, TX | $200,000 | 2026 | Supporting the Michael E. DeBakey Cell Lab |
| Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation | Houston, TX | $150,000 | 2026 | DeBakey Cardiovascular Surgery Fund |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, TX | $50,000 | 2026 | Michael E. DeBakey Excellence in Research Awards |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, TX | $40,000 | 2026 | DeBakey Summer Student Program |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, TX | $1,999,736 | 2025 | Micheal E. DeBakey Library and Museum and new medical school building |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, TX | $1,935,450 | 2025 | Micheal E. DeBakey Library and Museum and new medical school building |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, TX | $500,000 | 2025 | George P. Noon, M.D. Endowed Chair in Surgery |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, TX | $500,000 | 2025 | George P. Noon, M.D. Endowed Chair in Surgery |
| Baylor University | Waco, TX | $350,000 | 2025 | Medical Humanities Program in the College of Arts and Sciences |
| Baylor University | Waco, TX | $350,000 | 2025 | Medical Humanities Program in the College of Arts and Sciences |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, TX | $300,000 | 2025 | Surgery Endowment |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, TX | $300,000 | 2025 | DeBakey Health Sciences Park |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, TX | $300,000 | 2025 | Construction of the Cullen Tower |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, TX | $300,000 | 2025 | Surgery Endowment |
| The John P McGovern Museum of Health and Medical Science | Houston, TX | $200,000 | 2025 | Supporting the Michael E. DeBakey Cell Lab |
| The John P McGovern Museum of Health and Medical Science | Houston, TX | $175,000 | 2025 | Supporting the Michael E. DeBakey Cell Lab |
| Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation | Houston, TX | $150,000 | 2025 | Houston Methodist Endowment |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, TX | $100,000 | 2025 | Michael E. DeBakey Excellence in Research Awards |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | Michael E. DeBakey Excellence in Research Awards |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, TX | $40,000 | 2025 | DeBakey Summer Student Program |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, TX | $35,000 | 2025 | DeBakey Summer Student Program |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, TX | $2,063,188 | 2023 | Micheal E. DeBakey Library and Museum and new medical school building |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, TX | $500,000 | 2023 | George P. Noon, M.D. Endowed Chair in Surgery |
| Baylor University | Waco, TX | $350,000 | 2023 | Medical Humanities Program in the College of Arts and Sciences |
| The John P McGovern Museum of Health and Medical Science | Houston, TX | $175,000 | 2023 | Supporting the Michael E. DeBakey Cell Lab |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, TX | $50,000 | 2023 | Michael E. DeBakey Excellence in Research Awards |
Supporting the Michael E. DeBakey Cell Lab
Micheal E. DeBakey Library and Museum and new medical school building
Micheal E. DeBakey Library and Museum and new medical school building
Supporting the Michael E. DeBakey Cell Lab
Supporting the Michael E. DeBakey Cell Lab
Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation
$150,000Houston Methodist Endowment
Micheal E. DeBakey Library and Museum and new medical school building
Supporting the Michael E. DeBakey Cell Lab