The Stanford & Joan Alexander Foundation concentrates its giving locally in Houston, making a small number of very large grants that primarily support higher-education research and cultural institutions. Major gifts go to the University of Houston and the Museum of Fine Arts—along with targeted support for health research (notably palliative care), K–12 educational programming, and Jewish cultural education. The foundation appears to favor institutional capacity and research initiatives over many small community grants.
The Stanford & Joan Alexander Foundation’s largest recent grant was $9,253,750 to the University of Houston in 2024, a signal that university research is central to its giving. Across the recent record, the foundation pairs that scale with a small number of large awards to Houston institutions, especially in higher education, medical research, and the arts. The Museum of Fine Arts received $1,196,742 in 2023 and another $46,780 in 2024, while UT Health Palliative Medicine received $997,289 in 2023. Those gifts sit alongside support for education programming, Jewish cultural organizations, and selected social impact groups. The foundation’s pattern suggests a preference for institutional support rather than many small community grants. University infrastructure, research institutes, and major cultural organizations account for the most visible awards, and several recipients appear more than once across the recent grant list. Houston organizations dominate the record, but the grant history also includes named recipients in Washington, DC, New York, Seattle, Beaumont, Boston, and Austin.
Higher education and research are the clearest focus. The foundation gave $250,000 in 2025 to Wonderland Educational Estate Association for education programs, and $50,000 in 2024 to UT Health McGovern Medical School for education programs. Its Jewish cultural giving includes $41,900 in 2025 to The Irvin M Shlenker School of Congregation Beth Israel, $15,100 in 2024 to Holocaust Museum of Houston, and $10,000 in 2023 to Foundation for Jewish Camp. In the arts, it supported the Houston Symphony Endowment with $10,000 in 2025 and the Museum of Fine Arts with multiple awards. Health-related support also appears in the record. The foundation gave $10,000 in 2024 to Gift of Life Program and $10,000 in 2023 to Happy Lungs Project, showing a mix of medical and community health interests.
Typical grants are small, with a p25 of $500, a median of $1,500, and a p75 of $5,000. The recent file also shows a much larger set of institutional awards above that range, including major gifts to universities and museums. Several recipients recur across years, including the University of Houston, Museum of Fine Arts, Jewish Family Service, Holocaust Museum of Houston, and Washington Institute for Near East Policy. The foundation appears to make grant decisions directly from a family or private-funder structure rather than through an open application process, because no application channel is shown in the data.
$371K
$2.7M
$218K
$397K
Most grants fall between $500 and $5K, with a median of $2K.
25th Percentile
$500
Median
$2K
75th Percentile
$5K
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Highly concentrated giving: few, large grants with repeat support to flagship local institutions (notably multi‑million gifts to the University of Houston and multiple gifts to the Museum of Fine Arts). Emphasis on institutional grants for research and capacity rather than broad, small-dollar community distributions.
Notable grantees: University of Houston, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, UT Health Palliative Medicine, Wonderland Educational Estate Association, The Irvin M Shlenker School (Congregation Beth Israel)
Grantmaking is overwhelmingly Houston-centered: 75% of grants go to recipients in Texas, and the listed recipients are mostly in Houston. Outside Texas, the recent file includes Washington, DC; New York, NY; Seattle, WA; Beaumont, TX; Boston, MA; and Austin, TX. The top state by grant count is DC, reflecting repeated support for organizations there even though the headquarters is in Houston.
The recent grants point to universities and research institutes, museums and cultural organizations, Jewish cultural institutions, and selected health and education programs. Large awards went to the University of Houston, the Museum of Fine Arts, and UT Health Palliative Medicine, while smaller grants also reached organizations such as Holocaust Museum of Houston and Houston Food Bank.
The grant-size distribution is small at the center: p25 is $500, median is $1,500, and p75 is $5,000. The recent record also includes a few much larger institutional grants, including a $9,253,750 award to the University of Houston.
Most grants go to recipients in Texas, which accounts for 75% of grants in the data. Houston is the main city in the recipient record, with additional grants in Washington, DC; New York; Seattle; Beaumont; Boston; and Austin.
Yes. The University of Houston, Museum of Fine Arts, Jewish Family Service, Holocaust Museum of Houston, and Washington Institute for Near East Policy each appear multiple times in the recent grants list, showing recurring support for some institutions.
The available data shows the foundation’s grant history and size pattern, but it does not show an application portal or solicitation process. The record instead points to direct institutional grants and repeated support for named organizations.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WONDERLAND EDUCATIONAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION | HOUSTON, TX | $250,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION PROGRAMS |
| THE IRVIN M SHLENKER SCHOOL OF CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL | HOUSTON, TX | $41,900 | 2025 | JEWISH CULTURAL |
| JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE | HOUSTON, TX | $11,164 | 2025 | SOCIAL IMPACT |
| JULIE ROGERS GIFT OF LIFE PROGRAM | BEAUMONT, TX | $11,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH INSTITIUTES |
| HOUSTON SYMPHONY ENDOWMENT | HOUSTON, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | FINE ARTS |
| LEO BAECK EDUCATION CENTER FOUNDATION | BELLAIRE, TX | $5,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION PROGRAMS |
| CHABAD AT RICE INC | HOUSTON, TX | $5,000 | 2025 | JEWISH CULTURAL |
| HOUSTON SPCA | HOUSTON, TX | $5,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF HOUSTON | HOUSTON, TX | $5,000 | 2025 | FINE ARTS |
| HOUSTON GRAND OPERA ASSOCIATION INC | HOUSTON, TX | $5,000 | 2025 | FINE ARTS |
| HOUSTON FOOD BANK | HOUSTON, TX | $5,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| HAPPY LUNGS PROJECT | AUSTIN, TX | $5,000 | 2025 | HEALTH SUPPORT |
| MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON | HOUSTON, TX | $3,500 | 2025 | FINE ARTS |
| JEWISH INSTITUTE FOR NATIONAL SECURITY OF AMERICA | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,000 | 2025 | SOCIAL IMPACT |
| HOUSTON AREA PARKINSON SOCIETY | HOUSTON, TX | $1,000 | 2025 | HEALTH SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN TECHNION SOCIETY | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION PROGRAMS |
| BRIGHTFOCUS FOUNDATION | CLARKSBURG, MD | $700 | 2025 | HEALTH SUPPORT |
| NATIONAL MS SOCIETY | NEW YORK, NY | $500 | 2025 | SOCIAL IMPACT |
| EVELYN RUBENSTEIN JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF HOUSTON TEXAS | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $500 | 2025 | SOCIAL IMPACT |
| SPECIAL OLYMPICS TEXAS | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $450 | 2025 | SOCIAL IMPACT |
| MOUNT ST SCHOLASTICA INC | ATCHISON, KS | $400 | 2025 | EDUCATION PROGRAMS |
| THE 100 CLUB | HOUSTON, TX | $300 | 2025 | SOCIAL IMPACT |
| CONTEMPORARY ARTS MUSEUM HOUSTON | HOUSTON, TX | $250 | 2025 | FINE ARTS |
| MENIL FOUNDATION INC | HOUSTON, TX | $250 | 2025 | FINE ARTS |
| C G JUNG EDUCATIONAL CENTER OF HOUSTON TEXAS | HOUSTON, TX | $250 | 2025 | SOCIAL IMPACT |
| HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA | HOUSTON, TX | $250 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| CONGREGATION EMANU-EL OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $250 | 2025 | JEWISH CULTURAL |
| CONGREGATION BRITH SHALOM | BELLAIRE, TX | $250 | 2025 | JEWISH CULTURAL |
| JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE | HOUSTON, TX | $250 | 2025 | SOCIAL IMPACT |
| THE COMPASSIONATE FRIENDS INC | WIXOM, MI | $200 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| KEREN OR | NEW YORK, NY | $180 | 2025 | SOCIAL IMPACT |
| NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN | WASHINGTON, DC | $150 | 2025 | JEWISH CULTURAL |
| SUSAN G KOMEN | DALLAS, TX | $100 | 2025 | RESEARCH INSTITIUTES |
| TEMPLE SINAI | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $100 | 2025 | SOCIAL IMPACT |
| U T PHYSICIANS | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $100 | 2025 | RESEARCH INSTITIUTES |
| UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON | HOUSTON, TX | $9,253,750 | 2024 | RESEARCH INSTITUTES |
| UT HEALTH MCGOVERN MEDICAL SCHOOL | HOUSTON, TX | $50,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION PROGRAMS |
| MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS | HOUSTON, TX | $46,780 | 2024 | FINE ARTS |
| BROTHERS FOR LIFE | SEATTLE, WA | $20,000 | 2024 | JEWISH CULTURAL |
| HOLOCAUST MUSEUM OF HOUSTON | HOUSTON, TX | $15,100 | 2024 | JEWISH CULTURAL |
| JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE | HOUSTON, TX | $12,148 | 2024 | JEWISH CULTURAL |
| UT HEALTH HOUSTON | HOUSTON, TX | $10,022 | 2024 | EDUCATION PROGRAMS |
| THE JUNG CENTER | HOUSTON, TX | $10,000 | 2024 | SOCIAL IMPACT |
| WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2024 | RESEARCH INSTITUTES |
| GIFT OF LIFE PROGRAM | BEAUMONT, TX | $10,000 | 2024 | HEALTH SUPPORT |
| SMITH COLLEGE | BOSTON, MA | $10,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION PROGRAMS |
| HOUSTON FOOD BANK | HOUSTON, TX | $8,500 | 2024 | SOCIAL IMPACT |
| JEWISH FUNDERS NETWORK | NEW YORK, NY | $8,000 | 2024 | JEWISH CULTURAL |
| THE MENNINGER CLINIC FOUNDATION | HOUSTON, TX | $7,500 | 2024 | HEALTH SUPPORT |
| CADE R ALPARD FOUNDATION FOR PEDIATRIC LIVER DISEASE | HOUSTON, TX | $6,000 | 2024 | HEALTH SUPPORT |
THE IRVIN M SHLENKER SCHOOL OF CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL
$41,900JEWISH CULTURAL
JULIE ROGERS GIFT OF LIFE PROGRAM
$11,000RESEARCH INSTITIUTES
HOUSTON SYMPHONY ENDOWMENT
$10,000FINE ARTS
LEO BAECK EDUCATION CENTER FOUNDATION
$5,000EDUCATION PROGRAMS
CHABAD AT RICE INC
$5,000JEWISH CULTURAL
CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF HOUSTON
$5,000FINE ARTS
HOUSTON GRAND OPERA ASSOCIATION INC
$5,000FINE ARTS
NATIONAL MS SOCIETY
$500SOCIAL IMPACT
EVELYN RUBENSTEIN JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF HOUSTON TEXAS
$500SOCIAL IMPACT
MOUNT ST SCHOLASTICA INC
$400EDUCATION PROGRAMS
MENIL FOUNDATION INC
$250FINE ARTS
C G JUNG EDUCATIONAL CENTER OF HOUSTON TEXAS
$250SOCIAL IMPACT
HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA
$250ANNUAL FUND
CONGREGATION EMANU-EL OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK
$250JEWISH CULTURAL
CONGREGATION BRITH SHALOM
$250JEWISH CULTURAL
THE COMPASSIONATE FRIENDS INC
$200ANNUAL FUND
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN
$150JEWISH CULTURAL
SUSAN G KOMEN
$100RESEARCH INSTITIUTES
TEMPLE SINAI
$100SOCIAL IMPACT
U T PHYSICIANS
$100RESEARCH INSTITIUTES
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON
$9,253,750RESEARCH INSTITUTES
UT HEALTH MCGOVERN MEDICAL SCHOOL
$50,000EDUCATION PROGRAMS
MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS
$46,780FINE ARTS
BROTHERS FOR LIFE
$20,000JEWISH CULTURAL
UT HEALTH HOUSTON
$10,022EDUCATION PROGRAMS
THE JUNG CENTER
$10,000SOCIAL IMPACT
WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY
$10,000RESEARCH INSTITUTES
GIFT OF LIFE PROGRAM
$10,000HEALTH SUPPORT
SMITH COLLEGE
$10,000EDUCATION PROGRAMS
CADE R ALPARD FOUNDATION FOR PEDIATRIC LIVER DISEASE
$6,000HEALTH SUPPORT