The Frankel Family Foundation concentrates its giving on a small number of relatively large, strategic grants. Its philanthropy is dominated by repeat, substantial support for local hunger relief in Houston, with additional targeted gifts for biomedical research and private school capital/legacy needs. The foundation appears to favor a few high-impact grantees rather than a broad portfolio of small awards.
The Frankel Family Foundation’s giving is anchored by repeated support for Houston Food Bank and Baylor College of Medicine, both at $150,000 in 2025. That pattern points to a funder that uses substantial grants for a small set of priorities rather than spreading money broadly. In the recent record, the foundation also backed St John’s School with $50,000 awards across 2023, 2024, and 2025, showing continuity in its school support. Alongside those larger commitments, it has made grants for the Hoover Institution, MIT Sloan School of Management, and Santa Catalina School, suggesting interest in institutions with academic or legacy-oriented purposes. Its portfolio also includes Houston arts and health organizations, from the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston to Texas Children’s Hospital and MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital. The pattern is consistent with a donor that favors established institutions and targeted projects, especially in Houston, while also making select gifts outside Texas.
Food security is one of the clearest themes in the foundation’s record: Houston Food Bank received $150,000 in 2025 and $100,000 in 2024 for support. Medical research is another defined area, with Baylor College of Medicine receiving $150,000 in 2025 for Baylor Andrology Research Scholars and $25,000 in 2024 for the same program. Education support appears in both K-12 and higher education settings. St John’s School received $50,000 grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025, while the University of Houston Law Foundation received $25,000 in 2023, 2024, and 2025 for the Frankel Lecture Series. The foundation also made arts-related gifts, including $25,000 to Houston Symphony in 2023 and 2025.
Typical grants sit in a fairly tight band: the 25th percentile is $10,000, the median is $15,000, and the 75th percentile is $25,000. The recent record shows a small number of larger strategic awards at $100,000 and $150,000, but most gifts cluster around the median and upper quartile. Recurring support is a clear feature: several recipients appear across multiple years, including Houston Food Bank, St John’s School, Baylor College of Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Houston Law Foundation, and Montage Health Foundation. The foundation is a family foundation and does not make program-related investments or grants to individuals.
$935K
$12.5M
$3.5M
$1.1M
Most grants fall between $10K and $25K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$25K
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Concentrated giving: a small number of large grants with repeat support for core grantees (notably multi-year support to Houston Food Bank), plus isolated targeted gifts to research and private education rather than many small or geographically dispersed awards.
Notable grantees: Houston Food Bank, Baylor College of Medicine, Santa Catalina School
Houston dominates the giving pattern, with 67% of grants going to recipients in Texas and many of the named grantees located in Houston. Other Texas recipients include Houston-based universities, hospitals, and arts organizations. Outside Texas, the foundation also gave to institutions in California, including Santa Catalina School and Montage Health Foundation in Monterey, and to Stanford-linked institutions in Stanford. One grant went to Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah. All recent grants listed are to U.S. recipients.
The recent record centers on Houston Food Bank support, Baylor College of Medicine’s andrology research scholars program, St John’s School, and selected higher education, arts, and health institutions. The clearest recurring themes are food security, medical research, education, and Houston civic/cultural organizations.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Houston Food Bank in 2023, 2024, and 2025; St John’s School in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Baylor College of Medicine in 2024 and 2025; and the University of Houston Law Foundation in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The typical grant size is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $25,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent grants list also includes larger awards of $100,000 and $150,000 for select priorities.
Texas receives 67% of the grants, and Houston appears repeatedly across the recent grants list. The foundation also funds a smaller number of recipients in California, Utah, and Stanford-linked institutions outside Texas.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments, according to the provided data.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RICE UNIVERSITY | HOUSTON, TX | $250,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT RICE UNIVERSITY |
| TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER | HOUSTON, TX | $250,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER |
| BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE | HOUSTON, TX | $150,000 | 2026 | BAYLOR ANDROLOGY RESEARCH SCHOLARS |
| ST JOHN'S SCHOOL | HOUSTON, TX | $75,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT ST JOHN'S SCHOOL |
| MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $50,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT MIT SLOAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT. |
| HOOVER INSTITUTION AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY | STANFORD, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT THE HOOVER INSTITUTION |
| UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON LAW FOUNDATION | HOUSTON, TX | $30,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT THE FRANKEL LECTURE SERIES |
| AMAZING PLACE | HOUSTON, TX | $25,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT AMAZING PLACE MISSION |
| MENLO COLLEGE | ATHERTON, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | ANNUAL FUND |
| BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY | KANAB, UT | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| AMERICAN HERITAGE EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC | HOUSTON, TX | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| YES PREP PUBLIC SCHOOLS | HOUSTON, TX | $10,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT YES PREP'S ACTIVITIES |
| HILLSDALE COLLEGE | HILLSDALE, MI | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| ARMY WAR COLLEGE FOUNDATION | CARLISLE, PA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE | HOUSTON, TX | $150,000 | 2025 | BAYLOR ANDROLOGY RESEARCH SCHOLARS |
| HOUSTON FOOD BANK | HOUSTON, TX | $150,000 | 2025 | HOUSTON FOOD BANK SUPPORT |
| MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT MIT SLOAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT. |
| ST JOHN'S SCHOOL | HOUSTON, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT ST JOHN'S SCHOOL |
| HOOVER INSTITUTION AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY | STANFORD, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT THE HOOVER INSTITUTION |
| UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON LAW FOUNDATION | HOUSTON, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT THE FRANKEL LECTURE SERIES |
| MD ANDERSON CHILDREN'S CANCER HOSPITAL | HOUSTON, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| MONTAGE HEALTH FOUNDATION | MONTEREY, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN CARING PROGRAM |
| HOUSTON GRAND OPERA ASSOCIATION INC | HOUSTON, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON | HOUSTON, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, HOUSTON |
| ALLEY THEATRE | HOUSTON, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| HOUSTON METHODIST HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | HOSTON, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| HOUSTON SYMPHONY | HOUSTON, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL | HOUSTON, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY | KANAB, UT | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| KIPP TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS | HOUSTON, TX | $15,000 | 2025 | KIPP FORWARD |
| AMERICAN HERITAGE EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC | HOUSTON, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| MENLO COLLEGE | ATHERTON, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| YES PREP PUBLIC SCHOOLS | HOUSTON, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT YES PREP'S ACTIVITIES |
| CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL | HOUSTON, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| HILLSDALE COLLEGE | HILLSDALE, MI | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| HOUSTON ACHIEVEMENT PLACE | HOUSTON, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN |
| RIVER OAKS FOUNDATION | HOUSTON, TX | $5,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT THE RIVER OAKS FOUNDATION'S CAMPAIGN FOR THE BOULEVARD |
| ARMY WAR COLLEGE FOUNDATION | CARLISLE, PA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| UNIVERSITY OF AUSTIN | AUSTIN, TX | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| SANTA CATALINA SCHOOL | MONTEREY, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT SCHOOL'S LEGACY CAMPAIGN |
| HOUSTON FOOD BANK | HOUSTON, TX | $100,000 | 2024 | HOUSTON FOOD BANK SUPPORT |
| MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $50,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT MIT SLOAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT. |
| LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY | STANFORD, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT HOOVER INSTITUTION |
| ST JOHN'S SCHOOL | HOUSTON, TX | $50,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ST JOHN'S SCHOOL |
| MONTAGE HEALTH FOUNDATION | MONTEREY, CA | $35,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN CARING PROGRAM |
| BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE | HOUSTON, TX | $25,000 | 2024 | BAYLOR ANDROLOGY RESEARCH SCHOLARS |
| HOUSTON SYMPHONY | HOUSTON, TX | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON LAW FOUNDATION | HOUSTON, TX | $25,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT THE FRANKEL LECTURE SERIES |
| THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON | HOUSTON, TX | $25,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, HOUSTON |
TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER
$250,000SUPPORT TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER
ST JOHN'S SCHOOL
$75,000SUPPORT ST JOHN'S SCHOOL
SUPPORT MIT SLOAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT.
SUPPORT THE HOOVER INSTITUTION
AMAZING PLACE
$25,000SUPPORT AMAZING PLACE MISSION
AMERICAN HERITAGE EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC
$10,000GENERAL
ARMY WAR COLLEGE FOUNDATION
$5,000GENERAL
SUPPORT MIT SLOAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT.
ST JOHN'S SCHOOL
$50,000SUPPORT ST JOHN'S SCHOOL
MD ANDERSON CHILDREN'S CANCER HOSPITAL
$25,000GENERAL
HOUSTON GRAND OPERA ASSOCIATION INC
$25,000GENERAL
HOUSTON METHODIST HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
$25,000GENERAL
HOUSTON SYMPHONY
$25,000GENERAL
AMERICAN HERITAGE EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC
$10,000GENERAL
CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL
$10,000GENERAL
RIVER OAKS FOUNDATION
$5,000SUPPORT THE RIVER OAKS FOUNDATION'S CAMPAIGN FOR THE BOULEVARD
ARMY WAR COLLEGE FOUNDATION
$5,000GENERAL
UNIVERSITY OF AUSTIN
$5,000GENERAL
SANTA CATALINA SCHOOL
$100,000SUPPORT SCHOOL'S LEGACY CAMPAIGN
SUPPORT MIT SLOAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT.
ST JOHN'S SCHOOL
$50,000SUPPORT ST JOHN'S SCHOOL
HOUSTON SYMPHONY
$25,000GENERAL