The Harte Charitable Foundation focuses heavily on water and coastal ecosystem health, funding university research labs, coastal institutes, and regional water-resilience initiatives. Their giving is largely concentrated in Texas but includes strategic national and international partnerships (e.g., Gulf of Maine, Mayan aquifer). They support both applied scientific research (endowed chairs, labs) and policy/advocacy groups that advance sustainable water and land use.
A $1 million fellowship endowment for Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi captures the Harte Charitable Foundation’s pattern: it backs water and coastal science through large, repeated commitments to universities and regional intermediaries. The foundation gives across a relatively small set of recipients, with several organizations returning in multiple years, including Texas A&M–Corpus Christi, Texas Water Trade, Texas Water Foundation, and the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. That mix shows a preference for both long-term capacity building and project-based support. Its university support includes endowed chairs, fellowships, and education-related gifts tied to marine and Gulf of Mexico work. At the same time, the foundation funds policy and field organizations working on water resilience, coastal systems, and sustainable land and groundwater use. It also extends beyond Texas when the work aligns with those themes, as seen in grants to the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, the International Community Foundation for the Mayan aquifer, and the Biodiversity Funders Group for marine conservation in Mexico. The result is a grantmaking profile centered on applied environmental work rather than broad civic philanthropy.
The foundation’s clearest thematic thread is water and coastal ecosystem health. In Texas, it gave $875,000 to Texas Water Trade and $800,000 to Texas Water Foundation for general charitable purposes, alongside additional support to both groups in prior years. Those grants point to sustained interest in water policy, trading, and watershed resilience. A second cluster centers on university-based marine research and training. Harte Charitable Foundation awarded $1,000,000 to Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi for the Dr. Wes Tunnell Fellowship Endowment, and $250,000 for the Coral Reefs & Ocean Health Lab. It also supported the Larry D McKinney Endowed Chair at Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Foundation. The foundation also funds work beyond Texas when it connects to marine and groundwater protection. It gave $152,979 to the International Community Foundation for the Mayan Aquifer Fund Grant and $10,000 to the Biodiversity Funders Group for Marine Conservation - Mexico.
Typical grants cluster at a relatively high level: p25 is $100,000, the median is $250,000, and p75 is $354,292. The foundation makes both large endowment-style awards and smaller convening or technical grants, including $10,000 gifts. Several recipients appear across multiple years, especially Texas A&M University, Texas Water Trade, Texas Water Foundation, and the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, which suggests recurring relationships rather than one-off support. The foundation also funds individuals, and its recent grants show a mix of operating support, endowment support, and project-specific purposes. Program-related investments are not indicated in the data.
$3.8M
$32M
$2.8M
$4.4M
Most grants fall between $100K and $354K, with a median of $250K.
25th Percentile
$100K
Median
$250K
75th Percentile
$354K
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Concentrated, large grants to a small set of repeat grantees and institutions; mix of multi-grant commitments to major university partners and five- or six-figure gifts to regional/environmental nonprofits and international water projects.
Notable grantees: Texas A&M University, Texas Water Trade, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Foundation, Texas Water Foundation
Grantmaking is heavily Texas-centered: 68% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Corpus Christi and Austin are the most visible recipient cities, with repeated awards to Texas A&M University, Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Foundation, Texas Water Trade, and Texas Water Foundation. Outside Texas, the foundation gives to Portland, Maine; National City, California; Washington, DC; Greenville, South Carolina; and San Francisco, California. All recent grants in the dataset went to US recipients.
Its grants center on water and coastal ecosystem health, including university research, coastal institutes, water-policy groups, and groundwater protection efforts. Recent awards include support for Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi, Texas Water Trade, Texas Water Foundation, and the Gulf of Maine Research Institute.
The distribution is relatively high: the 25th percentile is $100,000, the median grant is $250,000, and the 75th percentile is $354,292. The recent grants also include seven-figure commitments for endowed academic positions and fellowships.
Yes. Texas A&M University, Texas Water Trade, Texas Water Foundation, and the Gulf of Maine Research Institute each appear in multiple grant years, which indicates ongoing relationships rather than isolated awards.
Most grants go to Texas recipients, and 68% of grants land in the HQ state. Corpus Christi and Austin appear repeatedly in the recent grants list, while the foundation also supports organizations in Maine, California, Washington, DC, South Carolina, and San Francisco.
It supports individuals through fellowship and chair funding. Recent examples include the Dr. Wes Tunnell Fellowship Endowment at Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi and the Larry D McKinney Endowed Chair at Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Foundation.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY | CORPUS CHRISTI, TX | $1,000,000 | 2025 | DR WES TUNNELL FELLOWSHIP ENDOWMENT |
| TEXAS WATER TRADE TEXAS WATER TRADE | AUSTIN, TX | $875,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| TEXAS WATER FOUNDATION TEXAS WATER FOUNDATION | AUSTIN, TX | $800,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| GULF OF MAINE RESEARCH INSTITUTE GULF OF MAINE RESEARCH INSTITUTE | PORTLAND, ME | $617,665 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY | CORPUS CHRISTI, TX | $400,905 | 2025 | HRI ENDOWMENT FUND |
| TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY | CORPUS CHRISTI, TX | $333,585 | 2025 | CHARITABLE EDUCATION PURPOSE |
| TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY | CORPUS CHRISTI, TX | $266,868 | 2025 | CHARITABLE EDUCATION PURPOSE |
| TEXAS WATER TRADE TEXAS WATER TRADE | AUSTIN, TX | $251,735 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY | CORPUS CHRISTI, TX | $250,000 | 2025 | CORAL REEFS & OCEAN HEALTH LAB |
| INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | NATIONAL CITY, CA | $152,979 | 2025 | MAYAN AQUIFER FUND GRANT |
| TEXAS WATER FOUNDATION TEXAS WATER FOUNDATION | AUSTIN, TX | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI FOUNDATION TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI FOUNDATION | CORPUS CHRISTI, TX | $98,546 | 2025 | LARRY D MCKINNEY ENDOWED CHAIR |
| INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | NATIONAL CITY, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | TECHNICAL COORDINATOR GRANT |
| BIODIVERSITY FUNDERS GROUP BIODIVERSITY FUNDERS GROUP | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | MARINE CONSERVATION - MEXICO |
| TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI FOUNDATION TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI FOUNDATION | CORPUS CHRISTI, TX | $1,000,000 | 2024 | LARRY D MCKINNEY ENDOWED CHAIR |
| GULF OF MAINE RESEARCH INSTITUTE GULF OF MAINE RESEARCH INSTITUTE | PORTLAND, ME | $669,227 | 2024 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| TEXAS WATER TRADE TEXAS WATER TRADE | AUSTIN, TX | $375,000 | 2024 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST | WASHINGTON, DC | $250,000 | 2024 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY | CORPUS CHRISTI, TX | $220,151 | 2024 | CHARITABLE EDUCATION PURPOSE |
| TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY | CORPUS CHRISTI, TX | $100,000 | 2024 | DR. TUNNELL GULF OF MEXICO FELLOWSHI |
| TEXAS WATER FOUNDATION TEXAS WATER FOUNDATION | AUSTIN, TX | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| US ENDOWMENT FOR FORESTRY & COMMUNI US ENDOWMENT FOR FORESTRY & COMMUNI | GREENVILLE, SC | $10,000 | 2024 | TX ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT BOND |
| GULF OF MAINE RESEARCH INSTITUTE GULF OF MAINE RESEARCH INSTITUTE | PORTLAND, ME | $499,609 | 2023 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY | CORPUS CHRISTI, TX | $266,868 | 2023 | CHARITABLE EDUCATION PURPOSE |
| TEXAS WATER TRADE TEXAS WATER TRADE | AUSTIN, TX | $250,000 | 2023 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST | WASHINGTON, DC | $125,000 | 2023 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| TEXAS WATER FOUNDATION TEXAS WATER FOUNDATION | AUSTIN, TX | $100,000 | 2023 | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY | CORPUS CHRISTI, TX | $50,000 | 2023 | DR. TUNNELL GULF OF MEXICO FELLOWSHI |
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
$1,000,000DR WES TUNNELL FELLOWSHIP ENDOWMENT
GULF OF MAINE RESEARCH INSTITUTE GULF OF MAINE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
$617,665GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
$400,905HRI ENDOWMENT FUND
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
CHARITABLE EDUCATION PURPOSE
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
$266,868CHARITABLE EDUCATION PURPOSE
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
$250,000CORAL REEFS & OCEAN HEALTH LAB
MAYAN AQUIFER FUND GRANT
TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI FOUNDATION TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI FOUNDATION
$98,546LARRY D MCKINNEY ENDOWED CHAIR
TECHNICAL COORDINATOR GRANT
BIODIVERSITY FUNDERS GROUP BIODIVERSITY FUNDERS GROUP
$10,000MARINE CONSERVATION - MEXICO
TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI FOUNDATION TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI FOUNDATION
$1,000,000LARRY D MCKINNEY ENDOWED CHAIR
GULF OF MAINE RESEARCH INSTITUTE GULF OF MAINE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
$669,227GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
$220,151CHARITABLE EDUCATION PURPOSE
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
$100,000DR. TUNNELL GULF OF MEXICO FELLOWSHI
US ENDOWMENT FOR FORESTRY & COMMUNI US ENDOWMENT FOR FORESTRY & COMMUNI
$10,000TX ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT BOND
GULF OF MAINE RESEARCH INSTITUTE GULF OF MAINE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
$499,609GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
$266,868CHARITABLE EDUCATION PURPOSE
GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
$50,000DR. TUNNELL GULF OF MEXICO FELLOWSHI