The Mark and Judith Cook Foundation concentrates its philanthropy in education, health care, and local community services with a clear geographic focus on the Houston/Southeast Texas area. It makes relatively large, targeted gifts—often repeated—to a small set of institutional recipients (notably a major public university, a local community center providing youth programs, and a regional health system). The foundation appears to prioritize strengthening higher education, supporting before-and-after-school youth services, and funding healthcare delivery through a faith-affiliated provider.
The Mark and Judith Cook Foundation’s grantmaking is defined by repeated, relatively large gifts to a small group of Houston-area institutions. The single largest recent award in the record was a $350,000 grant to the University of Houston for education, followed by additional support to the same university in 2025. That pattern points to a funder that backs higher education over time rather than through isolated one-off awards. Beyond the university, the foundation has consistently supported a community center in Conroe for before-and-after-school programs and a regional healthcare network serving Houston and Southeast Texas. It also funds local public-facing services, including media, food banking, and disaster recovery work. The recent grant list shows that its giving is concentrated among organizations that deliver direct services or institutional support, especially in education, health care, and community services. Its grant sizes are often substantial enough to matter for program operations, with several awards in the $50,000 to $86,444 range in the latest filings. The foundation’s portfolio suggests a preference for established organizations with recurring needs, especially in the Houston metropolitan area and nearby communities.
Education is a core part of the foundation’s giving, with $350,000 to the University of Houston in 2023 and another $86,444 in 2025, both marked for education. It also supported Houston Public Media Foundation with $25,000 in 2025 and $10,000 in 2024, showing an interest in education-related public information channels. Youth services appear through Tamina Community Center, which received $55,000 in 2024, $50,000 in 2023, and $50,000 in 2025 for before-and-after-school programs. That recurring support suggests a continued relationship with a local provider serving school-aged children. Health-related grantmaking includes $64,825 in 2024 to Christus Foundation for Healthcare, $59,825 in 2023 to the same group, and $59,825 in 2025 to Christus Health. The foundation also gave $12,000 in 2025 to Lonestar Family Health Center for health care, extending that pattern into community-based care.
Typical grants cluster at a meaningful operating scale: the 25th percentile is $10,000, the median is $25,000, and the 75th percentile is $58,619. The recent record includes several larger awards above that upper quartile, including six-figure and near-six-figure gifts. Recurring support is a clear pattern: University of Houston, Christus-affiliated health organizations, Tamina Community Center, Houston Public Media Foundation, and West Street Recovery each appear in multiple years. The foundation is not an operating charity itself; it is a grantmaker and does not fund individuals or program-related investments. The provided data does not indicate an open application process.
$570K
$9.4M
$1.5M
$819K
Most grants fall between $10K and $59K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$59K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in TX.
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Concentrated giving: a small number of relatively large grants with multiple repeat awards to the same institutions rather than many small, one-off gifts.
Notable grantees: University of Houston, Tamina Community Center, CHRISTUS Foundation for Healthcare, CHRISTUS Health
Giving is heavily centered in Texas, which accounts for the top share of grant activity by count. Houston is the most visible recipient city, with grants to the University of Houston, Christus Foundation for Healthcare, Houston Public Media Foundation, and West Street Recovery. Conroe also appears repeatedly through Tamina Community Center, Lonestar Family Health Center, and other local awards. Outside Texas, the recent record includes a single grant to Jefferson County Library Foundation in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. All listed recent grants are to U.S. recipients.
The recent grants point to education, health care, and community services. Examples include the University of Houston for education, Christus Foundation for Healthcare and Christus Health for healthcare and related services, and Tamina Community Center for before-and-after-school programs.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including the University of Houston, Christus Foundation for Healthcare, Christus Health, Tamina Community Center, Houston Public Media Foundation, and West Street Recovery.
The grant-size distribution centers on $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $58,619 at the 75th percentile. The record also includes larger awards such as $350,000 to the University of Houston.
Texas is the top state by grant count, and Houston and Conroe show up repeatedly among recipient cities. The recent list also includes one Colorado recipient, Jefferson County Library Foundation in Wheat Ridge.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JACKSONVILLE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT | JACKSONVILLE, TX | $125,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON | HOUSTON, TX | $75,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| TAMINA COMMUNITY CENTER | CONROE, TX | $55,000 | 2026 | TO HELP WITH THE BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS |
| MONTGOMERY COUNTY FOOD BANK INC | CONROE, TX | $30,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY FOOD BANK |
| WEST STREET RECOVERY | HOUSTON, TX | $30,000 | 2026 | TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO RESIDENTS OF NORTHEAST HOUSTON |
| FIEL HOUSTON INC | HOUSTON, TX | $25,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| SHAPE COMMUNITY CENTER | HOUSTON, TX | $25,000 | 2026 | PROMOTE HEALTH AND WELL BEING |
| CONROE ART LEAGUE INC | CONROE, TX | $25,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA FOUNDATION | HOUSTON, TX | $25,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| ART STUDENTS LEAGUE OF DENVER | DENVER, CO | $20,000 | 2026 | ART EDUCATION |
| HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION | HOUSTON, TX | $20,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| JEFFERSON COUNTY LIBRARY FOUNDATION | WHEAT RIDGE, CO | $20,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| TEXAS CASA INC | AUSTIN, TN | $20,000 | 2026 | TO ADVOCATE FOR COURT-APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES (CASA) PROGRAMS |
| INTERFAITH MINISTRIES - MEALS ON WHEELS | HOUSTON, TX | $15,000 | 2026 | TO ALLEVIATE HUNGER AND FOOD INSECURITY |
| YOUNG AUDIENCES INC OF HOUSTON | HOUSTON, TN | $15,000 | 2026 | TO EDUCATE AND INSPIRE THROUGH THE ARTS |
| UNITED WAY OF GREATER HOUSTON | HOUSTON, TX | $15,000 | 2026 | TO PROMOTE COMMUNITY PROGRAMS |
| THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK | HOUSTON, TX | $15,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMS |
| SHARE OUR STRENGTH | WASHINGTON, DC | $15,000 | 2026 | FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS |
| UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON | HOUSTON, TX | $86,444 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| CHRISTUS HEALTH | IRVING, TX | $59,825 | 2025 | healthcare and related services |
| TAMINA COMMUNITY CENTER | CONROE, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | TO HELP WITH THE BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS |
| CONROE ART LEAGUE INC | CONROE, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA FOUNDATION | HOUSTON, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| WEST STREET RECOVERY | HOUSTON, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT LOCAL COMMUNITIES DEALING WITH CLIMATE DISASTERS |
| LONESTAR FAMILY HEALTH CENTER | CONROE, TX | $12,000 | 2025 | HEALTH CARE |
| JEFFERSON COUNTY LIBRARY FOUNDATION | WHEAT RIDGE, CO | $10,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| MONTGOMERY COUNTY FOOD BANK INC | CONROE, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | COMMUNITY FOOD BANK |
| CHRISTUS FOUNDATION FOR HEALTHCARE | HOUSTON, TX | $64,825 | 2024 | healthcare and related services |
| TAMINA COMMUNITY CENTER | CONROE, TX | $55,000 | 2024 | TO HELP WITH THE BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS |
| HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA FOUNDATION | HOUSTON, TX | $10,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| THE TRAINING KITCHEN | austin, TX | $7,500 | 2024 | education |
| UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON | HOUSTON, TX | $350,000 | 2023 | EDUCATION |
| CHRISTUS FOUNDATION FOR HEALTHCARE | HOUSTON, TX | $59,825 | 2023 | healthcare and related services |
| TAMINA COMMUNITY CENTER | CONROE, TX | $50,000 | 2023 | TO HELP WITH THE BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS |
| WEST STREET RECOVERY | HOUSTON, TX | $10,000 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT LOCAL COMMUNITIES DEALING WITH CLIMATE DISASTERS |
| JAIL PROJECT OF TEXAS | CYPRESS, TX | $10,000 | 2023 | TO PROVIDE PUBLIC SERVICES |
JACKSONVILLE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
$125,000EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON
$75,000EDUCATION
TAMINA COMMUNITY CENTER
$55,000TO HELP WITH THE BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS
TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO RESIDENTS OF NORTHEAST HOUSTON
FIEL HOUSTON INC
$25,000EDUCATION
SHAPE COMMUNITY CENTER
$25,000PROMOTE HEALTH AND WELL BEING
CONROE ART LEAGUE INC
$25,000EDUCATION
JEFFERSON COUNTY LIBRARY FOUNDATION
$20,000EDUCATION
TEXAS CASA INC
$20,000TO ADVOCATE FOR COURT-APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES (CASA) PROGRAMS
INTERFAITH MINISTRIES - MEALS ON WHEELS
$15,000TO ALLEVIATE HUNGER AND FOOD INSECURITY
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON
$86,444EDUCATION
CHRISTUS HEALTH
$59,825healthcare and related services
TAMINA COMMUNITY CENTER
$50,000TO HELP WITH THE BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS
CONROE ART LEAGUE INC
$25,000EDUCATION
TO SUPPORT LOCAL COMMUNITIES DEALING WITH CLIMATE DISASTERS
JEFFERSON COUNTY LIBRARY FOUNDATION
$10,000EDUCATION
TAMINA COMMUNITY CENTER
$55,000TO HELP WITH THE BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS
THE TRAINING KITCHEN
$7,500education
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON
$350,000EDUCATION
TAMINA COMMUNITY CENTER
$50,000TO HELP WITH THE BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS
TO SUPPORT LOCAL COMMUNITIES DEALING WITH CLIMATE DISASTERS