The Sam and Laura Dawson Family Foundation makes large, concentrated gifts to local faith-based institutions, with its entire reported giving directed to a single Baptist congregation in San Antonio. The foundation appears to prioritize support for church-run programs and religious ministry rather than a diversified portfolio of secular nonprofits. Its giving is highly local and denominationally specific, indicating a focus on strengthening a particular congregation's programming and outreach.
Highly concentrated: one large grant representing 100% of reported giving to a single local church, suggesting episodic or targeted major gifts rather than many small or geographically distributed grants.
Notable grantees: Trinity Baptist Church
A single San Antonio congregation anchors the Sam and Laura Dawson Family Foundation’s giving: Trinity Baptist Church received the foundation’s largest reported recent grant, $1,106,000 in 2024, after a $101,000 gift in 2023. That pattern points to a funder built around sustained support for church programming rather than broad-based grantmaking across many sectors. The foundation’s recent grants also reach a small circle of related faith-based and community organizations in Texas and beyond, including Triple Dawson Family Foundation, Onward Campus Ministries, and Cru. Most awards are modest compared with the headline gift, with many grants in the five-figure range and several at $10,000. The portfolio also includes local civic and cultural groups such as Haven for Hope, Jewish Federation of San Antonio, and the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, showing that the foundation’s support is not limited to one type of institution. Across the recent record, the common thread is support for program operations and ministry activity, with an especially strong emphasis on San Antonio organizations.
Faith-based programming is the clearest theme. Trinity Baptist Church received $1,106,000 in 2024 for support programs, and Clift of the Rock Christian Community Church Inc received $27,000 in 2024 and $18,000 in 2023 for the same purpose. The foundation also backed San Antonio Youth for Christ with $15,700 in 2024. Beyond church programming, it supported broader Christian ministry work through Onward Campus Ministries, which received $50,000 in 2024, and Cru, which received $37,000 in 2024 and $10,000 in 2023. The portfolio also includes community-serving institutions in San Antonio, such as Haven for Hope at $45,000 in 2024 and Catholic Charities Archdiocese of San Antonio Inc at $10,000 in 2023. These grants show a preference for program support rather than restricted project funding.
Typical grants cluster around a modest core: the 25th percentile is $8,646, the median is $10,000, and the 75th percentile is $29,750. The record also includes very large awards, most notably a seven-figure grant in 2024, so the distribution is concentrated but not uniform. Recipients repeat across years, which suggests ongoing support rather than one-time gifts; Trinity Baptist Church, Triple Dawson Family Foundation, The University of Texas at Austin, Haven for Hope, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, Cru, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes each appear in multiple years. The foundation is a family foundation and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
$1.9M
$3.4M
$3.3M
$1.6M
Most grants fall between $9K and $30K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$9K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$30K
About 83% of grants go to recipients in TX.
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Giving is strongly concentrated in Texas, with 83% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state and San Antonio appearing throughout the record. Outside Texas, the foundation gave to Auburn, Alabama; Orlando, Florida; Kansas City, Missouri; and Washington, DC. Those non-Texas awards are limited in count compared with the San Antonio-heavy pattern, which dominates the recent grants list.
Its recent grants go mainly to faith-based organizations and church-related programs, including Trinity Baptist Church, Clift of the Rock Christian Community Church Inc, Onward Campus Ministries, Cru, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. The record also includes local community and cultural organizations in San Antonio such as Haven for Hope, the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, and the Jewish Federation of San Antonio.
The middle of the distribution is centered at $10,000, with a 25th percentile of $8,646 and a 75th percentile of $29,750. The recent record also includes much larger grants, including a $1,106,000 award in 2024.
Yes, but only occasionally in the recent record. Most grants go to Texas recipients, and 83% are to organizations in the HQ state. Outside Texas, recent recipients include Onward Campus Ministries in Auburn, Alabama; Cru in Orlando, Florida; Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Kansas City, Missouri; and United Negro College Fund in Washington, DC.
Yes. Several organizations receive support in more than one year, including Trinity Baptist Church, Triple Dawson Family Foundation, The University of Texas at Austin, Haven for Hope, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, Cru, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. That pattern suggests repeated support rather than isolated awards.
It is a family foundation. The record shows annual grants of $1,866,127, total assets of $3,442,040, and no funding to individuals or program-related investments.
2024
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2024.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRINITY BAPTIST CHURCH | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $1,106,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| TRIPLE DAWSON FAMILY FOUNDATION | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $72,500 | 2024 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| ONWARD CAMPUS MINISTRIES | AUBURN, AL | $50,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| HAVEN FOR HOPE | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $45,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF SAN ANTONIO | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $37,500 | 2024 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| CRU | ORLANDO, FL | $37,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| CLIFT OF THE ROCK CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY CHURCH INC | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $27,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| THE CHARITY BALL ASSOCIATION OF SAN ANTONIO INC | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $26,900 | 2024 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| TEXAS BIOMED | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $25,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN | AUSTIN, TX | $20,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| SAN ANTONIO YOUTH FOR CHRIST | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $15,700 | 2024 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| SPECIAL REACH INC | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $10,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| OPERA SAN ANTONIO | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $10,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| TOBIN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $10,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| PAPE-DAWSON CHARITABLE FOUNDATION | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $7,500 | 2024 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| LAS MISIONES | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $5,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES | KANSAS CITY, MO | $5,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| LIFT FUND | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $5,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND | WASHINGTON, DC | $5,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| TRINITY BAPTIST CHURCH | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $101,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| TRIPLE DAWSON FAMILY FOUNDATION | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $77,500 | 2023 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| TOBIN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $32,500 | 2023 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN | AUSTIN, TX | $20,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| THE CHARITY BALL ASSOCIATION OF SAN ANTONIO INC | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $18,500 | 2023 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| CLIFT OF THE ROCK CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY CHURCH INC | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $18,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| THE HIDALGO FOUNDATION OF BEXAR COUNTY | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $10,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| HAVEN FOR HOPE | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $10,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| OPERA SAN ANTONIO | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $10,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES ARCHDIOCESE OF SAN ANTONIO INC | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $10,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| CRU | ORLANDO, FL | $10,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES | KANSAS CITY, MO | $9,792 | 2023 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| KLRN | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $5,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| ROTARY CLUB OF SAN ANTONIO FOUNDATION | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $5,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER | HOUSTON, TX | $4,435 | 2023 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
| SAN ANTONIO YOUTH FOR CHRIST | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $4,300 | 2023 | SUPPORT PROGRAMS |
TRINITY BAPTIST CHURCH
$1,106,000SUPPORT PROGRAMS
TRIPLE DAWSON FAMILY FOUNDATION
$72,500SUPPORT PROGRAMS
ONWARD CAMPUS MINISTRIES
$50,000SUPPORT PROGRAMS
HAVEN FOR HOPE
$45,000SUPPORT PROGRAMS
JEWISH FEDERATION OF SAN ANTONIO
$37,500SUPPORT PROGRAMS
CRU
$37,000SUPPORT PROGRAMS
CLIFT OF THE ROCK CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY CHURCH INC
SUPPORT PROGRAMS
THE CHARITY BALL ASSOCIATION OF SAN ANTONIO INC
$26,900SUPPORT PROGRAMS
TEXAS BIOMED
$25,000SUPPORT PROGRAMS
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
$20,000SUPPORT PROGRAMS
SAN ANTONIO YOUTH FOR CHRIST
$15,700SUPPORT PROGRAMS
SPECIAL REACH INC
$10,000SUPPORT PROGRAMS
OPERA SAN ANTONIO
$10,000SUPPORT PROGRAMS
TOBIN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
$10,000SUPPORT PROGRAMS
PAPE-DAWSON CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
$7,500SUPPORT PROGRAMS
LAS MISIONES
$5,000SUPPORT PROGRAMS
FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES
$5,000SUPPORT PROGRAMS
LIFT FUND
$5,000SUPPORT PROGRAMS
UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND
$5,000SUPPORT PROGRAMS
TRINITY BAPTIST CHURCH
$101,000SUPPORT PROGRAMS
TRIPLE DAWSON FAMILY FOUNDATION
$77,500SUPPORT PROGRAMS
TOBIN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
$32,500SUPPORT PROGRAMS
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
$20,000SUPPORT PROGRAMS
THE CHARITY BALL ASSOCIATION OF SAN ANTONIO INC
$18,500SUPPORT PROGRAMS
CLIFT OF THE ROCK CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY CHURCH INC
$18,000SUPPORT PROGRAMS
THE HIDALGO FOUNDATION OF BEXAR COUNTY
$10,000SUPPORT PROGRAMS
HAVEN FOR HOPE
$10,000SUPPORT PROGRAMS
OPERA SAN ANTONIO
$10,000SUPPORT PROGRAMS
CATHOLIC CHARITIES ARCHDIOCESE OF SAN ANTONIO INC
$10,000SUPPORT PROGRAMS
CRU
$10,000SUPPORT PROGRAMS
FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES
$9,792SUPPORT PROGRAMS
KLRN
$5,000SUPPORT PROGRAMS
ROTARY CLUB OF SAN ANTONIO FOUNDATION
$5,000SUPPORT PROGRAMS
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER
$4,435SUPPORT PROGRAMS
SAN ANTONIO YOUTH FOR CHRIST
$4,300SUPPORT PROGRAMS