SAMF Fund is a San Antonio–focused funder that concentrates on biomedical and translational research through major gifts to local universities and research institutes, with an interest in veteran health and clinical biomarker/TBI work. Grants are often large, project- or collaboration-specific awards to institutions (rather than small community organizations), though the foundation also makes occasional community-health infrastructure gifts (e.g., Ronald McDonald House repairs). Recurring support for the same regional research partners suggests a strategy of sustaining long-term scientific collaborations in the San Antonio research ecosystem.
Samf Fund’s recent giving is defined by large, repeated investments in San Antonio research institutions, especially collaborative biomedical projects. The single largest recent grant in the record is $340,896 to the University of Texas at San Antonio for collaborative grants, a signal that the foundation often uses institutional partnerships as its main funding vehicle. In 2025, it also awarded $200,000 to Trinity University for suppressing relapse by enhancing oxytocin, and $200,000 to UTSA for biobehavioral TBI profiles in veterans, showing a clear preference for research tied to behavioral health and veteran outcomes. The foundation’s work reaches beyond one lab or one topic. It has backed UT Health San Antonio on two separate 2025 projects, including biomarker discovery and validation in hepatocellular carcinoma and breakthroughs in phage therapy. It has also supported Southwest Research Institute on multiple grants, including a 2025 maternal health prediction project. Alongside those research awards, Samf Fund made a smaller community infrastructure grant to Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Antonio for repairs and renovation of Sid Katz House.
A core theme in Samf Fund’s grantmaking is translational biomedical research. In 2025, it gave $199,998 to UT Health San Antonio for discovery, characterization, and validation of HCC biomarkers, and $199,893 to the same institution for breakthroughs in phage therapy. Those awards point to an interest in moving research toward practical clinical use. Veteran health is another clear area. The foundation awarded $200,000 to UTSA for biobehavioral TBI profiles in veterans and $200,000 to the Foundation for Advancing Veterans Health Research for a collaborative grant. That pairing shows support for both university-based and partner-driven veteran research. It also funds behavioral and preventive health research. Trinity University received $200,000 for suppressing relapse by enhancing oxytocin, while Southwest Research Institute received $195,000 for intervention-based maternal health prediction. These projects indicate attention to intervention-focused studies rather than general program support.
Samf Fund’s typical grant size clusters tightly around $200,000, with p25 at $196,160, median at $199,946, and p75 at $200,000. The recent record shows many awards at or near that level, with one larger outlier at $340,896. The pattern also suggests repeat support: several recipients appear across multiple years, including UTSA, UT Health San Antonio, Southwest Research Institute, and the University of Texas at San Antonio. The foundation is structured as a fund rather than an operating nonprofit and does not make grants to individuals. The available record does not show an application process.
$2M
$23.2M
$1.4M
$2.1M
Most grants fall between $196K and $200K, with a median of $200K.
25th Percentile
$196K
Median
$200K
75th Percentile
$200K
RICHARD PEREZ
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Concentrated, institution-focused funding: relatively few but large grants (many six-figure awards), repeated investments in the same regional research partners, typically designated for collaborative/project-based research rather than unrestricted small operating support.
Notable grantees: Southwest Research Institute, University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), UT Health San Antonio, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, Foundation for Advancing Veterans Health Research
Samf Fund gives locally and all recent grants in the record went to recipients in Texas, with 100% of grants landing in the HQ state. San Antonio is the clear center of activity: UTSA, Trinity University, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, UT Health San Antonio, Southwest Research Institute, and Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Antonio all appear as recipients in the city. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 14 grants in the United States. The pattern is concentrated enough to indicate a single-city research and community-support network.
The recent record shows support for universities, research institutes, and one community-serving charity. Examples include UTSA, Trinity University, UT Health San Antonio, Southwest Research Institute, and Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Antonio. The grant purposes point mainly to biomedical, behavioral, and health-related research.
The grant-size distribution is tightly centered near $200,000. The p25 is $196,160, the median is $199,946, and the p75 is $200,000. One recent grant was larger at $340,896, but most awards sit very close to the $200,000 level.
In the recent grants record, no. All 14 grants were made to recipients in the United States, and 100% of grants went to recipients in Texas. The giving pattern is local rather than national or international.
Biomedical and translational research is the most visible theme, including HCC biomarker discovery, phage therapy, veteran TBI research, relapse prevention work involving oxytocin, and maternal health prediction. The foundation also made one infrastructure grant for repairs and renovation at Sid Katz House.
Yes. The recent record shows repeat grants to UTSA, UT Health San Antonio, Southwest Research Institute, and the University of Texas at San Antonio across multiple years. That suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time awards.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CITY OF SAN ANTONIO | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $1,000,000 | 2026 | GRANT FOR LISA STARR ROSENTEIN PARK IN THE SOUTH TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER |
| TRINITY UNIVERSITY | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $200,000 | 2026 | SUPPRESSING RELAPSE BY ENCHANCING OXYTOCIN |
| UT HEALTH SAN ANTONIO | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $200,000 | 2026 | DISCOVERY, CHARACTERIZATION, VALIDATION HCC BIOMARKERS |
| UT HEALTH SAN ANTONIO | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $199,960 | 2026 | BREAKTHROUGHS IN PHAGE THERAPY |
| THE METIS FOUNDATION | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $199,784 | 2026 | INTERVENTION-BASED MATERNAL HEALTH PREDICTION |
| UTSA | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $199,537 | 2026 | BIOBEHAVIORAL TBI PROFILES IN VETERANS |
| UTSA | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $200,000 | 2025 | BIOBEHAVIORAL TBI PROFILES IN VETERANS |
| TRINITY UNIVERSITY | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $200,000 | 2025 | SUPPRESSING RELAPSE BY ENCHANCING OXYTOCIN |
| UT HEALTH SAN ANTONIO | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $199,998 | 2025 | DISCOVERY, CHARACTERIZATION, VALIDATION HCC BIOMARKERS |
| UT HEALTH SAN ANTONIO | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $199,893 | 2025 | BREAKTHROUGHS IN PHAGE THERAPY |
| SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $195,000 | 2025 | INTERVENTION-BASED MATERNAL HEALTH PREDICTION |
| university of texas at san antonio | san antonio, TX | $340,896 | 2024 | COLLABORATIVE GRANTS |
| southwest research institute | San Antonio, TX | $199,714 | 2024 | COLLABORATIVE GRANTS |
| ut health science center san antonio | San Antonio, TX | $199,640 | 2024 | COLLABORATIVE GRANTS |
| Foundation for Advancing Veterans Health Research | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $200,000 | 2023 | Collaborative Grant |
| university of texas at san antonio | san antonio, TX | $200,000 | 2023 | COLLABORATIVE GRANTS |
| Texas Biomedical Research Institute | San Antonio, TX | $200,000 | 2023 | COLLABORATIVE GRANTS |
| southwest research institute | San Antonio, TX | $172,965 | 2023 | COLLABORATIVE GRANTS |
| ut health science center san antonio | San Antonio, TX | $100,000 | 2023 | COLLABORATIVE GRANTS |
| Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Antonio | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $45,000 | 2023 | Grant to help repair & renovate Sid Katz house |
CITY OF SAN ANTONIO
$1,000,000GRANT FOR LISA STARR ROSENTEIN PARK IN THE SOUTH TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER
TRINITY UNIVERSITY
$200,000SUPPRESSING RELAPSE BY ENCHANCING OXYTOCIN
UT HEALTH SAN ANTONIO
$200,000DISCOVERY, CHARACTERIZATION, VALIDATION HCC BIOMARKERS
UT HEALTH SAN ANTONIO
$199,960BREAKTHROUGHS IN PHAGE THERAPY
THE METIS FOUNDATION
$199,784INTERVENTION-BASED MATERNAL HEALTH PREDICTION
BIOBEHAVIORAL TBI PROFILES IN VETERANS
TRINITY UNIVERSITY
$200,000SUPPRESSING RELAPSE BY ENCHANCING OXYTOCIN
UT HEALTH SAN ANTONIO
$199,998DISCOVERY, CHARACTERIZATION, VALIDATION HCC BIOMARKERS
UT HEALTH SAN ANTONIO
$199,893BREAKTHROUGHS IN PHAGE THERAPY
INTERVENTION-BASED MATERNAL HEALTH PREDICTION
university of texas at san antonio
$340,896COLLABORATIVE GRANTS
ut health science center san antonio
$199,640COLLABORATIVE GRANTS
Foundation for Advancing Veterans Health Research
$200,000Collaborative Grant
university of texas at san antonio
$200,000COLLABORATIVE GRANTS
ut health science center san antonio
$100,000COLLABORATIVE GRANTS
Grant to help repair & renovate Sid Katz house