FundersTexas

Earl C Sams Foundation Inc

Corpus Christi, TX · EIN 74-1463151. Reported 187 grants totalling $2,970,089 to 110 organizations across tax years 2021-2024. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.

Yesaccepts unsolicited requests
$10,000median grant
$2,970,089granted, 2021-2024
110organizations funded
47%of grantees funded again the next year
$26.9Massets, latest filing

Does this foundation accept applications?

Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. Earl C Sams Foundation Inc did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.

This is the foundation's own statement to the IRS, not our judgement, and it says nothing about whether they have a form, a deadline, or an appetite for new grantees. Treat it as the reason this foundation is worth your research time, not as an invitation. Many small foundations of this kind have no website and no application process -- a letter of inquiry is the normal first step.

How big are its grants?

The median grant is $10,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $5,000 and $15,000; the smallest was $1,000 and the largest $170,500. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.

$1,000 - $5,000
18 grants
$5,000 - $10,000
52 grants
$10,000 - $25,000
101 grants
$25,000 - $50,000
6 grants
$50,000 - $100,000
1 grant
$100,000 and Up
9 grants

Every organization it funded

This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which the organization received money -- more than one means a real relationship rather than a one-off.

OrganizationLocationTotal receivedGrantsYears fundedLast
Valley Zoological Society Gladys Porter ZooBrownsville, TX$442,500442024
Texas State AquariumCorpus Christi, TX$400,000442024
Driscoll Children's Hospital Development FoundationCorpus Christi, TX$150,000222022
University of Texas FoundationAustin, TX$100,000112022
Coastal Bend Community FundCorpus Christi, TX$80,000442024
Warrior's WeekendCorpus Christi, TX$80,000442024
Hill Country Daily Bread MinistryBoerne, TX$70,000222024
Hidden Forest PTASan Antonio, TX$63,800332024
Corpus Christi Metro MinistriesCorpus Christi, TX$62,000332024
Band Parents Winston Churchill High SchoolSan Antonio, TX$60,000332024
Corpus Christi Pregnancy CenterCorpus Christi, TX$47,000332024
Fryderyk Chopin Society of TexasCorpus Christi, TX$42,000332024
1 Hope for KidsSan Antonio, TX$40,000332024
Agape RanchCorpus Christi, TX$40,000332024
Messiah Ministries IncFredericksburg, TX$40,000222023
Mission of Mercy IncCorpus Christi, TX$40,000332024
Univ Tx Rio Grande Valley FoundationMcallen, TX$40,000112022
Bonton FarmsDallas, TX$30,000222024
Camille Players IncBrownsville, TX$30,000222023
Corpus Christi Hope HouseCorpus Christi, TX$30,000332024
New Life Refuge MinistriesCorpus Christi, TX$30,000222023
American Cancer Soceity Corpus ChristiCorpus Christi, TX$29,500222022
Corpus Christi Literacy CouncilCorpus Christi, TX$27,000332024
Charity League IncCorpus Christi, TX$25,000332023
Foster Angels of Sotuh Texas'Corpus Christi, TX$25,000222022
South Texas Lighthouse for the BlindCorpus Christi, TX$25,000332023
Timons MinistriesCorpus Christi, TX$25,000222024
South Texas Botanical Gardens Nature CenterCorpus Christi, TX$24,000222024
Ecf Community CenterCorpus Christi, TX$23,000332024
Art Museum of South TexasCorpus Christi, TX$22,000222024
Veterans Assisitance Dogs of TexasKerrville, TX$22,000222024
Friends of the Port O'connor LibraryPort Oconnor, TX$20,000112024
Majesty OutdoorsCorpus Christi, TX$20,000332024
Peewees Pet Adoption WorldCorpus Christi, TX$20,000222024
Port Oconnor Comm Center AssocPort Oconnor, TX$20,000112023
Sea TurtleSouth Padre Island, TX$20,000112023
Special Olympics Texas Corpus ChristiCorpus Christi, TX$20,000442024
The Moody ClinicBrownsville, TX$20,000222024
Winston Churchhill High School Charger BandSan Antonio, TX$20,000112021
Meeker Classic Sheep Dog ChampionshipMeeker, CO$17,500332023
Sabinal AlumniAustin, TX$16,500332024
Ut MD Anderson Cancer CenterHouston, TX$16,289222024
Triple Me Mac Equine SanctuaryBulverde, TX$16,000222023
American Heart Association IncAustin, TX$15,000332024
Big Brothers Big Sisters of South TexasCorpus Christi, TX$15,000222024
Childrens Museum of BrownsvilleBrownsville, TX$15,000222024
Christus Spohn Health System Dev FndnCorpus Christi, TX$15,000112021
Citizens for Educational ExcellenceCorpus Christi, TX$15,000112022
Corpus Christi Symphony OrchestraCorpus Christi, TX$15,000222022
Discovery Camps IncSan Antonio, TX$15,000112023
Foster Angels of South Texas FoundationCorpus Christi, TX$15,000112024
Friends of the Ark IncPort Aransas, TX$15,000112021
Port O'connor Community Service ClubPort Oconnor, TX$15,000112021
Young Life in Corpus ChristiCorpus Christi, TX$15,000222022
Grow Local South TexasCorpus Christi, TX$14,500332024
Texas A&m-Cc FoundationCorpus Christi, TX$13,000112024
Aransas Pass for Youth IncAransas Pass, TX$11,000112024
Agape HarborCorpus Christi, TX$10,000112023
Billy T Cattan Recovery OutreachVictoria, TX$10,000112023
Broken ChainsCorpus Christi, TX$10,000112022
Children's Coalition of Aransas CountyRockport, TX$10,000222023
Communities in School Coastal BendCorpus Christi, TX$10,000112024
Corpus Christi Education FoundationCorpus Christi, TX$10,000112023
Corpus Christi Symphony SocietyCorpus Christi, TX$10,000112024
Cross Roads United Methodist ChurchHouston, TX$10,000112024
Daily Bread MinistriesSan Antonio, TX$10,000112023
Family Upreach Dba New Life MinistriesCorpus Christi, TX$10,000112023
Galveston Bay FoundationKemah, TX$10,000112021
Headwaters at Incarnate WordSan Antonio, TX$10,000112022
Intrepid Fallen Heroes FundNew York, NY$10,000112021
Mission 911Corpus Christi, TX$10,000112024
Open Hands Community Charitable ServicesDonna, TX$10,000112023
Peewee's Pet Adoption World and SanctuaryCorpus Christi, TX$10,000112021
Region III Education ServicesVictoria, TX$10,000112023
South Texas Literacy CoalitionEdinburg, TX$10,000112023
Tennis Success IncCorpus Christi, TX$10,000222024
Texas Parks & Wildlife FoundationDallas, TX$10,000222023
Timon's MinistriesCorpus Christi, TX$10,000112021
Youth OdysseyCorpus Christi, TX$10,000112022
CASA of the Coastal BendCorpus Christi, TX$8,000112021
Catholic Charities of Corpus ChristiCorpus Christi, TX$8,000112021
Environment Texas Research & PolicyAustin, TX$8,000112022
Gloria Hicks Elementary SchoolCorpus Christi, TX$8,000222022
Nature ConservancySan Antonio, TX$7,000112022
Texas Diaper BankSan Antonio, TX$7,000112024
International Crane FoundationBaraboo, WI$6,500112024
Joe Joe Bear FoundationKaty, TX$6,000222022
Art Center of Corpus ChristiCorpus Christi, TX$5,000112023
Asian Cultures Museum of TexasCorpus Christi, TX$5,000112023
Asian Cultutres Museum of TexasCorpus Christi, TX$5,000112021
Cc International Seamans CenterCorpus Christi, TX$5,000112022
Chosen CareNew Braunfels, TX$5,000112023
Cibolo Center for ConservationBoerne, TX$5,000112024
Coastal Bend Wellness FoundationCorpus Christi, TX$5,000112023
Comal County Conservation AllianceCanyon Lake, TX$5,000112022
Family Counseling CenterCorpus Christi, TX$5,000112024
Gladney Center for AdoptionFort Worth, TX$5,000112022
Gulf Coast Bird ObservatoryLake Jackson, TX$5,000222022
Rockport Art AssociationRockport, TX$5,000112022
San Antonio Bay PartnershipVictoria, TX$5,000112024
Texas State Museum of Asian CultureCorpus Christi, TX$5,000112024
The Moonlight FundBandera, TX$5,000112021
West Side Helping HandCorpus Christi, TX$4,000112023
Friends of the History CenterFulton, TX$3,000112024
Gladys Porter Band BoostersBrownsville, TX$3,000112024
Laredo Life CenterLaredo, TX$3,000112024
Nueces County Juvenile Justice Volunteers IncCorpus Christi, TX$2,500112021
Nueces County Medical Society AllianceCorpus Christi, TX$2,500112022
Humane Society of Aransas CountyFulton, TX$2,000112023
Incarnate Word ConventCorpus Christi, TX$2,000112022

49 of 110 (45%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold.

Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 47%, across 3 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is less consistent than most. A high number means its list is close to settled and a newcomer has to displace someone; a low one means it is still moving money around, which is where an opening is.

What the money was for

Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.

What kind of organizations it funds

By the recipient's own IRS classification, for the 97 grants where we could identify the organization. These are assigned categories, not our guesses.

Human Services
23 grants
Education
13 grants
Animal Welfare
11 grants
Arts & Culture
7 grants
Diseases & Disorders
7 grants
Food & Nutrition
6 grants
Environment
6 grants
Health Care
5 grants

Giving by year

Tax yearGrantsTotalMedian grant
202144$619,500$10,000
202245$832,000$10,000
202349$742,000$10,000
202449$776,589$10,000

Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.

Where its money goes

Foundations concentrate geographically far more than their mission statements suggest. 99% of this one's giving went to organizations in Texas. If you are outside its footprint, that matters more than how well your programme fits.

Texas
$2.9M
Colorado
$18K
New York
$10K
Wisconsin
$6K

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Funders that support the same organizations

These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are the strongest available signal that two funders have overlapping priorities, and a funder already backing your peers is a far warmer prospect than one that merely lists your cause.

Coastal Bend Community Foundation32 shared recipientsFidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund26 shared recipientsBehmann Brothers Foundation24 shared recipientsEd Rachal Foundation23 shared recipientsDonor Advised Charitable Giving Inc22 shared recipientsThe John G and Marie Stella Kenedy21 shared recipients

How to approach this foundation

  1. Check you are its size. The median grant is $10,000. Asking for ten times that is the most common way small organizations waste a submission.
  2. Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Texas.
  3. Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
  4. Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.

Related guides

Foundations funding human services in TexasEvery funder in this group, rankedFoundations funding education in TexasEvery funder in this group, rankedFoundations funding arts & culture in TexasEvery funder in this group, ranked

Where these numbers come from

Everything above is taken from Earl C Sams Foundation Inc's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2021-2024). Nothing here is scraped, inferred, or estimated.

Address of record on the latest return: 101 N Shoreline Blvd 500, Corpus Christi, TX, 78401. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.

EIN 74-1463151 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this

This is history, not an open call. Foundation returns are published about a year after the tax year ends. Nothing on this page is a deadline. It is a record of who this foundation has actually funded, which is the best available predictor of who it will fund next -- and a much better basis for deciding whether to write to them than a mission statement.

Is something here wrong about your foundation? Email hello@funderscope.com and we will correct it.