Funding search · EIN 760519073 · Houston, TX

Kinder Foundation

Name: Kinder Foundation grants, 2022–2025
Creator: PaperOrbit
License: https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/exempt-organization-public-disclosure-and-availability-requirements

A private foundation (files IRS Form 990-PF). Most private foundations do not take unsolicited applications; the route in is usually a program officer.

299
grants reported: $233.7M
total given: 2022–2025
filing years: $100,000
median grant

Based on grants this organization reported to the IRS for tax years 2022–2025. This is what they filed, not a complete record of their giving, and recent years may be incomplete because filings lag.

What they fund

park construction design houston awards plan teacher year

Funder website ↗Full IRS filings ↗How this is built Report an error

Funding pattern

What this funder pays for, at what size, and how to position adjacent work. Read from their filings, with every number checked against the record.

Where the money goes

Houston park capital construction and 10-year master plans
Kinder Institute at Rice for urban research, roughly $12M yearly
Kinder Institute for Constitutional Democracy at University of Missouri
Houston public education: Good Reason Houston, HISD, charters, teacher awards
Homelessness, foster care, and Harris Health safety-net campaigns
Park and conservancy endowments plus small arts general operating gifts

Typical grant

Median grant is $100,000 and the middle half runs $25,000 to $333,333, but the money is not in the middle. Eight-figure checks go to park design and construction and to the two Kinder-named institutes, while $5,000 to $50,000 general fund gifts go to Houston arts and civic groups. Nearly every large commitment repeats annually as a multi-year pledge draw, and 299 grants went to only 57 recipients.

Their words

Phrases from their own grant descriptions, worth speaking back to them.

“PARK DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION - 10 YEAR MASTER PLAN”
“ENHANCEMENT AND EXPANSION OF THE KINDER INSTITUTE”
“SUPPORT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN HOUSTON”
“CAPITAL CAMPAIGN”
“ENDOWMENT FUND”
“GENERAL FUND”

Positioning adjacent work

Tie urban research to the Kinder Institute at Rice rather than pitching a parallel Houston data effort.
Frame green space work as design and construction with a master plan and a named site.
For a first ask, target $25,000 to $100,000 general fund, matching their smaller-gift pattern.
Emphasize Houston or Harris County benefit; connect health work to nature, as with the Center for Health and Nature.

Worth knowing: This is a Houston foundation with 283 of 299 grants in Texas, and the out-of-state money goes entirely to Kinder-named or Kinder-endowed programs at Missouri and a landscape architecture chair at Virginia. Giving is relationship-driven and concentrated: Buffalo Bayou Partnership, Rice, Memorial Park Conservancy, Houston Parks Board, and Missouri take the overwhelming majority, with recent additions in homelessness policy, foster care reform, and local news.

Top recipients

Repeat recipients are the strongest signal of whether a funder has an open door or quietly re-funds the same organizations.

Buffalo Bayou Partnership18 grants · $70.3M
Rice University23 grants · $52.9M
University of Missouri11 grants · $20.0M
Memorial Park Conservancy24 grants · $12.8M
Houston Parks Board11 grants · $10.6M
Discovery Green Conservancy19 grants · $7.5M
Houston Local Information Initiative3 grants · $7.5M
Good Reason Houston14 grants · $7.5M
United Way6 grants · $4.0M
Emancipation Park Conservancy8 grants · $3.8M

Giving over time

$54.0M

2022

$54.7M

2023

$58.4M

2024

$66.7M

2025

Grant history

The 100 largest of 299 grants.

$19.4M
Buffalo Bayou Partnership · Houston, TX · 2025
Park design & construction - 10 year master plan
$16.7M
Buffalo Bayou Partnership · Houston, TX · 2022
Park design & construction - 10 year master plan
$15.8M
Buffalo Bayou Partnership · Houston, TX · 2024
Park design & construction - 10 year master plan
$15.8M
Buffalo Bayou Partnership · Houston, TX · 2023
Park design & construction - 10 year master plan
$12.5M
Rice University · Houston, TX · 2022
Enhancement and expansion of the kinder institute for urban research
$11.9M
Rice University · Houston, TX · 2024
Enhancement and expansion of the kinder institute for urban research
$11.9M
Rice University · Houston, TX · 2025
Enhancement and expansion of the kinder institute for urban research
$11.8M
Rice University · Houston, TX · 2023
Enhancement and expansion of the kinder institute for urban research
$5.4M
Memorial Park Conservancy · Houston, TX · 2025
Park design & construction - 10 year master plan & memorial groves
$5.2M
Houston Parks Board · Houston, TX · 2025
Macgregor park design & construction
$5.0M
University of Missouri · Columbia, MO · 2022
Enhancement and expansion of the kinder institute for constitutional democracy
$4.7M
University of Missouri · Columbia, MO · 2024
Enhancement and expansion of the kinder institute for constitutional democracy
$4.7M
University of Missouri · Columbia, MO · 2023
Enhancement and expansion of the kinder institute for constitutional democracy
$4.7M
University of Missouri · Columbia, MO · 2025
Enhancement and expansion of the kinder institute for constitutional democracy
$2.5M
Houston Local Information Initiative · Houston, TX · 2024
Support of an independent news publication in houston
$2.5M
Houston Local Information Initiative · Houston, TX · 2023
Support of an independent news publication in houston
$2.5M
Houston Local Information Initiative · Houston, TX · 2022
Support of an independent news publication in houston
$2.4M
University of Virginia · Charlottesville, VA · 2025
Endowed chair in landscape architecture
$2.4M
Memorial Park Conservancy · Houston, TX · 2024
Memorial groves
$2.4M
Emancipation Park Conservancy · Houston, TX · 2025
Stage and endowmenet
$2.4M
Houston Parks Board · Houston, TX · 2023
Macgregor park design & construction
$2.4M
Houston Parks Board · Houston, TX · 2024
Macgregor park design & construction
$2.2M
Project Row Houses · Houston, TX · 2022
Renovation of historic eldorado ballroom in third ward
$2.1M
Memorial Park Conservancy · Houston, TX · 2023
Park design & construction - 10 year master plan
$2.0M
Discovery Green Conservancy · Houston, TX · 2022
Endowment fund
$1.9M
Willow Waterhole Conservancy · Houston, TX · 2022
General fund - expansion of greenspace in houston
$1.9M
Good Reason Houston · Houston, TX · 2024
Support of public education in houston
$1.9M
Discovery Green Conservancy · Houston, TX · 2024
Endowment fund & strategic plan
$1.6M
Rice University · Houston, TX · 2022
Support of education research in houston
$1.5M
Spark Parks · Houston, TX · 2024
Greenspace in public schools
$1.4M
Coalition for the Homeless of Houstonharris County · Houston, TX · 2025
Mayor whitmire's homelessness plan
$1.4M
Buffalo Soldiers Museum · Houston, TX · 2024
Capital campaign and junteenth celebration
$1.4M
Depelchin Children'S Center · Houston, TX · 2025
Texas foster care transition to the cbc model
$1.4M
Cristo Rey Jesuit · Houston, TX · 2025
Capital campaign/steam building
$1.1M
Memorial Park Conservancy · Houston, TX · 2024
Park design & construction - 10 year master plan
$1.0M
Rice University · Houston, TX · 2023
Support of education research in houston
$1.0M
Emancipation Park Conservancy · Houston, TX · 2025
Stage and endowment
$1.0M
Harris Health Strategic Fund · Bellaire, TX · 2025
Campaign for harris health 2025
$1.0M
United Way · Houston, TX · 2025
General fund
$1.0M
Hisd Foundation · Houston, TX · 2024
Students trip abroad - japan and washington dc
$1.0M
Good Reason Houston · Houston, TX · 2023
Support of public education in houston
$1.0M
Spark Parks · Houston, TX · 2023
Greenspace in public schools
$1.0M
Buffalo Soldiers Museum · Houston, TX · 2022
Preservation of buffalo soldiers museum
$1.0M
Good Reason Houston · Houston, TX · 2022
Support of public education in houston
$1.0M
Spark Parks · Houston, TX · 2022
Greenspace in public schools
$1.0M
Trees for Houston · Houston, TX · 2022
General fund - expansion of greenspace in houston
$1.0M
United Way · Houston, TX · 2022
General fund
$954,113
Good Reason Houston · Houston, TX · 2024
Support of public education in houston
$951,651
Good Reason Houston · Houston, TX · 2023
Support of public education in houston
$951,651
United Way · Houston, TX · 2023
General fund
$945,137
United Way · Houston, TX · 2024
General fund
$942,483
Archdiocese of Galveston Houston · Houston, TX · 2023
Bishop fiorenza plaza & parking lot capital campaign
$940,531
Museum of Fine Arts Houston · Houston, TX · 2024
General fund
$938,233
Discovery Green Conservancy · Houston, TX · 2025
Endowment fund
$903,206
Buffalo Bayou Partnership · Houston, TX · 2023
Park design & construction - 10 year master plan
$750,000
Trees for Houston · Houston, TX · 2023
General fund - expansion of greenspace in houston
$721,050
Rice University · Houston, TX · 2024
Enhancement and expansion of the kinder institute for urban research
$700,000
Buffalo Soldiers Museum · Houston, TX · 2023
Preservation of buffalo soldiers museum
$695,053
Buffalo Bayou Partnership · Houston, TX · 2025
Park design & construction - 10 year master plan
$680,705
Rice University · Houston, TX · 2023
Enhancement and expansion of the kinder institute for urban research
$650,000
Good Reason Houston · Houston, TX · 2025
Hisd strategic fund
$533,893
Buffalo Bayou Partnership · Houston, TX · 2024
Park design & construction - 10 year master plan
$500,000
Greater Houston Community Foundation · Houston, TX · 2025
Houston next (5 year strategic plan)
$500,000
Trees for Houston · Houston, TX · 2024
General fund
$500,000
Houston Arts Alliance · Houston, TX · 2023
Bipoc arts & network fund
$500,000
Good Reason Houston · Houston, TX · 2022
Support of public education in houston
$455,000
Discovery Green Conservancy · Houston, TX · 2024
Spring 2025 jazzy sunday series
$454,515
Rice University · Houston, TX · 2025
Enhancement and expansion of the kinder institute for urban research
$410,054
Discovery Green Conservancy · Houston, TX · 2023
Spring 2024 jazzy sundays series
$400,000
Kipp · Houston, TX · 2023
Postsecondary gift
$400,000
Yes Prep Public Schools · Houston, TX · 2023
Postsecondary gift
$351,000
Contemporary Arts Museum Houston · Houston, TX · 2024
Freedmen's town
$350,000
Discovery Green Conservancy · Houston, TX · 2022
Spring 2023 jazzy sundays series
$333,333
Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation · Houston, TX · 2025
Center for health and nature
$333,333
Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation · Houston, TX · 2024
Center for health and nature
$333,333
Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation · Houston, TX · 2023
Center for health and nature
$315,000
Teach for America · Houston, TX · 2024
50% of stipend - 2024-2026 houston core members
$300,000
Kipp · Houston, TX · 2025
Postsecondary gift
$300,000
Yes Prep Public Schools · Houston, TX · 2025
Postsecondary gift
$300,000
Blue Triangle Multi-Cultural Association · Houston, TX · 2022
Renovation of historic building
$300,000
Buffalo Soldiers Museum · Houston, TX · 2022
Preservation of buffalo soldiers museum
$297,756
University of Missouri · Columbia, MO · 2023
Enhancement and expansion of the kinder institute for constitutional democracy
$291,030
University of Missouri · Columbia, MO · 2024
Enhancement and expansion of the kinder institute for constitutional democracy
$277,500
Discovery Green Conservancy · Houston, TX · 2025
Spring 2026 jazzy sundays series
$263,286
Houston Parks Board · Houston, TX · 2025
Macgregor park design & construction
$253,804
Memorial Park Conservancy · Houston, TX · 2025
Park design & construction - 10 year master plan & memorial groves
$250,000
Memorial Park Conservancy · Houston, TX · 2024
Storm damage
$250,000
Museum of Fine Arts Houston · Houston, TX · 2024
General fund and exhibitions
$250,000
Project Row Houses · Houston, TX · 2023
General fund
$250,000
Trees for Houston · Houston, TX · 2023
General fund - expansion of greenspace in houston
$250,000
Good Reason Houston · Houston, TX · 2022
Support of public education in houston
$250,000
Houston Arts Alliance · Houston, TX · 2022
Bipoc arts & network fund
$220,000
Prounitas · Houston, TX · 2022
Development and implementation of mobile app
$202,100
Teach for America · Houston, TX · 2025
50% of stipend - 2024-2026 houston core members
$200,000
Greater Houston Community Foundation · Houston, TX · 2025
Director's donor advised funds
$200,000
Museum of Fine Arts Houston · Houston, TX · 2025
Exhibitions
$200,000
Discovery Green Conservancy · Houston, TX · 2024
Endowment fund
$200,000
Cristo Rey Jesuit School · Houston, TX · 2023
Postsecondary gift
$200,000
Museum of Fine Arts Houston · Houston, TX · 2023
General fund and exhibitions
$200,000
Lucille'S 1913 · Houston, TX · 2022
Meal production program - third ward

View all 299 grants →

Who else funds this kind of work

Same state

Greater Houston Community Foundation5,612 grants · $873.8M
The Big 12 Conference50 grants · $1.91B
Texas Essential Healthcare Partnerships297 grants · $972.3M

Similar purposes

The Peter and Joan Secchia Family332 grants · $91.7M
Communities Foundation of Texas8,896 grants · $653.7M
The Lozier Foundation900 grants · $99.4M

Similar grant size

The Ford Foundation10,731 grants · $2.35B
Silicon Valley Community Foundation10,471 grants · $10.10B
Tides Foundation9,402 grants · $1.86B

Grants already paid are the record; PaperOrbit reads your paper and finds the funders whose record matches it — then explains why.

Search funders like this one

Source: IRS Form 990-PF, Part XV, as filed by the foundation. These are grants already paid — a record of what this funder backs, not an open call.