Since 1937, we have been rooted in the success of Greater Houston.
Houston Endowment is a nonpartisan, private foundation that exists to serve the people of Greater Houston. We are inspired by the legacy of our founders, Jesse H. and Mary Gibbs Jones, and moved by the pressing needs of our community today.
The Joneses loved Houston and believed they owed their success to this city. They established Houston Endowment to ensure future generations benefit from a strong, vibrant region where the opportunity to thrive is available to all. With more than $2 billion in assets and $1 billion to deploy over the next 10 years, we promise to stay in step with the needs of our ever-evolving, ever-rising city.
We envision a vibrant region where all have the opportunity to thrive.
MissionOur mission is to improve the quality of life for everyone in Greater Houston.
What We DoToday, we invest in three priorities: strengthen public education, increase civic engagement, and enhance Greater Houston’s arts and parks.
Our giving is guided by our commitment to evaluation and learning, which deepens our understanding of these areas and identifies what works. Additionally, we stand ready to address emerging opportunities and challenges with the potential to significantly advance our mission of improving the quality of life for everyone in Greater Houston.
Working with our fellow Houstonians, we pursue bold goals, build partnerships from the ground up, and invest in innovative solutions rooted in equity and evidence to create meaningful change and expand opportunity for all who live here.
OUR APPROACH
We believe in the power of bringing people together to solve problems at their very root. We focus on areas where systemic barriers to opportunity exist, the time is right for change, and we can have the greatest impact.
We know that we alone cannot solve the issues we are addressing. We seek out evidence and expertise and foster collaboration. We listen to and learn from the distinct communities we serve and convene stakeholders — from other funders to on-the-ground nonprofits to civic and government leaders — to seed ideas and scale solutions. We act as a thought partner and build capacity for organizations to do their best work. And we adapt to the needs of our constantly changing region by continuously evaluating what works and what doesn’t.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
At Houston Endowment, diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential to being a highly effective organization and are fundamental to the work we do. As a team, we embrace the diverse perspectives both within our organization and from our partners across the nonprofit, public, and private sectors. We seek to connect with and contribute to our community, to better understand the life experiences of individuals different from ourselves to work with others to eradicate racism, injustice, and inequity.
Fair Market Value of Assets
We maintain a long-term view with respect to Houston Endowment’s investments, seeking returns that enable us to maintain a relatively consistent level of program funding each year while continuing to preserve the value of the endowment.
2019
$1.97B
2020
$2.26B
2021
$2.72B
2022
$2.38B
