New multi-year grants from the San Antonio Area Foundation boost 50 organizations
The San Antonio Area Foundation is investing more than $1.5 million into dozens of local nonprofits through new multi-year grants.
The Area Foundation has four principal grantmaking impact areas: Cultural Vibrancy, Successful Aging, Livable and Resilient Communities and Youth Success. The first of two grant funding rounds being announced this year are for nonprofits working in the areas of Cultural Vibrancy and Youth Success.
“We’re supporting work that is rooted in community and focused on long-term impact,” said Andrea Figueroa, the Area Foundation’s Director of Youth Success. “We’re honored to walk alongside these organizations as they lead this work every day.”
The new grants cover annual funding for 2026 and 2027 for 50 local nonprofits (including eight first-time recipients) selected out of 184 applicants. The Area Foundation’s Community Engagement and Impact team does not pick the recipients – they make recommendations to a Community Advisory Committee composed of volunteers who have the final say.
The new recipients represent nonprofits of various sizes – from those with annual budgets of over $1 million to others with budgets under $40,000. Area Foundation grants are also unique in that they follow the principle of trust-based philanthropy in being unrestricted and allowing recipients to decide for themselves how to put their funding to use. Grantees represent our geographical diversity, covering the eight-county San Antonio metropolitan region.
“Ultimately, this grant allows us to look beyond immediate, day-to-day needs and focus on sustainable, long-term transformation,” said Juan Ramos, Founder and Executive Director of R3 Generations. “With these resources, we can aggressively tackle the barriers keeping families from economic mobility and ensure our youth have the necessary tools, access and training to succeed.”
Beyond educational circles, the Area Foundation considers preserving our region’s cultural richness a top priority.
“Museums are more than repositories of artifacts — they are places where history comes alive,” said Rebecca Norton, Executive Director of Frontier Times Museum in Bandera. “This grant will provide essential funding that enables us to serve our community through meaningful educational and cultural programs that celebrate our Texas history and traditions.”
The Area Foundation’s second round of 2026-2027 grants covering impact areas of Livable and Resilient Communities and Successful Aging are expected to be announced this fall.
Here are the 50 new grant recipients:
| CULTURAL VIBRANCY | YOUTH SUCCESS |
| Armed Services Arts Partnership | New Works SA |
| Heritage Festivals of San Antonio | YTIA Youth Transitioning Into Adulthood |
| Turnip Theater | BBBS (Youth Do Vote) |
| San Antonio Film Festival | R3 Generations |
| San Antonio Swing Dance Society | TRL Productions |
| Ballet Latino de San Antonio | Special Reach |
| Frontier Times Museum | Girls On The Run |
| Jump-Start Performance Company | Urban Champions |
| Start Empowerment | Ransomed Life |
| Carver Development Board | Lemonade Circle |
| Centro Cultural Aztlan | Youth Code Jam |
| Agarita Chamber Players | Communities in Schools of San Antonio |
| Teatro Audaz San Antonio | YWCA |
| Gemini Ink | Gardopia Gardens |
| San Antonio Public Library Foundation | Avance |
| Sana Roots Co. | Boys and Girls Clubs |
| SAY SI | SAISD Foundation |
| URBAN-15 Group | Healy Murphy Center |
| Americans Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions | Girls Inc. |
| Blue Star Contemporary | Respite Care of San Antonio |
| Foundation for Cultural Arts in San Antonio | Roy Maas Youth Alternatives |
| Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center | Healthy Futures of Texas |
| Musical Bridges Around The World | 100 Black Men of San Antonio |
| National Association of Latino Arts and Culture | Children’s Bereavement Center |
| San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum | |
| Woodlawn Theater |
About the San Antonio Area Foundation:
The San Antonio Area Foundation has served as the city’s most trusted and impactful philanthropic partner for more than 60 years, growing to become one of the country’s largest community foundations. The Area Foundation strives to close opportunity gaps for those who need it most, managing more than 600 charitable funds totaling $1.3 billion in assets. The Area Foundation supports hundreds of nonprofit organizations – grantmaking reached nearly $90 million in 2025, including $13 million in college scholarships. Learn more at saafdn.org.
