Albert & Bessie Mae Kronkosky Char Foundation 3005500-3136454

The Albert & Bessie Mae Kronkosky Charitable Foundation is one of San Antonio's largest private funders, with a $368M endowment and consistent annual grantmaking of $16-27M. It operates as a trust with Bank of America as corporate trustee — not a board of community philanthropists — and is administered by a small professional staff. This structure means decisions follow the foundation's published criteria closely, with program staff serving as the essential first screen.

The foundation's core philosophy is articulated in a single phrase it repeats consistently: 'profound good that is tangible and measurable.' This is not rhetorical flourish. Kronkosky expects applicants to define specific populations served, county-level geographies, and concrete outcomes. Vague capacity-building narratives and systems-change language are unlikely to advance. What they fund is direct service — elderly care, child protection, arts access, wildlife protection, medical programs — in Bandera, Bexar, Comal, or Kendall counties.

The application pathway begins with an online Letter of Inquiry submitted through the portal at kronkosky.org/apply/. As of 2026, the foundation moved from a rolling, no-deadline LOI model to a structured calendar with three annual deadlines and a rotating focus-area schedule. Only half the foundation's program areas are eligible in any given grant year — making it essential to confirm your focus area is active before investing time in an LOI.

First-time applicants face meaningful odds: only 12% of new applicants receive funding. The most effective strategy for a first-time applicant is to reach out to staff before submitting — Tom Karger (tkarger@kronkosky.org) and Lori Stinson (lstinson@kronkosky.org) are the named program contacts. A brief email or call confirming your fit with current priorities, and asking whether your focus area is in the current cycle, demonstrates seriousness and can save time if the timing is wrong.

Starting in 2026, the foundation introduced multiyear unrestricted operational grants for qualifying nonprofits. Organizations with demonstrated results across prior grants are the likely candidates for this track. Position your organization as a long-term partner, not a one-time grantee.

Over the decade spanning 2012-2022, the Kronkosky Foundation maintained a highly consistent grantmaking posture. Annual grants paid to external nonprofits ranged from $13.4M (FY2020) to $19.2M (FY2022), with total giving (including trustee and administrative expenses) ranging from $17.8M to $26.9M. Total assets peaked at $400.3M in FY2021 following exceptional investment returns of $114.6M that year, before settling back to $368.3M in FY2024.

The gap between 'grants paid' and 'total giving' is substantial — typically $4-7M annually. Bank of America, as corporate trustee, receives $1.3-1.6M per year in trustee fees. This is a notable structural cost that reduces the net grantmaking pool compared to peer foundations with lower-cost governance.

Typical individual grant size: $50,000 to $500,000, with an estimated average of approximately $67,000 based on third-party 990 analysis. Board review occurs quarterly in March, June, September, and December. With $16-19M in annual grants paid and an average of $67,000 per grant, the foundation likely awards 240-280 grants per year across all focus areas — though the exact distribution is not publicly broken down.

By program area (estimated from public grantee descriptions and 990 data): - Health and Human Services accounts for the largest share, covering elderly care, child protection, disability services, mental health, and cancer care programs. - Arts and Culture is a consistent priority, funding performing arts, museums, libraries, and park/zoo facilities across the four counties. - Nature and Animals spans land preservation, wildlife care facilities, and domestic animal welfare. - Disaster Relief is funded situationally rather than on a predictable annual basis.

Geographically, Bexar County (San Antonio) dominates given its population density. Comal and Kendall counties receive smaller shares; Bandera County is the most rural and least served. A Bandera County application serving a genuinely underserved population may carry a strategic advantage given the foundation's mandate to benefit all four counties.

The Kronkosky Foundation's $368M in assets and ~$17-20M in annual external grants places it among the largest hyperlocal private foundations in South Texas, with a narrower geographic mandate than most comparably sized funders.

Kronkosky stands out for two reasons. First, its four-county exclusivity creates a captive pool of eligible applicants far smaller than statewide funders — a meaningful advantage if your programs are in that geography. Second, its move to multiyear unrestricted operational grants in 2026 sets it apart from the Meadows and Kleberg foundations, which still award primarily program-specific, single-year grants. For nonprofits already funded by Kronkosky, the path to multi-year stability is now explicitly available. For new applicants, the 12% first-time approval rate reflects competition from a dense field of San Antonio-area nonprofits.

The most significant recent development is the 2026 restructuring of Kronkosky's grantmaking model. The foundation announced it will begin offering multiyear unrestricted operational grants starting in 2026, responding to nonprofit partner feedback about the limitations of single-year, program-restricted awards. Simultaneously, the foundation published its 2026 and 2027 grant calendars — establishing three structured annual deadlines and a rotating biennial schedule in which only half its focus areas are eligible per year.

Confirmed upcoming deadlines under the new calendar: - October 8, 2025 — Nature & Animals / land preservation (now past) - June 3, 2026 — Mental health conditions, substance use disorders, and cancer care - February 3, 2027 — Programs supporting individuals with disabilities

Staff bios for Tom Karger (tkarger@kronkosky.org, 210-296-9967) and Lori Stinson (lstinson@kronkosky.org) were published in September and December 2025, respectively, signaling an accessible and currently active program team. The foundation's general contact for grants is grants@kronkosky.org / (210) 475-2204.

No leadership transitions or trustee changes were identified in available sources. Bank of America N.A. continues as corporate trustee; John T. Wells continues as director. The foundation's financials remained stable in FY2024 with $368.3M in total assets, consistent with its 10-year trend.

Confirm your focus area is in cycle before doing anything else. Starting in 2026, Kronkosky rotates which focus areas accept LOIs each year. Submitting in an off-year for your area wastes time and goodwill. The 2026-2027 calendar is posted at kronkosky.org — check it first.

Meet the GuideStar prerequisite. Kronkosky requires all applicants to be registered as GuideStar (now Candid) Exchange Program members. This is free, but it takes time to complete. Do this weeks before your target deadline.

Call or email staff before submitting. The foundation publicly lists Tom Karger (tkarger@kronkosky.org, 210-296-9967) and Lori Stinson (lstinson@kronkosky.org) as program contacts. A brief pre-LOI conversation is standard in the San Antonio philanthropic community and demonstrates that you've done your homework. Ask specifically: 'Is [your topic] in scope for the June 2026 or next available deadline?'

Use the foundation's language precisely. Every LOI should include the phrase 'profound good that is tangible and measurable' — not because it's a magic phrase, but because it signals alignment with the foundation's core philosophy. Back it up with specific client counts, outcome metrics, and county-level service data.

Document county-level presence explicitly. Kronkosky funds only programs in Bandera, Bexar, Comal, and Kendall counties. If your organization serves a broader region, break out the four-county component specifically. Do not assume they will infer geographic eligibility.

Avoid the four automatic disqualifiers: religious/sectarian purposes, economic development activities, fundraising event sponsorships, and political activities. These are hard stops.

Scale your request appropriately. The typical grant is $50,000-$500,000. Requesting at the low end with a clear scope may fare better for first-time applicants than large requests requiring site visits and extended due diligence.

Position for the multiyear track over time. For organizations in a second or third grant cycle with Kronkosky, explicitly articulate organizational stability, financial health, and a multi-year operational plan. The new multiyear unrestricted grants favor established partners, not new entrants.