Frost Bank

Frost Bank is a corporate foundation established in 1979, affiliated with Frost Financial Group (Culberson, Frost Bankers, Inc.), and headquartered in San Antonio, Texas (PO Box 2950, San Antonio, TX 78299). With approximately $12.4 million in assets, it operates as one of the mid-tier corporate foundations in the San Antonio metro area. Frost Bank serves as its own trustee, receiving $101,785 in annual compensation for administration. The foundation receives substantial annual contributions from its corporate parent (typically $3.5M+), supplemented by investment income from dividends and asset sales. Charitable disbursements represent 93.6% of expenses, reflecting efficient operations. The foundation's website (frost-bank.org) is a parked domain — the foundation operates through Frost Bank's corporate citizenship infrastructure rather than maintaining an independent web presence. Note that this is distinct from the separate "Frost Foundation" in Houston (EIN 76-0587800).

In 2024, the Frost Bank foundation made 52 grants totaling approximately $2.2 million, with a highly concentrated giving pattern centered on San Antonio institutions:

Anchor grants ($100K+): - San Antonio Area Foundation: $1,000,000 (three grants, largest single recipient) - United Way of San Antonio: $815,000 (three grants of $280K, $270K, $265K) - University of Texas at San Antonio: $609,000 (three grants of $205K, $202.5K, $201.5K) - Texas Economic Development Corporation: $200,000 (two grants) - Texas Governor's Mansion Greenhouse Project: $100,000

Mid-range grants ($15K–$50K): UT Health San Antonio ($70K), COPS Metro Education Fund ($40K+), Texas A&M Foundation ($50K), Texas Biomedical Research Institute ($25K), Witte Museum ($25K), Project Quest ($25K), Opera San Antonio ($20K).

Smaller grants ($5K–$12.5K): Teach For America, Girls Inc of San Antonio, City Year San Antonio, Trinity University, and others.

The grant range spans $5,000 to $1,000,000, with a median of $10,000. Grants are predominantly designated as "unrestricted grants" for general charitable purposes. The top three recipients (San Antonio Area Foundation, United Way, UTSA) account for over $2.4 million — the vast majority of total giving — suggesting the foundation uses these intermediaries to amplify its community impact.

Within the San Antonio corporate foundation landscape, Frost Bank is a mid-tier player. The USAA Foundation ($115M assets, $18.7M giving) and San Antonio Area Foundation ($500M+) dwarf it in scale. However, Frost Bank's giving is strategic — by channeling $1M annually through the San Antonio Area Foundation, the corporation leverages the community foundation's expertise in grant distribution. The foundation's consistent support for UTSA, United Way, and cultural institutions (Witte Museum, Opera San Antonio) positions Frost as a key supporter of San Antonio's educational and cultural infrastructure.

In its most recent fiscal year (2024), the Frost Bank foundation reported: - Revenue: $4,698,991 (contributions from Frost Financial Group: $3,500,000; dividends: $428,996; other income: $646,792; asset sales: $123,203) - Expenses: $2,355,309 - Charitable disbursements: $2,204,067 (93.6% of expenses) - Officer compensation: $101,785 (Frost Bank trustee fee) - Total assets: $12,371,512 with zero liabilities - Net income: $2,343,682

The foundation experienced significant asset growth over the past five years, rising from $4.5M in 2020 to $12.4M in 2024, driven by substantial corporate contributions. Revenue in 2024 ($4.7M) exceeded expenses ($2.4M) by $2.3M, indicating the corporate parent is building the foundation's asset base for expanded future giving. The 52 grants in 2024 maintained the foundation's established focus on San Antonio's major civic, educational, and cultural institutions, with the San Antonio Area Foundation, United Way, and UTSA continuing as dominant recipients.

Frost Bank states it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. As a corporate foundation, funding decisions are closely tied to Frost Financial Group's community investment strategy. For organizations seeking to be considered:

1. San Antonio focus is paramount: The overwhelming majority of grants go to San Antonio-based organizations. National organizations receive support only when they have a significant San Antonio presence (e.g., Teach For America San Antonio, City Year San Antonio). 2. Institutional scale matters: The top recipients are major community institutions — San Antonio Area Foundation, United Way, UTSA. The foundation favors established organizations with significant community footprints rather than small or emerging nonprofits. 3. Apply through intermediaries: Since $1M annually flows through the San Antonio Area Foundation, organizations can access Frost-supported dollars by applying to the San Antonio Area Foundation's grant programs directly. Similarly, United Way partner agencies benefit from Frost's United Way contributions. 4. Education is the dominant theme: Higher education (UTSA, Texas A&M, Trinity University), K-12 education (COPS Metro Education Fund), and workforce development (Project Quest, SA Talent Inc) represent the foundation's strongest investment theme. 5. Arts and culture have a place: Opera San Antonio, Witte Museum, and Texas Cavalier Charitable Foundation show that cultural organizations with strong community ties can earn Frost's support. 6. Engage with Frost Bank's corporate citizenship team: Since the foundation is managed through Frost Bank's corporate structure, building relationships with the bank's community relations and corporate citizenship departments (frostbank.com/corporate-citizenship) may provide the most direct path to consideration.