Mays Family Foundation

The Mays Family Foundation is a private family philanthropy established in 1994 by Lowry Mays, founder of Clear Channel Communications, and his wife Peggy Pitman Mays. With $312 million in assets, it ranks among the largest family foundations in San Antonio and Texas. The Foundation operates with a board composed entirely of Mays family members and a professional Managing Director (Jay McCall), giving it a tight, family-led governance model.

The strategic approach centers on community investment in Bexar County, Texas (San Antonio metro), with a clear preference for established, collaborative nonprofits that measure results and have a documented track record. The Foundation's stated values align with faith, family, education, civic stewardship, and community service—language drawn directly from the Mays family creed. Proposals that speak authentically to these values and demonstrate real community impact in San Antonio will receive the most serious consideration.

Unlike foundations with formal RFP processes, the Mays Family Foundation accepts grant requests through a direct application on their website. The board meets periodically to review requests, but grants can be made at any time during the year—meaning proposals are not bound by a single annual deadline cycle. This creates an opportunity for timely, responsive outreach.

The Foundation favors organizations that collaborate rather than compete with other nonprofits, use evidence-based methods to measure impact, and serve the Bexar County community directly. Educational institutions, healthcare organizations, arts and cultural organizations, and social services nonprofits all appear to fit the funding profile, consistent with the Mays family's documented community involvements in San Antonio over several decades.

Because the board is composed of family members, relationship and trust matter considerably. Organizations with prior connections to the Mays family or Clear Channel alumni networks may find warmer reception. First-time applicants should expect a longer cultivation process.

The Mays Family Foundation distributes approximately $15–22 million annually in grants. All IRS 990 filings show grant distributions under "See Attachment" (the attachment is not publicly disclosed), which means individual grant names, sizes, and recipients are not available in public records—this is common for family foundations that prefer privacy.

Based on available data:

• Annual giving range: $15.5M (2019) to $22.7M (2022), with $17.8M distributed in 2023
• Asset base: $312.5M (2024), generating approximately $30M in annual revenue
• Total giving trajectory: Growing steadily from ~$14.8M in 2014 to $22.7M in 2022, suggesting an expanding grantmaking appetite
• Distribution ratio: The Foundation consistently distributes approximately 5–7% of assets annually—above the IRS-required 5% minimum for private foundations

The geographic concentration in Bexar County, Texas (San Antonio) is explicitly stated in their grant guidelines. The Foundation notes that while the "majority" of gifts go to Bexar County, some funding supports causes elsewhere—likely tied to national organizations with local impact.

No programmatic breakdowns by issue area are publicly available. The Foundation's values statement references faith, education, and community—suggesting likely grantee areas include religious organizations, educational institutions, healthcare, arts and culture, and social services.

Given the family foundation's size and conservative governance structure, individual grants likely range from $10,000 to $1,000,000+, with a probable median in the $50,000–$250,000 range for established relationships.

The Mays Family Foundation occupies a distinctive position in the San Antonio philanthropy ecosystem. With $312M in assets, it is among the five largest private foundations in San Antonio, alongside the Valero Energy Foundation and the Kronkosky Charitable Foundation.

Compared to peer San Antonio and South Texas family foundations:

• Relative to the Tobin Endowment: Both are family foundations with deep San Antonio roots and family-controlled boards. The Tobin Endowment focuses more narrowly on arts and humanities; the Mays Foundation has a broader community mandate.

• Relative to the Kronkosky Charitable Foundation: Kronkosky ($450M assets) is more structured, with formal focus areas and published grant guidelines. The Mays Foundation is less transparent but comparable in scale and community orientation.

• Relative to the Southwest Texas Community Foundation: Unlike community foundations that aggregate donor-advised funds, the Mays Foundation is a pure private foundation with single-family decision-making—more flexible but with less geographic diversity in governance perspective.

Key differentiator: The Foundation's origin story—built on the Clear Channel Communications empire (1,200+ radio stations, TV stations, outdoor advertising at peak)—gives it a media and communications industry cultural identity. This may make them more receptive to organizations in journalism, public communications, media literacy, or organizations that have effectively used media to advance community missions.

The Foundation's faith-centered values statement ("Begin and end with our faith in God") positions it closer to faith-integrated philanthropy than purely secular community development—an important signal for applicants seeking to resonate with the board's values.

The Mays Family Foundation maintains a deliberately low public profile. Unlike peer foundations, they do not publish an annual report, news releases, or grantee spotlights. This makes tracking recent activity difficult from public sources.

Key known facts as of 2025:

• Active grantmaking: The Foundation distributed $17.8M in grants in 2023, consistent with prior years, confirming continued active operations.
• Founder transition: Lowry Mays, the Foundation patriarch and Clear Channel founder, passed away in 2022. The Foundation has continued operating under family stewardship with his children and grandchildren on the board.
• Stable leadership: Jay McCall serves as Managing Director and is listed as the primary contact on the foundation website. His email is accessible through the site contact form.
• Asset growth: Total assets grew from $287M (2021) to $312M (2024), showing a healthy endowment despite market volatility.
• Application process active: As of 2025, the grant request form on their website is operational, meaning unsolicited applications are accepted.

The Foundation's continued growth and active grantmaking under second-generation family leadership suggests sustained philanthropic commitment to the San Antonio community, consistent with the Mays family creed.

The Mays Family Foundation is unusually accessible for a foundation of its size—it accepts unsolicited grant requests through an online form. Here is how to maximize your chances:

Eligibility requirements (non-negotiable): - Must be a 501(c)(3) organization - No grants to individuals - No partisan political or lobbying organizations - No requests where Mays family members or the Managing Director would personally benefit (no memberships or dues that create family benefit) - Primary focus on Bexar County, Texas (San Antonio metro)

What the Foundation explicitly favors: 1. Organizations that collaborate with other grantees and nonprofits 2. Organizations that do NOT compete with other nonprofits (differentiated mission) 3. Organizations that measure results (show data, outcomes, impact metrics) 4. Organizations with a history of success (established track record, not first-year programs)

Proposal strategy: - Open with a clear, direct statement of your mission and the specific need in Bexar County you are addressing - Frame your ask around community impact for San Antonio residents, not organizational capacity building - If possible, name other Bexar County organizations you collaborate with—this directly addresses the stated "collaboration" preference - Include outcome data: number of people served, measurable results, year-over-year trends - Keep proposals concise—family foundation boards often prefer executive summary-style requests over lengthy narratives - Referencing the Mays family values (faith, education, community stewardship) is appropriate if authentic to your mission

Contact approach: - Submit via the grant request form at maysfamilyfoundation.com/grant-requests - Managing Director: Jay McCall - Phone: (210) 570-1210 - Address: 250 W. Nottingham Dr., Ste #400, San Antonio, TX 78209 - Follow up by phone 3–4 weeks after submission if no response

Timing: No fixed deadline—the board meets periodically and can fund at any time. Submit early in Q1 or Q3 to avoid end-of-year budget commitments from other grantees.