Search Through Grants for 501(c)(3) in Houston, Texas in the U.S.

Our Focus

By supporting organizations that advance and improve the quality of eye health, education and access to care, the Alcon Foundation plays a significant role in fulfilling our commitment to the global community. The purpose for the grant must be designated in the application and that designated purpose is the only purpose for which awarded grant funds may be used.

Supporting Programs that Strengthen Eye Care

Alcon provides charitable monetary donations (often referred to as grants) to eligible 501(c)3 organizations that offer high-quality programs and services to increase access to quality eye care and strengthen the communities in which we live and work. These donations are offered through the Alcon Foundation.

Supporting Programs that Strengthen Eye Care

The Foundation’s primary focus is supporting programs that improve the quality of eye care services and patient access to care, as well as programs that promote the advancement of eye health education, training and skillstransfer.

The Cullen Foundation

Established in 1947 by Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen, The Cullen Foundation has a history of giving generously to support cultural arts, education, health care and public service in Texas, primarily in the greater Houston area. Cullen Family members still take active roles as Directors of the Foundation continuing the legacy of giving initiated by Mr. and Mrs. Cullen during their lives.

The original gift from Mr. and Mrs. Cullen to establish the Foundation consisted of working interests in oil and gas properties. Over the ensuing years the working interests, later converted into royalty interests, were gradually depleted and the residual holdings were disposed of in 2000. As the Foundation reduced its dependence on oil and gas income, its portfolio of marketable securities and other investments began to grow. As of December 31, 2017 the portfolio had a market value of $320 million.

The list of organizations receiving grants from the Foundation is long and diverse, covering a wide range of needs. The Foundation has distributed over $500 million in grants since inception. Please visit our Grant History page for funding details for the most recent years and grant payment amounts by program area since inception.

Dedicated to improving the quality of life of all people in Houston through sustained investments in high-performing education, healthcare, public service and arts organizations.

Grant Program

The Foundation supports a variety of charitable activities, including cultural arts, education, health care and public service programs. 

H-E-B Tournament of Champions

The H-E-B Tournament of Champions was established in 1986 when DeckerFood Company asked H-E-B Grocery Co. to invite a few of their market vendors to play in a golf tournament and donate the proceeds to Special OlympicsTexas. The President of Decker Foods was the Chairman of the Board for Special Olympics Texas at that time. The event raised $38,500 and the proceeds made it possible to hire a Special OlympicsTexas Games Coordinator for Area 20 which included San Antonio. Chuck Hendryx(H-E-B V.P.) and Kathy Ashwin (Admin Asst.) organized the event in six weeks and concluded, if they had a year to plan the event, more money would be raised. The following year the event raised $78,000 and the rest is history!

Over the past 37 years, this event has raised over $145 million dollars benefiting Special OlympicsTexas and other worthwhile organizations that focus on children and educational initiatives throughout the State of Texas.

In 2003, the H-E-B Tournament of Champions Charitable Trust was established and the event became a 501(c)3 tax exempt private foundation under the Internal Revenue codes.

The Houston Astros, an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas, compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West Division. The Astros are one of two major league clubs based in Texas. It is our mission to strive to win championships, deliver memorable fan experiences, be a great place to work, and make Houston proud.

The Astros Foundation

The Astros Foundation is the official 501(c)(3) team charity of the Houston Astros. We seek to harness the passion of our fans to support youth sports and education programs, the recognition/honor of our nation's military, childhood cancer and domestic violence awareness and efforts to reduce homelessness. Our cornerstone initiatives include the Community Leaders program, the Astros MLB Youth Academy and the Astros Nike RBI Program (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities).

Houston Astros Group Charity Ticket Program

The Houston Astros are grateful to the hundreds of vital nonprofit programs that make our community a stronger, more vibrant place for all of us. As a small token of our appreciation for the outreach and impact these nonprofits have on our community, the Astros are proud to grant complimentary home game tickets to qualifying 501(c)(3) nonprofits within the Astros' home territory.

• Each group may apply for up to two games a year. There is no guarantee that two games will be awarded.
• 501(c)(3) charities may request up to 50 tickets per game
• Requests that require special seating for disabled individuals are available, however, wheelchairs and wheelchair attendant seating is limited. Each wheelchair ticket will come with a wheelchair attendant.

The Astros Charity Ticket Program is designed to have a meaningful impact on those awarded a ticket grant. The Astros expect that once tickets are granted that they be fully used.

• Ticket usage is tracked. Groups that do not take full advantage of their tickets will be unable to participate in the future.
• Requests received with less than two weeks advance notice of the earliest game requested may not be processed.
• The program is limited to pre-determined game dates.
• Once tickets are awarded they cannot be exchanged for a different game.
• In the event the tickets are lost, they cannot be replaced.
• The tickets awarded through the grant program cannot be re-sold. If charities or persons receiving charity tickets resell any of the tickets donated to them the organization will be permanently disqualified.
• Once you are awarded tickets they are yours and cannot be reallocated or exchanged.

Donations

The Houston Texans Foundation is proud to support over 400 charitable organizations each year by donating team memorabilia such as apparel, footballs, photos, and more. While game tickets are not available due to limited supply, these in-kind donations help raise funds for many meaningful causes.

The Labcorp Charitable Foundation

We believe every person deserves equitable care and education.

In 2020 Labcorp established a private charitable 501(c)(3) foundation to advance our desire to bring quality healthcare access to all by supporting education and our local communities. 

Common grant opportunities include:

• Supporting food pantries and meal programs
• Providing healthcare and patient services for underserved populations
• Encouraging STEM programming
• Advocating for healthy lifestyles through ongoing medical research and screening

• October 17, 2025 - February 10, 2026, will be reviewed in March
• February 11, 2026 - June 30, 2026, will be reviewed in July
• July 1, 2026 - October 15, 2026, will be reviewed early November

Background

At Lubrizol, the communities where we work and live have long been valued stakeholders in the sustainability of our organization. In 1952, Lubrizol established The Lubrizol Foundation, which is dedicated to providing financial support to nonprofit organizations and charities within our local communities. Through the Foundation, we continuously strive to make a meaningful impact and foster sustainable growth in the areas we call home.

Grants will be prioritized for organizations whose missions align with Lubrizol’s community investment priorities and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2, 3, 4, 11, 13, 14, and 15. These priorities focus on quality education, reducing hunger to promote healthy lives, and creating sustainable communities.

Lubrizol’s Corporate Community Engagement Priorities

In evaluating grant applications, priority will be given to organizations whose missions align with Lubrizol's Corporate Community Investment Pillars. At Lubrizol, we are committed to investing in education, championing sustainability initiatives, and enhancing the well-being of individuals in the communities where we live and work. Our investment pillars are strategically aligned with the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs):

• Quality Education – aligned with UN SDG 4
• Zero Hunger and Good Health and Well-Being – aligned with UN SDG 2 and 3
• Protecting, preserving and enriching the natural environment – aligned with:
• UN SDG 11 – Creating Sustainable Cities and Communities
• UN SDG 13 – Climate Change
• UN SDG 14 – Life under Water
• UN SDG 15 – Life on Land 

The McKesson Foundation 

Founded in 1943, the McKesson Foundation is a 501(c)(3) corporate foundation dedicated to advancing health outcomes for all. The Foundation’s mission is to remove barriers to quality healthcare across North America, especially for vulnerable and underserved communities.

Strategic Giving Pillars and Areas of Focus

The McKesson Foundation champions health equity by partnering with nonprofit organizations to advance efforts aligned with three strategic giving pillars and corresponding areas of focus:

Reducing the Burden of Cancer

The American Cancer Society states that one in two men and one in three women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. These cancer diagnoses often create both a health and financial crisis for patients and their families. Studies show factors including race/ethnicity, health insurance status and income can affect the timing of a patient’s diagnosis and treatment, as well as their survival and financial impact. Working with our partners, we aim to reduce the risk of getting cancer and address socioeconomic barriers to care.

• Prevention
  • provide education and services to encourage people to adopt healthy diets, exercise regularly, avoid tobacco, and protect their skin.
• Screening and Treatment
  • increase awareness of the importance of screenings, early detection and timely treatment among vulnerable populations; provide free health screenings for patients and connect them to care.
• Financial/Logistical Assistance
  • connect uninsured and underinsured patients to programs providing low or no-cost co-pays and social determinants of health (SDOH) interventions, e.g., transportation, childcare, healthy food, home meal delivery; reduce the economic burden of low-income patients with emergency funds for rent, utilities and other household expenses.

Preparing Tomorrow's Healthcare Workforce

• Patients report that they feel more heard and are more compliant with medical guidance when they share race/ethnicity with their healthcare practitioner. Nearly a third of the U.S. population is Black or Hispanic, yet the combined Black and Hispanic representation among oncologists is 8 percent and the combined Black, Indigenous and Hispanic representation among pharmacists is 10.7 percent. Closing the gap between diverse representation among the general population and among healthcare practitioners will improve health equity and patient outcomes.
• Oncology Professionals
  • increase underrepresented in medicine (URiM) student recruitment and retention;
  • increase all health professionals’ cultural competency to better serve a diverse patient population.
• Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians 
  • increase URiM recruitment and retention;
  • prepare students for broader pharmacist roles;
  • leverage pharmacists’ extensive training, community presence and public trust to serve vulnerable and rural patient populations.
• Student Engagement
  • increase students’ awareness of STEM careers;
  • support students’ financial literacy;
  • help prepare middle and high school students for higher education.

Accelerating Crisis Response

With the increased frequency and intensity of climate events, more people across North America need temporary or extended shelter, as well as food and medications, during and in the aftermath of crises. And with 10 percent of the population in both Canada and the U.S. living in food insecure households, programs to provide regular, nutritious meals to children, families and seniors can reduce chronic disease and improve long-term health.

• Preparedness
  • support relief agencies’ efforts to prepare for forecasted as well as unforeseen emergencies;
  • support relief agencies’ efforts to help people become Red Cross Ready.
• Disaster Relief and Recovery
  • mobilize resources to provide acute services, such as water, food, shelter, comfort kits, medicines, and healthcare for people affected by natural disasters or crises;
  • help families return to normalcy after a disaster.
• Medicine and Food
  • assist vulnerable individuals and communities by supporting acute and chronic care services that provide medicines and food.

Mission

Driven by a philanthropic calling to support marginalized communities throughout the world, the Semnani Family Foundation partners with on-the-ground organizations and leverages its resources in a cost-effective and efficient manner that delivers the maximum benefit.

History

Guided by his grandmother Maliheh’s example and teachings, Khosrow Semnani and his wife Ghazaleh established the Semnani Family Foundation in 1993. The foundation’s first grant was issued through CARE International to an orphanage in Romania that cared for newborns affected by HIV. Over the last few decades, the foundation has continued to build upon its mission to empower the disaffected, partnering with a variety of organizations in different countries who can make the greatest impact.

In addition to its global influence, the Semnani Family Foundation established roots within the state of Utah with the founding of Maliheh Free Clinic in 2005 to provide free healthcare to thousands of uninsured people in the Salt Lake City area.

Where We Work

The Semnani Family Foundation focuses primarily on promoting health, education, and disaster relief for marginalized communities all around the world. Driven by a clear mission to adapt and serve at the global level, we have leveraged our resources to make a meaningful impact in the following countries so far:

• Afghanistan
• Bosnia
• Colombia
• England
• Ethiopia
• Ghana
• Guatemala
• India
• Iran
• Kenya
• Madagascar
• Mali
• Mexico
• Pakistan
• Philippines
• Romania
• Somalia
• South Africa
• Tanzania
• Tonga
• Uganda
• United States
• Yemen

At the heart of the Foundation lies a fervent commitment to human welfare, always prioritizing health and the needs of society’s most vulnerable.

Valero Energy Foundation 

Valero, its employees and the Valero Energy Foundation are committed to improving the quality of life in communities where we work and live, fulfilling a mission that was set from the beginning. We set the standard for corporate citizenship and promotes prosperity in our communities. 

The Valero Energy Foundation -- a public charity and Valero's philanthropic arm -- funds nonprofit agencies that serve predominantly disadvantaged children and families. In 2019, the Foundation contributed appoximately $40 million in assistance in the communities where Valero has major operations.

Four Pillars of Support

Our funding focuses on our four pillars of giving in communities where we have major operations.

• Basic Needs:  Valero gives assistance to agencies that provide basic needs of life, including shelter, food and clothing necessary for the development of a strong and safe community. 
• Health Care: We invest in the development of strategic community health resources and facilities that will support the needs of all members of our nearby communities, with major gifts going to children’s hospitals, university medical centers and service providers that offer specialized health care services and programs.
• Education: Valero is a strong advocate of education as it creates a necessary foundation for all children to thrive and for adults to lead productive lives. 
• Civic: We support civic and environmental initiatives directly related to the success of the communities where we live and work.

Scanlan Foundation Grant

We believe that the most impactful way to carry out our mission of furthering the Roman Catholic Church in the State of Texas is to build a culture of vocations to the priesthood, religious life, and holy families.

This culture of vocations will be foundational in all that we do as we move forward with making decisions, strategic giving, and forming relationships. This cornerstone supports four main mission-furthering pillars of funding:

• Marriage & Holy Families,
• Catholic Education,
• Evangelization & Discipleship,
• and Life & Human Dignity.

Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life

At the center of our faith is the sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist. The Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” (CCC 1324) Only a validly ordained priest can validly consecrate the Eucharist, so without priests, we lack access to the “sum and summary of our faith.” (CCC 1327) It is vital to the health of our Church that it continues to produce the fruit of new vocations to the priesthood to provide access to the sacraments.

It is similarly vital to the health of the Church to promote vocations to religious life, as religious sisters are dedicated to a wide range of forms of supporting the Church, whether it be through cloistered prayer or through apostolic works such as providing education, caring for the sick, and engaging in missionary work.

• Goal: Increase the number of men answering their vocation to join the priesthood and of women answering their vocation to join religious life.
  • Strategy: Scanlan Foundation seeks to support dioceses, organizations and ministries that would like to develop or execute a plan for vocations and a strong desire to increase the fruits of vocations to the priesthood and religious life. This includes, but is not limited to, education at the seminary level, support and community for discerners, ministries that directly engage and equip parish vocation committees, school-wide Catholic education curricula, campus ministry programs that strengthen faith and evangelize, vocation-focused retreats, and youth programming aimed at building awareness and encouraging vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

Marriage & Holy Families

The Scanlan Foundation recognizes the importance of strong holy marriages and families in building a culture of vocations. “In our own time, in a world often alien and even hostile to faith, believing families are of primary importance as centers of living, radiant faith.” (CCC 1656) Not only do vocations to the priesthood and the religious life come out of holy, strong families, but also future generations of the domestic church because “the home is the first school of Christian life and ‘a school for human enrichment.’” (CCC 1657)

• Goal: Encourage couples discerning marriage to choose sacramental marriage and be well-prepared for their upcoming marriage.
  • Strategy: We wish to target funding and support to ministries that support dating and engaged couples. This includes college campus ministry and marriage preparation courses that enhance the current requirements.
• Goal: Strengthen and bolster existing marriages for their important role as the domestic church.
  • Strategy: We wish to target married couples, young families, and sacrament preparation. This effort can be done through faith-formation groups for men/husbands/fathers, faith-formation groups for women/wives/mothers, marriage support groups and mentorship programs, RCIA programs, and other sacrament preparation programs that incorporate the family in the catechesis of the youth.

Catholic Education

Scanlan Foundation has always considered Catholic Education to be critical to strengthening the fabric of our society. In the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, the primary vehicles for impact that we have identified are Campus Ministry & Culture, Faculty Faith Formation, and Scanlan Scholar Tuition Assistance. In other dioceses, we believe the individual Bishops understand best the needs of their respective schools. Therefore, we will begin to provide grant funding directly to the dioceses outside of Galveston-Houston for their Catholic schools, as opposed to making grants directly to those schools.

• Goal: Enhance access to Catholic education for families who value the faith-based educational environment but would otherwise be unable to afford the tuition.
  • Strategy: Outside of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, provide funds for Catholic high school tuition assistance directly to the dioceses, for the Bishops to distribute where they see the greatest need. Within the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, tuition assistance will be funded through the Scanlan Scholar program. Schools will select students with demonstrated financial need who also fit a profile of a Scanlan Scholar: a practicing Catholic or someone actively converting to the faith through RCIA, a strong academic achiever, and an active member of the campus ministry and service community.
• Goal: Improve teacher faith-formation.
  • Strategy: Schools that wish to enhance their faculty’s knowledge and appreciation of the doctrine and history of the Catholic faith are encouraged to share their proposed faith-formation program. Overall grant-giving to high schools will shrink in order to meet the needs of the many ministries we support. Therefore, schools may find it more impactful to invest Scanlan Foundation grants into forming their faculty so as to better represent Christ to their students and to uphold the doctrine of the Catholic faith.
• Goal: Develop strong campus ministries.
  • Strategy: Schools that wish to develop robust programs through their school’s campus ministry that have a special focus on increasing vocations to the priesthood, religious life, and holy families should apply for grant funding to further their efforts. We wish to support regular occurring ministry events, Bible studies, access to sacraments, school-wide activities, and retreats that encourage students to begin taking serious consideration to the vocation God calls them to.

Evangelization & Discipleship

“God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness, freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life…He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength. He calls together all men, scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Church.” (CCC1) To further the Roman Catholic faith in Texas, it must grow. This can be done through evangelization and discipleship, sharing the hope and joy of the Gospel to encourage others to live a life centered on Christ. We share in God’s desire to encourage people to know and love God, and we support those who similarly wish to “go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 28:19)

• Goal: Form Missionary Disciples, especially on the college campuses in Texas.
  • Strategy: Campus Ministries will be formed and strengthened across the state of Texas in an effort to ensure that all college students have access to a strong Catholic environment. We are looking for organizations that can carry this out, providing a priest offering sacraments, adoration, sacred music, Bible studies, and retreats for the continued formation of this critical young adult age group.
• Goal: Foster personal holiness and promote individual faith formation.
  • Strategy: Our target programs that we wish to strengthen and expand include youth ministries, RCIA, family faith formation programs, men’s and women’s groups, adult faith formation activities, and parish community-building.

Life & Human Dignity

A major component of the Roman Catholic faith is carrying out the social teachings of the Catholic Church, as laid out in the Beatitudes and defined through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. The Scanlan Foundation is committed to support those organizations that are dedicated to the social teachings of the Catholic Church who see that ”social justice can only be obtained in respecting the transcendent dignity of man.” (CCC 1929) We recognize that people are most able to reach their God-given vocation when they are healthy, safe, and financially secure from conception to natural death.

• Goal: Assist the poor, sick, and vulnerable. 
  • Strategy: We fund and strengthen those Catholic organizations that provide ministries and programs that provide essential services to the poor, sick, and vulnerable.
• Goal: Promote faith-based therapy.
  • Strategy: We support organizations that assist with mental illnesses, addictions, family and marriage issues, and other spiritual, mental, and emotional distress in ways that are faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church.
• Goal: Strengthen the culture of life.
  • Strategy: Promote organizations that have a proven track record for protecting life at all stages from conception to natural death. This includes ministries focused on ending the culture of abortion, that promote natural family planning, that support families in crisis, that teach medical ethics and advocate for end-of-life care.

Campus Ministry

This application form is for Catholic campus ministries at institutions of higher education in the State of Texas only. Qualified applicants may submit one application per year. If you are a campus ministry for high school students, please do not use this form.

Scanlan Foundation Grant

We believe that the most impactful way to carry out our mission of furthering the Roman Catholic Church in the State of Texas is to build a culture of vocations to the priesthood, religious life, and holy families.

This culture of vocations will be foundational in all that we do as we move forward with making decisions, strategic giving, and forming relationships. This cornerstone supports four main mission-furthering pillars of funding:

• Marriage & Holy Families,
• Catholic Education,
• Evangelization & Discipleship,
• and Life & Human Dignity.

Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life

At the center of our faith is the sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist. The Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” (CCC 1324) Only a validly ordained priest can validly consecrate the Eucharist, so without priests, we lack access to the “sum and summary of our faith.” (CCC 1327) It is vital to the health of our Church that it continues to produce the fruit of new vocations to the priesthood to provide access to the sacraments.

It is similarly vital to the health of the Church to promote vocations to religious life, as religious sisters are dedicated to a wide range of forms of supporting the Church, whether it be through cloistered prayer or through apostolic works such as providing education, caring for the sick, and engaging in missionary work.

• Goal: Increase the number of men answering their vocation to join the priesthood and of women answering their vocation to join religious life.
  • Strategy: Scanlan Foundation seeks to support dioceses, organizations and ministries that would like to develop or execute a plan for vocations and a strong desire to increase the fruits of vocations to the priesthood and religious life. This includes, but is not limited to, education at the seminary level, support and community for discerners, ministries that directly engage and equip parish vocation committees, school-wide Catholic education curricula, campus ministry programs that strengthen faith and evangelize, vocation-focused retreats, and youth programming aimed at building awareness and encouraging vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

Marriage & Holy Families

The Scanlan Foundation recognizes the importance of strong holy marriages and families in building a culture of vocations. “In our own time, in a world often alien and even hostile to faith, believing families are of primary importance as centers of living, radiant faith.” (CCC 1656) Not only do vocations to the priesthood and the religious life come out of holy, strong families, but also future generations of the domestic church because “the home is the first school of Christian life and ‘a school for human enrichment.’” (CCC 1657)

• Goal: Encourage couples discerning marriage to choose sacramental marriage and be well-prepared for their upcoming marriage.
  • Strategy: We wish to target funding and support to ministries that support dating and engaged couples. This includes college campus ministry and marriage preparation courses that enhance the current requirements.
• Goal: Strengthen and bolster existing marriages for their important role as the domestic church.
  • Strategy: We wish to target married couples, young families, and sacrament preparation. This effort can be done through faith-formation groups for men/husbands/fathers, faith-formation groups for women/wives/mothers, marriage support groups and mentorship programs, RCIA programs, and other sacrament preparation programs that incorporate the family in the catechesis of the youth.

Catholic Education

Scanlan Foundation has always considered Catholic Education to be critical to strengthening the fabric of our society. In the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, the primary vehicles for impact that we have identified are Campus Ministry & Culture, Faculty Faith Formation, and Scanlan Scholar Tuition Assistance. In other dioceses, we believe the individual Bishops understand best the needs of their respective schools. Therefore, we will begin to provide grant funding directly to the dioceses outside of Galveston-Houston for their Catholic schools, as opposed to making grants directly to those schools.

• Goal: Enhance access to Catholic education for families who value the faith-based educational environment but would otherwise be unable to afford the tuition.
  • Strategy: Outside of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, provide funds for Catholic high school tuition assistance directly to the dioceses, for the Bishops to distribute where they see the greatest need. Within the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, tuition assistance will be funded through the Scanlan Scholar program. Schools will select students with demonstrated financial need who also fit a profile of a Scanlan Scholar: a practicing Catholic or someone actively converting to the faith through RCIA, a strong academic achiever, and an active member of the campus ministry and service community.
• Goal: Improve teacher faith-formation.
  • Strategy: Schools that wish to enhance their faculty’s knowledge and appreciation of the doctrine and history of the Catholic faith are encouraged to share their proposed faith-formation program. Overall grant-giving to high schools will shrink in order to meet the needs of the many ministries we support. Therefore, schools may find it more impactful to invest Scanlan Foundation grants into forming their faculty so as to better represent Christ to their students and to uphold the doctrine of the Catholic faith.
• Goal: Develop strong campus ministries.
  • Strategy: Schools that wish to develop robust programs through their school’s campus ministry that have a special focus on increasing vocations to the priesthood, religious life, and holy families should apply for grant funding to further their efforts. We wish to support regular occurring ministry events, Bible studies, access to sacraments, school-wide activities, and retreats that encourage students to begin taking serious consideration to the vocation God calls them to.

Evangelization & Discipleship

“God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness, freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life…He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength. He calls together all men, scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Church.” (CCC1) To further the Roman Catholic faith in Texas, it must grow. This can be done through evangelization and discipleship, sharing the hope and joy of the Gospel to encourage others to live a life centered on Christ. We share in God’s desire to encourage people to know and love God, and we support those who similarly wish to “go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 28:19)

• Goal: Form Missionary Disciples, especially on the college campuses in Texas.
  • Strategy: Campus Ministries will be formed and strengthened across the state of Texas in an effort to ensure that all college students have access to a strong Catholic environment. We are looking for organizations that can carry this out, providing a priest offering sacraments, adoration, sacred music, Bible studies, and retreats for the continued formation of this critical young adult age group.
• Goal: Foster personal holiness and promote individual faith formation.
  • Strategy: Our target programs that we wish to strengthen and expand include youth ministries, RCIA, family faith formation programs, men’s and women’s groups, adult faith formation activities, and parish community-building.

Life & Human Dignity

A major component of the Roman Catholic faith is carrying out the social teachings of the Catholic Church, as laid out in the Beatitudes and defined through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. The Scanlan Foundation is committed to support those organizations that are dedicated to the social teachings of the Catholic Church who see that ”social justice can only be obtained in respecting the transcendent dignity of man.” (CCC 1929) We recognize that people are most able to reach their God-given vocation when they are healthy, safe, and financially secure from conception to natural death.

• Goal: Assist the poor, sick, and vulnerable. 
  • Strategy: We fund and strengthen those Catholic organizations that provide ministries and programs that provide essential services to the poor, sick, and vulnerable.
• Goal: Promote faith-based therapy.
  • Strategy: We support organizations that assist with mental illnesses, addictions, family and marriage issues, and other spiritual, mental, and emotional distress in ways that are faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church.
• Goal: Strengthen the culture of life.
  • Strategy: Promote organizations that have a proven track record for protecting life at all stages from conception to natural death. This includes ministries focused on ending the culture of abortion, that promote natural family planning, that support families in crisis, that teach medical ethics and advocate for end-of-life care.

Higher Education

This application form is for Catholic institutions of higher education in the State of Texas only. Qualified applicants may submit one application per year. If you are a campus ministry or a ministry that does not confer degrees, please download the application for the corresponding category and do not use this form.

Scanlan Foundation Grant

We believe that the most impactful way to carry out our mission of furthering the Roman Catholic Church in the State of Texas is to build a culture of vocations to the priesthood, religious life, and holy families.

This culture of vocations will be foundational in all that we do as we move forward with making decisions, strategic giving, and forming relationships. This cornerstone supports four main mission-furthering pillars of funding:

• Marriage & Holy Families,
• Catholic Education,
• Evangelization & Discipleship,
• and Life & Human Dignity.

Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life

At the center of our faith is the sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist. The Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” (CCC 1324) Only a validly ordained priest can validly consecrate the Eucharist, so without priests, we lack access to the “sum and summary of our faith.” (CCC 1327) It is vital to the health of our Church that it continues to produce the fruit of new vocations to the priesthood to provide access to the sacraments.

It is similarly vital to the health of the Church to promote vocations to religious life, as religious sisters are dedicated to a wide range of forms of supporting the Church, whether it be through cloistered prayer or through apostolic works such as providing education, caring for the sick, and engaging in missionary work.

• Goal: Increase the number of men answering their vocation to join the priesthood and of women answering their vocation to join religious life.
  • Strategy: Scanlan Foundation seeks to support dioceses, organizations and ministries that would like to develop or execute a plan for vocations and a strong desire to increase the fruits of vocations to the priesthood and religious life. This includes, but is not limited to, education at the seminary level, support and community for discerners, ministries that directly engage and equip parish vocation committees, school-wide Catholic education curricula, campus ministry programs that strengthen faith and evangelize, vocation-focused retreats, and youth programming aimed at building awareness and encouraging vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

Marriage & Holy Families

The Scanlan Foundation recognizes the importance of strong holy marriages and families in building a culture of vocations. “In our own time, in a world often alien and even hostile to faith, believing families are of primary importance as centers of living, radiant faith.” (CCC 1656) Not only do vocations to the priesthood and the religious life come out of holy, strong families, but also future generations of the domestic church because “the home is the first school of Christian life and ‘a school for human enrichment.’” (CCC 1657)

• Goal: Encourage couples discerning marriage to choose sacramental marriage and be well-prepared for their upcoming marriage.
  • Strategy: We wish to target funding and support to ministries that support dating and engaged couples. This includes college campus ministry and marriage preparation courses that enhance the current requirements.
• Goal: Strengthen and bolster existing marriages for their important role as the domestic church.
  • Strategy: We wish to target married couples, young families, and sacrament preparation. This effort can be done through faith-formation groups for men/husbands/fathers, faith-formation groups for women/wives/mothers, marriage support groups and mentorship programs, RCIA programs, and other sacrament preparation programs that incorporate the family in the catechesis of the youth.

Catholic Education

Scanlan Foundation has always considered Catholic Education to be critical to strengthening the fabric of our society. In the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, the primary vehicles for impact that we have identified are Campus Ministry & Culture, Faculty Faith Formation, and Scanlan Scholar Tuition Assistance. In other dioceses, we believe the individual Bishops understand best the needs of their respective schools. Therefore, we will begin to provide grant funding directly to the dioceses outside of Galveston-Houston for their Catholic schools, as opposed to making grants directly to those schools.

• Goal: Enhance access to Catholic education for families who value the faith-based educational environment but would otherwise be unable to afford the tuition.
  • Strategy: Outside of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, provide funds for Catholic high school tuition assistance directly to the dioceses, for the Bishops to distribute where they see the greatest need. Within the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, tuition assistance will be funded through the Scanlan Scholar program. Schools will select students with demonstrated financial need who also fit a profile of a Scanlan Scholar: a practicing Catholic or someone actively converting to the faith through RCIA, a strong academic achiever, and an active member of the campus ministry and service community.
• Goal: Improve teacher faith-formation.
  • Strategy: Schools that wish to enhance their faculty’s knowledge and appreciation of the doctrine and history of the Catholic faith are encouraged to share their proposed faith-formation program. Overall grant-giving to high schools will shrink in order to meet the needs of the many ministries we support. Therefore, schools may find it more impactful to invest Scanlan Foundation grants into forming their faculty so as to better represent Christ to their students and to uphold the doctrine of the Catholic faith.
• Goal: Develop strong campus ministries.
  • Strategy: Schools that wish to develop robust programs through their school’s campus ministry that have a special focus on increasing vocations to the priesthood, religious life, and holy families should apply for grant funding to further their efforts. We wish to support regular occurring ministry events, Bible studies, access to sacraments, school-wide activities, and retreats that encourage students to begin taking serious consideration to the vocation God calls them to.

Evangelization & Discipleship

“God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness, freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life…He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength. He calls together all men, scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Church.” (CCC1) To further the Roman Catholic faith in Texas, it must grow. This can be done through evangelization and discipleship, sharing the hope and joy of the Gospel to encourage others to live a life centered on Christ. We share in God’s desire to encourage people to know and love God, and we support those who similarly wish to “go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 28:19)

• Goal: Form Missionary Disciples, especially on the college campuses in Texas.
  • Strategy: Campus Ministries will be formed and strengthened across the state of Texas in an effort to ensure that all college students have access to a strong Catholic environment. We are looking for organizations that can carry this out, providing a priest offering sacraments, adoration, sacred music, Bible studies, and retreats for the continued formation of this critical young adult age group.
• Goal: Foster personal holiness and promote individual faith formation.
  • Strategy: Our target programs that we wish to strengthen and expand include youth ministries, RCIA, family faith formation programs, men’s and women’s groups, adult faith formation activities, and parish community-building.

Life & Human Dignity

A major component of the Roman Catholic faith is carrying out the social teachings of the Catholic Church, as laid out in the Beatitudes and defined through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. The Scanlan Foundation is committed to support those organizations that are dedicated to the social teachings of the Catholic Church who see that ”social justice can only be obtained in respecting the transcendent dignity of man.” (CCC 1929) We recognize that people are most able to reach their God-given vocation when they are healthy, safe, and financially secure from conception to natural death.

• Goal: Assist the poor, sick, and vulnerable. 
  • Strategy: We fund and strengthen those Catholic organizations that provide ministries and programs that provide essential services to the poor, sick, and vulnerable.
• Goal: Promote faith-based therapy.
  • Strategy: We support organizations that assist with mental illnesses, addictions, family and marriage issues, and other spiritual, mental, and emotional distress in ways that are faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church.
• Goal: Strengthen the culture of life.
  • Strategy: Promote organizations that have a proven track record for protecting life at all stages from conception to natural death. This includes ministries focused on ending the culture of abortion, that promote natural family planning, that support families in crisis, that teach medical ethics and advocate for end-of-life care.

Ministry

This application form is for Catholic ministries in the State of Texas only. Qualified applicants may submit one application per year. If you are a campus ministry, high school or institution of higher education, please download the corresponding application form for your category and do not use this form.

John M. O'Quinn Foundation Grant

Background

John M. O’Quinn established The John M. O’Quinn Foundation in 1986. With his death in 2009, Mr. O’Quinn willed his entire estate to The Foundation. As of December 31, 2024, the Foundation has awarded more than $192 million in grants. Most of the funds have been given within the state of Texas with a special emphasis on Houston, Mr. O’Quinn’s home since his youth. Although The Foundation supports a wide variety of charitable activities, in honoring Mr. O’Quinn’s legacy, the Board of Trustees focuses on Houston and its surrounding areas for conservation, education, healthcare, and programs benefitting underprivileged youth.

Our Mission

Our mission is to build, sustain, and enhance organizations that make Houston a stronger, more vibrant community. As a family-directed foundation, we selectively participate in distinctive grantmaking opportunities across Texas and beyond.

Honoring the legacy of our founders, the Foundation values visionary leadership; entrepreneurialism; loyalty; a commitment to excellence; and an orientation toward action and direct service. The Foundation purposefully maintains a low profile, keeping the focus on the mission of our grantees and the communities they serve.

Over its nearly 70-year history, The Brown Foundation has distributed more than $1.7 billion in grants across the state of Texas.

Type of Requests

• The Foundation reviews requests for general operating funds; program support; and capital campaigns/projects.
• For capital requests, additional documentation is required.

Program Areas

The Foundation considers submissions from a broad range of organizations. Organizations have the ability to self-select a program area in our application system. Please select the one you feel best represents your organization’s mission and work.

About Us

In December of 1958 Marshall G. and Lillie Appelt Johnson established the M.G. and Lillie A. Johnson Foundation, Inc. with the original intention being to use their estates to cause to be built a Lutheran hospital in the Texas Medical Center in Houston, Texas.

With the help of Dr. Fred Elliott, the then Executive in charge of the Texas Medical Center, contact was made with Dr. Randolph Clark, President of the M.D. Anderson Hospital in the Texas Medical Center. Dr. Clark was instrumental in contacting the University of Texas Cancer Foundation and, along with Dr. Elliott, arranged to secure an agreement in which Mr. and Mrs. Johnson would transfer their 51,860-acre ranch in Florida to the University Cancer Foundation. The University of Texas would staff and operate the hospital as a teaching hospital and the Texas Medical Center would make available a six acre tract of land adjacent to the M.D. Anderson Hospital within the Texas Medical Center. The Lutheran Central Activities Committee pledged to assist in the building of a non-denominational chapel for the hospital.

The University Cancer Foundation arranged for the sale of the donated ranch in Florida for the sum of Sixteen Million Dollars, which sum formed the seed money for the project. Through the efforts of Dr. Clark and Dr. Elliott, other Texas foundations, the Texas Legislature, and federal grants, the 300-bed teaching hospital along with a 1200 patient-per-day clinic was built and operates today. This project eventually comprised an investment approximating one hundred million dollars.

Although Mr. Johnson passed away in 1971 before any construction began, he was a party to the original agreement. Mrs. Johnson survived him by a number of years and not only saw the result of their initial contribution, but was honored for such a generous contribution numerous times prior to her death in 1987. The Johnson's contribution provided a nucleus for financing what is now known as the Lutheran Hospital Pavilion at M.D. Anderson Hospital in Houston and at that time represented the single largest contribution ever made to the University of Texas Cancer Foundation. Hanging in the Pavilion are portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Johnson and a tribute that closes with the words, "to those two distinguished Texans for their generosity and compassion for their fellow man."

The Foundation has been administered by a Board of Trustees. Through November 30, 2015, grants have been made to qualifying charities in the amount of $106,798,737.57.

Grant Request Procedures and Guidelines established by the Foundation’s Trustees provide that grants be made within in the State of Texas. Historically, grants have been made exclusively in the Texas Gulf Coast area most often referred to as the South Texas Crossroads Area. This would include Aransas, Bee, Calhoun, Colorado, Dewitt, Goliad, Gonzales, Jackson, Karnes, Lavaca, Matagorda, Refugio, Victoria, Waller and Wharton Counties. Primary emphasis will be given to requests for medical or allied health purposes, and institutions of higher education. The Foundation's Board of Trustees presently consist of M.H. Brock, Chairman, Jim Bouligny, Vice Chairman, Jack Morrison, Secretary/Treasurer, Dick Koop, Terrell Mullins Rosemary Rust and Russell Marshall. The Foundation's Executive Vice President and Manager is Robert Halepeska. Dorothy Mikulenka is responsible for accounting and technology.

About 

Gordon A. Cain and his wife Mary established The Gordon and Mary Cain Foundation in 1988 to provide financial support to charitable organizations. In 2007 the foundation made a historic grant of $100 million to the John Motley Morehead Foundation in support of the Morehead Scholars Program at the University of North Carolina. Remaining assets of the Gordon and Mary Cain Foundation were used to found The Gordon A. Cain Foundation in an effort to continue Gordon's philanthropic legacy and honor his generous spirit.

Gordon was constantly looking for a better way to improve lives. He was a self-made man who put faith in innovation and trust in other human beings. Although originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Gordon found great personal happiness and professional success through entrepreneurial ventures in Houston, Texas and his commitment to the local community there is a cornerstone of the foundation today. 

The Gordon A. Cain foundation works to support non-profit organizations that provide valuable services and research through bi-yearly grants. It is a family run foundation based in Houston, Texas.

Gordon A. Cain Foundation Grant

The Gordon A. Cain Foundation is a non-profit philanthropic organization incorporated in the State of Texas in 2007. It was founded to provide financial support to charitable organizations primarily in the city of Houston, Texas.

Robert W. Knox, Jr., a resident of Houston, Texas, established the Foundation in 1964 in honor of his parents Robert W. Knox, Sr. and Pearl Wallis Knox. Robert W. Knox, Sr., a well-known physician in Houston, married Pearl Wallis of Galveston in 1892. Dr. Knox was president of the Texas State Medical Association, Chief Surgeon for the Southern Pacific Railway and helped establish several hospitals in the San Antonio, Houston and Louisiana areas. Robert Knox was active in the real estate business in Houston and was a veteran of both world wars.

The foundation is for religious, charitable, scientific, literary or educational purposes or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals within the United States.

GRANTS

In keeping with the mission of the Show, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo provides grants to 501(c)(3) charities and accredited institutions of higher education to support programming that benefits youth, supports education, expands agricultural horizons, and/or preserves and honors pioneer heritage and cultures. To date, the Show has presented over $89 million in research, grants, and educational programs to more than 100 organizations and institutions in Texas.

John T. Shea Foundation

The John T. Shea Foundation provides support for religious, charitable, scientific, public safety, literary, or educational purposes, or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals. 

Grants are made to charitable organizations in Houston, Texas, with preference given to organizations working to prevent cruelty to children or animals.

Program Areas

• Arts and Culture,
• Civic Activities,
• Scientific,
• Human and Social Services,
• Environment,
• Health and Medical Research

Mission

Founded in 1943, the McKesson Foundation is a 501(c)(3) corporate foundation dedicated to advancing health outcomes for all. The Foundation’s mission is to remove barriers to quality healthcare across North America, especially for vulnerable and underserved communities.

Strategic Giving Pillars and Areas of Focus

The McKesson Foundation champions health equity by partnering with nonprofit organizations to advance efforts aligned with three strategic giving pillars and corresponding areas of focus:

Reducing the Burden of Cancer

The American Cancer Society estimates 1.9M people will receive a cancer diagnosis in 2022 and two in five Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. These cancer diagnoses often create both a health and financial crisis for patients and their families. Studies show factors including race/ethnicity, health insurance status and income can affect the timing of a patient’s diagnosis and treatment, as well as their survival and financial impact. Working with our partners, we aim to reduce the risk of getting cancer and address socioeconomic barriers to care.

• Prevention
  • provide education and services to encourage people to adopt healthy diets, exercise regularly, avoid tobacco, and protect their skin.
• Screening and Treatment
  • increase awareness of the importance of screenings, early detection and timely treatment among vulnerable populations; provide free health screenings for patients and connect them to care.
• Financial/Logistical Assistance
  • connect uninsured and underinsured patients to programs providing low or no-cost co-pays and social determinants of health (SDOH) interventions, e.g., transportation, childcare, healthy food, home meal delivery; reduce the economic burden of low-income patients with emergency funds for rent, utilities and other household expenses.

Preparing Tomorrow's Healthcare Workforce

Patients report that they feel more heard and are more compliant with medical guidance when they share race/ethnicity with their healthcare practitioner. Nearly a third of the U.S. population is Black or Hispanic, yet the combined Black and Hispanic representation among oncologists is 8 percent and the combined Black, Indigenous and Hispanic representation among pharmacists is 10.7 percent. Closing the gap between diverse representation among the general population and among healthcare practitioners will improve health equity and patient outcomes.

• Oncology Professionals
  • increase underrepresented in medicine (URiM) student recruitment and retention;
  • increase all health professionals’ cultural competency to better serve a diverse patient population.
• Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians 
  • increase URiM recruitment and retention;
  • prepare students for broader pharmacist roles;
  • leverage pharmacists’ extensive training, community presence and public trust to serve vulnerable and rural patient populations.
• Student Engagement
  • increase students’ awareness of STEM careers;
  • support students’ financial literacy;
  • help prepare middle and high school students for higher education.

Accelerating Crisis Response

With the increased frequency and intensity of climate events, more people across North America need temporary or extended shelter, as well as food and medications, during and in the aftermath of crises. And with 10 percent of the population in both Canada and the U.S. living in food insecure households, programs to provide regular, nutritious meals to children, families and seniors can reduce chronic disease and improve long-term health.

• Preparedness
  • support relief agencies’ efforts to prepare for forecasted as well as unforeseen emergencies;
  • support relief agencies’ efforts to help people become Red Cross Ready.
• Disaster Relief and Recovery
  • mobilize resources to provide acute services, such as water, food, shelter, comfort kits, medicines, and healthcare for people affected by natural disasters or crises;
  • help families return to normalcy after a disaster.
• Medicine and Food
  • assist vulnerable individuals and communities by supporting acute and chronic care services that provide medicines and food.

The Lawrence Foundation is a private family foundation focused on making grants to support environmental, human services and other causes.

The Lawrence Foundation was established in mid-2000. We make both program and operating grants and do not have any geographical restrictions on our grants. Nonprofit organizations that qualify for public charity status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or other similar organizations are eligible for grants from The Lawrence Foundation.  

Grant Amount and Types

Grants typically range between $5,000 - $10,000. In some limited cases we may make larger grants, but that is typically after we have gotten to know your organization over a period of time. We also generally don’t make multi-year grants, although we may fund the same organization on a year by year basis over a period of years.

General operating or program/project grant requests within our areas of interests are accepted. In general, regardless of whether a grant request is for general operating or program/project expenses, all of our grants will be issued as unrestricted grants.

Community Assistance Grant

The Junior League is committed to exploring new opportunities that expand its community outreach through Community Assistance Grants.

The Community Assistance Committee evaluates grant applications for projects in the greater Houston community that do not currently receive volunteer support from the League and makes funding recommendations to the League’s Board of Directors for consideration. Specifically, requests that address a critical or basic need, fund a pilot program and/or expand a significant service to the community are considered. Eligible recipients can only receive a Community Assistance grant once every three years.

Community Assistance Grants are funded, in part, by the Barbara and Roy Adams Endowed Community Grant Fund held by the Junior League of Houston Foundation. This endowed fund was made possible through a generous estate gift from Barbara Beardmore Adams (1940 – 2014), a Junior League member from 1982 – 2014.

Focus Areas

The focus areas for this year's Community Assistance Grants are listed below:

• Children’s Education
• Children and Women’s Health and Well-Being
• Whole Family Basic Needs

Community Assistance Pilot Program

This year the Junior League of Houston is launching a Community Assistance pilot that may award up to three agencies $10,000 for their operating funds every year for three years starting this upcoming year with the goal of helping early-stage organizations increase their capacity to make a positive impact in the greater Houston community.

Focus Areas

The focus areas for this year is listed below:

• Children’s Education
• Children and Women’s Health and Well-Being
• Whole Family Basic Needs

Charlotte B. Proehl Foundation

For the support of charitable organizations in the Greater Houston, Texas area.

Program Areas

• Animal Welfare
• Arts and Culture
• Civic Activities
• Community Development
• Education
• Environment
• Human and Social Services
• Religious
• Health and Medical Research
• Scientific

Background

Every community faces unique barriers that require collaborative solutions to thrive. The Dow Promise Program supports educational and economic challenges Black youth and adults face in the United States by addressing community-identified needs and advancing equitable opportunities. Through grants of up to $10,000 towards social, economic or environmental initiatives, Dow Promise not only fosters a thriving community, but a shared future.

Since 2000, this annual competitive program has committed to uplifting communities in which Dow operates by supporting their needs and investing in positive social change for long-term success.

About

Member of The Garden Club of America, River Oaks Garden Club was founded in 1927 and has made many contributions to the Houston community in the areas of conservation, horticulture and civic beautification. Proceeds from the Azalea Trail support these ongoing projects:

• Maintenance of River Oaks Garden Club Forum of Civics Building and Gardens. The gardens are open to the public.
• Maintenance of the 14-acre gardens of Bayou Bend, the former estate of Miss Ima Hogg, and now the Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
• Establishment of the Bayou Bend Gardens Endowment, a charitable trust for the perpetual maintenance of the gardens. The endowment is supported by public contributions.
• Host of the annual Sadie Gwin Blackburn Environmental Seminar, which is open to the public. Admission is free.
• Publication of A Garden Book for Houston and the Texas Gulf Coast.
• Involvement

Mission Statement

Our Mission

The mission of The River Oaks Garden Club is to stimulate the knowledge and love of gardening, to share the advantages of association by means of educational meetings, conferences, correspondence and publications, and to restore, improve, and protect the quality of the environment through educational programs and action in the fields of conservation and civic improvement.