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

Charitable Contributions

Costco Wholesale’s primary charitable efforts specifically focus on programs supporting children, education, and health and human services in the communities where we do business. Throughout the year we receive a large number of requests from nonprofit organizations striving to make a positive impact, and we are thankful to be able to provide support to a variety of organizations and causes. While we would like to respond favorably to all requests, understandably, the needs are far greater than our allocated resources and we are unable to accommodate them all.

Warehouse Donations:

Warehouse donations are handled at the warehouse level - please consult your local warehouse for up-to-date information regarding their donations contacts and review process.

Grant Applications

If the request is under consideration, you may be contacted by staff for any additional information needed. Applications are reviewed within 4-6 weeks, and decisions are made based on several factors, including: type of program; identified community need not otherwise available; indication that evidenced based data will establish measurable results of intended outcomes; community collaboration; broad base of financial support; project budget and operating expenses.

Community Grants

State Farm is committed to helping build safer, stronger and better-educated communities.

• ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​We are committed to auto and home safety programs and activities that help people manage the risks of everyday life.
• We invest in education, economic empowerment and community development projects, programs and services that help people realize their dreams.
• We help maintain the vibrancy of our communities by assisting nonprofits that support community revitalization.

Good Neighbor Citizenship company grants focus on safety, community development and education.

Focus Areas

Safety Grants

We strive to keep our customers and communities safe. That's why our funding is directed toward:

• Auto safety — improving driver, passenger, vehicle or roadway safety
• Home safety — shielding homes from fires, crime or natural disasters
• Disaster preparedness and mitigation
• Disaster recovery

Community Development

We support nonprofits that invest and develop stronger neighborhoods. That's why our funding is directed toward:

• Affordable housing — home construction and repair
• Commercial/small business development
• Job training
• Neighborhood revitalization
• Financial literacy
• Sustainable housing and transportation
• Food insecurity

Education

Our education funding is directed toward initiatives that support the following programs:

• Higher education
• K-12 academic performance
• K-12 STEM
• Pathways for college and career success

Mission

The mission of the Hearst Foundations is to identify and fund outstanding nonprofits to ensure that people of all backgrounds in the United States can build healthy, productive and satisfying lives. Through its grantmaking, the Hearst Foundations support well-established nonprofit organizations that address significant issues within their major areas of focus—culture, education, health and social service—and that primarily serve large demographic and/or geographic constituencies. In each area of funding, the Foundations seek to identify those organizations achieving truly differentiated results relative to other organizations making similar efforts for similar populations. The Foundations also look for evidence of sustainability beyond their support.

Whether providing a scholarship to a deserving student, supporting a rural health clinic or bringing artists into schools so children can see firsthand the beauty of the arts, the Foundations’ focus is consistent: to help those in need, those underserved and those underrepresented in society. Since the Foundations were formed in the 1940s, the scale and capabilities of the grant making have changed, but the mission has not.

Culture Grant

The Hearst Foundations fund cultural institutions that offer meaningful programs in the arts and sciences, prioritizing those that enable engagement by young people and create a lasting and measurable impact. The Foundations also fund select programs nurturing and developing artistic talent. Supported organizations include arts schools, ballets, museums, operas, performing arts centers, symphonies and theaters.

Funding Priorities in Culture

In the recent past, 25% of total funding has been allocated to Culture. Organizations with budgets over $10 million have received 60% of the funding in Culture.

The Hearst Foundations are only able to fund approximately 25% of all grant requests, of which about 80% is directed to prior grantees and about 20% is targeted toward new grantees.

Types of Support

Program, capital and, on a limited basis, general and endowment support

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 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

Michael & Susan Dell Foundation Grants

The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation only accepts unsolicited proposals for specific areas within the education, family economic stability and childhood health sectors in select countries where we work, namely the United States, India and South Africa.

As a guideline, the foundation does not fund more than 25% of a project’s budget or more than 10% of an organization’s total annual operating expenses.

The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation has always recognized the power of providing grants to partner organizations that we knew were already working hard to improve the lives of urban children living in poverty. By aligning with organizations that are already making a difference, we continue to make an immediate impact on the lives of thousands of children.

Foundation priorities:

We fund social enterprises that directly serve or impact children or youth from urban low-income communities in the areas of education, health, and family economic stability (including livelihoods and financial inclusion). These social enterprises may be structured as for-profit or nonprofit entities.

Partnerships

We collaborate with a range of organizations focused on creating opportunities for children and families living in urban poverty, with a deep emphasis on measuring impact. Our funding advances projects already making an impact in education, health, and family economic stability. Through these enduring and long-standing partnerships, we create lasting change together.

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.

The Sidney Stern Memorial Trust is devoted solely to the funding of charitable, scientific, medical and educational organizations.

The Board endeavors to support soundly-managed charitable organizations that give service with a broad scope, have a substantial effect on their target populations, and contribute materially to the general welfare. The Board does not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation or religion.

We have strong partnerships with nonprofit organizations across the country that are working to advance economic mobility and social progress in low- and moderate-income communities. Our focus areas include basic needs like food and housing, workforce development and education, and community development. In addition to our philanthropic investments, we also encourage our employees to make a difference by offering robust employee giving and volunteering programs, including the opportunity to direct funds to organizations they support through volunteer efforts, and a matching gifts program that doubles their individual giving to causes they care about. Last year, we invested $350 million in the communities we serve, and employees contributed more than 1 million volunteer hours and directed $65 million through individual giving and matching gifts to support nonprofits.Through our regional U.S. sponsorships, we support the economic, social and cultural life of the places we live and work. We provide an extensive program of arts and sports sponsorships to help maintain vibrant, healthy communities.Sponsorships supporting communitiesBank of America welcomes your sponsorship proposal for opportunities that make our communities a better place to live and work. We are particularly interested in providing support to address needs vital to the health of our communities through a focus on:

• preserving neighborhoods;
• educating the workforce for 21st century jobs;
• addressing critical needs such as hunger and emergency shelter;
• arts and culture;
• the environment; and
• diversity and inclusion programs.

Grants are made at the Foundation’s discretion based on our current funding strategies focused on housing, jobs and hunger. 

Our Mission

The Tony Robbins Foundation is a nonprofit organization created to empower individuals and organizations to make a significant difference in the quality of life of people often forgotten.

We’re dedicated to creating positive changes in the lives of youth, seniors, the hungry, homeless and the imprisoned population, all who need a boost envisioning a happier and deeply satisfying way of life. Our passionate staff, generous donors and caring group of international volunteers provide the vision, inspiration, and resources needed to empower these important members of our society.

Grants

Dedicated to meeting challenges within the global community, creating solutions and taking action, The Tony Robbins Foundation provides monetary donations to various organizations around the world. Funding requests are evaluated on an ongoing basis. We look for organizations that align with our mission to empower individuals and organizations to make a significant difference in the quality of life of those often forgotten.

Wells Fargo and the Wells Fargo Foundation collaborate with a wide range of nonprofit organizations that align with our strategic funding priorities. We prioritize our funding to activities and programs that have a broad reach and support the needs of underserved communities. We aspire to have a positive impact on the communities we serve by using our financial and volunteer resources and business expertise in collaboration with community organizations to help solve complex societal problems.

• Financial health
• Housing affordability
• Small business growth
• Sustainability

We may also support other local needs in eligible communities such as disaster relief, arts and culture, civic engagement, education, human and social services, and workforce development. However, opportunities are limited as our intent is to direct the majority of our giving within our major focus areas.

Mission & History

The mission of Waco Foundation is to promote solutions to community challenges, strengthen local nonprofits, engage philanthropists and manage charitable assets in order to improve quality of life in McLennan County.

As the community foundation for McLennan County, we focus on the four areas of our mission:

• Promote solutions to community challenges:
  • We lead, follow and collaborate as needed to provide solutions to community challenges, often partnering with other foundations, nonprofits, individual donors, government, educational and healthcare institutions and the private sector.
• Strengthen our local nonprofits:
  • We support nonprofits through grants, guidance and fund management, strengthening their ability to make an impact on critical issues in our community both today and in the future.
• Engage philanthropists:
  • We provide personalized philanthropic advice and services to those interested in making a long-term impact with their giving, with an emphasis on safeguarding charitable intentions.
• Manage charitable assets:
  • We accept, prudently manage and preserve the value of long-term charitable resources entrusted to our care.

Waco Foundation was established in 1958 with a $30,000 gift from R.B. and Edith Heinze Parrot to ensure the vitality and longevity of the Waco community. Today the Foundation manages more $130 million in charitable assets in the form of agency endowments, scholarships and community and donor advised funds, all for the benefit of the community.

Waco Foundation Grant-Making

Waco Foundation engages in both proactive and responsive grantmaking activities. The proactive grantmaking is largely implemented through staff-led initiatives and the work of select community partners. All grantmaking decisions are based on community-wide impact of improving local quality of life.

The competitive grants process was designed to help ensure the Foundation remains inclusive with regard to the causes, concerns and perspectives of area nonprofits, and responsive to the financial challenges they face.

Funding Priorities

• Fostering more racially equitable experiences and outcomes for area residents
• Helping people leave poverty permanently. As an example, priority will be given to supporting the most focused, cost-effective methods of:
  • Significantly reducing teen pregnancy
  • Significantly increasing graduation rates from high school, technical school, community college and college
• Supporting valuable projects that are:
  • Interesting, unique, and energizing; and which seek to make Waco a vibrant, inclusive and attractive community
  • Considered to be critical components and high priorities of the entire community
• Increasing the capacity of McLennan County’s nonprofit sector and the ability of the community-at-large, to address challenges:
  • Strengthening nonprofit sustainability
  • Helping local organizations collaborate
  • Increasing leadership capacity and pathways
• Funding organizations that provide support and service to our most vulnerable residents – people in poverty, people with disabilities, the elderly, children and youth.

Capital Expenses Support Grants

Capital Expenses Support Grants help cover costs related to select, small office equipment, building equipment, building renovation and/or construction costs, and select vehicle purchases

Small Capital Grants

Will be awarded in keeping with the uses noted above. While the Foundation will accept applications from a variety of nonprofits, the highest priority consideration will be given to human services, youth-serving and arts/cultural organizations needing capital assistance.

Mission & History

The mission of Waco Foundation is to promote solutions to community challenges, strengthen local nonprofits, engage philanthropists and manage charitable assets in order to improve quality of life in McLennan County.

As the community foundation for McLennan County, we focus on the four areas of our mission:

• Promote solutions to community challenges:
  • We lead, follow and collaborate as needed to provide solutions to community challenges, often partnering with other foundations, nonprofits, individual donors, government, educational and healthcare institutions and the private sector.
• Strengthen our local nonprofits:
  • We support nonprofits through grants, guidance and fund management, strengthening their ability to make an impact on critical issues in our community both today and in the future.
• Engage philanthropists:
  • We provide personalized philanthropic advice and services to those interested in making a long-term impact with their giving, with an emphasis on safeguarding charitable intentions.
• Manage charitable assets:
  • We accept, prudently manage and preserve the value of long-term charitable resources entrusted to our care.

Waco Foundation was established in 1958 with a $30,000 gift from R.B. and Edith Heinze Parrot to ensure the vitality and longevity of the Waco community. Today the Foundation manages more $100 million in charitable assets in the form of agency endowments, scholarships and community and donor advised funds, all for the benefit of the community.

Waco Foundation Grant-Making

Waco Foundation engages in both proactive and responsive grantmaking activities. The proactive grantmaking is largely implemented through staff-led initiatives and the work of select community partners. All grantmaking decisions are based on community-wide impact of improving local quality of life.

The competitive grants process was designed to help ensure the Foundation remains inclusive with regard to the causes, concerns and perspectives of area nonprofits, and responsive to the financial challenges they face.

Funding Priorities

• Fostering more racially equitable experiences and outcomes for area residents
• Helping people leave poverty permanently. As an example, priority will be given to supporting the most focused, cost-effective methods of:
  • Significantly reducing teen pregnancy
  • Significantly increasing graduation rates from high school, technical school, community college and college
• Supporting valuable projects that are:
  • Interesting, unique, and energizing; and which seek to make Waco a vibrant, inclusive and attractive community
  • Considered to be critical components and high priorities of the entire community
• Increasing the capacity of McLennan County’s nonprofit sector and the ability of the community-at-large, to address challenges:
  • Strengthening nonprofit sustainability
  • Helping local organizations collaborate
  • Increasing leadership capacity and pathways
• Funding organizations that provide support and service to our most vulnerable residents – people in poverty, people with disabilities, the elderly, children and youth.

Immediate Impact Grants 

These grants are intended to provide program, operating or capital support to a wide range of area nonprofits. The Foundation offers support in three primary areas:

• To civic-grassroots groups and nonprofits working to provide support to traditionally marginalized or under-invested communities (in keeping with recognized CDBG recipient areas) through efforts that help enhance the attractiveness and vitality of targeted neighborhoods, and foster community engagement and development among those population groups.
• To nonprofits that provide support and service to our most vulnerable residents, including people in poverty, people with disabilities, the elderly, children, and youth.
• To nonprofits that work to help foster an inclusive, attractive community for residents and visitors alike. Under special circumstances, the Foundation will accept requests from Taxing Entities (e.g. school districts).

The types of project the foundation would be willing to consider include but are not limited to the following:

• Facilitated neighborhood planning/visioning and (community participatory) research process;
• Facilitated neighborhood gatherings designed to build community and networking among neighbors;
• Training/workshop/services that facilitate building the capacity of residents to plan, organize, and implement community-led projects that enhance a neighborhood's image, safety, and/or it's access to services;
• Small neighborhood improvements that are not usually eligible for coverage by government funds (e.g. sidewalk number paintings, banners, and other services that lend to visibility, branding, and /or identification);
• Establishment and promotion of neighborhood gardens and other efforts that aid in the healthy food access and food distribution by/to area residents;
• Funds that further the collaborative work being done to address poverty issues, particularly as it relates to health, education and financial security;
• Projects that help build the capacity of neighborhood residents to create, support and/or strengthen entrepreneurial, and/or innovative services in their immediate community.

Mission & History

The mission of Waco Foundation is to promote solutions to community challenges, strengthen local nonprofits, engage philanthropists and manage charitable assets in order to improve quality of life in McLennan County.

As the community foundation for McLennan County, we focus on the four areas of our mission:

• Promote solutions to community challenges:
  • We lead, follow and collaborate as needed to provide solutions to community challenges, often partnering with other foundations, nonprofits, individual donors, government, educational and healthcare institutions and the private sector.
• Strengthen our local nonprofits:
  • We support nonprofits through grants, guidance and fund management, strengthening their ability to make an impact on critical issues in our community both today and in the future.
• Engage philanthropists:
  • We provide personalized philanthropic advice and services to those interested in making a long-term impact with their giving, with an emphasis on safeguarding charitable intentions.
• Manage charitable assets:
  • We accept, prudently manage and preserve the value of long-term charitable resources entrusted to our care.

Waco Foundation was established in 1958 with a $30,000 gift from R.B. and Edith Heinze Parrot to ensure the vitality and longevity of the Waco community. Today the Foundation manages more $100 million in charitable assets in the form of agency endowments, scholarships and community and donor advised funds, all for the benefit of the community.

Waco Foundation Grant-Making

Waco Foundation engages in both proactive and responsive grantmaking activities. The proactive grantmaking is largely implemented through staff-led initiatives and the work of select community partners. All grantmaking decisions are based on community-wide impact of improving local quality of life.

The competitive grants process was designed to help ensure the Foundation remains inclusive with regard to the causes, concerns and perspectives of area nonprofits, and responsive to the financial challenges they face.

Funding Priorities

• Fostering more racially equitable experiences and outcomes for area residents
• Helping people leave poverty permanently. As an example, priority will be given to supporting the most focused, cost-effective methods of:
  • Significantly reducing teen pregnancy
  • Significantly increasing graduation rates from high school, technical school, community college and college
• Supporting valuable projects that are:
  • Interesting, unique, and energizing; and which seek to make Waco a vibrant, inclusive and attractive community
  • Considered to be critical components and high priorities of the entire community
• Increasing the capacity of McLennan County’s nonprofit sector and the ability of the community-at-large, to address challenges:
  • Strengthening nonprofit sustainability
  • Helping local organizations collaborate
  • Increasing leadership capacity and pathways
• Funding organizations that provide support and service to our most vulnerable residents – people in poverty, people with disabilities, the elderly, children and youth.

Program/Operating Support Grants 

These grants are intended for agencies whose programs or services give attention to identifying and addressing the root causes of area challenges, including the social drivers or determinants that foster, create or reinforce inequitable outcomes and experiences.

Ameriprise Financial Grantmaking

At Ameriprise Financial, giving back is deeply rooted in our culture. We’ve initiated positive change in the communities where we live and work for more than 120 years. We believe our community involvement enables us to actively live our values. Through grant making, volunteerism and employee and financial advisor gift matching programs, we support a diverse group of over 6,000 nonprofits across the country.

Focus Areas

Awarding grant dollars to nonprofits is one way we strengthen our communities and help individuals on a path to financial independence. To ensure we're meeting the needs of our communities and making an even greater collective impact, we focus on three key giving areas when awarding grants.

Volunteer engagement is a priority across all focus areas:

The engagement of Ameriprise employees and financial advisors is a critical component of our philanthropy. Whether it’s serving on a nonprofit board, engaging friends, clients and community members in volunteering or providing skills-based support, our relationships with nonprofits go deep. For this reason, we give priority across all focus areas to applications where there is active volunteer engagement of Ameriprise advisors and employees. 

Meeting Basic Needs

At Ameriprise Financial, we help clients achieve financial security and peace of mind. That’s satisfying, meaningful work. We also help the people in our neighborhoods who struggle to meet basic needs such as where their next meal comes from, where they’ll sleep tonight or how they’ll find a higher wage job. We’re here to help them through the three platforms of our Meeting Basic Needs focus area.

Consideration is given to applications addressing the following: 

• Hunger
• Food banks, food shelves and food pantries, daily meal programs or meal services for the homebound
• Hunger-relief programs targeted to meet the special needs of children, ethnic populations or veterans
• Food programs run by nonprofits where hunger is not their sole focus, for example a youth meal program at the YWCA or a backpack program run by a Boys & Girls Club
• Shelter
• Emergency shelter, including youth homelessness
• Transitional housing, permanent supportive housing and efforts to end chronic homelessness
• Housing-first models (programs quickly providing housing and then addressing needed services)
• Achieving and maintaining home ownership, repair and maintenance efforts helping keep seniors, veterans and other populations in their homes 
• Adult Self-Sufficiency: Programs serving adults age 21 and older that help address the following areas:
• Basic hard and soft skills that help adults achieve economic and family stability
• Basic financial and budgeting skills
• Increase employability and wages, including work readiness and job transitions
• Employment of disabled adults

Supporting Community Vitality

We believe communities should be strong, healthy and resilient. We want livable places for all, where neighbors look out for one another, cultural events are well-attended and people pull together in times of crisis and joy. We work to create economic vitality and cultural enrichment through the following areas of focus.

Consideration is given to applications addressing the following: 

• Community Development
• Neighborhood revitalization
• Economic development
• Strengthening and supporting small businesses and nonprofits through technical expertise
• Cultural Enrichment
• Arts education
• Access for underserved populations
• Diverse artists and performances that spark topical community conversations 

Volunteer Driven Causes: Ameriprise employees and financial advisors are outstanding volunteers who serve in teams and also as individuals bringing personal skill-sets to nonprofits. Volunteering is part of the culture at Ameriprise and we are proud to support communities through contributions of both service and financial resources. 

Funding for Volunteer-Driven Causes is determined by current Ameriprise volunteerism. In general, funding is in proportion to the size of the Ameriprise volunteer team supporting a nonprofit. A team may include employees, financial advisors and/or staff or a combination of any Ameriprise volunteers. 

Mission

Our mission is to meet basic human needs while building individual and social resiliency. 

Established in 1987, the Bernard & Audre Rapoport Foundation has dedicated over $70 million in grants to improve the social fabric of life.  

The Foundation seeks innovative solutions to intractable and persistent problems and strives to cultivate emerging talents and promising models. 

The entire Rapoport family is actively involved in the Foundation’s operations, which has touched many lives in the areas of education, arts and culture, health, community building & social services, and democracy & civic participation.

This commitment is rooted in generations past and continues to mold our future.

Areas of Funding Priorities

The Foundation prefers to concentrate on five primary areas including: Arts & Culture, Community Building & Social Service, Democracy & Civic Participation, Education, and Health.

Arts and Culture

The Foundation supports artistic and cultural programs that encourage the participation of children and disadvantaged members of the community thereby enriching their lives. Education and cultivation of new and young patrons is encouraged.

Education

The Foundation is interested in the broad area of education but with a special concern for early learning up to and through the elementary years. Other areas of interest include adult education and training initiatives, college and career readiness, and programs that enhance the capabilities of teachers and other professionals in public schools.  

Health

The Foundation seeks to improve the quality and delivery of healthcare services to all citizens, especially to women, children, and those who do not have access to conventional medical resources. Community-based outreach initiatives are also of interest to the Foundation.

Community Building and Social Services

The Foundation seeks to build communities that improve the quality of life for all citizens and foster the growth and development of children. The Foundation encourages programs that build grassroots neighborhood networks, provide job training and job opportunities for the unemployed and under-employed, or provide a comprehensive safety net of social services for the least-advantaged citizens.  

Democracy and Civic Participation

The Foundation supports efforts both to make government more responsive and to encourage citizens to take an active interest and role in political life. The Foundation promotes intergovernmental cooperation as well as initiatives that broaden citizen awareness of public policy issues and alternatives, build skills necessary for political leadership, and provide opportunities for community service.  

Where We Fund

By policy, one-third of annual grant funds are required to be distributed for projects/programs located in Waco, Texas. (The bulk of awards in Waco tend to fall within the areas of Education, Health, Community Building & Social Services, and Arts & Culture.)

By policy, one-third of annual grant funds are considered discretionary and may be distributed in support of projects/programs throughout Texas and the United States as desired. In recent years, a significant portion of the Foundation’s discretionary grant budget has been largely focused on ad-hoc special interest areas as determined by our trustees. Once the Foundation’s 2025 ad-hoc working group topic has been announced, you will find the relevant information on this website. (The bulk of awards in TX/US tend to fall largely within Democracy & Civic Participation and to a lesser extent, Community Building.)

It is also worth noting that the Foundation does not typically consider funding direct service programs outside of the Waco/McLennan County area or programs benefitting a small geographic area or a narrow audience (outside of Waco/McLennan County). (For more information, please review our FAQ page before submitting an LOI.)

Finally, the remaining one-third of annual grant funds are obligated to the University of Texas at Austin Rapoport Service Scholarship program, the Jerusalem Foundation, and the Jewish Federations of North America.

Apply for a Grant

Madison Cooper created the Cooper Foundation with a mission to make Waco, Texas a better or more desirable city in which to live. This is realized through grant awards to qualifying nonprofits in Waco, Texas. We are proud to fund projects that impact all aspects of life in Waco – education, health, arts and culture, community building and social services, and senior citizens.

Nonprofit organizations seeking funding from the Cooper Foundation are highly encouraged to discuss their grant application with Foundation staff before and during its preparation. This can be a time-saver in determining whether a proposal fits within foundation guidelines, interests, and current priorities. Additionally, we can often help clarify plans and ideas and can offer advice on the preparation of a request. We know how precious time and resources are to nonprofit organizations, and we want to ensure that your time developing a proposal is well-spent. In other words – we don’t want to waste anyone’s time!

About the Foundation

Jesse W. Couch lived a life of zeal, honor, and dedication to the betterment of his community. The Couch family now humbly stewards the foundation he created to carry on his legacy of service for future generations. We believe that impact is best accomplished through partnerships with local organizations that know the people and communities they serve. We invest in and support efforts to protect the environment, further conservation and preservation initiatives, and save historical architecture that preserves community heritage. We also support initiatives that promote wellness and mental health and organizations seeking to provide and further education for all communities.

Annual Grant Focus

Each year, we seek to partner with and support non-profit organizations making an impact in the focus areas listed here.  The focus areas for 2025 are:

• Animal Wellbeing: We are dedicated to helping nonprofit organizations that nurture compassion and respect for all living animals. We must have animal-focused organizations that advocate for animal rights and provide humane treatment across all spectrums.
• Early Childhood Education: We are looking for schools that are providing young children with a creative and balanced approach to education. Things we love in early childhood curriculums:
  • Life Skills
  • Collaboration With Their Peers and Teachers   
  • Having Fun   
  • Montessori Teachings   
  • Project Based Teachings   
  • Diversity   
  • More Time Outside   
  • Less Screen Time
• Teachers: Teachers are essential to providing children with the best possible education. We must invest in their future and are always looking for teams that help them succeed in educating future generations.
• Get Outside: Being outside can improve memory, fight depression, lower blood pressure, and more! We support organizations that facilitate and encourage more outdoor activities that help create healthier communities. 

Community Ties Giving Program

As part of the Community Ties Giving Program, Local Grants help us achieve our mission by providing small and medium-sized grants within our priority cause areas to local organizations spread widely across Union Pacific's footprint.

Funding Priorities & Objectives

Throughout its existence, the success of Union Pacific's business has been inextricably linked to the economic and community wellbeing of cities and towns across the nation. We take pride in the role we have played in helping communities thrive and believe the impact we can have on local communities is greatest when it is authentic to our history and reflective of the diverse company we are today.

As such, we have carefully aligned our Local Grants cause areas to our company's unique heritage, strengths, and assets. Specifically, we prioritize funding for direct services and efforts that build the capacity of organizations focused on the following causes within our local operating communities. Within each focus area, we aim to support programs and organizations working to advance the diversity, equity and inclusion of underrepresented populations within the local context and issue areas addressed. Find more information about our commitment to DEI in our FAQs.

Safety

In order for communities to thrive, all residents must feel safe. Just as the safety of our employees and community members is paramount to how we operate, Union Pacific is committed to helping communities prevent and prepare for incidents and emergencies, and helping residents get home safely at the end of each day. As such, we prioritize funding for projects and programs that seek to: 

• Encourage safe behaviors and prevent incidents through education and awareness, particularly projects which focus on rail, driver, bike, and pedestrian safety, and ensure outreach efforts reach underserved populations.
• Eliminate risks and improve safe and equitable access to community spaces through infrastructure improvements, such as signage, proper lighting, and public trail improvements.
• Prepare and equip residents and emergency responders* to effectively respond to incidents and emergencies if or when they occur.
  • *Union Pacific supports publicly funded emergency responders through a variety of corporate programs; only independent nonprofit, 501(c)(3) emergency response organizations, such as volunteer departments, are eligible for funding through this grant program
• Prevent crime and violent incidents and support survivors of domestic violence through efforts that address the root causes of these issues and seek to mitigate their occurrence.
• Build the capacity of safety-focused organizations to integrate practices that improve upon the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts of the organization. This can take the form of internal capacity building or the creation/expansion of culturally relevant programming and services that seek to impact a broad and diverse audience. 

Workforce Development

For more than 160 years, Union Pacific has helped stimulate economic growth in cities and towns throughout the nation by training and providing employment to millions of workers. More than ever, we are committed to helping underrepresented residents in our communities achieve family-supporting careers like those offered by Union Pacific. As such, we prioritize funding for programs that seek to:

• Put youth on the right track by creating awareness of and pathways toward employment opportunities; building foundational skills, especially in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); establishing necessary technical skills and life skills; and providing mentorship and positive role models for the future.
• Raise awareness of, educate and prepare young adults for middle skills jobs like those Union Pacific offers, for instance through community colleges, vocational and career training programs, workforce readiness initiatives, and programs that assist with job placement and/or on-the-job experience.
  • Programs that develop proficiency in areas relevant to Union Pacific operations such as welding, electrical work, machine operations, and civil and electrical engineering are given priority.
• "Up-skill" the existing workforce by providing training and resources that enable them to reach the next level of their career.
  • Programs that develop proficiency in areas of relevance to Union Pacific operations are given priority.
• Resolve barriers to employment such as transportation, childcare, acquiring necessary equipment for work, and second chance employment programs.
• Build the capacity of workforce development-focused organizations to integrate practices that improve upon the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts of the organization. This can take the form of internal capacity building or the creation/expansion of culturally relevant programming and services that seek to impact a broad and diverse audience. 

Community Vitality

Union Pacific Railroad is committed to establishing vibrant, healthy and inclusive communities for employees, customers and residents to work, visit and call home. Just as the railroad opened avenues for economic development and opportunity more than 160 years ago, we maintain this tradition by cultivating unique cultural and recreational experiences and equipping community members with opportunities to live healthy, vital lives. As such, we prioritize funding for projects and programs that seek to:

• Create, sustain or expand artistic and cultural experiences offered to a broad and diverse audience (e.g., museums, theaters, zoos, cultural and local heritage, visual and performing arts, etc.)
• Provide recreational opportunities that foster wellbeing, enrichment and/or an appreciation for our natural environment (e.g., parks, libraries, senior centers, recreation centers, learning centers, etc.).
• Revive neighborhoods and main street areas, especially in historically underinvested neighborhoods, to improve livability, promote commerce and attract more residents, businesses and visitors to town.
• Ensure residents’ basic needs are met and barriers are overcome (e.g., safe shelter and homelessness prevention, hunger relief, mental health and community health needs, etc.).
• Offer youth development and educational opportunities to ensure young people can thrive into healthy and productive community members (e.g., mentoring, leadership development, tutoring, services for youth in foster care, etc.).
• Build the capacity of community vitality-focused organizations to integrate practices that improve upon the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts of the organization. This can take the form of internal capacity building or the creation/expansion of culturally relevant programming and services that seek to impact a broad and diverse audience. 

Environmental Sustainability

The future of our business, communities and planet depends on bold, collective action to reduce and slow the impacts of climate change while building a more sustainable economy for the next generation. Union Pacific is taking deliberate steps to reduce our environmental impact and helping our partners improve their own. Extending this commitment to our community investments, we seek to support leading environmental nonprofits and community-based organizations to advance the health of our environment. As such, we prioritize funding for projects and programs that seek to:

• Preserve and restore nature, including programs focused on natural habitats, ecosystems, and biodiversity.
• Protect and enhance water, soil and air quality through innovative and proactive solutions such as water conservation, carbon sequestration and emission reduction programs.
• Reduce waste through initiatives focused on promoting recycling and circularity throughout the community, including recycling and composting programs and other efforts that reduce waste.
• Develop environmental stewards through youth programs focused on fostering environmental appreciation, responsibility, and leadership.
• Advance a sustainable economy by helping communities accelerate their transition to environmental jobs and renewable energy, as well as helping nonprofits and small businesses build their own capacity to operate more sustainably.
• Promote environmental justice through initiatives that ensure access to clean air, water, and land and protect underserved populations from disproportionate and adverse environmental effects.
• Build the capacity of sustainability-focused organizations to integrate practices that improve upon the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts of the organization. This can take the form of internal capacity building or the creation/expansion of culturally relevant programming and services that seek to impact a broad and diverse audience.

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.

Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation Grant

The Foundation will consider requests to support museums, cultural and performing arts programs; schools and hospitals; educational, skills-training and other programs for youth, seniors, and persons with disabilities; environmental and wildlife protection activities; and other community-based organizations and programs.

Calling to Serve

Since its inception in 2016, the Robinson Foundation has sought to demonstrate God’s love through sharing the gifts we have received. We understand the often unspoken hardships and struggles that people in and outside of our community face everyday. As such, our contributions are focused on relieving these hardships for the betterment of our world.

As a family-operated foundation, we pray that our small efforts will not only create immediate change in the lives of our neighbors, but will help set those lives on a course for success in the future. We are thankful for each and every day we have on this earth to use what God has granted us to make a difference.

Areas of Interest

• Animal Welfare
• Children & Families
• Disaster Relief
• Education
• Medical Assistance
• Nature & Wildlife Conservation
• Poverty Relief
• Religious & Spiritual Endeavors
• Veterans' Issues

Grant Considerations

We take many different aspects of applications into account when making grant issuing decisions, however these are some of the high-level questions we ask ourselves during the process:

• How does the organization serve their key audience goals?
• Is the organization fiscally responsible?
• Will a grant have a tangible, meaningful impact?
• Will we see direct results from this grant?
• Does the organization have other financial contributors?

Community Partnership Award

The Mutual of America Foundation Community Partnership Award recognizes outstanding nonprofit organizations in the United States that have shown exemplary leadership by facilitating partnerships with public, private or social sector leaders who are working together as equal partners, not as donors and recipients, to build a cohesive community that serves as a model for collaborating with others for the greater good.

Each year, the Mutual of America Foundation sponsors a national competition in which hundreds of organizations demonstrate the value of their partnership to the communities they serve, their ability to be replicated by others and their capacity to stimulate new approaches to addressing significant social issues.

Six organizations are selected by an independent committee to receive the Community Partnership Award.

• The Thomas J. Moran Award is given to the national award-winning program and includes $100,000 and a documentary video about the program.
• The Frances R. Hesselbein Award is given to a partnership that is addressing social challenges in more than one community, or which demonstrates the potential to be replicated in other communities. This recipient receives $75,000.
• Four other organizations are named Honorable Mention recipients for their programs, and each receives $50,000.

Since its inception in 1996, the Community Partnership Award has recognized 262 partnerships from cities and towns across America. Like so many of our clients working in the nonprofit community, Mutual of America is dedicated to having a direct, positive impact on society.

Gupta Family Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, USA. Our mission is to support organizations that provide focused intervention in the lives of people who have been disadvantaged in some way to help them become self-reliant. We take a very broad view of “disadvantage” to include anything that holds a person back from realizing their potential, such as poverty, physical or mental disability, social alienation, etc. The foundation also supports relief agencies that serve people affected by emergencies such as natural disasters.

The foundation evaluates and awards annual and multi-year grants ranging from $5,000 to over $250,000 (USD). Our focus is on funding smaller organizations all around the world that are led by individuals with a deep personal commitment to their missions. 

Our selection criteria include:

• Mission alignment
• The organization is run by the founder or, if not, by a successor who embodies the original inspiration, passion and commitment of the founder.
• At least 90% of grant monies reaches the intended beneficiaries.
• The organization is non-sectarian, i.e.,
  • It does not, directly or indirectly, support or condone the proselytization of any religion,
  • It is not supported by or affiliated to a religious organization.

Our Mission

The Hansen Family Foundation provides opportunities to domestic, international, secular, and non-secular organizations that support the American way of life, which is defined by the principles of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” 

Causes

Children

The Hansen Family Foundation supports causes dedicated to helping children both home as well as abroad. Learn More

Education

The Hansen Family Foundation believes that a decent education should be made available to everyone, young or old, the world over. Learn More

Animals

The Hansen Family Foundation believes in helping those who cannot speak on their own behalf. Learn More

Environmental

The Hansen Family Foundation is dedicated to preserving the world we all share. Learn More

Humanitarian

The Hansen Family Foundation views the plight of our fellow man as an opportunity to actively engage and effect change. Learn More

Arts & Culture

The Hansen Family Foundation supports all forms of artistic and cultural endeavors. Learn More

The Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation Vision

The Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation, "A Foundation for All", was established in 2002. It was begun in order to give a clear voice for those who wish to be a part of the many, worthy, forces for change in our world.

We are a foundation whose purpose is to look ahead towards the future, giving the past its due by remembering where we came from, and how much we can all accomplish together. We aim to make the critical difference on our planet by recognizing and having respect for our ever changing world. We respect all Life, the Environment, and all People, no matter who they are.

Helping Build Better Futures

Our mission is to deliver great value to our customers every day. For over four decades, our deep commitment to the principles of providing value and caring for others has helped define our culture. It extends beyond the walls of our stores, distribution centers, and offices, and into our local communities around the world. The intersection of these principles defines our global community mission:

Deliver great value to our communities by helping vulnerable families and children access the resources and opportunities they need to build a better future.

Our Social Impact Areas

We bring our community relations mission to life around the world by focusing our giving on four social impact areas where we believe we can have the most impact and are critical to helping families and children succeed and thrive.

Basic Needs

We are passionate about supporting nonprofit organizations that help fill critical basic needs such as a warm meal, clean clothing, and a safe place to sleep for vulnerable families.

Education & Training

Our efforts have focused on quality enrichment and extracurricular programs that provide skills, resources, and opportunities to support school and career success for children, teens, and young adults.

Patient Care & Research

We support organizations that deliver services to families and children facing health challenges and life-threatening illnesses.

Empowering Women

We support programs that provide services ranging from help for those fleeing domestic violence, to others that offer education, training, and job placement resources.