Best Grants for BIPOC in Texas

The ECLAT Foundation Scholarship, offered by the Communities Foundation of Texas, provides $2,000 scholarships to graduating seniors and college students in Texas. Eligible applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.5 for high school or 3.0 for college, and meet certain residency criteria. This scholarship aims to support students pursuing a baccalaureate degree at accredited institutions in Texas, fostering educational opportunities and community growth.

Mission

The Foundation was established in December 2013 by Kathryn B. McQuade, after retiring from 33 years of working in the business community. I was blessed to have been born into a loving middle class family. My father worked very hard to insure that all of his children were given an opportunity for a good education and my mother, “a stay at home Mom’ was always there for us. My world was safe and comfortable. My life is in stark contrast to how much of the rest of the world lives. I continue to read of the terrible injustices waged against women and children globally and hope that this foundation can provide them the opportunity and resources to succeed. We will support organizations that help us achieve our goal of Striving to make sustainable improvements in women and children’s rights education and welfare.

Kathryn McQuade Foundation Grant

The Foundation will make timely decisions on your grant request and provide clear communications on our expectations of reporting progress.

Women

The Foundation’s goal is to provide women assistance and provide them an opportunity to succeed. Assistance can take many forms, however our goal is to help them become self sufficient and enable them to lift themselves out of poverty and provide for their children. Access to education, job training and professional skills, even access to capital in order to build a business are possible ways we will consider helping women to succeed. Grant requests should focus on enabling the women to sustain financial independence.

We look forward to hearing of the many creative ways organizations are working on helping women succeed through out the world. To help women is to help their children and the communities they live in.

Children

Too many children in the US and across the world live in poverty and lack the access to education. Education and/or appropriate skills training are necessary to break the cycle of poverty and crime. While the assistance to women may take many forms, the foundation’s focus for children will target education and/ or skills training. The Foundation is open to many ideas on how to accomplish this goal and look forward to receiving proposals to help all children achieve their potential.

The Texas Education Agency is initiating the 2025-2026 Board of Managers Support project to enhance educational governance. This initiative will provide vital training, observational interviews, and capacity-building resources for prospective Board of Managers. By collaborating with the Director of Governance Interventions, the selected applicant will ensure that all activities align with established standards, fostering sustainable systems for improved educational outcomes in Texas.

Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation Inc supports independent medical education to enhance healthcare professional competence and improve patient health outcomes. Their mission is to be a global leader in innovative medical education, focusing on evidence-based activities that address critical gaps in knowledge. By fostering excellence in healthcare, they aim to ensure measurable improvements in performance and patient outcomes across various disease areas.

The Fred Woodward Endowed Scholarship, offered by the Amarillo Area Foundation, supports graduating high school seniors and current college students in Texas who are children of Texas Seed Trade Association members. Recipients can attend any accredited institution and pursue any field of study, provided they meet eligibility criteria including full-time enrollment and maintaining a minimum GPA. This scholarship is part of the Foundation's commitment to improving the quality of life in the Texas Panhandle.

The CHS Foundation supports initiatives that benefit the agriculture industry, focusing on 501c3 organizations within specific states. Their funding is aimed at empowering cooperative growth and sustainable practices. Local projects may also be eligible through the CHS Seeds for Stewardship program. However, funding is not available for individuals, sports teams, or religious groups, ensuring that the support remains directed towards community and cooperative development.

The Growing Justice Fund provides grants ranging from $25,000 to $250,000 to support community-led initiatives that enhance equitable food procurement. This initiative aims to empower Tribal, Indigenous, Black, Latinx, Asian, and immigrant communities by facilitating access to institutional contracts and promoting local economic viability. With a focus on health, environmental justice, and collective action, these grants are designed to foster sustainable food systems and build wealth in historically marginalized communities.

The Sam and Anne Kesner Texas A&M Scholarship Fund, established in 1995 through the Dallas Jewish Community Foundation, provides a $2,090 scholarship to a Jewish undergraduate at Texas A&M University. This fund honors the legacy of Sam and Anne Kesner, dedicated community leaders committed to education and leadership. It aims to support students who embody the Kesners' values and contribute positively to their communities, fostering a spirit of giving and academic excellence.

The CIS NAV Application Development Grant, administered by the Texas Education Agency, aims to enhance student support data management for Communities In Schools (CIS) affiliates throughout Texas. The grant will fund the creation of a secure, cloud-based application that facilitates real-time access to student data, improving operational efficiency and allowing CIS staff to concentrate on delivering direct support to students. This initiative will significantly reduce administrative burden and streamline processes.

The High Priority HIV and Substance Use Research funding opportunity aims to support innovative research that addresses the intersection of HIV and substance use. Researchers are encouraged to submit proposals that include a detailed research plan and preliminary data, exploring new avenues for prevention, treatment, and potential cures for HIV among people who use drugs. Applications are due by 5 PM local time, with optional Letters of Intent recommended 30 days prior.

The 2025-2026 Kickstart Kids Grant Program, provided by the Texas Education Agency, aims to support martial arts initiatives that foster character and life skills in middle and high school students. This program includes specific guidelines for funding, such as limiting direct administrative costs to 15% of the award and requiring detailed expenditure reporting. Eligible applicants are encouraged to adhere to the guidelines to ensure effective use of funds.

The Tocker Foundation, established in 1964, focuses on enhancing the educational opportunities for rural librarians in Texas. Through the Texas Library Association (TLA) Travel Stipend, the foundation supports library staff from communities with populations of 12,000 or less to attend the TLA's annual conference. This initiative allows librarians to gain valuable insights, network with peers, and enrich their professional development, ultimately benefiting their local communities.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse is funding pilot and feasibility studies aimed at preparing for substance use and HIV prevention research trials. The program encourages innovative interventions for substance use disorders and HIV eradication, focusing on stakeholder collaboration and practical application. Projects may include assessment of service models, intervention development, and community engagement. This initiative is designed to fill critical research gaps and enhance partnerships, although applications are not currently being accepted.

Special Education Leadership Impact Series

The Special Education Leadership Impact Series will empower Texas school and district leaders, beginning with Special Education Directors, to implement special education requirements with fidelity and to build sustainable systems that improve outcomes for students with disabilities. Anchored in the Special Education Performance Diagnostic (SPD) framework, the series provides flexible, scalable content (self-paced asynchronous courses, facilitation decks, and real-world application activities) developed through iterative, stakeholder engaged cycles. 

Program Purpose, Goals, and Objectives

The program will engage internal TEA teams, Education Service Center (ESC) Liaisons, and district/campus leaders to gather feedback during content development. This collaborative approach ensures relevance and alignment with TEA initiatives. The project prioritizes alignment with TEA resources, leverage existing content, and mitigate risk through staggered rollouts outlined by landscape analysis. Participating districts will demonstrate measurable improvements in compliance practices, data literacy, program quality, and leadership capacity.

Across Texas, district leaders face increasing expectations to ensure compliance with IDEA and state requirements while simultaneously improving academic and behavioral outcomes for students with disabilities.

• Total Funding Available $425,000.00 

The Critical Needs List by Community Foundation Tampa Bay addresses urgent, unforeseen needs of nonprofits that threaten their ability to serve the community. This innovative program allows nonprofits to submit requests for funding up to $250,000 for critical expenses such as emergency repairs and essential equipment replacement. With a focus on supporting local organizations, the program aims to match funding with community philanthropists, ensuring timely assistance to those in need.

2026-2027 Teach for America Grant

The purpose of this grant is to support proven models to increase the number of effective teachers in Texas classrooms.

The goal of the program is to increase the number of effective teachers and leaders in Texas public schools by funding TFA. As a proven model, TFA will use funds to increase and improve the teaching skills and practices of TFA corps members with an emphasis on those teaching Bilingual/ESL, science, math and economically disadvantaged elementary and secondary students. The participating corps members must serve students in the Rio Grande Valley, Houston, San Antonio, Greater Austin, and Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex area schools. Professional development and training should increase student achievement in focus subject areas.

Funding will emphasize:

• The employment and retention of TFA teachers in the field of mathematics
• Pre-service training with content-specific training for math and science
• Ongoing support to corps members with an emphasis on those in Bilingual/ESL, science math and economically disadvantaged high need classroom placements for the Rio Grande Valley, Houston, San Antonio, Greater Austin, and Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex area schools
• Evidence of implementation of a plan to improve retention rates of TEA teachers

The NCAA Division II Degree Completion Award provides financial assistance to student-athletes who have exhausted their athletics eligibility, enabling them to complete their first undergraduate degree. Since its inception in 2001, nearly $9 million has supported approximately 1,875 athletes, with a remarkable 90 percent graduation rate among recipients. The award covers tuition costs up to $15,000 for remaining credits and may be used in the summer term or short terms surrounding the final undergraduate year.

The TLA Disaster Relief Fund Grant, established by the Texas Library Association, provides financial assistance ranging from $1,500 to $5,000 for libraries affected by natural disasters. Eligible libraries include academic, public, school, and special libraries. Funds can be utilized for technology, repairs, and other recovery needs. The grant application will be evaluated based on damage extent, service impact, fund usage, and funding availability, with a preference for TLA institutional members.

State of Texas Office of the Governor

The governor of Texas is the head of state and head of government of the U.S. state of Texas. The governor is the head of the executive branch of the government of Texas and is the commander-in-chief of the Texas Military Forces. Unlike governors in many other states, the Texas governor operates within a plural executive system, which distributes executive authority among several independently elected officials and limits centralized executive power.

Established in the Constitution of Texas, the governor's responsibilities include ensuring the enforcement of state laws, the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, overseeing state agencies, issuing executive orders, proposing and overseeing the state budget, and making key appointments to state offices.

General Victim Assistance Grant Program

Purpose

The purpose of this program is to provide services and assistance directly to victims of crime to speed their recovery and aid them through the criminal justice process.

Services may include the following:

Responding to the emotional and physical needs of crime victims;

• Assisting victims in stabilizing their lives after a victimization;
• Assisting victims to understand and participate in the criminal justice system; and
• Providing victims with safety and security.

This solicitation is for programs seeking to provide general victim services to broad categories of victim populations that may include victims of commercial sexual exploitation or trafficking, including emergency and long-term residential (shelter) for children and transition-age youth as well as drop-in centers.

Office of the Attorney General (OAG) of Texas

The Texas attorney general is the chief legal officer of the U.S. state of Texas. The current officeholder, Republican Ken Paxton, has served in the position since January 5, 2015. He returned to office on September 18, 2023, and his current term ends on January 1, 2027.

As the state’s top law enforcement officer, Attorney General Paxton leads more than 4,000 employees in 38 divisions and 117 offices around Texas. That includes nearly 750 attorneys, who handle more than 30,000 cases annually – enforcing child support orders, protecting Texans against consumer fraud, enforcing open government laws, providing legal advice to state officials, and representing the state of Texas in court, among other things.

Oth­er Vic­tim Assis­tance Grants (OVAG)

OVAG Program Purpose Area

The purpose of the OVAG Program is to provide funds, using a competitive allocation method, to programs that address the unmet needs of victims by maintaining or increasing their access to quality services.

OVAG Required Activities

Grants awarded under this Application Kit must be used for victim related services or assistance for the following purposes:

• Providing direct victim services including: Assistance with the Crime Victims’ Compensation Program (Pre- and Post – submission assistance); Assistance with Texas SAVNS (if in applicable counties); Information and Referral; and Assistance with Restitution (if the Applicant is Prosecutor based)

OVAG Funds may also be used for:

• Providing direct victim services including, but not limited to, counseling, crisis intervention, assistance with Crime Victims' Compensation, legal assistance, victim advocacy, and information and referral;
• Providing outreach or community education to help identify crime victims who might not otherwise be reached and provide or refer them to needed services;
• Connecting crime victims to services for the purpose of supporting or assisting in their recovery;
• Training professionals and volunteers to improve their ability to inform victims of their rights, to assist victims in their recovery, or to establish a continuum of care for victims; or
• Other support for victim-related services or assistance as determined by the OAG.

The Oth­er Vic­tim Assis­tance Grants (OVAG) funding has two components: Local Projects and Statewide Projects

Local Projects

An applicant that directs a project to less than six Council of Government (COG) regions will not be considered a statewide project and will be considered a local project for the purposes of this grant.

Office of the Attorney General (OAG) of Texas

The Texas attorney general is the chief legal officer of the U.S. state of Texas. The current officeholder, Republican Ken Paxton, has served in the position since January 5, 2015. He returned to office on September 18, 2023, and his current term ends on January 1, 2027.

As the state’s top law enforcement officer, Attorney General Paxton leads more than 4,000 employees in 38 divisions and 117 offices around Texas. That includes nearly 750 attorneys, who handle more than 30,000 cases annually – enforcing child support orders, protecting Texans against consumer fraud, enforcing open government laws, providing legal advice to state officials, and representing the state of Texas in court, among other things.

Oth­er Vic­tim Assis­tance Grants (OVAG)

OVAG Program Purpose Area

The purpose of the OVAG Program is to provide funds, using a competitive allocation method, to programs that address the unmet needs of victims by maintaining or increasing their access to quality services.

OVAG Required Activities

Grants awarded under this Application Kit must be used for victim related services or assistance for the following purposes:

• Providing direct victim services including: Assistance with the Crime Victims’ Compensation Program (Pre- and Post – submission assistance); Assistance with Texas SAVNS (if in applicable counties); Information and Referral; and Assistance with Restitution (if the Applicant is Prosecutor based)

OVAG Funds may also be used for:

• Providing direct victim services including, but not limited to, counseling, crisis intervention, assistance with Crime Victims' Compensation, legal assistance, victim advocacy, and information and referral;
• Providing outreach or community education to help identify crime victims who might not otherwise be reached and provide or refer them to needed services;
• Connecting crime victims to services for the purpose of supporting or assisting in their recovery;
• Training professionals and volunteers to improve their ability to inform victims of their rights, to assist victims in their recovery, or to establish a continuum of care for victims; or
• Other support for victim-related services or assistance as determined by the OAG.

The Oth­er Vic­tim Assis­tance Grants (OVAG) funding has two components: Local Projects and Statewide Projects

OVAG Statewide Projects

An OVAG Statewide project is one that actively offers or provides victim-related services or assistance in six or more Council of Government (COG) regions. Note: Public Awareness Campaigns are not eligible in this Kit, this includes time spent preparing or purchases made for campaigns.

In addition to the purpose areas stated above, only Statewide projects may apply for funding for public awareness campaigns designed for connecting crime victims to services for the purpose of supporting or assisting in their recovery. Statewide entities may request an exception for the direct victim services requirement.

The DGLF Youth Literacy Grants, established by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, aim to enhance literacy among underperforming students in K-12. Organizations such as schools and libraries can apply for funding to implement or expand literacy programs, purchase necessary materials, and acquire technology. With over $159 million awarded to date, the foundation supports efforts that provide equitable education opportunities, ensuring every child has the chance to learn and succeed, regardless of their background.

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation offers the DGLF Summer Reading Grants, which support the development and expansion of summer reading programs aimed at Pre-K to 12th grade students, particularly new and below-grade-level readers, including those with learning disabilities. Eligible organizations, such as nonprofits, schools, and libraries within 15 miles of a Dollar General store, can apply for grants up to $3,000 to foster literacy and education initiatives.

The Alice Kleberg Reynolds Foundation supports qualified non-profit organizations in 50 counties of south and central Texas. Grants are focused on arts, culture, education, literacy, and medical/scientific purposes. Non-profits are encouraged to apply and share this opportunity with others. The Foundation does not fund capital campaigns, scholarships, or Type II/III Supporting Organizations. For detailed guidelines, visit the Foundation's FAQ page.

ESSA Consolidated Federal Grant 

Program Purpose, Goals, and Objectives

Title I, Part A, provides supplemental resources to school systems to help schools with high concentrations of students from low-income families provide high-quality education that will enable all children to meet the challenging state academic standards. Title I, Part A, supports campuses in implementing either a schoolwide program (SWP) or a targeted assistance program (TAP).

Campuses operating a SWP must conduct a Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA) and develop a Campus Improvement Plan (CIP) with the involvement of parents, other members of the community and individuals including teachers, principals, other school leaders, paraprofessionals, administrators, the school system, and to the extent feasible, tribes and tribal organizations present in the community, and, if appropriate, specialized instructional support personnel, technical assistance providers, school staff, and if the plan relates to a secondary school, students, and other individuals determined by the school, who will carry out such plan. The plan must ensure all students are provided opportunities to meet the challenging State academic standards and be regularly evaluated and revised as necessary based on student needs as described in Section 1114, Schoolwide Programs.

Campuses operating a TAP will determine which students will be served on the basis of multiple, educationally related, objective criteria established by the school system and serve participating students as described in Section 1115, Targeted Assistance Schools.

2026-2027 ESC Special Education Liaison Grant

Program Description

The main goal of the Special Education Liaison Grant is to improve outcomes of students receiving special education services through the provision of timely, targeted program support for school systems. This grant provides positions that integrate and align Texas Education Agency (TEA) initiatives and expectations for school systems.

Staff funded through this grant are expected to travel both within their assigned Education Service Center (ESC) region and across ESC regions as needed to effectively support program implementation and the broader statewide initiative. This includes on-site support, regional convenings, and cross-region collaboration during TEA-designated Professional Learning Community (PLC) weeks to ensure alignment and consistency of services.

Grant-funded staff must actively collaborate with the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to meet all program requirements and performance measures. In addition, there is an expectation to engage in and contribute to statewide collaboration efforts among Education Service Center Special Education (SPED) Liaisons, Strategic Integration Liaisons (SILs), and SIL Coaches. This collaboration is essential to ensuring shared learning, coordinated implementation, and continuous improvement across the state.