Hearst Foundations' Mission

The Hearst Foundations identify and fund outstanding nonprofits to ensure that people of all backgrounds in the United States have the opportunity to build healthy, productive and inspiring lives.

Hearst Foundations' Goals

The Foundations seek to achieve their mission by funding approaches that result in:

• Improved health and quality of life
• Access to high quality educational options to promote increased academic achievement
• Arts and sciences serving as a cornerstone of society
• Sustainable employment and productive career paths for adults
• Stabilizing and supporting families

Funding Priorities

The Hearst Foundations support well-established nonprofit organizations that address significant issues within their major areas of interests – 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.

Culture

The Hearst Foundations fund cultural institutions that offer meaningful programs in the arts and sciences, prioritizing those which enable engagement by young people and create a lasting and measurable impact. The Foundations also fund select programs nurturing and developing artistic talent.

Types of Support: Program, capital and, on a limited basis, general and endowment support

Education

The Hearst Foundations fund educational institutions demonstrating uncommon success in preparing students to thrive in a global society. The Foundations’ focus is largely on higher education, but they also fund innovative models of early childhood and K-12 education, as well as professional development.

Types of Support: Program, scholarship, capital and, on a limited basis, general and endowment support

Health

The Hearst Foundations assist leading regional hospitals, medical centers and specialized medical institutions providing access to high-quality healthcare for low-income populations. In response to the shortage of healthcare professionals necessary to meet the country’s evolving needs, the Foundations also fund programs designed to enhance skills and increase the number of practitioners and educators across roles in healthcare. Because the Foundations seek to use their funds to create a broad and enduring impact on the nation’s health, support for medical research and the development of young investigators is also considered.

Types of Support: Program, capital and, on a limited basis, endowment support

Social Service

The Hearst Foundations fund direct-service organizations that tackle the roots of chronic poverty by applying effective solutions to the most challenging social and economic problems. The Foundations prioritize supporting programs that have proven successful in facilitating economic independence and in strengthening families. Preference is also given to programs with the potential to scale productive practices in order to reach more people in need.

Types of Support: Program, capital and general support

Humanities Texas 

Humanities Texas advances education through programs that improve the quality of classroom teaching, support libraries and museums, and create opportunities for lifelong learning.

We strengthen Texas communities by conducting and supporting programs that cultivate the knowledge and judgment that representative democracy demands of its citizens. These programs also contribute to Texas’s thriving economy, culture, and civic life.  

Founded in 1973 as the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), Humanities Texas is one of fifty-six state and jurisdictional humanities councils in the U.S. We are a nonprofit, educational organization supported by federal and state appropriations, as well as by foundations, corporations, and individuals. Our volunteer board is a model of leadership, ensuring we execute our mission while providing careful stewardship of our funding resources.

The Humanities Texas Grants Program

Working in partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), Humanities Texas provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and institutions for humanities programs that serve public audiences.

What are the humanities?

The humanities include but are not limited to the study of history, literature, modern and classical languages; linguistics; jurisprudence; philosophy; comparative religion; ethics; and the history, criticism, and theory of the arts. Social sciences that employ qualitative approaches such as cultural anthropology, archaeology, and political science are considered part of the humanities, as are interdisciplinary areas such as women’s studies, American studies, and the study of folklore and folklife. In elementary and secondary education, the humanities are found in social studies and English language-arts courses, as well as in advanced courses in history, literature, foreign languages, art or music history, and related subjects. 

Projects may also apply humanities perspectives to current political, social, or economic concerns and issues.

Mini-grants

Mini-grants support costs associated with public humanities programs. These small grants—which are easy to apply for and administer, and are available on a rolling basis throughout the year—are particularly appropriate for funding a speaker and/or the rental of a traveling exhibition, including those provided by Humanities Texas. Before submitting a mini-grant application for a Humanities Texas exhibition rental, please complete our online rental form, found here. In the current crisis, as Texas communities continue to practice physical distancing, we are eager to support projects that use the humanities to connect people, either through the use of digital technologies or by connecting people without access to digital tools. Contact our grants staff to discuss how Humanities Texas can support projects you’re currently working on.

Humanities Scholar

A humanities scholar is an individual with particular training or experience in one or more of the academic disciplines in the humanities. The typical qualifications are an advanced degree (M.A. or Ph.D.) in a humanities field of study. However, individuals without an advanced degree may qualify as humanities scholars because of their accomplishments and/or methods of research, inquiry, and teaching.

The qualifications of a project’s principal Humanities Advisor and participating scholars significantly determine an application’s competitiveness. For example, it is unlikely that Humanities Texas would fund a lecture series on Texas in the twentieth century that does not include any credentialed historians who specialize in twentieth-century Texas. 

Humanities Texas encourages applicants to involve a broad and diverse group of scholars in their proposed projects. For major grant applications in particular, it is important that organizations include guidance and perspectives from scholars outside the sponsoring organization. For example, a museum or academic institution seeking a Humanities Texas major grant for a year-long lecture series or major exhibit should include outside scholars and advisors. Major grant applications that draw exclusively on in-house humanities expertise are typically not competitive. 

Walmart’s more than 2 million associates are residents, neighbors, friends and family in thousands of communities around the globe. Walmart works to strengthen these communities through both retail business and community giving, and we support and invest in communities through local giving. The following programs have open application processes with specific deadlines for eligibility and consideration.

Local Community Grants

Each year, our U.S. stores and clubs award local cash grants ranging from $250 to $5,000. These local grants are designed to address the unique needs of the communities where we operate. They include a variety of organizations, such as animal shelters, elder services and community clean-up projects.

Areas of Funding

• There are eight (8) areas of funding for which an organization can apply. Please review the areas listed below to ensure your organization’s goals fall within one of these areas.
• Community and Economic Development: Improving local communities for the benefit of low-income individuals and families in the local service area
• Diversity and Inclusion: Fostering the building of relationships and understanding among diverse groups in the local service area
• Education: Providing afterschool enrichment, tutoring or vocational training for low-income individuals and families in the local service area
• Environmental Sustainability: Preventing waste, increasing recycling, or supporting other programs that work to improve the environment in the local service area
• Health and Human Service: Providing medical screening, treatment, social services, or shelters for low-income individuals and families in the local service area
• Hunger Relief and Healthy Eating: Providing Federal or charitable meals/snacks for low-income individuals and families in the local service area
• Public Safety: Supporting public safety programs through training programs or equipment in the local service area
• Quality of Life: Improving access to recreation, arts or cultural experiences for low-income individuals and families in the local service area

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 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.

By policy, one-third of annual grant funds are considered discretionary and may be distributed in support of projects/programs throughout 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 2024 ad-hoc working group topic has been announced, you will find the relevant information on this website. 

It is also worth noting that the Foundation does not typically consider funding direct service programs outside of the Waco/McLennan County area

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.

What we Fund

The Bernard & Audre Rapoport Foundation does not have a standing policy regarding general operating versus program/project support. Ultimately, decisions to approve or decline a grant are based on the quality of the grant request, availability of funds, prioritization of other requests received in any given cycle, current interest areas, etc.

The Foundation seldomly considers capital requests and has only done so in a few instances for health organizations in Waco. Furthermore, the Foundation does not consider capital funding requests outside of the Waco/McLennan County area.

The Foundation does not have a stated policy regarding indirect costs but may consider reasonable amounts on a case-by-case basis.  

Humanities Texas 

Humanities Texas is a nonprofit, tax-exempt, educational organization incorporated by the State of Texas in  1972. The state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), Humanities Texas receives its primary funding through federal appropriations to the NEH and additional support from foundations, corporations, and individuals. Since 2009, Humanities Texas has received an appropriation from the State of Texas exclusively for the administration of our professional development programs for Texas teachers. 

The Humanities Texas Grants Program

Working in partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), Humanities Texas provides  financial support to nonprofit organizations and institutions for humanities programs that serve public  audiences.

What are the humanities?

The humanities include but are not limited to the study of history, literature, modern and classical languages; linguistics; jurisprudence; philosophy; comparative religion; ethics; and the history, criticism, and theory of the arts. Social sciences that employ qualitative approaches such as cultural anthropology, archaeology, and political science are considered part of the humanities, as are interdisciplinary areas such as women’s studies, American studies, and the study of folklore and folklife. In elementary and secondary education, the humanities are found in social studies and English language-arts courses, as well as in advanced courses in history, literature, foreign languages, art or music history, and  related subjects. 

Projects may also apply humanities perspectives to current political, social, or economic concerns and issues.

Major Grants for Community Projects

Major grants for community projects fund comprehensive public programs such as lectures, seminars, and conferences; book and film discussions; interpretive exhibitions and materials; town forums and civic discussions; and teacher workshops. Programs should reflect substantial participation by both humanities scholars and members of the target audience(s).

Major Grants for Media Projects

Major grants for media projects fund film, radio, television, or interactive programming related to the humanities. Applicants may request funds for any phase of the project, including scripting, development, production, post-production, and in some cases, distribution and free public screenings. Humanities scholars should play an integral role in determining the content and approach of the project.

Humanities Scholar

A humanities scholar is an individual with particular training or experience in one or more of the academic disciplines in the humanities. The typical qualifications are an advanced degree (M.A. or Ph.D.) in a humanities field of study. However, individuals without an advanced degree may qualify as humanities scholars because of their accomplishments and/or methods of research, inquiry, and teaching.

The qualifications of a project’s principal Humanities Advisor and participating scholars significantly determine an application’s competitiveness. For example, it is unlikely that Humanities Texas would fund a lecture series on Texas in the twentieth century that does not include any credentialed historians who specialize in twentieth-century Texas. 

Humanities Texas encourages applicants to involve a broad and diverse group of scholars in their proposed projects. For major grant applications in particular, it is important that organizations include guidance and perspectives from scholars outside the sponsoring organization. For example, a museum or academic institution seeking a Humanities Texas major grant for a year-long lecture series or major exhibit should include outside scholars and advisors. Major grant applications that draw exclusively on in-house humanities expertise are typically not competitive. 

Humanities Texas strongly recommends that you speak with our grants program staff early in your planning process, to ensure the strength and credibility of your project’s humanities personnel.

NOTE:

Application forms must be requested each year online prior to submitting an application. When you submit an LOI, a member of the foundation staff will be contacting you within the next five business days regarding the status of your request.

Full applications are due at the "full proposal" deadline above. 

The Foundation is dedicated to providing financial assistance to organizations committed to improving our world. Solutions to the problems of today's world still lie in the values of innovation, practicality, hard work, and compassion.

The Foundation considers applications for grants in the following areas:

• Education
• Social Service
• Health care
• Civic and cultural
• Environmental

The categories above are not intended to limit the interest of the Foundation from considering other worthwhile projects. In general, the Foundation guidelines are broad to give us flexibility in providing grants.

The majority of our grants are made in the U.S. However, like Dr. Scholl, we recognize the need for a global outlook. Non-U.S. grants are given to organizations where directors have knowledge of the grantee.

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.

About the Foundation

The Clifton C. and Henryetta C. Doak Charitable Trust was created under the Last Will and Testament of Henryetta C. Doak in memory of her husband, Clifton C. Doak.Dr. Clifton C. Doak was born on January 15, 1895 in Hico, Texas. He received his master’s degree in biology from Texas A&M University in 1927 and his doctorate from the University of Illinois in 1933. He became an assistant professor at Texas A&M in 1929 and was head of the Biology Department from 1937 to 1960. After retiring from Texas A&M in 1960, he taught biology at Trinity University for three years.Dr. Doak was active in the community, serving on the boards of the Bryan Boys Club, the Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History, and the Bryan Rotary Club. He was also a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Botanical Society of America, and he was past president of the Texas Academy of Science. Dr. Doak died on February 27, 1985, at the age of 90.Mrs. Doak was born on April 10, 1904 in Winona, Texas. She graduated from North Texas State University in Denton, Texas and became an elementary school teacher. Other than her interests in teaching and gardening, her life was dedicated to the support of her husband in his career and his community volunteer work. She died on February 27, 1992, at the age of 87.The Clifton C. and Henryetta C. Doak Charitable Trust serves as a legacy to Dr. and Mrs. Doak’s mutual concern for the community in which they lived for many years.

Mission

To support charitable organizations located in College Station, Texas.

Program Areas

• Arts, culture, and humanities
• Education
• Environment, animals
• Health
• Human services
• Public/society benefit