Best Travis County Grants for Nonprofits in Texas

Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment

Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment (ACME) was established to streamline the city's cultural efforts into one hub, combining all resources for cultural arts, public arts, heritage centers, heritage tourism, music, and special events. ACME strives to enhance coordination, improve services, and create synergistic opportunities to sustain and develop Austin’s rich creative ecosystem and places, ensuring Austin remains a global destination for creative experiences while honoring the city’s rich heritage.

Heritage Preservation Grant 

The Heritage Preservation Grant promotes tourism through historic preservation projects and activities rooted in local history and heritage at historic sites.

Grant funds support capital projects or heritage events that expand access to historic places and heritage resources and market the site's history to engage new audiences and tourists. All capital projects require a historic designation.  

Program goals include to increase Austin's heritage tourism; preserve and open access to historic spaces; bring local history to life through interpretation, activations, and storytelling; and support jobs in the creative economy. 

Capital Improvement Projects

Support capital improvement projects at historic sites – designated or eligible for designation that attract tourists. The site must be open, and its history must be actively marketed to tourists.

If awarded, all capital project proposals are required to be reviewed by the Historic Preservation Office, Architectural Review Committee (ARC), and/or the Historic Landmark Commission (HLC).  

Capital Improvement Project Types

• American Disabilities Act (ADA) exterior access
• Awning rehabilitation / repair
• Cast iron restoration / repair
• Door / window / screen / trim restoration/repair
• Façade elements
• Foundation stabilization
• Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning installation / repair (does not require an exterior project proposal) (see pg. 202)
• Historic accessory structures
• Interior: Electrical Upgrades (compatible with the restoration-period character of the interior and the request must be submitted together with an exterior project proposal)
• Interior: Mechanical Upgrades (compatible with the restoration-period character of the interior and the request must be submitted together with an exterior project proposal)
• Interior: Flooring (must be submitted together with an exterior project proposal) see pg. 204)
• Interior: Safety Upgrades (compatible with the restoration-period character of the interior and the request must be submitted together with an exterior project proposal) (see pg. 202)
• Interior: Masonry (compatible with the restoration-period character of the interior and the request must be submitted together with an exterior project proposal)
• Masonry rehabilitation / repair
• Millwork rehabilitation / repair
• Paint (in kind; must match existing unless pre-approved)
• Professional services or consultants required to support the project, such as Preservation Architects, Interpretive Planners, Architectural Historians, and other professional services contracts to support the project, its long-term preservation, or historic designation
• Roof Repair
• Sign installation (on private property and must comply with Historic Sign Standards)

Capital Project Requirements

• Grounds must be accessible, open, and marketed to tourists with reasonable visitation hours
• Interior project proposals must be submitted together with an exterior project proposal
• In accordance with Texas Tax Code Ch 351, the proposal and application must meet the following two criteria: (1) The use must directly enhance and promote tourism and the hotel industry; (2) For historic preservation and restoration projects, the project must be: (A) at or in the immediate vicinity of convention center facilities or visitor information centers; or (B) located in the areas that are reasonably likely to be frequented by tourists
• Interior projects must include a sensitive treatment plan which emphasizes preserving significant historic features and materials while minimizing physical and visual impact as recommended by The Secretary of Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties
• Maintain historic designation
• Projects must occur at a designated historic site or a contributing property within a designated historic district. Verify the historic designation of a site using the City of Austin Historic Property View Finder 
• Projects must occur at a site eligible for local, state, or national historic designation, or determined eligible for designation by the Texas Historical Commission. Designation must be completed within the agreement term
• Project management fee and project administrative expenses are allowed up to 10% of the grant award (not to exceed $20,000) for capital projects
• If awarded, projects must be reviewed and approved either by the Historic Preservation Office and/or the Historic Landmark Commission after a preliminary review by the Architectural Review Committee
• Projects that are preservation-related or history-focused and are actively promoted to tourists, hotel guests, and convention delegates to expand audiences and tourists
• Proposals on private property must include Owner Authorization with the application. Here is a link to the Owner Authorization Form. It can be used for historic public or private sites unless the managing City department gives other instructions.
• For projects on City owned park land please upload your approved Austin Parks and Recreation (APR) Project Feasibility Form. This form is due to APR by July 28 for Heritage Events on City owned Parkland. This is to ensure that you receive the approved form in time to submit with your application.  
• Proposals must include one complete bid package (see definition) with bids from a contractor, (Preservation) Architect, subcontractor and vendors.  
• Proposals must include recommendations from an Architect or equivalent professional based on The Secretary of Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and/or the City of Austin Historic Design Standards
• Proposals must adhere to City of Austin Historic Design Standards and/or The Secretary of Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties
• Proposed historic site may require an on-site assessment or review
• Proposals with City-owned sites must be approved by the managing department before applying for a grant
• Properties determined to be eligible for historic designation. If a property is not designated at the time of the application, the applicant must provide a determination of eligibility with the application and sites must be historically designated by the end of the grant agreement term
• Applicant must include marketing expenses in their budget proposal

The purpose of the Education Service Centers (ESC) Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Basic Services Initiative is primarily to provide support for and to work cooperatively with Title I, Part A campuses in implementing Title I, Part A formula grant, and secondarily to provide technical assistance to other ESSA programs included in any subsequent addendum, that increase opportunities for all students enrolled in schools served by Title I, Part A to meet challenging State academic assessment standards.

Texas Education Agency's (TEA) strategic vision for ESSA formula grants is to improve student achievement, to ensure school systems have sufficient guidance and technical assistance to meet ESSA federal compliance requirements, to strengthen the quality of local ESSA programs, and to promote coordinated use of funds for best practices aligned to TEA Strategic Priorities in the ESSA Consolidated State Plan.  

Oak Wilt Cost Share

Purpose

Provide cost-shares to landowners to minimize the spread of oak wilt.

Practices

Trenching, tree removal 

About

We have administered the federal cost-share program, the Texas Oak Wilt Suppression Program (TOWSP), to assist landowners in their fight against oak wilt since 1988. Trenching to contain the spread of oak wilt or removal of certain diseased red oaks may qualify for limited cost-shares.   

Cost-shares for trenching are capped at 50% of approved costs up to $5,000 per cooperator per year and multiple cooperator project costs are capped at 50% of approved costs up to $7,500 per project per year. Cost-shares for roguing or pushing are capped at 50% of approved costs up to $5,000 per cooperator per year. Cost-shares for removal of certain diseased red oaks are capped at 50% of approved costs with a maximum of $2,000 per cooperator per year.

The Jean Griswold Foundation

The Jean Griswold Foundation (JGF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting Caregivers through educational opportunities and scholarships. 

Our Mission

The mission of the Jean Griswold Foundation is to support Caregivers by providing educational scholarships* to enable them to further their training, enhance their careers, and better assist the clients they serve.

By offering educational scholarships*, our Foundation will not only make a positive impact on the Caregivers themselves, but also the clients they assist and the home healthcare agencies where they are employed, as well as help advance the overarching home-care industry.

Scholarships will be paid directly to the federally accredited educational institutions of the winning Scholars’ choosing.

Empowering Caregivers Through Education

The Jean Griswold Foundation Scholarship Program awards scholarships to deserving Caregivers who wish to further their education in a care-related field. Applicants do not have to be associated with Griswold in any way, and the funds will be paid directly to the institution where the caregiver will be receiving education.  

Our Winter 2026 Scholarship Application period is now open! Applications will be accepted until 11:59pm ET August 31, 2026. Join our email list to get the first notice of all Scholarship happenings.  

Where would we be without Caregivers? 

Their selflessness is astounding, yet they are often overlooked and underappreciated. 

The Jean Griswold Foundation is dedicated to supporting Caregivers, the backbone of the care industry. We provide educational scholarships so Care Professionals can further their training, enhance their skills, elevate their careers, and better assist the people they serve.