Would you like to approach Greater Texas Foundation about grant funding?
Wondering how to get started?
Here is how we engage with prospective grantees.
Concept Stage
Step One: Reach Out
If you are interested in applying for funding from Greater Texas Foundation, please send an email to our Director of Programs and Strategy. The Director will then contact you to discuss your program or project and determine whether it aligns with the foundation’s mission, strategy, and funding criteria.
Step Two: Submit a Concept Paper
If your program or project is a potential fit, you will be invited to submit a brief concept paper, along with a line-item budget, via our online application system. The concept paper introduces GTF staff to your idea so they can consider whether to invite a proposal. Within one month of submission, your concept paper will be reviewed by foundation staff. A proposal may or may not be invited pending the outcome of this stage.
Are you new to the process of working with Greater Texas Foundation? Check out our FAQs prepared especially for prospective grantees.
Proposal Stage
Step One: Proposal
The proposal stage provides foundation staff, followed by the Charitable Activities Committee and then the full board, with detailed information about your project. Your proposal will include the following:
- project description and relevance to GTF’s mission and strategy;
- the nature, scope, and magnitude of the problem you are addressing;
- theory of change;
- intended outcomes, including specific measures of impact, influence, and leverage;
- plans for evaluation, risk management, and sustainability; and
- line-item budget for your proposed project.
Only invited proposals are accepted and reviewed. If invited to submit a proposal, you will receive instructions regarding next steps.
Step Two: Grant Review
During the review period, GTF staff may provide feedback for revision, elaboration, or clarification of your grant proposal. There may also be a site visit to gain a greater understanding of the proposed project and to meet with staff responsible for carrying out the proposed work. This stage of the review process generally takes two months or more depending upon the complexity of the grant, extent of revisions necessary, and the applicant’s timeliness.
Step Three: Grant Agreement
If the board approves your proposal, the foundation will initiate a grant agreement within two weeks of the board’s decision. No grant funds will be disbursed, nor should funds be expended, until this agreement is executed by both parties. If you have questions about our grant application and review process, please contact our Director of Grants Management.
Our Approach to Partnering with Grantees
We are invested in the success of our partners.
While our knowledgeable team has a statewide view of the Texas education landscape and issues, we draw from the expertise of our grantees and partners to help ensure we are as strategic as possible in our grantmaking. We engage in collaborative problem solving through open, honest communication. And where we see need or opportunity, we proactively make introductions across our wide network to help interested parties find collaborators and additional resources.
Grantmaking at Greater Texas Foundation is guided by our strategic focus and geared toward programs with meaningful impact and broad reach. In addition to funding projects aligned with our four strategic goal areas, we welcome conversations about innovative projects and novel approaches to student success.
Note: In most cases, the foundation will consider only one application from an organization (or unit/department, in the case of a college or university) within a twelve-month period. Generally, no proposal from an organization previously funded by the foundation will be considered unless a full and timely report of expenditure of the previous grant has been submitted.
