Grants can be the life blood of a community. They provide critical funds for medical centers in low-income neighborhoods, for cultural facilities that uplift a city and for rehabilitation programs that give new hope to individuals. Each year, Communities Foundation of Texas authorizes millions of dollars of grants that touch almost every aspect of life. Funds administered by CFT support programs, organizations and institutions throughout this region and across the country.

There are two main types of grants awarded by Communities Foundation of Texas: donor-advised and competitive. Donor-advised grants normally are recommended by donors for specific charitable organizations. Competitive grants come from discretionary funds and CFT exercises greater flexibility with these to fund a wide variety of projects or programs that help address the needs of the community.

Donor-advised grants are made every week. Competitive grants are made twice a year during the spring and fall. Grant applications are a critical part of this process. Foundation trustees generally award discretionary grant funds for nonprofit projects after the Grants Department reviews proposals. The goal is to match charitable requests with available discretionary and field of interest funds in a way that is most effective and brings the most positive results.