CFT 2019 Annual Report

SIDE by SIDE

SIDE by SIDE

We’re building thriving communities for all.

Communities Foundation of Texas
2019 Annual Report

When I began my service to CFT in January 2017, I spoke about the need to expand our impact so that we could truly build a thriving community for all.

This goal is only possible if we work together across our diverse community. This year’s annual report continues to focus on how we work side-by-side with you—the caring donors, committed nonprofits, charitably-minded businesses and civic leaders who help to collectively influence the space we share and call home.

Thank you for your unwavering support—it remains a privilege to serve as president and CEO of Communities Foundation of Texas, working with our wonderful staff, trustees and all of you to strengthen our community. We hope you enjoy these inspiring stories of generosity.

Dave Scullin, President and CEO
Communities Foundation of Texas

Ross and Rebecca Anthony are tremendously intentional about their charitable giving, and have partnered with CFT in a variety of ways to align their values with their personal giving strategies. They’ve attended CFT’s GiveWisely course, graduated from CFT’s inaugural Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy cohort, and utilized CFT’s philanthropic consulting services. They stepped up to serve on CFT’s Fund Holder Advisory Council to provide valuable feedback, and were instrumental in helping to ensure that CFT’s Social Impact Investment fund option meets the needs of donors looking to invest their charitable funds sustainably, taking ecological, social and business ethics into account.

“We’re strong believers in social responsibility and corporate accountability, and that you can advocate and influence change not only through giving charitably but in how you choose to invest your funds,” said Ross. “We give back to help create positive change. There are so many critical issues out there that need support, resolution and helping hands. A lot of times, nonprofits are the ones championing causes and taking on the big issues.”

“We were both largely inspired by our families, particularly our mothers, to give of our time, talent and treasure. We grew up watching them give our entire lives,” said Rebecca.

Through CFT’s GiveWisely course, Ross and Rebecca honed their individual and collective values, often prioritizing their shared values of sustainability and effectiveness when considering charitable funding opportunities through the Ross and Rebecca Anthony Fund, a donor-advised fund at CFT. “I’m a strong believer in funding organizations that have permanence and a model that allows them to continue from year to year,” Ross said. “Effectiveness goes hand in hand with impact. We’re looking for where our dollars will go the furthest, and we have a passion for supporting advocacy and litigation, especially when it comes to social justice, the environment, education and public school funding. We want to uplift those that are underrepresented,” said Rebecca.

 “We’re still learning and have a lot to learn, but the only way to do so is to dive in and participate in programs like CFT’s and educate yourself. When we’re more informed, we can help support organizations more effectively,” said Rebecca. “The needs are so great and when you get involved, you want to do more and give more than just time.”

“From a time perspective, we want to be extremely effective in giving of our treasure, so we have been focusing on learning how to be better philanthropists, trying to discover more about area nonprofits and how we can help. A lot of our recent education in these areas has been provided through CFT’s programming,” said Ross. “Going on nonprofit site visits with CFT has been fantastic and has made us more confident in our decisions, which often leads to deeper generosity.”

Learn more Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy GiveWisely Create a Charitable Fund Social Impact Investing

“It’s such a pleasure to see Ross and Rebecca develop their philanthropic passions and shape their own approach to giving. These smart, forward-thinking donors are so thoughtful in how they use their time, talent and treasure to create a meaningful impact in our community and beyond. They are a great example of how CFT can partner with and support the next generation of philanthropists, and we look forward to being by their side for many years to come.”

Amelia White

Senior Officer, Donor Engagement

214-346-5507

awhite@cftexas.org

Over the past year, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas has partnered closely with CFT for Business (CFT4B) to grow their “Let’s Help” employee engagement and volunteer programs.

“The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas’ mission is to serve the public. Giving back is the compass that connects us to our community. We focus on three pillars: neighborhood stabilization, economic growth and opportunity, and financial capability and access,” said senior community development advisor Elizabeth Sobel-Blum. “CFT4B has provided us the infrastructure to bring employees closer to our mission through volunteerism. The CFT4B team listened to our priorities and provided us with an ongoing list of nonprofits to partner with that fit within our focus of economic wellness. We’re now able to offer employees a much broader array of choices they can engage in and lead that fit their unique passions.”

“CFT4B makes it easier and more efficient for our employees to become volunteer champions,” noted community development officer Roy Lopez. “We wanted a way to provide service opportunities without employees having to be engaged with logistics that take time away from the volunteer experience. CFT4B acts as our backbone support for so many things we wouldn’t have bandwidth to do on our own.”

“The online portal for volunteer management offered through CFT4B has been a huge help to us,” added program manager and community engagement advisor Jenna Dillenback.

“We value the tremendous expertise of the CFT4B team in growing our program, sharing best practices and connecting us to opportunities we didn’t even know existed. In addition to providing custom volunteer projects, they helped us create an engaging volunteer fair and a nonprofit board leadership training program for employees,” said Lopez. “Being part of the CFT4B network of companies has been meaningful for us, providing us the ability to meet like-minded people outside of our company.”

Beyond their CFT4B partnership, one of the reasons why the Fed’s employee engagement and volunteerism efforts are such a success is because they’ve had the support of leadership from the beginning. “Our president challenged us to be leading citizens and to live out loud our values of corporate social responsibility. To truly be engaged locally, we need to volunteer and serve on boards so we have on-the-ground insight across the organization into economic conditions,” added Lopez.

“It gives employees the ability to learn firsthand about key issues such as food insecurity and financial instability. It’s been a great way for employees to collaborate and deepen connections across departments. It’s also helped us to attract, retain and develop top talent. Each of our volunteer experiences provides a leadership opportunity for employees,” said Lopez.

“We want our staff to lead and take ownership of community issues, to go out and take action. We want our internal culture to reflect that no matter what position you hold in the organization, you can be a leader working on increasing economic well-being through volunteerism, and that you can do so on work time,” said senior vice president Alfreda Norman.

The Fed offers all employees volunteer time during the work day, but they’ve found that employees continue to volunteer on their own time on the weekends and after hours. “For many of our employees, service is part of their lifestyle,” said Norman.

“We’re connecting the dots to show our employees how they can change the world, working together to increase the economic well-being of our community,” Norman continued. “Our employees are celebrating each other’s efforts and uplifting their colleagues who are doing amazing things. We’re collaborating in a much more powerful way.”

Learn more CFT for Business Corporate Partners CFT for Business Video Freedom Day 2019 Video

“Our partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas has been incredibly impactful. They’re a shining example of how much you can accomplish when leadership is supportive and involved, emboldens employees as leaders and embraces giving back as an integral part of organizational culture. I am so proud of the CFT4B team’s work to establish and deepen our relationship with the Fed, and it’s only just the beginning.”

Sejal Desai

Business Engagement Director

214-750-4239

sdesai@cftexas.org

“We have been able to move forward quickly to provide volunteer opportunities that have resulted in the Fed seeing significant increases in employee volunteerism and situational leadership. We are excited about our plans for 2020.”

Kymberlaine Banks

Business Engagement Officer

214-346-5505

kbanks@cftexas.org

Kiara Eubanks

Project Assistant

214-750-5509

keubanks@cftexas.org

The Rineharts moved to Collin County in 2000, when it used to be a few factories and a lot of tree farms. “We have lived a lot of places where we ‘needed’ to go for our careers, and Collin County is where we chose to go,” said Brian. “Once we got here, we knew this is where we wanted to be. We love it here.”

“There has been tremendous economic opportunity, but it’s important that each of our neighbors has an opportunity to come along on Collin County’s journey of growth. There are a lot of challenges and quiet needs here that many people don’t see,” noted Brian.

 “CFT was the perfect avenue for us to dig deep to make a difference in Collin County. We trust CFT and had a history here through our past involvement with North Texas Giving Day. We wanted to make a big investment in where we live, and that’s why we made a significant investment in CFT’s Fund for Collin County. We considered remaining anonymous, but we knew it was important to put our name out there to show how much we care in the hopes that we can inspire others to consider contributing to the fund,” said Tracy.

“We still have our favorite causes we’re going to give to, but supporting the Fund for Collin County has been a way for us to learn of new and growing needs that aren’t the most obvious. The team at CFT vets the nonprofit applications for funding and we trust CFT’s data-driven approach. We’re confident in CFT’s ability to deploy the funds in the most effective and thoughtful way,” said Brian.

In addition to supporting the Fund for Collin County, the Rineharts established a donor-advised fund at CFT. “The Rinehart Family Fund at CFT is an opportunity to make giving back even more of a family process. We really wanted it to be beyond just the two of us,” said Tracy. “Our children already have a heart for service, and our hope is that our family fund will help them think through what’s important to them and what they’re passionate about, and how it fits into the big picture of their lives.”

Learn more Create a Charitable Fund Support the Fund for Collin County CFT’s Collin County Video Collin County Fund Contributors

“We’re so grateful to Brian and Tracy for their generosity. They really are two of the best advocates for addressing Collin County’s needs and opportunities through CFT’s Fund for Collin County.”

Sarah Beeks Humphrey, CAP®

Director of Charitable Giving, Collin County

214-750-4247

shumphrey@cftexas.org

Since 2006, the Schwitter family has quietly given over 150 life-changing scholarships to students enrolled in Bishop Lynch High School, and to Bishop Lynch alumni pursuing college degrees.

Jackie and Andy Schwitter’s three children, Andre, Michael and Amanda, are all proud Bishop Lynch High School graduates who thrived during their time there. They had a great academic experience, played sports and cultivated their faith while at Bishop Lynch. Shortly after Andy sold his company in 2004, their advisor, John Bergner, recommended that they explore partnering with CFT. The family had a talk around the kitchen table about giving other deserving students the opportunity to get a Bishop Lynch education. Everyone readily agreed and volunteered to take on various components of the program. This close-knit family and their work to make a Bishop Lynch education a reality for students is the driving force behind the Bridges Scholarship at CFT.

The scholarship program started with one four-year scholarship awarded to an incoming Bishop Lynch freshman, then grew to two four-year scholarships. The scholarships are awarded to good students who earn average grades and are involved in extracurricular activities. 

“We’re giving good, solid kids who earn Bs and Cs a leg up with this scholarship. It’s not only life-changing for them, it’s life-changing for me in my involvement,” said son Michael. “Our role was just planting the seed in each recipient to show that we believe in their ability, and the students have done all the rest,” said Jackie. 

During the economic downturn, the Schwitters learned there was a need among rising seniors who couldn’t afford to stay at Bishop Lynch for their senior year. Thus, a new one-year Bridges Scholarship was created to provide emergency funds which ensure deserving students can earn a diploma from Bishop Lynch. Then the family created a second fund to award college scholarship dollars to Bishop Lynch alumni. “With CFT’s support, and in partnership with school counselors, the scholarship process continues to be refined each year,” said Andy. 

It’s hard to express just how impactful the Bridges Scholarship has been to its many grateful recipients, who have had an educational opportunity of a lifetime and gone on to become pilots, teachers, nurses, lawyers, veterinarians and more – sharing the gifts that were given to them. “Students often share with us in their notes and letters how they’re sparked to help someone in the future and want to pay it forward,” said Jackie. Some have even received additional full-ride scholarships to universities.

Jackie is a regular at the annual “prize patrol” surprise visits. When an incoming freshman is awarded a full four-year Bridges Scholarship to Bishop Lynch, a team from CFT and the school shows up at the eighth grader’s school with balloons, flowers and news of the scholarship award. The student’s family is in attendance, having been called to the school for a “meeting.” There are joyful exclamations, happy tears, hugs and changed lives. 

“The Schwitters are a very special family,” noted Bishop Lynch President Chris Rebuck. “They’ve truly made philanthropy a family affair and positively impacted so many lives. When you take the hundreds of students who’ve received much-needed financial assistance from the Bridges Scholarship and look at the good they are doing in their communities, it’s a snowball effect of goodwill.”

Both of Jackie and Andy’s sons serve on the Bridges Scholarship Committee. Michael and his wife Kara handle the incoming freshman and high school scholarships, and Andre and his wife Robyn work with CFT to focus on the college scholarship side and participate in interviewing the college applicants. The close family dynamics and their hands-on involvement in the process, coupled with CFT’s guidance and oversight, fuels the Bridges Scholarship. In addition to their scholarship fund, the Schwitters partner with CFT on their charitable giving through the Schwitter Family Fund, a donor-advised fund at CFT. They are also proud members of CFT’s legacy society, the Live Oak Society. With grandchildren now in the family, the third generation is already learning the importance of philanthropy.

Learn more Create a Scholarship Fund Bridges Scholarship Video Put Charity In Your Will

“It is an honor to guide and partner with the Schwitter family to help them achieve their vision for changing the lives of students and their families throughout our community.”

Melissa Hardage

Senior Officer, Donor Engagement

214-750-4251

mhardage@cftexas.org

Ann and Taoreed Badmus have been engaged in philanthropy individually, as a couple, and now as a family through the Dr. Taoreed and Ann Massey Badmus Charitable Fund at CFT. “We wanted to involve our children in our charitable giving plans beyond our lifetime from the very beginning,” said Taoreed.

They had initially discussed establishing a private foundation to manage their philanthropy, planning to eventually pass that on to their children, but discovered they could have a fund in their family name at CFT to accomplish their charitable goals — with the added value of the guidance and resources of CFT, and without the administrative work.

“Once we learned about donor-advised funds at CFT, we knew that partnering with their team of experts would align with what we were hoping to achieve. It’s really supported and strengthened our giving philosophy,” said Taoreed.

The Badmuses participated in CFT’s GiveWisely program together as a family. “GiveWisely gave us an opportunity to come together around giving. We learned a lot about our kids and their unique and overlapping passions by going through the values-based exercises. It was a great experience to bond us in ways we hadn’t thought of before, and have us focus as a family on causes we care about,” said Ann. “There are many worthy causes, so being able to focus and know what’s most important to us as a family and being able to align that with the charitable giving we do has been really meaningful.”

“We discovered a lot of common interest areas as a family, such as social justice and equity, but we also give our three children the opportunity to fund their own individual charitable interests through our family fund at CFT. There are so many causes that we believe in, and if we believe in them, we should give to them to further their mission,” said Ann. The family recent made grants through their fund as part of North Texas Giving Day, noting that the nonprofits they selected for funding were aligned with the family values they had established in CFT’s GiveWisely program.

“There are so many opportunities to learn and engage when you partner with CFT, whether it’s information about effective nonprofits, support in vetting nonprofits, their family philanthropy resources or the variety of issue-focused events they host. There’s something for all of us, as far as causes that we care about, and the staff are truly here to help,” said Ann.

Learn more GiveWisely Create a Charitable Fund CFT’s Work With Individuals and Families

“Helping families share their unique values and passions with one another and the community is one of the richest journeys we help facilitate at CFT. Whether it’s one or multiple generations, we are here to help families connect deeply with the values that drive them and the passions that motivate them.”

Elizabeth Liser, CAP®

Senior Donor Engagement Specialist

214-750-4234

eliser@cftexas.org

For Chris and Abbey Carter, the importance of raising their children to be generous people, focused on how to help the world around them, has been a motivating factor in their charitable giving.

When they opened a donor-advised fund at CFT, the family's relationship with Ami Doshi, Donor Engagement Officer, and Carolyn Newham, senior director of donor relations and fund administration, helped the whole family engage with philanthropy on a deeper level.

"Carolyn and Ami helped the kids feel comfortable and brought structure to what can be a complicated topic to cover," said Abbey. One activity Ami and Carolyn introduced to the Carters was a bean-sorting exercise that helped the kids think about and prioritize causes they wanted to support. "We appreciated their enthusiasm and desire to help our family," Abbey said.

The Carters have also enjoyed the full suite of services offered by CFT, including donor appreciation dinners and guest speakers. The family has come away from each experience with new insights and takeaways about how to further their family's mission. "My son Kevin and I had the opportunity to attend CFT’s Family Service Day at North Texas Food Bank. It was Kevin’s first time, and he loved packing the bags with groceries and was really engaged. When we were done, Kevin said he wanted to go back as soon as possible."

By engaging in these powerful firsthand experiences, the Carters are sharing the magic of giving with their children, helping them develop a lifelong passion for philanthropy.

"Carolyn and Ami helped the kids feel comfortable and brought structure to what can be a complicated topic to cover. We appreciated their enthusiasm and desire to help our family."– Abbey Carter

Learn more
GiveWisely
Create a Charitable Fund

“It’s such a pleasure working with the Carters. It is very special to see them honor and respect each other’s areas of interest, and build a strong family culture around their philanthropy.”

Ami Doshi

Donor Engagement Officer

214-750-4143

adoshi@cftexas.org

“We are grateful for our partnership with the Carters, especially as it has grown to include their family. I think that is one of CFT’s best abilities – to continue to work and partner with our donors as they evolve in their giving.”

Carolyn Newham

Senior Director of Donor Relations and Fund Administration

214-750-4146

cnewham@cftexas.org

Click here to read stories about our impact.

Educate Texas Educate Texas Educate Texas Educate Texas

“We were excited to play a key role in supporting the passage of House Bill 3, which will incentivize teacher excellence, focus on student outcomes, prioritize full-day pre-K for eligible four-year-olds, and increase funding and equity in schools across the state. We look forward to supporting implementation through programs, partnerships and strategies that will positively impact students and communities across Texas.”

John Fitzpatrick

Executive Director

737-708-8153

jfitzpatrick@cftexas.org

“With the unprecedented 86th Legislative Session recently coming to a close, we are especially proud of our collaborative advocacy efforts with an exceptional team of educators, policy experts, practitioners and leaders. Working together, we impacted the passage of House Bill 3, the most important piece of school finance legislation in a generation.”

George Tang

Managing Director

214-750-4124

gtang@cftexas.org

Click the navigation below to learn more about our impact.

House Bill 3
Dollars for College
Best in Class - Garland ISD
TxCAN
RGV FOCUS
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Educate Texas

Policy & Advocacy

House Bill 3

Side By Side, We’re Impacting Policy

From early research and stakeholder discussions to implementation through our programs and partnerships, Educate Texas acted as a trusted partner and resource for the policymakers who passed House Bill 3, one of the most important pieces of school financial legislation in a generation. Committed to transforming public and higher education systems to increase student success, the team at Educate Texas will continue its efforts in focus areas that align directly with the provisions of House Bill 3.

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Educate Texas

College and Career Readiness

Dollars for College

Side By Side, We’re Kick-Starting College Savings

To encourage more Texas students to save for college, Communities Foundation of Texas and Educate Texas partnered with Lancaster ISD, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and Texas Instruments Foundation to launch Dollars for College at Lancaster ISD. The program opens scholarship accounts for every participating kindergarten student in Lancaster ISD and seeds them with $50, helping families build college savings.

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Educate Texas

Effective Teaching

Best in Class - Garland ISD

Side By Side, We’re Helping Students Succeed

Best in Class, a collaboration between Communities Foundation of Texas, through Educate Texas, and The Commit Partnership, worked with Garland ISD to implement the ACE (Accelerating Campus Excellence) model at two campuses for 2018-2019: Handley Elementary School and Lyles Middle School. ACE is a turnaround strategy that identifies a district’s most effective teachers and leaders, and places them in schools with the highest needs. Beyond academics, ACE supports the whole child, with an extended school day; free after-school enrichment; meals, uniforms and more. Since implementing ACE, the percentage of students who met academic standards increased by 12% at Handley Elementary, and by 16% at Lyles Middle School, for all grades and subject areas. These increases represent some of the greatest gains in GISD.

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Educate Texas

Higher Education

TxCAN

Side By Side, We’re Increasing College Access

Educate Texas’ Texas College Access Network (TxCAN) initiative works to connect and support college access programs throughout Texas. In 2018, the Greater Texas Foundation and the Kresge Foundation provided additional funding and deep thought partnership to reinforce the TxCAN program. The partners look forward to seeing TxCAN lead a statewide strategy to improve effectiveness in supporting students.

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Educate Texas

Collective Impact

RGV FOCUS

Side By Side, We’re Strengthening Communities

RGV FOCUS worked side by side with education leaders, non-profits and student volunteers in Lyford, Texas to strengthen education and provide a valuable service to the community. Through the United Way of Southern Cameron County (UWSCC)’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, Lyford Independent School District (LISD) students were trained to become official IRS-certified tax preparers. The LISD students prepared income tax returns for families earning less than $55,000 annually, at no cost. Students benefited by learning new skills, and the community benefited from increased financial stability.

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Learn more Educate Texas Read Educate Texas' Annual Report
“Side by Side”

In 2019, CFT’s North Texas Giving Day raised $50 million benefiting nearly 3,000 local nonprofits, bringing the eleven-year total to over $290 million for our community. North Texas Giving Day is the largest community-wide giving event in the nation and this year more than 169,000 gifts poured in from 50 states and 25 countries.

This year’s event honorary co‐chairs Dirk and Jessica Nowitzki helped propel the day’s results rallying more than 100,000 givers. “You’ve proven the power of generosity and made history on North Texas Giving Day. Your donations will fund critically important work and will have lasting impact, improving lives for our neighbors,” said Dirk and Jessica Nowitzki. “Thank you for partnering with Communities Foundation of Texas to make North Texas Giving Day 2019 a wonderful success. You all make us even more proud to call North Texas home.

Save the Date: North Texas Giving Day 2020 is 09.17.20!

Click here to read North Texas Giving Day success stories.

Click the next button below to read North Texas Giving Day success stories.

Storehouse of Collin County
Golden Retriever Rescue
Texas Health Resources
Arlington Master Chorale
Mommies in Need
Green Oaks Education and Support, Inc. and GPA Ministries
RISD Dollars for College and NTGD
KidLinks
DFW Urban League Young Professionals
Rosa es Rojo

Storehouse of Collin County

Feeding, Clothing, Caring… and Giving: Amplified!

“North Texas Giving Day allows Storehouse of Collin County to share our mission “to feed, clothe, and care as neighbors in one community,” with thousands and raise more money in one focused day than we could in months on our own. Over the past two years, we saw over $50,000 increase in donations from the previous year, highlighting the popularity of North Texas Giving Day with our donors. As we celebrate our 10th anniversary and prepare for our next decade, Storehouse will use these gifts to expand their operations and train volunteers to better identify the needs of their neighbors beyond food and clothing.”

Candace Winslow, The Storehouse of Collin County

Golden Retriever Rescue

North Texas Giving Day Helps Golden Retriever Rescue of North Texas Turn Money Into Miracles

“Each year, Golden Retriever Rescue of North Texas (GRRNT) spends approximately $175,000 on medical and rehabilitation services for the Golden Retrievers we rescue. The monies we raise on North Texas Giving Day account for 40% of this annual spend. North Texas Giving Day has dramatically transformed GRRNT’s financial status from “hand to mouth” to a truly sustainable rescue. North Texas Giving Day funds now allow GRRNT to take on even the most difficult medical cases and provide lifetime care for our permanent fosters, Goldens too old or ill to be adopted. North Texas Giving Day is crucial to our mission to turn money into miracles for Golden Retrievers in North Texas.”

Lynda Collins, Golden Retriever Rescue of North Texas

Texas Health Resources

One Gift at a Time, Texas Health Resources Donors Are Improving Community Health

“Thanks to the incredible generosity of North Texas Giving Day donors, Texas Health Resources Foundation blew past our fundraising goal, raising more than $614,000, and was the third organization for most funds raised. One gift at a time, from 372 donors, benefits our community health initiatives and the greatest needs across our system like mobile health outreach for the underserved in our communities and veteran recognition programs to honor veteran patients, as well as the needs of their tiniest patients in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. THR donors are making the difference by helping us fulfill our mission of improving the health of the people in the communities we serve.”

Jessica Kaszynski, Texas Health Resources

Arlington Master Chorale

Arlington Master Chorale Sings Praises for the Swell of Community Support

“Now in our 5th year as a North Texas Giving Day participant, the Arlington Master Chorale experienced our best giving day yet! The AMC Board of Directors and friends presented its largest challenge grant to date of $15,000. Also, for the second consecutive year, AMC secured one of the $5,000 prizes from the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation. From raising $13,475 in 2016 to having more than 250 donors contributing more than $44,000 in 2019—we were blown away by the swell of community support! Because of this local generosity, we will hold six performances in the 2019-20 season, support local musicians by hiring 25 instrumentalists for select concerts and most importantly, support the future financial health of the Chorale with a gift to grow our endowment.”

Britany Bleistein, Arlington Master Chorale

Mommies in Need

Dollars for Childcare Roll in for Mommies In Need

“North Texas Giving Day 2019 was a blockbuster success for Mommies In Need, raising more than $85,000! In celebration of our fifth year participating, MIN focused on collaboration and community by partnering with Comerica Bank for an “After School FunFest.” Eleven nonprofits attended and each brought a kid-friendly activity to engage guests and encourage donations. We also took home the “Strong Women, Better World” first place prize from the Texas Women’s Foundation for the 5th year in a row by increasing our number of individual donors. The money raised onGiving Day will allow us to provide 3,000 hours of in-home care to parents facing a serious illness AND sponsor 100 kids to attend Annie's Place at Parkland, a drop-in childcare center on the Parkland campus.”

Natalie Boyle, Mommies In Need

Green Oaks Education and Support, Inc. and GPA Ministries

Grace Prep Students Rally for Green Oaks Students at the Arlington Gives! Concert

“Every year Green Oaks Education and Support, Inc. takes the opportunity to have as much fun as possible, not only raising funds, but also raising “friends” on North Texas Giving Day. With the goal of expanding our services to better meet the needs of children and adults with intellectual disabilities, our 2019 campaign revolved around dancing, and we created a large social media presence with fun antics and videos. Green Oaks received 247 donations for a total of $41,000. PLUS, thanks to another Arlington nonprofit, Grace Preparatory Academy, whose school community got behind Green Oaks with their full support, Green Oaks won the People’s Choice Award of $10,000 at the Arlington Gives! concert that night. Both of our schools are already looking forward to North Texas Giving Day 2020.”

Jean Jewell, Green Oaks Education and Support, Inc.

RISD Dollars for College and NTGD

Richardson ISD Focuses on Three Key Efforts to Directly Impact Their Students and Staff

“In our inaugural North Texas Giving Day event, our school district got behind three local efforts, including our Education Foundation, Network of Community Ministries and Dollars for College, to promote a spirit of giving with students, staff and community. The district raised nearly $20,000 to support programs that directly impact identified needs and to narrow opportunity gaps for all students. Senior student leaders from each high school organized and led giving efforts for their respective campuses and have created a model for annual district participation in this North Texas tradition.”

Dr. Jeannie Stone, Richardson ISD Superintendent

KidLinks

Giant Checks Benefit Little Kids

“What an incredible surprise! It sure was a good day when Dirk Nowitzki announced KidLinks as the winner of a $10,000 random prize during the Opening Ceremony for North Texas Giving Day. We had set a goal of raising $7,000, which we exceeded after winning the drawing. KidLinks provides healing, hope and happiness for children and families through free or low-cost therapeutic music entertainment and music therapy programs in local hospitals and care centers across North Texas. North Texas Giving Day funds will directly support the growth of these direct services, content creation to improve the daily experiences of hospitalized and special needs children and educational resources for the adults who care for them.”

Maya Lechowick, KidLinks

DFW Urban League Young Professionals

Urban League Mobilizes Young Professional Leaders with Funds Raised

“North Texas Giving Day 2019 helped the Dallas-Fort Worth Urban League Young Professionals hit a new record! We surpassed our initial goal of $7,500 and landed just shy of $10,000– making September 19th a recording breaking day for our chapter. Donations raised on North Texas Giving Day are already helping us train more people to be civically engaged. Following North Texas Giving Day was the kickoff to National Voter Registration Week and our chapter was out in full force registering Dallas residents to vote. We are now being trained and informed to engage and educate our communities for the upcoming 2020 census. Did you know that 17,000 children were not counted in the last census? Donations raised on North Texas Giving Day will help us change that narrative for the next 10 years by making sure every one of our neighbors gets counted.”

Imani Daniel, DFW Urban League Young Professionals

Rosa es Rojo

Wellness and Cancer Prevention Was the Talk of the Town for Rosa es Rojo

“North Texas Giving Day 2019 was the first year for ROSA es ROJO! We were so excited to learn valuable lessons and experiences about the beauty of GIVING. We visited many community partners around DFW to demonstrate how important is to team up with them in order to educate more Hispanic women on wellness and cancer prevention. We drove around the metroplex, 251 miles in total. We LOVED to see the Hispanic community giving visibly! Thanks to the gifts raised during North Texas Giving Day, Rosa es Rojo will be able to provide 28 full scholarships for "The Rojo Way,” our wellness and cancer prevention program. These scholarships will be allocated to Hispanic women living in West Dallas and McKinney specifically. We reached 72% of our initial goal.”

Aidee Granados, Rosa es Rojo

Learn more North Texas Giving Day

CFT is the custodian of the W.W. Caruth, Jr. Fund. It is CFT’s largest endowment and was donated by Mr. William Walter Caruth, Jr., to advance innovative, high-impact solutions in the areas of education, health, and public safety.

Mr. Caruth aspired to combine his heart for giving with the tools of entrepreneurship and scientific inquiry to bring about widespread community change. Because of these priorities, Caruth investments are distinctive in the regional philanthropic sector. They are known as a source of “risk capital” for innovators who are looking to create, study, or advance a transformational change effort.

“Our new approach to Caruth grantmaking seeks to increase access for organizations of different sizes, both within and across our priority issue areas of education, health, and public safety, and their intersections,” said Nadine Dechausay, Community Philanthropy Director. “We’re providing funding not only to projects that are fully implemented or expanding, but also to projects in initial development that we believe will be transformational for our community.”

Nadine Dechausay

Community Philanthropy Director

214-346-5524

grants@cftexas.org

To learn more about Caruth grants awarded in 2019 and how they advance CFT’s vision of a thriving community for all, click the “next” arrow.

CFT's Caruth Fund Areas of Impact
Public Safety
Health
Education
Public Safety, Health and Education
Intersection Areas

Caruth Funds Social Innovation Within and Across Public Safety, Education, and Health

In 2019, the Caruth Fund made more grants than in any previous year, thanks to a renewed emphasis on inclusive grantmaking and enhanced staff support. CFT honors Mr. Caruth’s legacy by investing in creative solutions to system-wide challenges, supporting cross-sector collaboratives, developing new technologies that serve the public interest, and promoting the use of evidence-based practices. CFT’s investments follow the five stages of innovation, from early discovery through prototyping, full implementation, evaluation, and scale.

Public Safety

360 Degrees of Public Safety: Creating Connection to Reduce Crime

Recent grant awards support a renewed vision of what investing in public safety can be. This reflects CFT’s commitment to taking a 360-degree view of public safety, which means paying close attention to factors that build community resilience and prevent crime. That perspective is reflected in grants for parks and greenspace, relationship-building between police and youth, workforce training for justice-system-involved individuals, access to credit in historically marginalized neighborhoods, and supplemental programs that keep young people on track in school.

Recent grantees focused on public safety include Project Unity, bcWorkshop, and Bridges to Life.

Health

360 Degrees of Health: Advancing Well-being Through Social Determinants of Health

Overall well-being is influenced by several factors beyond biology, including the social and built environments, access to well-functioning institutions, economic opportunity, housing, food quality, and safety. These extrinsic factors, often referred to as the social determinants of health, operate in a dynamic way to shape individual and population health outcomes. CFT’s W.W. Caruth, Jr. Fund supports projects to improve well-being in the North Texas community for the benefit of every resident, accounting for factors such as race, income, and ZIP code. This year, CFT released a request for proposals targeting research studies that identify evidence-based ways to build a culture of health for all.

Learn More

Recent grantees focused on health include Collaborative for Fresh Produce and Crossroads Community Services.

Education

360 Degrees of Education: Activating the Family, Community, and Online Environments for Learning

CFT’s Caruth Fund is committed to achieving the fundamental goals of education, self-discovery, and access to good jobs through investments both in schools and beyond. CFT is a major funder of Educate Texas and the Best in Class initiative, both of which are focused on change at the system level. In addition, CFT targets initiatives that build capacity among non-school actors to help students achieve key educational milestones such as on-grade reading, access to STEM courses, and successful school-to-career transitions. Support also includes helping adults who have barriers to employment achieve economic mobility through access to quality jobs, wealth creation, and entrepreneurship opportunities.

Learn More

Recent grantees focused on education include At Last!, Behind Every Door, Best in Class, Catch Up and Read, Elementary Reading Collaborative, Greenlight Credentials, Interfaith Family Services, ScholarShot, Stand for Children, Teaching Trust, and University of North Texas.

Public Safety x Health x Education

360 Degrees of Impact

Increasingly, CFT’s Caruth grantmaking is funding initiatives at the intersection points between the three core issue areas. There are such deep interdependencies between public safety, health, and education that transformational change in any one area requires attention to dynamics across the other two. This is seen most vividly in looking at the issue of neighborhood quality. It has been said that ZIP code is more important than genetic code in predicting longevity, but neighborhood also has significant implications for whether a child is likely to be the victim of crime or gets a quality education. CFT’s investments to improve the capacity of organizations to promote equity and opportunity also fall into this category.

Recent grantees focused on the intersection between public safety, health, and education include Dallas Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation, Trust for Public Land, and the Texas 2020 Census.

Public Safety x Health x Education

360 Degrees of Impact

In addition to funding initiatives that cross all three core issue areas of public safety, health, and education, the Caruth team at CFT has been focusing on issues that cross two of the three areas as well.

Recent intersectional grantees across two of the issue areas include those across Public Safety and Health (Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center, Homeward Bound, Southern Deck Gateway Foundation, Texas Trees Foundation, and TexProtects); Health and Education (Kids Vision Coalition) as well as Education and Public Safety (DreamSpring and Zan Wesley Holmes Center).

2019 Financial Highlights

Investment Managers

Aberdeen Asset Management, PLC
BlackRock
BNY Mellon Cash Investment Strategies
Breckinridge Capital Advisors, Inc.
Brookfield Investment Management
Burgundy Asset Management Ltd.
Carlson Capital, L.P.

Cushing Asset Management
Dimensional Fund Advisors
Disciplined Growth Investors, Inc.
DL & Partners Investment Company
Freshford Fund Ltd.
HHR Asset Management, LLC
Lazard Asset Management

Nuveen
Pzena Investment Management, LLC
State Street Global Advisors
Trinity Street Asset Management
Western Asset Management Company
White Elm Capital LLC
William Blair & Company, LLC

CUSTODIAN BNY Mellon LEGAL COUNSEL Thompson & Knight INDEPENDENT AUDITOR Moss Adams INVESTMENT CONSULTANT Cambridge Associates, LLC

Financials for Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2019

Total Assets: $1.1 billion

Total Grants Paid: $118 million

Total Gifts Received: $117 million

Number of Funds: 1,000+

Cumulative Grants: $1.9 billion

ASSETS (in millions, unaudited)
2019 COMPOSITION OF ASSETS (in millions, unaudited)
W.W. Caruth, Jr. Foundation 418.1
Donor-Advised Funds 350.1
Designated Funds 95.6
Discretionary Funds 122.1
Other Supporting Organizations 49.5
Nonprofit Agency Funds 51.7
Scholarship Funds 19.3
General Operating Funds 24.9
Charitable Remainder Trusts 10.1
Total Assets $1,141.4
2019 COMPOSITION OF GIFTS (in millions, unaudited)
Donor-Advised Funds 42.6
Nonprofit Agency Funds 49.0
Designated Funds 24.0
Discretionary Funds 0.8
Other 0.4
Total Gifts 116.8
TOTAL GRANTS PAID (in millions, unaudited)
2019 GRANTS DISTRIBUTION

For a listing of named funds at CFT and to review the annual independent audit report and the related audited consolidated financial statements with footnotes, please click here.



View audited financials and full fund listing

Our Team

View by team: Leadership Donor Engagement and Relationships Finance and Administration Grants and Philanthropy Educate Texas North Texas Giving Day CFT For Business Marketing and Communications Advisor Relations Collin County Planned Giving Data Management and Analysis Human Resources View All Staff
Wayne White President and CEO
Jim Berry Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
Monica Christopher Senior Vice President, Chief Giving and Community Impact Officer
John Fitzpatrick Executive Director, Educate Texas
Truman Greene Jr. Chief Human Resources Officer
Dr. Reo Pruiett, Ed.D. Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer
Jennifer Taylor Chief Marketing Officer

Richie Butler

Board Chair; Senior Pastor, St. Luke "Community" United Methodist Church

Connie O'Neill

Vice Chair; Civic Leader

Alfreda Norman

Past Chair; Senior Vice President, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas

Arcilia Acosta

President and CEO, CARCON Industries and Construction

Greg Campbell

President & CEO, Rainmaker, Inc.

Michael Dardick

Chief Executive Officer, Granite Properties

Matrice Ellis-Kirk

CEO, Ellis Kirk Group

José (Pepe) Guevara

Founding Managing Director, Millstone Assets

Gunjan Jain

Owner, Access Healthcare Services USA, LLC

Chris Kleinert

CEO & President, Hunt Investment Holdings

Sarah Losinger

Civic Leader

Tom Montgomery

Managing Member, Montgomery Capital Advisers, LLC

Nicole Small

CEO, LH Capital, Inc. and Lyda Hill Philanthropies

G. Stacy Smith

Founder, Trinity Investment Group

John Stephens

Retired Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, AT&T

Thear Suzuki

Global Client Service Partner, EY

Debra Brennan Tagg

President, BFS Advisory Group

Rob Walters

Senior Partner, Gibson Dunn

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