Grantmaking

Waco Foundation's Board of Trustees recognizes that the unprecedented need presented by COVID-19 presents significant challenges to our local nonprofit sector and the community.  For information and resources directly related to the Foundation's COVID-19 response, please visit our COVID-19 Grantmaking page. 

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Waco Foundation strives to make grant decisions that not only promote solutions to community challenges, but also build the capacity of service providers to partner collaboratively with others.

The Foundation awards grants to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that are physically located in and serve McLennan County, Texas. In addition to regular grantmaking, Waco Foundation also provides Immediate Impact Grants and Capacity Building Mini Grants.

Our Funding Priorities are as follows:

Helping people overcome poverty permanently. Priority will be given to the most focused, cost-effective methods of:

• Significantly reducing teen pregnancy
• Significantly increasing graduation rates from high school, technical school, community college and college

Supporting valuable projects that are:

• Interesting, unique and energizing; and which seek to make Waco a vibrant, inclusive and attractive community
• Considered to be critical components and high priorities of the entire community

Increasing the capacity of McLennan County’s nonprofit sector and the ability of the community-at-large, to address challenges by:

• Strengthening nonprofit sustainability
• Helping local organizations collaborate
• Increasing leadership capacity and pathways

Funding organizations which provide support and service to our most vulnerable residents – people in poverty, people with disabilities, the elderly, children and youth (primarily through Immediate Impact Grants).

To learn more about our grantmaking practices, we encourage you to read the Frequently Asked Questions - Grantmaking Practices document. For more information about the online application process, please read the Frequently Asked Questions - Accessing and Using the Online Portal document. Please refer to the Organizational Readiness Checklist to determine if your nonprofit is ready to apply for funding. Read the Grantmaking with a Racial Equity Lens for more information about Waco Foundation's efforts to foster a racial equity culture. Grant applicants are strongly encouraged to email Nicole Wynter or call 254.754.3404 to discuss their project before submitting an application.

How to Apply

• Access the online grant application portal to begin work on or complete an application.
• Preview the application.