Grant Guidelines
Eligibility
To be eligible for a grant from the Powell Foundation, the requesting organization must be a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable entity, as described in Section 509(a)(1) or 509(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code. This includes public charities, government organizations, and eligible supporting organizations.
The Powell Foundation supports nonprofit organizations in education, the arts, conservation, and human services. Funding is focused on the Foundation’s geographic areas of interest in Harris, Travis, or Walker Counties, Texas.
Harris County
Walker County
Travis County
Types of Requests
The Powell Foundation will consider funding requests for operating costs, agency programs, or specific projects within the Foundation’s areas of interest. Requests for capital projects are considered on a case-by-case basis. On average, capital projects represent less than 2% of the Foundation’s annual grant awards.
The Powell Foundation does not make grants to:
- Individuals
- Endowments or endowment campaigns
- Scholarship funds
- Other private foundations
- Fundraising and marketing events (e.g. galas)
- Debt retirement or to cover past operating deficits
- Candidates for political office or to influence specific legislation (lobbying)
- Organizations for realizing religious or doctrinal purpose¹
Read more on the Foundation’s areas of interest:
¹Faith-based 501c3 organizations may apply for grants for non-sectarian programming and projects that further the Powell Foundation’s charitable purpose in the areas of education, the arts, conservation, or human services and serve a broad population of the community beyond faith-based congregation.
New organizations or past grantees
Submit a pre-application via the website.
