Community Foundation of Abilene - Spring 2026 Community Grants

The Community Foundation of Abilene (CFA) is a public foundation that has been serving the residents of Taylor County, Texas since its establishment in 1985. Originating with a permanent unrestricted endowment, CFA focuses on enhancing the quality of life within the Abilene area by offering financial support to charitable nonprofit organizations. The Foundation’s community grant cycles are held biannually—once in the fall and once in the spring—allowing for flexible and responsive funding based on the region’s evolving needs. The spring Community Grant Cycle is open to nonprofit organizations that meet specific eligibility criteria. Applicants must be recognized as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code. This includes not only traditional nonprofit agencies but also recognized government entities applying for charitable purposes, educational institutions from K-12 to universities, and faith-based organizations with projects that benefit the broader community. Organizations must also serve populations located strictly within Abilene and Taylor County, Texas. A critical stipulation is that organizations may only receive one community grant within a 12-month period and must submit grant evaluations to remain eligible for future funding cycles. CFA funds a wide range of focus areas including Animal Services, Children and Youth, Community Development, Education, Fine Arts and Culture, Health and Mental Health, and Human and Social Services. Funding requests typically range from $5,000 to $35,000, with occasional capital requests up to $50,000 considered. However, awards exceeding $20,000 are rare, and any request above $35,000 requires an applicant interview prior to submission. Eligible spending includes operating expenses, special and innovative projects, capacity building, and certain capital needs. The Foundation does not award grants for political projects, travel for groups, church-related activities unless broadly community-based, or retroactive funding. Applications must be submitted through CFA’s online grants management system, Foundant GLM. For the spring cycle, the application portal opens on December 1 and closes on January 15. Paper applications are not accepted. Applicants should prepare documentation including project-specific and annual operating budgets, a board list, and for requests over $10,000, a financial audit or 990 tax filing along with an impact story. Requests over $20,000 must also address organizational leadership, sustainability plans, and collaborations. The review process unfolds in two phases over approximately twelve weeks following the application deadline. Applicants may be contacted for additional information or site visits. Successful proposals may be featured in CFA’s "Community Connections" giving guide. Final decisions are made by the Foundation Board based on recommendations from a grant committee. All applicants are notified via email about their application status. Evaluation is a key component of CFA’s grant management. All funded organizations must submit an online evaluation detailing the impact, objectives, outcomes, and financial reporting associated with the grant. This is a prerequisite for eligibility in future grant cycles. Additional support and resources, including system tutorials and preview forms, are available on the CFA website. For any application-related inquiries, applicants are advised to contact Kassidy Nygaard, Community Grants Manager, at knygaard@cfabilene.org or by phone at 325-676-3883.