Carrie S. Orleans Trust Fund

The Carrie S. Orleans Trust is a philanthropic initiative established in 1948 through the will of Carrie Sybil Orleans. A lifelong resident of Dallas, Texas, Mrs. Orleans was deeply committed to supporting her local community. The Trust is now managed by the Texas office of Bank of America Philanthropic Solutions, a division of Bank of America, N.A. This entity is responsible for the administration of charitable trusts and is part of the bank’s broader institutional and philanthropic services platform. The fund was created specifically to address basic human needs within Dallas County and continues to reflect Mrs. Orleans’ original intentions. The primary purpose of the Carrie S. Orleans Trust is to support the purchase of food and clothing for the poor and needy residing in Dallas County. In line with the trust's mandate, grants are awarded only to organizations that demonstrate the capacity and commitment to distribute these essentials to underserved populations. The trust does not consider geographic regions outside of Dallas County and does not impose any restrictions based on race, creed, or color. One of the unique characteristics of this grant program is that all distributions are made immediately after Thanksgiving Day, adhering to a tradition that aligns with the spirit of community giving during the holiday season. Funding from the trust is granted for a one-year duration and is not renewable or extendable within the same funding cycle. All awarded funds must be used exclusively for the purchase of food and clothing. There is no indication of the specific award ceiling, floor, or total available funds in the documentation provided. Additionally, there is no mention of any matching requirement for applicants, suggesting that applicants are not obligated to provide matching funds. All applications must be submitted online, and detailed procedural documents are made available via downloadable PDFs and Word files through the Bank of America Philanthropic Solutions website. The application window for the Carrie S. Orleans Trust closes annually on August 1. Interested applicants must submit their complete proposals by this date in order to be considered. Because the funding opportunity recurs annually, the next anticipated application period will open in August 2026. The trust does not indicate any rolling deadline or pre-application milestones such as Letters of Inquiry or RFIs. Evaluation criteria are not explicitly listed, but eligibility is narrowly defined based on geography and project type, so applicants are expected to demonstrate strong alignment with the trust’s purpose. Eligible applicants are limited to organizations operating within Dallas County that seek funding specifically for food and clothing distribution. The eligibility category that best fits this restriction is "Nonprofits," as there is no indication that government agencies, individuals, or other entities are eligible. The trust does not allow for exceptions or broader geographic targeting. For application-related inquiries, Bank of America provides a dedicated email address (tx.philanthropic@bofa.com), and applicants are instructed to include the foundation name in the subject line of their communications. All proposals and distributions must strictly adhere to the conditions set forth in the original trust documents. The trust is not meant to be used for any purposes beyond its narrowly defined scope. This singular focus ensures that resources are directed toward the immediate needs of vulnerable populations in Dallas County, thereby honoring the legacy and philanthropic spirit of Carrie Sybil Orleans.