Community Enhancement Grant Program

The Community Enhancement Grant Program, administered by the City of Temple’s Housing & Community Development Department, offers a total of $40,000 in competitive funding to support initiatives that address vital community needs such as employment, housing stability, childcare, food security, and transportation. The program is designed to empower local nonprofits to develop and implement impactful projects that contribute to long-term quality of life improvements for residents within the city limits of Temple, Texas. The purpose of this grant is to support projects that directly align with the City’s public purpose objectives, including ensuring expenditures serve public interests rather than private gains, maintaining municipal control over fund usage, and securing tangible returns on public investments. Eligible programs may range from employment readiness, credit counseling, homeownership classes, parenting or cooking classes, to transportation support such as vehicle donation initiatives. Programs must be empowerment-focused and include measurable outcomes. Allowable costs include marketing, outreach, administrative expenses, and equipment purchases, provided they are directly linked to the proposed project’s goals. While indirect costs are not permitted, program support that contributes to effective implementation may be included. Proposed projects are strongly encouraged to collaborate with existing organizations to maximize community impact and avoid duplication of services. Eligibility is limited to nonprofit organizations holding 501(c)(3) status and physically located within the City of Temple. Institutions of higher education are explicitly excluded. All applicants must demonstrate how their project meets the three-part public purpose test as described in the program requirements. The application window opens on October 27, 2025, and closes on November 27, 2025, at 5:00 PM EST. A single technical assistance session will be held on November 4, 2025, at the Jeff Hamilton Building in Temple, Texas. Multiple applications are not permitted. Awards may be issued to a single grantee or divided among up to eight applicants, depending on the alignment and effectiveness of proposals. For questions, applicants should contact Nancy Glover at 254-298-5997 or nglover@templetx.gov. The announcement and application materials are accessible at the City of Temple’s official grants page or via the Gotomygrants portal. Final reports are required from grantees upon project completion.

Emphasize measurable goals and empowerment outcomes; clearly align program activities with public benefit criteria.