Kempner Fund: Core Grants: Empowered Youth

The Harris and Eliza Kempner Fund's Core Grants Program focuses on Empowered Youth, aiming to address significant challenges faced by Galveston's youth. With a commitment to enhancing mental health support, promoting civic engagement, and ensuring equitable access to resources, the fund seeks to empower young individuals, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds. Through targeted funding, the Kempner Fund strives to create a thriving community where every young person can reach their full potential.

NOTE:
Must complete an eligibility screening. Our intention with this Eligibility Screen is to help potential applicants determine if they meet the Kempner Fund's criteria and to assess partnership fit. If your organization is a good candidate for a Kempner Fund grant, you will be guided to our Letter of Interest (LOI) next steps. After submitting the LOI, select applicants will be invited to submit a full grant application and will receive a link to the Kempner Fund’s application portal.
Core Grants Program
The Kempner Fund’s Core Grants Program supports initiatives that align with our mission to enhance Galveston’s long-term success, sustainability, and well-being. Guided by our values and insights from local nonprofits and the community, the program focuses on a select number of key impact areas. Only proposals that meet these specific priorities are eligible for funding, ensuring our support is both targeted and impactful.
Program Area: Empowered Youth
The Kempner Fund is committed to supporting youth empowerment, recognizing that young people are the future of our community and often have bold visions for positive change. Today’s youth face unprecedented pressures, including a growing mental health crisis, which amplify the challenges they encounter. Galveston’s youth are chronically underserved with limited access to organizations and initiatives that nurture their self-direction, engagement, and leadership development.
To address the interconnected challenges impacting Galveston’s youth, the Kempner Fund prioritizes funding organizations and initiatives focused on the following five key areas:
Addressing the youth mental health crisis through prevention and interventionEncouraging civic action and education to inspire engagement and equip young people with the means to contribute meaningfully to the Galveston community and beyondIncreasing literacy rates and closing literacy gaps across student groupsPromoting equitable disciplinary practices and behavioral interventions in schoolsSupporting marginalized youth by ensuring access to affinity and peer support groups, leadership development, and opportunities for historically underserved youth
The Kempner Fund recognizes that the challenges youth face are particularly acute for those from low-income families, racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ communities, and individuals with disabilities. Systemic barriers, such as discrimination and limited access to resources, compound these difficulties, leaving some youth in need of more than general support.
By funding organizations and initiatives that specifically target these challenges, the Kempner Fund seeks to ensure that all young people have what they need to thrive.
Funding
One-Year Grants: $20,000–$75,000Multi-Year Grants: $20,000–$75,000 per year
Grant size ranges are provided as a guideline. Final award amounts will be determined based on the scope of the project, alignment with our program priorities, and available funding.

Eligibility

To be eligible, applicants must meet the following criteria: Be a USA-based 501(c)(3) organization Request funding to primarily support or benefit the Galveston, TX community Align with one or more of the Kempner Fund’s program areas in mission or work Share values alignment with the Fund Have and follow term limits for board members and officers Successfully complete the Eligibility Screen and Letter of Interest formCurrently, qualifying nonprofit organizations are eligible for one grant per year under the Kempner Fund’s Core Grants Program.

Ineligibility

The Kempner Fund does not fund: fundraising events or benefits direct mail solicitations galas or individual memorials grants to individuals grants to non-USA based organizations lobbying efforts, as defined by the IRSgrants for projects or activities aimed at promoting religious beliefs, worship, or doctrinal teachingsThe Kempner Fund will NOT fund activities or organizations that discriminate based on race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, natural origin, immigration status, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.Organizations cannot apply for a Micro-Grant and funding through the Core Grant Program.Organizations intending to apply for the Navigation Fund Grant and the Core Grant Program must contact the Kempner Fund office.