Powell Foundation Grant Program

Powell Foundation Grant Program

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: The Powell Foundation
Last Updated: October 13, 2025

Summary

The Powell Foundation Grant Program aims to support 501(c)(3) organizations in Texas, focusing on education, arts, conservation, and human services. They emphasize high-quality early childhood programs, K-12 education, post-secondary success, and community welfare. Eligible applicants must submit an online pre-application, with funding decisions announced in January and July. The foundation prioritizes initiatives that foster developmental support and educational access for children and families, enhancing community well-being through strategic investments.

Overview

NOTE: Organizations interested in applying for a Powell Foundation grant must first submit an online pre-application form. Organizations will be notified (via email) of the status of their pre-application by early January for the Spring cycle and by early July for the Fall cycle. The Powell Foundation will make the decision to advance, defer, or decline. If the pre-application is advanced, your organization will be invited to submit a full application via the Powell Foundation’s online Grant Portal. Education Early Childhood Development & Education The Powell Foundation seeks to ensure that all children benefit from high-quality early environments and services that foster their healthy development, foundational skill-building, school readiness, and lifelong success. Our Early Childhood investments are focused in the following areas: High-quality providers & educatorsSupportive caregiversHigh-capacity sector We invest in organizations who champion efforts to: Develop, sustain, and scale the availability of high-quality early childhood programs for infants, toddlers, and young children. Train and build the capacity of early childhood educators and providers. Strengthen the knowledge and capability of parents and other caregivers to nurture and guide their children’s early development and learning. Improve the coordination and reach of the intersecting systems impacting early childhood. Quality Public K-12 Schools The Powell Foundation believes that all students should receive a high-quality public K-12 education through access to effective schools, curriculum, programming, and support services that ensure they graduate from high school prepared for post-secondary success. Our Quality Public K-12 Schools investments are focused in the following areas: Excellent educatorsStudent supportsQuality schools & school models We invest in organizations who champion efforts to: Strengthen preparation, pathways, training, and development for teachers, school leaders, and district leaders. Ensure students receive high-quality, evidence-based academic instruction, programming, and supports. Promote the positive development of non-cognitive skills, social-emotional learning, and positive school climate and culture. Scale and expand access to high-quality district and public charter school models that strengthen educational outcomes for all students. Post-secondary Pathways to Success The Powell Foundation seeks to ensure that all students are prepared for, can access, and complete a post-secondary program that leads to meaningful employment opportunities. Our Post-Secondary Pathways to Success investments are focused in the following areas: Post-secondary access and successPost-secondary readinessPolicies and systems We invest in organizations who champion efforts to: Increase access to and participation in advanced coursework, career awareness programming, and college and career entrance exams. Strengthen post-secondary advising and counseling and provide replicable and scalable tools to improve access. Bolster the academic preparedness of students to pursue post-secondary pathways; increase student proficiency in non-cognitive and affective skills critical to post-secondary success. Strengthen post-secondary persistence, certificate/degree completion, and career attainment. Support policies that increase post-secondary access, persistence, and success. Aligned Cradle-to-Career Education System The Powell Foundation supports efforts to coordinate and connect people, programs, systems, and policies and collective efforts to create a seamless and integrated educational pathway for children and youth. Our Aligned Cradle-to-Career Education System investments are focused in the following area: Effective tools, policies, and systems We invest in organizations who champion efforts to: Promote continuity across the education system, supporting students at pivotal transition points and accelerating high-impact practices. Convene and build a coalition of advocates in support of a sustained and scaled cradle-to-career continuum. Invest stakeholders in an aligned vision for strengthening and better connecting early childhood, K-12, and post-secondary. Democratize access to user-friendly data and the creation of tools to track and monitor outcomes for students across the full continuum. Supportive Communities The Arts The Powell Foundation works to promote vibrant communities by expanding equitable access to educational experiences in the arts and encouraging public engagement with diverse arts and culture. Our Arts investments are focused in the following areas: Arts educationPublic arts and culture access We invest in organizations who champion efforts to: Provide arts education and cultural experiences to K-12 students, particularly those attending schools in “arts deserts”. Provide training on teaching and learning techniques that integrate the arts. Expand the community’s access to and engagement in the arts. Increase diversity and representation in the arts, with a lens towards historically marginalized groups. Conservation The Powell Foundation seeks to foster environmental benefits for current and future generations by connecting people to nature, building environmental stewardship, and addressing critical problems in the local environment. Our Conservation investments are focused in the following areas: Conservation & Environmental educationConnecting people to natureEnvironmental protection We invest in organizations who champion efforts to: Create high-quality conservation and environmental science learning experiences for children and youth. Foster an appreciation and understanding of nature, the natural environment, and environmental stewardship, particularly among children and youth. Increase equitable access to public parks and urban greenspaces to support community wellbeing. Address critical environmental issues and efforts focused on protecting, preserving, and improving natural resources impacting our geographies through the support of programs, initiatives, and advocacy efforts. Human Services The Powell Foundation seeks to foster community wellbeing by empowering children, families, and individuals with the resources and supports they need to flourish. Our Human Services investments are focused in the following areas: Stabilization & empowermentEmotional wellbeing We invest in organizations who champion efforts to: Address food security and hunger alleviation at scale for children, youth, families, and other vulnerable populations. Provide housing, wrap-around services, and skill-building programs for homeless and housing insecure individuals, including transition-age youth. Promote emotional wellbeing of children and youth in crisis by providing mental/behavioral health interventions and supports. Coordinate and build the capacity of school systems to use evidence-based practices to promote students’ mental and behavioral health, including prevention, identification, and treatment efforts.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. 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 the 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. The Powell Foundation will consider funding requests for operating costs, agency programs, or specific projects. The Powell Foundation will consider requests for capital projects on a case-by-case basis. Please note that capital projects on average represent less than 2% of the Powell Foundation’s annual grant awards.

Ineligibility

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 purpose