Webber Family Foundation: Capacity Building Grants

Webber Family Foundation: Capacity Building Grants

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Webber Family Foundation
Amount: Up to US $25,000
Last Updated: March 16, 2026

Summary

The Webber Family Foundation's Capacity Building Grants aim to enhance the capabilities of organizations serving low-income youth in Austin, TX, focusing on education and arts. Grants of up to $25,000 support projects that align with the foundation's mission and benefit students exceeding grade-level expectations. Eligible organizations must be 501(c)(3) tax-exempt and primarily serve local youth. The foundation emphasizes quality education, early literacy, and out-of-school enrichment, fostering both academic and artistic skills.

Overview

Note: The Foundation Board meets twice a year, however we evaluate proposals on a continuous basis throughout the year. Guidelines for Capacity Building Grants The Webber Family Foundation funds capacity building projects that: Are aligned with the Foundation’s mission and one of the four focus areas.Build the organization’s capacity to provide expanded, higher quality, and/or more sustainable services.Benefit predominantly low-income youth. This means at least 50% of the population served by the organization comes from families earning less than the median US family income, adjusted for family size.Benefit predominantly high-achieving youth. This means the focus of the organization or program is to help students who already exceed grade-level expectations develop their full potential. Accordingly, at least 2/3 of the population served exceeds grade-level expectations and/or exhibits superior aptitude.Operate in Austin TX. Currently the Webber Family Foundation is not accepting unsolicited grant proposals from organizations located in and around Washington DC. Grant Info The Webber Family Foundation offers grants to organizations that are aligned with its mission of helping lower-income youth perform at the highest levels of achievement in academics and the arts. Currently there are three areas of focus: School readiness/early literacyOut-of-school time programs for grades 6-12Charter schoolsCollege readiness, access & persistence Each is discussed below in more detail. The report: Achievement Trap: How America is Failing Millions of High-Achieving Students from Lower-Income Families published by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation in September 2007 may be useful in better understanding the Foundation’s areas of focus. School readiness/early literacy for age 3 - grade 3 We believe breaking the cycle of poverty starts early with a quality education. The objective of this initiative is to increase the number of lower-income students who enter Kindergarten as high-achievers (at or above grade-level norms) and achieve reading proficiency by third grade. Grants will fund quality preschool programs that provide structured, school- or center-based education for children ages 3-5, with a focus on early literacy and parent engagement. Grants will also fund early literacy programs – for students in Kinder to 3rd grades – working to decrease the post-PreK fadeout that can occur once children enter the public school system. Out-of-school time enrichment for grades 4-12 We believe out-of-school time learning provides transformational experiences. We also believe the arts are essential for youth development and innovation. The objectives of this initiative are to increase the number of lower-income students who: Develop academic and artistic skill during out-of-school time enrichment.We define enrichment as activities that extend learning beyond the content/expectations of the school curriculum.Enrichment could be academic (robotics clubs, book clubs, summer space camp, etc.) or in the arts (music lessons, screenwriting workshop, dance program, etc.).Not included are remedial programs to help struggling students achieve grade-level expectations. Grants will fund long-term, intensive programs that serve lower-income students in grades 4-12 who are exceeding grade-level norms. Specific interests include: Enrichment programs that help students fulfill their potential through academics and/or the arts. This initiative does not include development of leadership and/or social skills, mentoring (except in the context of academics or the arts), nor remedial programs to help struggling students achieve grade-level expectations. In the arts, grants will fund programs that allow students to study music, dance, visual arts, and/or theater in depth. Artistic skill development – not exposure – is the goal. The objective of this initiative is to expand the capacity of outstanding charter schools that serve predominantly lower-income students. Grants will fund schools serving grades 4-12 that produce exceptionally well-prepared graduates. Charter Schools for grades PreK - 12 We believe all families deserve the right to choose a quality education for their children. The objective of this initiative is to expand the capacity of high performing charter schools that serve predominantly lower-income students. Grants will fund schools serving grades PreK-12 that produce well-prepared graduates. College Readiness, Access & Persistence for grades 6-12+ We believe a college education unlocks opportunity in a competitive global economy. The objective of this initiative is to increase the number of exceptionally well-prepared graduates who enroll in and succeed in college. Grants will fund college preparation and access programs serving middle and high school students. Grants will also support college persistence initiatives for organizations working in the 6-12 space. Grant Sizes Capacity Building Grants are one-year grants that allow an organization to improve its systems and/or operations in order to work better and more efficiently. Capacity building grants can benefit both direct-service organizations as well as backbone organizations leading systemic work in one or more of the Foundation’s current focus areas. Grant request amounts range up to $25,000 per year.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. The Foundation makes grants only to 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations that have received a “not a private Foundation” determination letter (or preliminary ruling) from the IRS per Internal Revenue Code 509(a)(1), 509(a)(2), or 509(a)(3).This means we fund traditional public charitable organizations.We make no exceptions to this restriction. The Foundation uses three tests to determine whether something is within our geographic area. The primary test is that we must be able to drive to the location in a “reasonable” amount of time. The second test is that the location must not be closer to some other major city. For example, in Texas we will look at projects south of Austin up until the point that the area might more reasonably be considered as “outside of San Antonio” instead of “outside of Austin.” Finally, we will look at the audience served by the proposal – the target audience needs to be in those same geographic areas. We would not, for example, fund an Austin-based organization that is focused on providing education in South America.

Ineligibility

The Foundation will not make contributions to IndividualsOrganizations not classified as public charities by the IRSInternational charitable organizationsReligious organizations, unless the program contains no bias to any particular religion and is open to the entire community without regard to belief (see #4 in the FAQ for more details).In addition, the Foundation generally does not fund private schools, in-school programs (for grades 4-12), or remedial programs.We do not generally make multi-year or recurring commitments to an organization the first time we make a grant. Currently the Webber Family Foundation is not accepting unsolicited grant proposals from organizations located in and around Washington DC.