Nonprofits

Together we build community.

The Community Foundation serves donors and nonprofits that are passionately committed to the Texas Hill Country. We aim to support quality of life, address root causes of pressing issues, and create community by funding organizations making our home a better place for everyone.

Our goals are to make meaningful grants, support nonprofits in education and development opportunities, and to manage our investments so as to be of service to charities for the long term.

What We Fund

The Community Foundation makes grants to nonprofits of all kinds. The Foundation is made up of over 200 donor funds that give to causes in our region and throughout the country. Some grants require an application. Nonprofits that are located in and/or provide services within the Foundation's 10-county area are eligible to apply. Those 10 Texas counties are: Bandera, Blanco, Edwards, Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Mason, Real and Uvalde. In 2021, the Community Foundation granted $6.2 million to nonprofits.

Applicants must be 501(c)(3) organizations.

Community Impact Fund

Apply For A Grant

2022 applications to the Community Impact Fund will open on April 5. Click here for more information.

Agency Funds

An Agency Fund is established by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or “agency.” It allows the organization to focus on its mission rather than spend time identifying and supervising investment managers. It also helps nonprofits with gift planning and endowment-building to ensure long-term financial sustainability.

Nonprofits that choose to hold a fund at the Foundation have the advantage of:

Professional investment management
A greater rate of return through a large investment pool
Access to the Foundation’s resources, just like all other fundholders
Online tools for fund information and performance
A long-term strategy for financial stability

Nonprofit organizations seeking a diversified investment pool are good candidates for an agency fund. For example, many investment managers require high minimums to manage a fund. When a nonprofit creates an agency fund pooled with other Community Foundation assets, it can more easily focus its efforts on growing its organization, rather than managing investments. Nonprofit organizations that have a solid individual donor base and/or a planned giving program may wish to consider an Agency Fund as a tool to build an endowment.

Fund Minimum & Fees

An Agency Fund may be opened with $50,000. Additional contributions can be made any time.

Annual administrative fees are 1% of assets. Fund fees cover general operating costs for gift establishment, receipt of assets and contributions, grants, and fund administration. Annual investment management fees are separately charged at 0.5% of assets.

List of Agency Fundholders

Admiral Nimitz Foundation
Arthur Nagel Community Clinic
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Texas Hill Country
Children’s Association for Maximum Potential
Christian Assistance Ministry
Comfort Golden Age Center Foundation
Comfort Public Library
Families & Literacy
Former Texas Rangers Foundation
Fredericksburg Academic Boosters
Friends of the Leakey Library Association
Gillespie County Child Services Board
Good Samaritan Center
Habitat for Humanity – Kerr County
HCDJLSA
Hill Country CASA

Hill Country Crisis Council
Hill Country Community Needs Council
Hill Country University Center
Hill Country Youth Orchestras
Hill Country Youth Ranch
Humane Society of Kerrville
Kerr Arts & Cultural Center
Kerr County 4-H Foundation
Kerr County YMCA
Museum of Western Art Foundation
Pregnancy Resource Center
Riverside Nature Center
Special Opportunity Center
Unitarian Universalist Church of the Hill Country
Zion Lutheran Church

Resources

There are countless resources for nonprofit leadership and management on the internet. Here are some we find helpful.

Governance

BoardSource: A gold-standard in information about nonprofit leadership, particularly board service. Check out Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards, a book everyone should have.
Blue Avocado: Nonprofit blog with a wide range of resources and a great resource for governance issues.

Finances

Wallace Foundation‘s Financial Management Online Library: Offers general nonprofit resources, including articles and studies by leading thinkers in the field.
Nonprofit Finance Fund: The preeminent national organization whose expertise is nonprofit financial practices.
Nonprofit Accounting Basics: Offers guidance on accounting topics – from basic to intermediary – along with articles and “how-to” guides on a range of subjects, including internal controls, budgeting, and financial reporting.
The National Council on Nonprofits: Among other resources, there are several sample financial policies that nonprofits can adapt and use.
Nonprofit Cost Analysis Toolkit: Offers a clearer picture of the financial demand that programs place on an organization. Primarily for senior leaders of small- to medium-sized nonprofit organizations with multiple programmatic areas or sites.
Operating Reserve Policy Toolkit: Though over 10 years-old, the piece helps make a compelling case within the organization for the need to establish an operating reserve, suggest practices for managing the reserve and reporting its balance. Also offers tools for drafting a policy to record decisions.

Staffing & Infrastructure

Association of Fundraising Professionals: The San Antonio Chapter is closest to the Community Foundation. It has regular meetings and a site with helpful resources.
Succession Planning Resource: Tips, best practices and resources for nonprofit succession planning.
Sample Job Descriptions: A toolkit of various nonprofit job descriptions that are useful for hiring or performance management.
NonprofitReady: Free online course library supporting the most common nonprofit jobs, including fundraising, leadership, finance, operations, marketing and communications, volunteer engagement, and program management.
Volunteer Management Guide: Tools and best practices for effectively managing volunteers.
Tech Soup: Free and discounted software and hardware for nonprofits.

Sustainability & Strategy

BoardSource: Helpful guides on getting started with strategic planning.
Sustainability Matrix Map: Accessible framework that combines financial and programmatic goals into an integrated strategy.

Events

The Community Foundation hosts an annual Nonprofit Summit, bringing together civic and nonprofit leaders from throughout the Hill Country for a day of Education.

In 2018, Summit was held at the Hill Country University Center and had a dual focus on strategic planning and financial management. In 2019, Summit was held at Schreiner University and had a range of topics taught by some of the top nonprofit experts in Central Texas.

Come back soon for details on the 2021 Nonprofit Summit!