Kempner Fund Core Grants

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.

More information on our program areas and priorities will be available soon. For a current overview of our new program areas, please visit here.

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 

  • Have and follow term limits for board members and officers 

  • Successfully complete the Eligibility Screen and Letter of Interest form

Starting in January 2025, if your organization passes the eligibility screening, you will be invited to complete the short application.

Core Grants Deadlines

  • LOI Open: Feb. 1

    LOI Due: Feb. 15

    Review: Feb. 17 - 21

    Invite to Apply by Feb. 23

    Applications Due: March 22

    Board Decision: Mid- May

  • LOI Open: June 1 

    LOI Due : June 15 

    Review: June 16  -20 

    Invite to Apply by June 23 

    Applications Due: Aug.5  

    Board Decision: Mid – October 

  • LOI Open: Sept. 1 

    LOI Due: Sept. 15  

    Review: Sept. 15 – 19 

    Invite to Apply by Sept. 22 

    Applications Due: Oct. 22 

    Board Decision: Mid-December 

**Invited applicants for grants under the Strong Nonprofits or Stable Housing program areas will be assigned one of the three grant deadlines to submit their application.

Application Process

  1. Eligibility Screening: Begin by completing the Eligibility Screen to determine your organization’s eligibility. 

  2. Letter of Interest (LOI): If eligible, you will gain access to submit a brief Letter of Interest (LOI) by the specified deadline.  View draft LOI preview.

  3. Invitation to Apply: Select applicants will be invited to submit a full grant application and will receive a link to the Kempner Fund’s application portal. 

  4. Application Submission: Grant applications must be submitted by the deadlines for each program area.  View draft application preview. 

  5. Notifications and Awards: Notifications and award decisions will be communicated at the conclusion of each grant cycle. Please refer to the deadlines below for specific dates. 

 FAQs

  • The eligibility quiz for 2025 grant programs opens on January 3. If your organization qualifies, links to submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) will be available on the designated dates for each program.

  • Yes, please see here for draft eligibility screens, and LOI and application questions. 

  • For the Kempner Fund’s core grant program, requests for up to $100,000 per request will be considered. 

  • Yes, those grants are by invitation only.  

  • Currently, qualifying nonprofit organizations are eligible for one grant per year under the Kempner Fund’s Core Grants Program. 

  • Yes, please contact the Kempner Fund office if you intend to do so. 

  • No.

  • We prefer applicants to have a nondiscrimination statement, but if your organization does not yet have one, we encourage you to apply with a plan or commitment to establish one in the near future.

    The HEKF 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. 

  • The program area specific grant cycles span about 3 months from the LOI opening to the board decision.  Please see the grant cycles deadlines for details.  

  • For the Kempner Fund Core Grant Program, the timeline for funding is an estimated 6-8 weeks from application deadline to decision.  Funding is issued as soon as the grant agreement is executed; typically, within a week.  

  • The Letter of Intent (LOI) process is a preliminary step in applying for a grant. It allows organizations to submit a brief summary of their project or request without completing a full application. The Kempner Fund reviews the LOIs to determine if the request aligns with our funding priorities. If the LOI is accepted, the organization will be invited to submit a full grant application and given access to the online application. 

  • Yes, the HEKF strives to be accessible. With this being the first year of the new grantmaking process, we are working on setting up office hours to accommodate inquiries.  In the interim, please send an email to information@kempnerfund.org.

  • If your organization is not selected, it may be due to alignment with current priorities. We encourage you to review our criteria before reapplying in the future. In some cases, organizations may receive feedback or be invited to apply again.