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Boone Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$6.2M
Grant Range
$1K - $0.3M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $6,151,666 (2023)
  • Grant Range: $1,000 - $300,000
  • Average Grant: $125,544
  • Total Assets: $12.9 million
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily North Texas, with select partnerships in Austin, Washington DC, and Denver
  • Grant Volume: 49 grants awarded in 2023

Contact Details

Website: www.theboonefamilyfoundation.org
Phone: (512) 657-8631
Email: [email protected]
Address: PO Box 1789, Addison, TX 75001-1789

Overview

The Boone Family Foundation was established in 2007 by Garrett and Cecilia Boone and their three adult children, following the sale of The Container Store (co-founded by Garrett Boone) to private equity. With approximately $12.9 million in assets and annual giving around $4-6 million, the foundation strives to be part of creating a world where every person has access to high-quality public education, pathways to economic opportunity, and restorative green spaces. The foundation positions itself as a social justice grantmaker and innovator in philanthropy, working to make communities more equitable. Led by President and CEO Aimee Boone Cunningham since its inception, the foundation actively works to become an anti-racist funder while centering diversity, equity, and inclusion in all funding decisions. The foundation prioritizes multi-year funding relationships and supports both start-up and established organizations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation offers multiple forms of financial support, including:

  • Program and Project Support: $1,000 - $300,000
  • General Operating Support: Multi-year grants available
  • Capital Support: For infrastructure and facility needs
  • Endowment Funds: For long-term sustainability
  • Multi-Year Gifts: Prioritized funding approach

Application Method: Invitation only - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Selected nonprofits are invited to apply through an online grants system based on North Texas common grant questions.

Priority Areas

Advancing Equity for Women and Girls

  • Build potential among low-income populations
  • Gender and economic equity initiatives
  • Reproductive health and rights
  • Giving women and girls a voice in their communities
  • Leadership development programs

Improving Educational Outcomes for Children in Public Schools

  • Early education programs
  • Human capital development
  • Literacy initiatives
  • School choice programs
  • Life skills and socio-emotional learning
  • Character building programs

Promoting Environmental Stewardship

  • Improving air and water quality
  • Creating and enhancing accessible green spaces
  • Sustainable environmental practices
  • Urban conservation projects

What They Don't Fund

  • Unsolicited grant applications
  • Individuals
  • Non-501(c)(3) organizations
  • Organizations primarily promoting a specific religious ideology
  • Projects outside their three focus areas

Governance and Leadership

Chairman and Director: Garrett Boone
Co-founder of The Container Store, Garrett has a longstanding commitment to environmental sustainability. He co-founded Texas Business for Clean Air (TBCA) Foundation in 2006 and has done extensive restorative work in the woods and waterways along the Elm Fork of the Trinity River in Dallas. His environmental advocacy was featured in the Robert Redford documentary "Fighting Goliath: Texas Coal Wars."

Board Leadership: Cecilia Boone
Cecilia began fighting for gender equity while working for IBM and has chaired numerous organizations including the Dallas Women's Foundation, Planned Parenthood of North Texas, Girls Inc. of Metropolitan Dallas, and served as former chair of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. She also chaired Annie's List, a Texas political action committee that recruits and finances Democratic female candidates.

President and CEO: Aimee Boone Cunningham
Aimee leads the foundation in charting its mission across all three focus areas. She is a highly experienced principal in the progressive movement with significant fundraising, strategic planning, and management expertise. She received the 2022 Viola's House Hero Award and the 2023 Texas Women's Foundation's Maura Award for Women Helping Women. She is the only compensated board member with an annual salary of $261,000. Aimee previously worked with Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Texas Votes before joining the family foundation. She lives in Austin, Texas with her husband Ed Cunningham and their four children.

Foundation Structure: The foundation is a family foundation comprising Garrett and Cecilia Boone and their three adult children, operating as an independent non-profit private foundation.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Boone Family Foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. The foundation invites selected nonprofits to apply for grants through an online grants system based on the North Texas common grant questions.

Grants are awarded through trustee discretion, with the family and board identifying organizations aligned with their strategic priorities. The foundation focuses on building long-term relationships with grantees and prioritizes multi-year funding commitments.

Getting on Their Radar

Board Member Networks: The foundation's grantmaking focuses particularly on areas where board directors have personal interests and connections. Building relationships within the North Texas nonprofit community, especially in women's rights, education reform, and environmental sectors, may increase visibility.

Geographic Proximity: While the foundation has some national partnerships, it primarily funds North Texas organizations. Organizations operating in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Austin, and surrounding regions are more likely to be considered.

Alignment with Leadership Values: Given the family's deep involvement in specific causes—Cecilia's leadership in Planned Parenthood and women's organizations, Garrett's environmental conservation work—organizations working in these exact areas with a social justice lens may have better positioning.

Membership in Philanthropy Southwest: The foundation is a member of Philanthropy Southwest, suggesting engagement with the regional philanthropic community through this network may provide connection points.

Application Success Factors

Social Justice and Systems Change Focus: The foundation explicitly states it aims to "seek lasting, long-term systems change by supporting organizations and causes that want to be change agents." Applications should clearly articulate how programs drive systemic change rather than just provide services.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Centered: The foundation actively works to become an anti-racist funder and centers DEI in all decisions. Organizations must demonstrate strong DEI commitments and practices throughout their work and governance.

Evidence of Impact in Three Focus Areas: Organizations must align precisely with at least one of the three priority areas: advancing equity for women and girls, improving educational outcomes for children in public schools, or promoting environmental stewardship.

Capacity for Multi-Year Partnerships: The foundation prioritizes multi-year funding relationships. Organizations should be prepared to demonstrate sustainability plans and capacity for long-term partnership.

Both Start-Up and Established Organizations Welcomed: The foundation explicitly supports organizations at different stages, funding both start-up initiatives and established organizations. However, all must demonstrate sound governance and financial management.

Progressive Values Alignment: Given the family's involvement with progressive causes (Planned Parenthood, Annie's List, reproductive rights), organizations should align with progressive social values, particularly regarding women's rights, social justice, and equity.

Recent Grant Recipients Include: The Family Place, Planned Parenthood, Dallas Women's Foundation, Teach for America, Reading Partners, Teaching Trust, Klyde Warren Park, Brighter Bites, Abide Women's Health Services ($500,000 grant in 2022), Environmental Defense Fund, National Arbor Day Foundation, and One Tree Planted.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Invitation-only model: This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications; focus on building relationships and visibility within North Texas philanthropic and nonprofit networks rather than preparing speculative proposals.

  • Multi-year commitment priority: The foundation explicitly prioritizes multi-year funding relationships over one-time grants, so organizations should think long-term partnership rather than single project funding.

  • Social justice lens is non-negotiable: Every funding decision centers on equity, anti-racism, and systemic change; service delivery alone without addressing root causes will not align with their mission.

  • Family foundation dynamics: With Garrett, Cecilia, and their three adult children comprising the board, personal interests and relationships matter significantly—the foundation funds where directors have passion and connections.

  • Progressive values alignment essential: Given leadership roles in Planned Parenthood, Annie's List, and reproductive rights advocacy, organizations must align with progressive social values, particularly on women's rights and equity issues.

  • Geographic focus with exceptions: While primarily focused on North Texas, the foundation does fund select national partnerships, particularly in Austin, Washington DC, and Denver, suggesting strategic expansion areas.

  • DEI infrastructure required: Organizations must demonstrate robust diversity, equity, and inclusion practices throughout governance, staffing, and programming—not just in mission statements.

References

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