Fichtenbaum Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Total Assets: $38.9 million (2023)
• Annual Giving: $2,087,000
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Applications by May 1, decisions by June 30 (approximately 2 months)
• Grant Range: $2,000 - $300,000
• Typical Grant: $35,000
• Geographic Focus: Texas (primarily Dallas County and North Texas counties)
• Number of Grants: Approximately 49-50 grants annually

Contact Details

Address: P.O. Box 831041, Dallas, TX 75283-1041

Phone: 800-357-7094

Email: tx.philanthropic@ustrust.com (general inquiries)

Trustee: Bank of America, N.A. (serves as trustee)

Application Portal: https://bofa-gh.foundationsource.com (Bank of America GivingHub)

Information Website: www.bankofamerica.com/grantmaking

Overview

The Fichtenbaum Charitable Trust was established in 2017 by Dorace and Morton Fichtenbaum of Dallas to provide financial support for charitable, religious, scientific, literary, and educational purposes to qualified Texas charitable organizations. With total assets of $38.9 million, the foundation awards approximately $2 million annually through 49-50 grants, with awards typically ranging from $10,000 to $100,000. The trust is managed by Bank of America, N.A. as trustee through their Texas Private Bank, Philanthropic Solutions office in Dallas. The foundation focuses on supporting organizations in the North Texas region, particularly Dallas County and surrounding counties, with special interest in medical research (especially Myasthenia Gravis, cancer, heart, and vision research), children with disabilities, and arts education for youth.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Fichtenbaum Charitable Trust operates a single annual grant program:

• Annual Grant Program: $10,000 - $300,000 (typical: $35,000)
  • Application deadline: May 1
  • Decisions announced: by June 30
  • Most grants are one-year in duration, though larger multi-year commitments can be awarded
  • Applications accepted through Bank of America's online GivingHub portal on a fixed annual deadline

Priority Areas

Primary Focus Areas:

• Medical Research: Cancer, heart disease, vision research, and Myasthenia Gravis research
• Disability Services: Education and research for children with physical and mental disabilities
• Arts Education: Children's education and exposure to fine arts
• Education: General educational programs and initiatives
• Health: Healthcare services and programs
• Human Services: Social services supporting vulnerable populations
• Youth Development: Programs benefiting children and young people

Geographic Priorities: The trust focuses on Texas charitable organizations with preference for:

• Dallas County (primary)
• North Texas surrounding counties: Collin, Denton, Ellis, Erath, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Navarro, Palo Pinto, Parker, Rockwall, Somervell, Tarrant, and Wise counties

What They Don't Fund

While specific exclusions are not extensively documented in public materials, the foundation's guidelines indicate:

• Organizations must be qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organizations
• Organizations must be based in Texas
• Projects that duplicate services already available in the community are less competitive
• Projects that can be readily funded from other sources are discouraged

Governance and Leadership

Trustee: Bank of America, N.A. serves as trustee for the Fichtenbaum Charitable Trust

Management: The foundation is managed by Bank of America's Texas Private Bank, Philanthropic Solutions office in Dallas, Texas

Founders: Dorace and Morton Fichtenbaum established the trust in 2017

The foundation's grantmaking decisions are made through Bank of America's professional philanthropic advisory team, which manages numerous private foundations on behalf of families and individuals throughout Texas.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Application Method: Online application through Bank of America's GivingHub portal

Portal Access: https://bofa-gh.foundationsource.com

Account Setup:

• First-time applicants must create an account using a mobile number and email address
• Returning applicants can sign in with existing credentials
• Applications can be saved as drafts and emailed to yourself as a PDF

Pre-Application Steps:

1. Review all sections of the Grantmaking Procedures to ensure compliance with procedural requirements
2. Verify your organization's 501(c)(3) status
3. Confirm your organization operates in Texas, preferably in the Dallas/North Texas region
4. Prepare documentation showing alignment with funding priorities

Application Requirements:

• Complete application through online portal
• Incomplete or incorrect applications cannot be considered
• Carefully review all procedural requirements before submission

Decision Timeline

Annual Cycle:

• Application Deadline: May 1
• Decision Notification: By June 30
• Processing Time: Approximately 2 months from deadline to decision

Post-Award Requirements:

• Grant recipients must submit a Post Grant Evaluation Report within 1 year of the grant award date

Success Rates

While specific acceptance rates are not publicly disclosed, the foundation awards approximately 49-50 grants annually from the applications received. The competitive nature of the program is indicated by the foundation's emphasis on funding "unique, necessary and high priority" projects that don't duplicate available services.

Recent Grant Volume:

• 2024: 50 grants awarded, $1,977,000 distributed
• 2023: 53 grants awarded
• 2022: 49 grants awarded
• 2021: 64 grants awarded

Reapplication Policy

Organizations awarded a grant must wait one year before submitting a new grant application after being awarded a grant. This waiting period ensures broad distribution of funds across the nonprofit community.

Application Success Factors

What Makes Applications Competitive

According to the foundation's guidance, successful proposals share these characteristics:

1. Unique and Non-Duplicative: "Successful proposals are unique, necessary and of high priority for the charitable organizations, and do not duplicate other services which are available."

2. Alternative Funding Challenges: "Successful proposals seek funding that may not be readily available from other sources for essential projects that are sufficiently described as worthwhile, important and of a substantive nature."

3. Clear Necessity and Priority: Projects must be high priority for the organization and address genuine community needs

4. Substantive Impact: Projects should be sufficiently described as worthwhile and important with clear, measurable outcomes

Alignment with Special Interests

The foundation has documented special interests in:

• Medical Research: Particularly Myasthenia Gravis (UT Southwestern Medical Center received $200K for MG research in 2022), cancer, heart disease, and vision research
• Children with Disabilities: Education and research programs serving children with physical and mental disabilities
• Arts for Children: Children's education and exposure to fine arts (Nasher Sculpture Center received $300K in 2022)

Recent Grant Examples

Understanding recent funding patterns can guide applicants:

• Nasher Sculpture Center: $300,000 for "support free first" programs (2022)
• Vogel Alcove: $200,000 for "support for Family Gateway" (2022)
• UT Southwestern Medical Center: $200,000 for Myasthenia Gravis research (2022)
• Jewish Family Service of Dallas: $150,000 to "support JFS special needs" (2022)
• Retina Foundation of the Southwest: Funding for inherited disease research (2022)

Types of Support Available

Grants may include:

• Capital support
• Program support
• Research funding
• Scholarships
• Challenge grants or matching funds
• Multi-year commitments (for larger projects)

Application Completeness

The foundation explicitly states that "incomplete or incorrect applications cannot be considered," emphasizing the importance of:

• Thoroughly reviewing all grantmaking procedures
• Ensuring compliance with all procedural requirements
• Submitting complete applications by the deadline

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. Demonstrate Uniqueness: Clearly articulate why your project is unique and doesn't duplicate existing services in the community. The foundation prioritizes innovative approaches to community needs.

2. Show Funding Gap: Explain why this funding isn't readily available from other sources. The foundation wants to fill gaps, not fund projects that could easily secure support elsewhere.

3. Dallas/North Texas Focus: While the foundation accepts applications from across Texas, preference is given to organizations in Dallas County and the 15 surrounding North Texas counties. Geographic alignment matters.

4. Special Interest Alignment: If your work involves medical research (especially Myasthenia Gravis, cancer, heart, or vision), children with disabilities, or arts education for youth, prominently feature this alignment in your application.

5. Complete Applications Only: The foundation explicitly states incomplete applications cannot be considered. Review all procedures carefully and ensure every required element is included before the May 1 deadline.

6. Grant Size Realism: With most grants ranging from $10,000-$100,000 and an average of $35,000, request amounts should be realistic and well-justified. The largest grants ($200K-$300K) go to established institutions for significant programs.

7. One-Year Waiting Period: If funded, plan ahead—you cannot reapply for at least one year after receiving a grant, so make your funded project count and consider the timing of future requests.

References

• Cause IQ: Fichtenbaum Charitable Trust Profile. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/fichtenbaum-charitable-trust,306575133/ (Accessed February 24, 2026)

• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer: Fichtenbaum Charitable Tr - Form 990 Filings. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/306575133 (Accessed February 24, 2026)

• Inside Philanthropy: Fichtenbaum Charitable Trust. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/texas-grants/fichtenbaum-charitable-trust (Accessed February 24, 2026)

• Instrumentl: Fichtenbaum Charitable Trust 990 Report. https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/fichtenbaum-charitable-tr (Accessed February 24, 2026)

• FundsforNGOs: Texas: Fichtenbaum Charitable Trust Fund. https://us.fundsforngos.org/grant-2/texas-fichtenbaum-charitable-trust-fund/ (Accessed February 24, 2026)

• Bank of America: Texas Private Bank Philanthropic Solutions Procedures. https://www.bankofamerica.com/content/documents/philanthropic/TX_Procedures.pdf (Accessed February 24, 2026)

• UT Southwestern: "Fichtenbaum Charitable Trust Fuels Myasthenia Gravis Research," Pathways Spring 2022. https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/pathways/stories/2022/spring/fichtenbaum-charitable-trust.html (Accessed February 24, 2026)

• Bank of America: Online Application Help. https://www.bankofamerica.com/content/documents/philanthropic/Online_Application_Help.pdf (Accessed February 24, 2026)

• Bank of America: Philanthropic Solutions - Search for Grants. https://www.bankofamerica.com/philanthropic/search-for-grants/ (Accessed February 24, 2026)