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The George Foundation

Annual Giving
$15.0M
Grant Range
$1K - $0.1M
Decision Time
4mo

The George Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $15 million average (awarded $19 million in 2023)
  • Total Grants Since 1945: Over $300 million
  • Geographic Focus: Fort Bend County, Texas
  • Grant Range: Up to $25,000 (small grants); $25,001-$100,000; over $100,000 (capital)
  • Decision Time: LOI: 1-2 months; Full Application: 2-4 months
  • Application Method: Rolling basis, no deadlines

Contact Details

Address: 215 Morton Street, Richmond, TX 77469
Phone: 281-342-6109
Email: grants@thegeorgefoundation.org
Website: https://www.thegeorgefoundation.org
Hours: Monday–Thursday 8 a.m.–5 p.m.; Friday 8 a.m.–12 noon
Grants Portal: grantinterface.com

Overview

The George Foundation was established in 1945 by Albert and Mamie George as a trust to give back to the Fort Bend County community. Over its 80-year history, the Foundation has invested over $300 million in local nonprofits and student scholarships. As a place-based grantmaker, the Foundation exclusively serves Fort Bend County, Texas, awarding grants to 501(c)(3) organizations whose operations are based in the county or who provide high-quality services not otherwise available locally to a significant number of Fort Bend County residents. The Foundation provides an average of $15 million annually in grants across four strategic focus areas: Affordable Housing, Education, Human Needs, and Health & Wellness. In 2023, the Foundation awarded $19 million to 103 local nonprofit organizations. The Foundation maintains a staff of approximately twenty and operates with a commitment to being "transparent, respectful, open, and honest" in its grantmaking.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

  • Small Grants (up to $25,000): Streamlined application process designed for new or smaller nonprofits, or larger organizations needing smaller amounts for specific programs. Single-year grants only. (46% of grants awarded)

  • Operating Grants ($25,001+): Support overall organizational functioning, including administrative costs and salaries. Application via Operating Grant Application. (38% of grants between $25,001-$100,000)

  • Program/Project Grants ($25,001+): Fund specific initiatives with defined goals and timelines targeting Fort Bend County residents. Application via Program/Project Grant Application.

  • Capital Projects (typically over $100,000): Large grants for facility construction, major equipment purchases, or endowments. Awarded on a very selective basis with emphasis on projects that strongly align with the Foundation's grant strategy and demonstrate compelling opportunity to directly and deeply impact Fort Bend County residents. (16% of grants over $100,000)

Application Method: All applications submitted through online Grants Portal on a rolling basis with no fixed deadlines.

Priority Areas

Affordable Housing
Over 60% of Fort Bend County renters are cost-burdened. Focus areas include:

  • Affordable housing development
  • Homelessness/housing assistance
  • Housing stability programs
  • Financial literacy education

Education
Fort Bend County has over 125,000 public school students with diverse linguistic populations. Focus areas include:

  • Career readiness
  • Early childhood education
  • High-performing public education models
  • Youth development
  • K-12 public education, literacy, and parenting education

Recent funding: $3.1 million invested in 2023 to foster career readiness among youth and young adults; $1.9 million for scholarships.

Human Needs
Nearly 31% of Fort Bend County residents struggle to meet basic needs. Focus areas include:

  • Abuse/neglect prevention & intervention
  • Basic needs
  • Senior services
  • Services to special populations
  • Law/legal assistance

Health & Wellness
Building on the founders' legacy of healthcare investment. Focus areas include:

  • Access to care for the uninsured
  • Mental and behavioral health
  • Addiction prevention and intervention
  • Specialized population services

Recent funding: $2.3 million in 2023 to support uninsured residents; $2 million committed to increase access to behavioral health services in local schools and throughout the community.

What They Don't Fund

  • Individual or private fundraising activities
  • Pass-through or regranting organizations (organizations that primarily raise funds to distribute to recipients of their selection)
  • Event sponsorships
  • Religious organizations (for religious purposes)
  • Youth sports leagues
  • Individual schools (must be district-wide or broader initiatives)
  • Research studies
  • Grants imposing expenditure responsibility

Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

  • Jim Condrey - Chair
  • Steve Ewbank - Vice Chair
  • Mark Magee - Vice Chair
  • Thomas Randle - Trustee
  • Ruthanne Mefford - Trustee

All grant decisions are made by the Board of Trustees at monthly meetings.

Executive Leadership

  • Roger Adamson - Chief Executive Officer
  • Shannan Stavinoha - Chief Grants Officer (leads the Foundation's grantmaking strategy and programs)
  • Sandra Thompson - Chief Financial Officer

Program Staff

  • Deresha Gibson - Program Officer
  • Donna Neuman - Program Officer
  • Ammie Blahuta - Director of Special Programs
  • Tempestt Bui - Program Associate

Roger Adamson has stated, "The George Foundation is proud to partner with Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels to support their outstanding staff and committed team of volunteers delivering critical services to our community's senior residents."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Research & Registration: Verify your request meets foundation criteria, including alignment with grant strategy and Fort Bend County focus. Organizations are encouraged to schedule time with a Program Officer to discuss alignment with funding priorities.

  2. Letter of Inquiry (LOI): All grant requests begin with an LOI submitted through the Foundation's Grants Portal at grantinterface.com. This is a required first step.

  3. LOI Review: Grant staff reviews LOIs and makes determinations on which organizations will be invited to submit full applications.

  4. Full Application: Organizations whose LOIs are approved have two months to submit a complete application through the Grants Portal.

  5. Due Diligence: Grant staff may conduct site visits (approximately 90 minutes) involving executive leadership and program staff. Staff presents requests to trustees at monthly board meetings.

  6. Decision: The Board of Trustees makes all funding decisions. Approved organizations receive a Grant Contract; declined applicants receive notification letters via email.

  7. Monitoring: Grantees submit progress and final reports detailing accomplishments, activities, outputs, and outcomes.

Contact for Questions: grants@thegeorgefoundation.org or 281-342-6109. Grant staff welcomes questions and is open to assisting with inquiries regarding the grantmaking program.

Decision Timeline

  • LOI Decision: Generally made within 1-2 months
  • Full Application Decision: Generally made within 2-4 months after submission
  • Total Process: Approximately 3-6 months from LOI submission to final decision

Success Rates

The Foundation awarded grants to 103 organizations in 2023 and made 206 grants total. In a prior year, 154 awards were made. Specific application-to-approval ratios are not publicly disclosed.

Reapplication Policy

All organizations must wait one full year to resubmit a new request following a declination. The Foundation notes that "a decision by the Foundation not to fund a request does not reflect on the Applicant's merits or the proposal's value." Organizations may submit no more than one application per year (though capital and operating requests may be allowed together under certain circumstances).

Application Success Factors

What the Foundation Looks For

Critical Unmet Need: Reviewers assess how well the organization addresses "a critical, unmet need in Fort Bend County." Demonstrating the gap in services and how your organization uniquely fills it is essential.

Organizational Capacity: The Foundation evaluates:

  • Leadership stability and strength
  • Organizational capacity to implement effectively with available resources
  • Sufficient financial resources for implementation
  • Staff capacity to execute the proposed work

Alignment with Priorities: Proposals must align clearly with one or more of the Foundation's four strategic focus areas and demonstrate direct benefit to Fort Bend County residents.

Measurable Outcomes: Applications must include clear plans to measure outcomes and impact. The Foundation looks for well-defined evaluation plans with specific, measurable goals.

Models of Excellence: The Foundation is particularly interested in supporting organizations developing "models of excellence" within their identified focus areas.

Diverse Funding Base: The Foundation encourages organizations to apply to other funders simultaneously, viewing a broad funding base as evidence of organizational stability. This is not seen negatively—it demonstrates sound financial planning.

Strategic Guidance

  • Pre-Application Consultation: The Foundation strongly recommends that applicants first contact Grant Staff to discuss their requests. Program Officers are available to help assess alignment and answer questions.

  • Site in Fort Bend County: Organizations physically located outside Fort Bend County must clearly demonstrate strong benefit, positive impact, and accessibility to Fort Bend residents.

  • First-Time Applicants: The Small Grant program (up to $25,000) offers a streamlined application process that may be particularly accessible for organizations new to the Foundation.

Recent Grant Examples

  • 2024 Flourishment Center: The Foundation collaborated with grantees to secure a $4.5 million investment towards purchase and renovation of a facility to provide a safe haven for the community's most vulnerable residents, including youth aging out of foster care, single parents and grandparents with children, the working poor, and young adults pursuing workforce certifications and higher education.

  • 2024 LINC Project: Launching in 2024, this project leverages technology and systems to connect residents with rental assistance and other critical resources in Fort Bend County.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Place-based focus is non-negotiable: Your organization must either be based in Fort Bend County or provide services not otherwise available locally to a significant number of county residents. Geographic alignment is the first filter.

  • Start with an LOI conversation: Before submitting your LOI, contact a Program Officer to discuss your request. The Foundation explicitly welcomes this and it demonstrates strategic thinking about alignment.

  • Demonstrate the "critical unmet need": Don't just describe what you do—clearly articulate the gap in services for Fort Bend County residents and why your organization is uniquely positioned to address it.

  • Think rolling, not cyclical: There are no deadlines or grantmaking cycles. Submit when your organization is ready with a strong proposal, but remember you can only apply once per year.

  • Small grants open doors: If you're a first-time applicant or smaller organization, the Small Grant program (up to $25,000) offers a streamlined entry point to establish a relationship with the Foundation.

  • Measurement matters: Include specific, measurable outcomes in your proposal. The Foundation monitors grantee performance on operations, effectiveness, finances, and social impact.

  • One-year waiting period after declination: If declined, you must wait a full year before reapplying. Make your first application count by ensuring strong alignment and a well-developed proposal.

References

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