Texas Business and Commerce Grants

The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) offers the GO TEXAN - Event Grants as part of the Marketing Enhancement Grant Assistance Program. These grants aim to support Associate-level GO TEXAN partners who organize public events such as festivals and farmers markets, promoting Texas-made products and businesses under the GO TEXAN program. Eligible events must focus on advertising expenses and can only include one event per applicant within the designated timeline. Applications are accepted until May 16, 2024, and the projects can run from October 1, 2024, to December 31, 2025. Grant awards are determined based on the event’s adherence to GO TEXAN participation and program recognition, with funding available up to $20,000 depending on past participation and the extent of promotional activities.

This program provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in Laredo that address social challenges, promote community development, and enhance tourism.

The Nexus Grant, offered by the City of Austin, is designed to support new and emerging local small organizations, individual artists, and small arts businesses in producing creative public projects. With an award of $5,000, the program aims to nurture the creative community by funding activities that enrich the city and its tourists through community-centered arts and collaboration. This aligns with a broader mission to foster cultural vibrancy and accessibility within Austin. The primary beneficiaries of the Nexus Grant are new and emerging applicants within the creative community, including artists, culturally specific groups, LGBTQIA and disability communities, nonprofits, and social advocacy organizations. The program's impact goals are centered on supporting creative public activities, encouraging community engagement, and promoting cultural collaboration. Through these efforts, the grant seeks to strengthen Austin's artistic landscape and provide diverse cultural experiences for both residents and visitors. The program prioritizes applicants who represent, serve, and are accountable to communities at immediate risk of cultural erasure and displacement within Austin, and those that have been historically marginalized and under-funded by the City of Austin Cultural Arts Division. This includes communities such as Black/African American, Native American, Asian, Hispanic/Latino, Middle Eastern, Pacific Islander, LGBTQIA+, and disability communities. Additionally, priority is given to applicants who have not received City of Austin Cultural Funding awards in the last five years, emphasizing support for truly emerging entities. Eligible activities for funding include exhibitions, performances, workshops with a performance or exhibition component, and public art projects accessible to the public. Grant funds can cover various expenses such as administrative and artist payments, space and equipment rentals, supplies, marketing, insurance, and fiscal sponsor fees. The expected outcomes are the successful production of these creative public projects, increased community engagement in the arts, and the empowerment of underrepresented voices within Austin's cultural sector. Measurable results would include the number and type of projects produced, audience reach, and the diversity of communities served, contributing to the city's strategic priorities of cultural equity and inclusion.

The TII grant aims to create new internship opportunities for Texas students in Middle Skill STEM Occupations, providing them with work experience, educational credit, and potential progress towards industry-based certification, while also enabling employers to train potential future employees and address skill shortages.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is offering the Rural Hospital Financial Stabilization Grant to provide financial support to rural hospitals in Texas to help them transition to long-term financial solvency and sustainability. Eligible applicants include hospitals classified as rural, licensed by HHSC for 25 or fewer beds, and able to demonstrate financial need as per the specified tiers. The application deadline is June 21, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. Central Time. The project period begins on the grant agreement effective date and concludes on August 31, 2025. Award amounts vary by need tier: $100,000 for Tier 1 (Basic Need), $175,000 for Tier 2 (Moderate Need), and $250,000 for Tier 3 (High Need), with a total of $4,500,000 available for distribution.

The Laura Jane Musser Fund offers grants up to $25,000 for collaborative rural community projects in selected states and counties, prioritizing initiatives that involve diverse community participation, demonstrate local support, and aim for positive change within 18 months.

This program provides $10,000 grants to small businesses in the U.S. that promote women's advancement and gender equity through their products, services, or initiatives.

The City of Houston Department of Neighborhoods Matching Grant Program seeks to enhance Houston neighborhoods through community-led physical improvement projects. Administered in partnership with City Council Member’s Offices, the program aims to foster strong neighbor relationships, encourage volunteerism, and develop projects that build a sustainable and stronger community. Its overarching mission aligns with improving the quality of life for Houston communities by actively partnering with residents. The program primarily targets neighborhood-based organizations and civic clubs within Houston city limits. Eligible organizations must be incorporated as 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) non-profit organizations through the State of Texas, or partner with such an entity. Individuals and political organizations are not eligible. The program's impact goals are to improve neighborhood organization and pride, enhance community appearance and beautification, and increase community participation. The program prioritizes physical improvements that are accessible and beneficial to the broader community, involving neighborhood residents, and offering long-standing benefits. Examples of approved projects include street sign toppers, entryway signage and columns, esplanade landscaping and irrigation, park benches, electrical signage, walkways with pavers, and murals. Projects must demonstrate pre-approval from relevant City of Houston departments if required for permitting. The program does not fund ongoing operation or maintenance. Expected outcomes include tangible physical improvements within neighborhoods, increased civic engagement, and a strengthened sense of community pride. Measurable results would involve the number of projects completed, the extent of community participation in these projects, and visible enhancements to public spaces. The program's theory of change posits that by empowering residents to lead and implement physical improvements, it will cultivate volunteerism, build stronger social ties, and ultimately lead to a higher quality of life and a more sustainable community. Funding for the Matching Grants is provided on a reimbursement basis, ranging from $500 to $5,000. Applicants must also identify how their organization will fund and support the project in the future, ensuring the long-term sustainability of the improvements beyond the initial grant. Required documentation includes letters of permission from property owners, proof of ownership, photos of the proposed site, and three letters of support for the project from neighborhood organizations, businesses, or elected officials.

Funding available through this RFA supports the ongoing research and development of diagnostic tests and devices to treat, detect, diagnose, monitor, and assist in the treatment of cancer. Relevant areas include: Devices and assays for cancer detection, diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring, treatment and prediction of response or resistance to treatment Markers for cancer prevention and control, companion diagnostic to a therapy Development of diagnostic tests to distinguish high-risk early lesions Generally, at the time that an applicant applies to CPRIT pursuant to this RFA, the company has developed a commercial prototype of the device or a pictorial representation of the functional components/elements of the device. With respect to diagnostics, the company has developed assays that work on human samples and whose importance is well justified for development into clinical assays. The applicant should be working toward submitting an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) or a 510(k) or Premarketing Approval (PMA) and is typically within one year from filing an IDE (or later stage work.) Potential applicants that are not at or near this stage of product development should consider applying for a Texas Seed Company Award. With appropriate justification, companies may use CPRIT funds to support studies that establish preclinical proof of concept, product validation, design, production, manufacturing and development, and clinical studies demonstrating safety and efficacy.

Grant Name: Regional Touring Program Grants Donor: Mid-America Arts Alliance Location: Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas Grant Type: Grant Deadline: Ongoing Grant Size: Up to $5,000 Details: The Regional Touring Program grants by Mid-America Arts Alliance support presenting organizations in showcasing the work of artists from within the M-AAA region. Presenters can receive up to 50% of the artist's fee for booking an artist listed on a state touring roster and up to 25% for booking an artist from the region not listed on a touring roster. Rural presenters may receive an additional 10% of the artist's fee. Projects must engage regional audiences through exposure, interaction, and outreach engagement. Eligible projects must feature in-region artists from outside the presenter's home state and include public-facing events between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024. The grant does not cover indirect project costs or expenses associated with benefits or fundraiser events. Eligibility Criteria: Applicant organizations must be tax-exempt non-profit organizations or federally recognized tribal communities incorporated in one or more states in the M-AAA region. They must have a valid EIN and UEI ID and commit to M-AAA's Grantee Assurance of Compliance and Federal Suspension and Disbarment Policy. Organizations may submit a maximum of three applications per fiscal year. For more information, visit M-AAA's website.

This grant provides financial support and consulting services to nonprofit organizations focused on affordable housing, small business development, workforce development, and financial literacy in low- and moderate-income communities.

The Disability Inclusion Fund (DIF) at Borealis Philanthropy is actively seeking applications from organizations dedicated to advancing disability inclusion, rights, and justice. This grant program is deeply aligned with Borealis Philanthropy's broader mission to foster a more vibrant, just, and joyful world for people with disabilities. The fund's strategic priorities are rooted in intersectional cross-movements and collaborative efforts, supporting initiatives ranging from arts and culture to policy and advocacy that dismantle ableism and promote authentic representation of disabled people. The primary beneficiaries of DIF grants are organizations whose work is driven by and accountable to the disability justice movement, with a particular emphasis on those most impacted by injustice and exclusion. This includes disabled people with multiple and intersecting social and political identities, such as race, gender identity, class, and sexual orientation. The fund prioritizes organizations led by disabled people, specifically Black, Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC), queer, gender non-conforming, and women with disabilities, where over 50% of the leadership (management staff, advisory committees, or governing boards) identify as disabled. DIF's core focuses include promoting radical inclusion by removing barriers and ensuring access, valuing lived experience, and emphasizing the leadership of those most impacted. The program also fosters cross-movement solidarity, encouraging collaboration and bridge-building among disability justice activists and across various social movements like Black lives, climate change, immigration rights, labor rights, racial justice, and queer and trans liberation. This approach reflects a theory of change that believes systemic change occurs through interconnected movements and the empowerment of marginalized communities. Expected outcomes include strengthening grassroots disabled-led organizations, expanding their operational capacities for ongoing movement building, and driving narrative change that dismantles ableism in policy, society, and culture. Measurable results will stem from work that moves practices of disability inclusion and justice forward through community organizing, mutual aid, advocacy, and policy work, as well as strategies that celebrate and elevate the authentic representation of disabled people in arts, media, and literature. This two-year grant opportunity provides $75,000 per year, totaling $150,000, for eligible U.S.-based or U.S. territory-based 501(c)3 organizations or fiscally sponsored entities with an annual budget under $1 million.

TWC is committed to improving access to quality child care across the state of Texas. This RFA seeks Applicants to foster sustainable career pathways that increase the availability of qualified Early Childhood Educators through the development of RAPs, which combines OJL with related classroom instruction. RAPs have been expanding into more nontraditional occupations, including early childhood education in the form of child care RAPs. Child care RAPs will assist in improving the education and training that Early Childhood Educators receive, thus allowing them to improve their understanding of child development and improve the quality of child care. High quality training and supports for Early Childhood Educators are important to the child care field.

This funding initiative provides financial support to businesses, nonprofits, government entities, and educational institutions in Texas for the development and construction of advanced nuclear energy projects, promoting innovation and economic growth in the state's energy sector.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is seeking proposals for its Southeast Aquatics Fund to voluntarily conserve aquatic habitats in the southeastern United States and Texas. This grant program directly aligns with NFWF's mission to sustain, restore, and enhance the nation's fish, wildlife, and plants. The fund's priorities are informed by the Longleaf Forests and Rivers Business Plan, adopted in 2018 and updated in 2023, which aims to conserve the extraordinary biodiversity across the Southeast. The primary target beneficiaries of this program are aquatic ecosystems and the diverse array of species that inhabit them, particularly those identified as focal species in the Conasauga River (GA) and Middle Coosa (AL) watersheds. These include various endemic and native fishes like the Alabama shiner, banded sculpin, blue shiner, and trispot darter. The impact goal is to advance specific goals and objectives of the Longleaf Forests and Rivers Business Plan and other relevant conservation plans, ultimately leading to healthier aquatic habitats. The program prioritizes work in northern Alabama and Georgia due to measurement and monitoring constraints, with funding available for a wide range of activities in the Conasauga River (GA) and Locust Fork and Middle Coosa (AL) watersheds. Projects benefiting the focal species in these areas will receive priority. The strategic priorities of the NFWF, as evidenced by the Longleaf Forests and Rivers Business Plan, emphasize a suite of aquatic species as indicators of healthy aquatic habitats in prioritized watersheds, reflecting a theory of change that by protecting these indicator species, the broader ecosystem health will improve. Expected outcomes include the conservation of aquatic habitat, the advancement of specific goals outlined in the Longleaf Forests and Rivers Business Plan, and positive impacts on focal species populations. While not explicitly detailed as "measurable results" in the provided text, the focus on indicator species suggests that the health and population trends of these species would serve as key metrics for success. Projects are anticipated to have a completion time of 24–36 months, with grant awards ranging from $150,000 to $500,000 from approximately $8.45 million available in 2024.

The Texas Workforce Commission is offering a grant for local boards and higher education institutions to create Externships for Teachers, aiming to connect classroom learning with real-world industry skills, thereby preparing students for future workforce demands in their local Texas communities.

The Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SSARE) Education Grants program is designed to fund education and outreach activities that benefit the sustainable agriculture community. This grant directly aligns with SSARE's mission to promote efforts in farmer innovations, community resilience, business success, agricultural diversification, and best management practices. The core objective is to support projects that develop sustainable agriculture systems or move existing systems towards sustainability. The primary beneficiaries of these grants are farmers and farming communities, including those involved in indigenous agriculture producing for community food systems. Academic institutions, non-profits, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), 1890 land-grant university faculty/extension cooperators, 1862 land-grant universities, other colleges and universities, and government agencies are eligible to apply, acting as facilitators for these educational initiatives. The impact goals are centered on fostering a more sustainable, resilient, and economically viable agricultural sector through knowledge dissemination and practical application. Education Grants prioritize projects that clearly articulate what is being taught, to whom, and how the goals will be accomplished. Focus areas include experiential learning (demonstrations, on-farm tours, field days, workshops), integrative approaches (conferences, seminars, course curriculum), and reinforcement methods (fact sheets, bulletins, videos, online technologies). SSARE also encourages proposals on quality of life topics, such as heirs property, farmers’ markets, food hubs, local/regional processing, and urban agriculture systems, emphasizing the social health of farming systems. Expected outcomes include the adoption of sustainable agriculture practices, enhanced farmer innovation, increased community resilience, improved business success for agricultural enterprises, and greater agricultural diversification. Projects should yield results that are realistic, acceptable to farmers, logical, and capable of leading to tangible actions and benefits described in the proposal. The grant projects are strictly focused on education and outreach, with no research component, and are paid by reimbursement of allowable expenses. The foundation's strategic priorities are evident in the grant requirements, which mandate that project outcomes focus on sustainable agriculture systems and clearly demonstrate how education and outreach efforts will be implemented and evaluated. The theory of change underpinning this program is that by providing targeted education and outreach, knowledge and best practices will be transferred to farmers and communities, leading to the development and widespread adoption of sustainable agricultural methods and improved quality of life within farming systems. Project maximums are $50,000, with a duration limited to two years. Applicants from the Southern region, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, are eligible. Farmers involved in these projects must have farming/ranching as their primary occupation or part-time farming with at least $1,000 of documented annual income from their operation, with exceptions for indigenous agriculture.

The Route 66 Black Experiences Grant Program provides direct grant awards to African-American owned/operated businesses and attractions along Route 66, and funding to support research and programs designed to tell the stories of Black experiences related to Route 66. The program, celebrating the Route 66 Centennial, aims to help Black-owned businesses and attractions stay in operation, reopen, and expand, while also supporting research and storytelling efforts related to Black experiences on Route 66. Eligible applicants include Black-owned/operated businesses located along Route 66 with fewer than 20 employees. The 2024 grant round offers a total of $50,000 in awards, with applications due by July 14, 2024, and awards announced the week of August 5, 2024.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to Texas political subdivisions and nonprofit organizations for implementing evidence-based opioid prevention education and awareness programs in K-12 schools, particularly targeting underserved communities.

The 2025 Conservation Wrangler program, hosted by Texan by Nature, seeks to accelerate impactful conservation projects led by Texas-based organizations. The program supports up to six selected projects annually that demonstrate measurable benefits to people, prosperity, and natural resources. Selected projects receive 12–18 months of tailored program management and strategic guidance to enhance their reach and effectiveness. Eligible projects must be science-based, Texas-led, and demonstrate tangible conservation outcomes. They should engage diverse audiences and promote partnerships among community, business, and conservation organizations. Examples of eligible focus areas include wildlife, land, and water conservation across Texas geographies, from urban to rural settings. Selected projects are showcased during the annual Conservation Summit, offering visibility and networking opportunities. Participants in the Conservation Wrangler program are not guaranteed funding but gain strategic support such as program management, marketing assistance, content creation, and technical connections. Applicants must commit to collaborative participation, dedicate staff resources to achieve outlined goals, and present their work at the Conservation Summit. Applications are evaluated on a range of criteria, including impact, innovation, and measurable outcomes. The process requires detailed project descriptions, objectives, funding strategies, and impact metrics. Supporting documents, such as budgets, maps, and reports, are encouraged. Applications must be submitted in Word format by January 31, 2025, at 11:59 PM CST. For guidance, applicants can reach out to the program team for consultations before applying.