Community Grants Program

Investing
In Our
Local Communities

This strategic community outreach initiative focuses on investing resources into meaningful projects and programs that enhance our local communities and strengthen our region’s prosperity.

Community Grants Program

Port Houston’s Community Grants Program serves as part of our strategic community outreach initiatives focused on investing resources into meaningful projects and programs that enhance our local communities and region. Since the program’s inception in 2020, Port Houston has proudly invested more than $2 million dollars into local community programs and projects.

Grant Specifics & Focus Initiatives

Port Houston’s Community Grants Program offers the opportunity for qualifying organizations to apply for funding through an open, competitive application process.

Port Houston is particularly interested in supporting programs or services that align with our current outreach priorities. These priorities include:

Community Outreach

    • Revitalizing Communities, Parks, and Greenspaces with a focus on communities that are within three miles of the Ship Channel

Economic & Workforce Development

    • Programs focused on maritime and logistics-related fields, with key focus areas related to the trucking industry and maritime operations.
    • Programs focused on STEAM education and/or environmental sciences
    • Programs that support career and professional development services

Environmental Stewardship

    • Educational programs and projects aimed at improving our waterways (bayous & bays).
    • Pollution reduction and related education
    • Health equity and health disparities

Within these areas, we are particularly interested in funding programs that:

  • Scale best practices and proven ideas or pilot promising, evidence-based programs
  • Utilize sound evaluation techniques to measure both outcomes and impact
  • Demonstrate a commitment to innovation, learning, and adaptation
  • Are completed in partnership, cooperation, and consultation with other agencies
  • Offer an innovative and promising approach to meeting a community need
  • Propose a project or program that falls within Port Houston’s priority zone – proximity to the Houston Ship Channel – permitting Grants Program support to positively impact areas within Port Houston’s stakeholder footprint.

 

APPLICATION PROCESS

Port Houston’s Community Grants are awarded annually via a two-stage application process. First, eligible applicants register through Foundant, Port Houston’s grant management platform, to complete a Letter of Interest (LOI) form outlining their proposed project and requested funding amount.

Those submitting promising letters of interest, that best align with our priorities, will move forward to the second stage of the application process and will be invited to complete a full proposal. If invited to submit a full proposal, funding is not guaranteed. No other grant requests will be considered outside of this process.

This formal LOI and application process will be conducted through Foundant’s grant site. This online platform creates a secure and convenient registration and application process to ensure all applications are captured and processed in one standard and accurate method for our Grants Committee.

The 2026 Community Grants Program cycle opens on February 1, 2026.

The Letter of Interest form, Foundant Grant Platform login page, along with all other program details may be found below.

Click Here to Log In

 

DATES AND TIMELINE

  • February 1 – Port Houston’s 2026 Community Grants Program opens
  • February 28 – Due date for all Letters of Interest (LOI)
  • March 9 – Grants Committee notifies eligible organizations with an invitation to complete the full grant application
  • March 31 – Due date for all 2026 grant applications
  • June 23 – Community Relations Committee announces and awards grant recipients

 

PUBLIC WORKSHOPS

  • Thursday, February 5, 2026 at 9:00 am (CT) – In person and online (must register to attend either). Click Here
  • Tuesday, February 10, 2026 at 10:00 am (CT) – Teams webinar (must register). Click Here
  • Thursday, February 19, 2026 at 2:00 pm (CT) – Teams webinar (must register). Click Here

 

ELIGIBILITY AND GUIDELINES

Port Houston’s Grants Program is designed to embrace the diversity of our communities. We consider grant requests without regard to race, ethnicity, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, disability, marital status, genetic information, veteran status, and other similar factors that may be protected by law.

While Port Houston has contributed to many nonprofit organizations in our communities, it is impossible to fund every request. In order to have the most meaningful impact, the Grants Program will focus on supporting projects and programs that closely tie to our outreach priorities.

In order to be considered for Grants Program support, Port Houston requires that an applicant:

  • Document its status as a tax-exempt not-for-profit organization in good standing with the Internal Revenue Service
  • Provide evidence of responsible management and an active board of directors or similar governing body, sound fiscal policies, long-range planning, and effective use of volunteers
  • Propose a method of evaluating the results of the proposed project or program
  • Demonstrate the organization’s capability to execute the proposed project or program
  • Produce a budget and a plan for funding the proposed project or program beyond the grant period

 

LIMITATIONS AND EXCLUSIONS

Port Houston will not provide grants under circumstances that are not permitted by or conflict with applicable law or Port Houston policies or budgetary considerations.

Port Houston will not provide grants to the following:

  • Applicants that are not tax-exempt non-profit organizations in good standing with the Internal Revenue Service
  • For-profit entities
  • Labor, sectarian, fraternal, military, or professional associations
  • Sports and athletic groups
  • Charitable or endowment campaigns
  • Political action committees, candidates, or lobbyists
  • Individuals

Port Houston’s grants do not automatically renew. Whether receiving current or previous support from Port Houston, in order to obtain new support beyond the term of a grant, an organization must submit a new application and qualify for new support.

Previous Community Grant recipients and their programs. 

 

CONTACT US

Please email us at [email protected] should you have any additional questions regarding the Community Grants Program.