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 $1.65 million dollars into local community programs and projects.

Congratulations to our 2024 Port Houston Community Grants Recipients! Click the link below for a list of this year’s recipients and their programs.

View Recipients

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 2025 Community Grants Program cycle opens on February 1, 2025.

The Letter of Interest form, along with all other program details may be found below.

Foundant Grant Platform

Any questions should be submitted online through the [email protected] inbox.

IMPORTANT DATES & TIMELINE

  • Feb. 1st – Port Houston opens 2025 Community Grants Program
  • Feb. 28th – Due date for all Letters of Interest (LOI)
  • March 10th– Grants Committee will notify eligible organizations with an invitation to move forward and complete the full grant application
  • March 31st– Due date for all 2025 grant applications
  • June 24th– Community Relations Committee announces and awards 2025 grant recipients

 

ONLINE PUBLIC WORKSHOPS

2025 Grants Workshops

  • January 28th, 2025 at 1pm (Tuesday)
    • Link to webinar to come
  • February 11, 2025 at 10am (Tuesday)
    • Link to webinar to come
  • February 20, 2025 at 2pm (Thursday)
    • Link to webinar to come

 To receive news about Port Houston and future Community Grants opportunities, please subscribe to our newsletter 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.

Click below for a list of previous Community Grant recipients and their programs. 

 

CONTACT US

To stay up-to-date regarding news about Port Houston and future Community Grants opportunities, please subscribe to our newsletter here.

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