In 2025—the inaugural year of Forever Austin Fund grantmaking—we were excited to award $2.3 million in grants to 99 nonprofits across four Central Texas counties.
As we conclude our first year, I find myself reflecting on how we got here. I am grateful to our board, volunteer reviewers, staff, and nonprofit partners who shaped both the process and outcomes of the Forever Austin Fund. But most of all, I am humbled by the foresight of donors who, through thoughtful estate plans, made it possible to invest in the lives of Central Texans far beyond their own lifetimes. It is a privilege to steward their vision and resources through our partnership with this year’s grantees.
What We’re Celebrating
In 2025, we anticipated awarding up to $2 million to approximately 70 nonprofits. We surpassed that by distributing $2.3 million to 99 nonprofits—reflecting both the immense need in the community and our commitment to deploying as many dollars as possible. Together, these nonprofits are advancing work in three strategic focus areas: economic mobility, health & humanities, and nurturing our region.
Urban Roots, 2025 grant partner
- Economic Mobility: $1.15 million awarded to 39 organizations tackling systemic barriers to wealth, supporting housing stability, and expanding career and small business opportunities.
- Health & Humanities: $949,500 awarded to 44 organizations that are improving outcomes for health and wellness and expanding access to arts and cultural experiences.
- Nurturing Our Region: $249,000 awarded to 16 organizations to protect green spaces, enhance environmental stewardship, and support the well-being of animals.
Grants ranged from $5,000 to $50,000, with an average size of $23,535, and were unrestricted general operating support—providing flexible resources to strengthen nonprofit capacity and reflecting a commitment to trust-based philanthropy.
Each strategic focus area was intentionally designed to reflect the causes that mattered most to our legacy donors as well as the needs that are most present in Central Texas today. The Forever Austin Fund supported a diverse representation of nonprofits—from new to well-established–that offer a variety of programming approaches to meeting community needs.
The review process was rigorous and inclusive, involving ACF staff, board members, and more than 90 trained volunteer reviewers with varied lived experiences. Together, they evaluated over 530 applications requesting more than $21 million in support. Our multi-step review process ensured a thoughtful, equitable, and community-informed approach.
What We’re Learning
Our first year brought valuable lessons that will shape the future of this work:
half Helen, 2025 grant partner
- Demand outpaced resources. We received 534 applications requesting more than $21 million. This gap highlights the significant need in our community and the resources necessary to address these challenges.
- Clarity is critical. Nonprofits reported difficulty assessing fit to the three strategic focus areas. We’ll provide clearer strategy descriptions and examples to help nonprofits determine if the Forever Austin Fund is the right opportunity for them.
- Letters of Inquiry could save everyone time. Beginning in 2026, we’ll introduce a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) to reduce workload, allow earlier feedback, and streamline the review process.
Looking Ahead
While the Forever Austin Fund represents the latest grant opportunity at ACF, the work is far from new. It was a joy to create a process that honors nearly 50 years of history at the Foundation and is scalable to meet the needs of donors and nonprofits for years to come. We are proud to partner with legacy givers who see the opportunity for transformative change through investment in the nonprofit sector.
Applications for the next cycle will open in early 2026, beginning with the new LOI stage. To stay informed, sign up for ACF’s e-news and visit austincf.org/forever-austin.
