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LISC Houston Small Grants Program

This program provides funding to nonprofit organizations in targeted Houston neighborhoods to support community-led projects that enhance civic engagement, collaboration, and local leadership.

$5,000
Forecasted
VA
Recurring
Grant Description

The LISC Houston 2026 Small Grants Program is a community-focused initiative by LISC Houston, a local chapter of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), one of the nation’s largest community development organizations. Since 2015, LISC Houston has spearheaded efforts to empower neighborhood groups, increase civic participation, and support community-based leadership. The Small Grants Program is a critical tool in achieving these goals, providing targeted funding to grassroots organizations that are intimately involved with the challenges and opportunities in their local areas. This grant program is specifically designed to support 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations that are committed to enhancing community vitality. Eligible initiatives must focus on key impact areas, including reinvigorating civic engagement, strengthening neighborhood leadership and collaboration, and fostering grassroots solutions to local challenges. LISC Houston prioritizes projects that are locally driven and demonstrate a high degree of resident involvement and leadership, recognizing that sustainable community development is best led by those directly affected. The program offers individual grant awards of up to $5,000. Although the total program funding amount is not explicitly stated, the program has historically leveraged millions in resources and engaged over 52,000 participants. Funded projects must be completed by October 31, 2026. While the grants are relatively small, the emphasis is on the catalytic potential of these funds to initiate or accelerate broader neighborhood improvement efforts. These grants are also intended to support a wide variety of small-scale activities, such as community meetings, events, planning sessions, and neighborhood-based campaigns. The application process is straightforward and fully digital. Applications must be submitted online by March 2, 2026, at 12:00 PM Eastern Time. A virtual Q&A workshop was offered on February 18, 2026, to assist prospective applicants with guidance on the application process and priorities. This recording is made available for applicants who could not attend live. All applicants are encouraged to watch this session to better understand funder expectations and how to craft competitive proposals. There is no pre-application gating such as a letter of intent or concept paper required to apply. Evaluation criteria are not detailed in the available materials, but given the program's focus, projects demonstrating community impact, feasibility, and local collaboration are likely to be favored. Applicants may contact Carolyn Andrews, Program Officer for Community Development at LISC Houston, for any questions. Her email address is [email protected]. Award notifications will be made in May 2026, and projects must be completed by the end of October that same year. The Small Grants Program has been running annually since 2015, and although recurrence is not explicitly stated in the announcement, its multi-year history and reference to prior cycles strongly suggest that the program is recurring. Applicants not selected in the current round may find opportunities to apply in subsequent years.

Funding Details

Award Range

Not specified - $5,000

Total Program Funding

Not specified

Number of Awards

Not specified

Matching Requirement

No

Additional Details

LISC Houston offers grants up to $5,000 to 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations. We do not provide funding to individuals; grant payments are made directly to the eligible applicant organization or its designated fiscal sponsor.

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants

Nonprofits

Additional Requirements

LISC Houston offers grants up to $5,000 to 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations. We do not provide funding to individuals; grant payments are made directly to the eligible applicant organization or its designated fiscal sponsor.

Geographic Eligibility

All

Key Dates

Application Opens

Not specified

Application Closes

Not specified

Contact Information

Grantor

Carolyn Andrews

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Categories
Social Advocacy
Women & Girl Services
Diversity Equity and Inclusion
Community Development