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Our 2026 Application Period has ended. Please check back in early 2027 to learn about our 2027 Application Cycle.

March 27

Training Materials Posted for Organizational Questionnaire

April 13, 8 AM

Step 1 - Organizational Questionnaire OPENS

April 24, 2 PM

Step 1 - Organizational Questionnaire CLOSES

May 11, 8 AM

Step 2 - Project Application OPENS

May 14

Project Application Training Webinar

May 17

Materials Posted for Project Application Training

May 29, 2 PM

Step 2 - Project Application CLOSES

Our grant-making process is the heart of what we do for our community. Thank you for your interest and for all you do to improve lives. Before applying, we strongly encourage you thoroughly review our grant eligibility criteria to confirm that both your agency and project qualify. We have a 2-step application process – the organizational questionnaire and project application. Our Readiness Review team will review the completed questionnaire and notify you if you are approved to move forward with the project application.

Nonprofit agencies interested in applying for a grant must meet our Grant Eligibility Criteria and should understand our Grant Process before proceeding with the grant application.

Applicant Resources

STEP ONE: Organizational Questionnaire

STEP TWO: Project Application

Our grant-making process is the heart of what we do for our community. Thank you for your interest and for all you do to improve lives. Before applying, we strongly encourage you thoroughly review our grant eligibility criteria to confirm that both your agency and project qualify. We have a 2-step application process – the organizational questionnaire and project application. Our Readiness Review team will review the completed questionnaire and notify you if you are approved to move forward with the project application.

Nonprofit agencies interested in applying for a grant must meet our Grant Eligibility Criteria and should understand our Grant Process before proceeding with the grant application.

Grant Process
Grant Focus Areas
Common Questions
TIPS FOR USING FOUNDANT

Impact San Antonio Grant Eligibility Policy

Effective 12/10/25

Applicant Criteria

  • Applicant must be recognized by the IRS as a tax exempt 501(c)(3) public charity 
  • Provisional status is not adequate 
  • Applicant must have filed either a 990 or a 990EZ with the IRS for the most recent fiscal year.* 
  • Applicant must have either its primary, or significant existing, operations within Impact San Antonio’s “Service Area” (Bexar, Atascosa, Bandera, Comal, Guadalupe, Kendall, Medina, and Wilson counties in Texas) 

* Note that this a new criterion for the 2026 grant cycle.

Applicant Disqualifications

  • Applicant must not engage in:
    • politically partisan activities
    • political lobbying (except for advocacy activities that educate policymakers and the public about broad social issues)
    • supporting or opposing any candidate for public office
  • Applicant must not be a labor or fraternal organization, athletic or social club or association
  • Applicant must not be an organization whose primary purpose is to redistribute funds to other organizations or individuals, however, subject to additional limitations and requirements, we will consider applications from:
    • a “Supporting Organization” applying on behalf of its supported organization
    • a “Fiscal Sponsor” applying on behalf of a sponsored program or organization

Project Criteria

  • Project* must be to fund one of the following: (1) a new program; (2) the expansion of an existing program; or (3) a capital investment or construction project 
  • Project* must primarily serve residents located within Impact San Antonio’s Service Area 
  • Project* must fall within one or more of the following five focus areas: (1) Arts and Culture, (2) Education, (3) Environment, Recreation and Preservation, (4) Family, (5) Health and Wellness 
  • Project must be able to be completed within 24 months after October 31 of the year in which the grant is awarded 
  • Project* should: 
    • Address a critical need in one or more of the five focus areas 
    • Improve the quality of life for people in our Service Area 
    • Benefit either a large population, or a smaller population in a major way 
    • Result in an innovative approach to address a critical problem or expand on (or continue to use) an already existing successful approach 
    • Result in compelling and measurable outcomes 
  • Project* may not do any of the following: 
    • Require belief in or participation in activities of a particular faith, denomination or religion in order to benefit from or receive services in connection with the Project  
    • Limit benefits to those who have particular religious beliefs or practices 
    • Make the receipt of benefits or services from the project dependent on the recipient being required to participate in a proselytizing activity 

*With respect to any Project that falls under Item 3 (Capital/Construction), for each Project criterion notated with a *, the Agency as a whole must meet that criterion.

Project Disqualifications

  • Must not be a request from Impact San Antonio for an amount other than $100,000 
  • Must not be a request for funds to be primarily used for fundraising, marketing, advertising events or sponsorships 
  • Must not be a request for funds to repay an existing loan or other financing 
  • Must not be a request for an endowment  
  • Must not be a request for a scholarship 
  • Must not be a request that primarily redistributes funds to other organizations or individuals, with the exception of requests from supporting organizations or fiscal sponsors 
  • Must not be a request for unrestricted/general operational funds (except for $10,000 of the $100,000 budget, which will be automatically allocated to indirect expenses) 
  • Must not be a request for funds to be used for a political purpose 

Impact San Antonio Grant Process

Readiness Review

A team will review applicant submissions to determine readiness to implement a grant.

Project Application

Applicants determined to have demonstrated organizational readiness and to meet our Applicant Criteria will be notified that they are eligible to submit a Project Application in one of five focus areas.

Grant Review

Grant Review Teams in each focus area evaluate Project Applications that meet the Project Criteria to determine which Project Applications will become Finalists.  The number of Finalists is based on the grant pool raised for the year.

Finalist Presentation & Vote

Each Finalist will create a video presentation about their proposed Project. The Impact San Antonio Membership will select which projects will receive High Impact Grants.

Grant Award Night

The High Impact Grant recipients are announced at an in-person celebration.

Grant Oversight & Outcomes

Member liaisons work with grant recipients to manage payment and reporting and to help share stories of project impact with our members and community.

GRANT Focus Areas

Arts & Culture

Arts & Culture

Programs and projects that cultivate, develop, educate and improve the cultural and artistic climate in the community.

Education

Programs and projects that advance learning opportunities, increase educational access and improve education.

Environment

Environment, Recreation & Preservation

Programs and projects that improve, restore, conserve, revitalize or enhance the natural environment, recreational facilities or preserve historic sites.

Family

Family

Programs and projects that strengthen and enhance the lives of children and families.

Health

Health & Wellness

Programs and projects that positively impact the mental or physical health and wellness of people.

COMMON QUESTIONS

  • Add or update your agency’s account information in Impact SA’s grant management system
  • Update your agency’s GuideStar/Candid information
  • Review the Impact SA Grant Criteria and other applicant information available on our website
  • Attend Agency Training (even if you applied in the past, as the process does change)
  • Promptly and thoroughly review emails from grantinfo@impactsanantonio.org

Previews are available in the Applicant Resources section at the top of this page.

Yes. Each year, all agencies that wish to apply for a grant are required to first complete an Organizational Questionnaire together with agency financial information.

It can be any individual in your organization who is a registered user in our grant management system. However, your chief executive is likely in the best position to be able to answer all the questions. The head of your development group would be another good choice. Your agency’s chief executive must also electronically certify the completed Organizational Questionnaire prior to submitting to Impact SA. NOTE: Please ensure that any financial information is thoroughly reviewed by the individual responsible for overseeing the financial management of your organization prior to submitting.

Yes. Impact SA has a long history of awarding grants to worthy projects, irrespective of agency size. Our Two-Step process enables us to determine upfront an agency’s organizational and financial readiness and maturity – which are not just a matter of size. We have a responsibility to our Membership to ensure that agencies have best practices and a healthy financial position before taking on a project of the size Impact SA funds. Note that beginning in 2026, your agency must have filed either a 990 or a 990EZ with the IRS for the most recent fiscal year to be eligible to apply.

No, applicants applying for grants are not required to serve only women – please see our Grant Criteria.

While we do not require an applying agency to have third party reviewed or audited annual financial reports, this will be one of many factors considered in our Organizational Readiness review.

Your project application must request exactly $100,000 from Impact San Antonio – $90,000 of direct project expenses and $10,000 that will automatically be allocated to indirect expenses (overhead).  

You may request that Impact San Antonio’s $100,000 grant be part of funding a larger project, so long as you can satisfy the Grant Review Team that all necessary additional funding has been secured.  The Project Application will have a section to complete information about any funding and expenses beyond the Impact SA $100,000 grant.  

No, not all agencies under consideration will receive a site visit. A site visit is not a guarantee of funding.

Each grant recipient must complete its project and spend all granted funds within 24 months after October 31 of the year in which the grant is awarded.

TIPS FOR USING FOUNDANT - OUR GRANT APPLICATION SYSTEM

Impact San Antonio uses an online Grant Management System powered by Foundant Technologies for both the Organizational Questionnaire and Project Application. This is a web-based system. To apply, your agency will need an account, and you will also need individual credentials under that account.

Do you have an existing account?

If you know you have an existing account linked to the agency you now represent, log in with the same email address and password you’ve used in the past.  There is a link to reset your password if you’ve forgotten it.

If you have a new email address but are with the same agency, email grantinfo@impactsanantonio.org with your name, agency name, old email address and new email address and we will update your account to reflect your new email address.

Do you need an account?

If you know that your agency does not have an account, our system will allow you to create a new account for your agency and credentials for you under your agency account.

Are you unsure if you have an account or your contacts have changed?

If you are not sure if your agency has an account, or if you know your agency has an account but you don’t have credentials under your email address, email grantinfo@impactsanantonio.org and provide the name of your agency, EIN (Tax ID), your name, and your email address.  We will get you set up.

NOTE: It can cause complications and delays if you create a new account for an agency that is already registered in our system.

Foundant Tutorial

Resources

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