Waco Foundation

AS THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SERVING MCLENNAN COUNTY, TEXAS, WACO FOUNDATION IS AN INDEPENDENT PUBLIC CHARITY THAT STEWARDS PHILANTHROPIC RESOURCES FROM INSTITUTIONAL AND INDIVIDUAL DONORS AND DIRECTS THEIR USE FOR THE BENEFIT OF COMMUNITY-BASED CHARITIES. THE GOAL OF WACO FOUNDATION IS TO INCREASE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA IT SERVES, MCLENNAN COUNTY. WACO FOUNDATION DEVOTES THE RESOURCES IN ITS CARE TO EFFORTS THAT IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS THE COMMUNITY'S GREATEST NEEDS. ACTIVITIES ARE GOVERNED BY A VOLUNTARY, ROTATING BOARD OF TRUSTEES COMPRISED OF PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY, WHICH USES IT VARIANCE POWER TO ENSURE THAT THE INTERESTS OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY ARE THE FOCUS OF THE WORK AND THAT THE WORK REMAINS RELEVANT OVER TIME.

WACO FOUNDATION OPERATING FUND: THIS FUND IS THE ORGANIZATION'S PRIMARY COMPETITIVE GRANTMAKING FUND, PROVIDING GRANTS TO NONPROFITS THAT SERVE MCLENNAN COUNTY RESIDENTS, ALONG WITH OTHER FUNDS (DISCRETIONARY AND SELECTED FIELD OF INTEREST FUNDS) THAT SUPPORT OUR COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM. THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES SUPPORT TO SEVERAL COMMUNITY-WIDE EFFORTS DESIGNED TO END SYSTEMIC POVERTY AND PROMOTE EDUCATION AND HEALTH. THE GRANTS MADE FROM OUR DISCRETIONARY PROGRAM BENEFITED OVER EIGHTEEN INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING SMALL NONPROFITS, WHICH ADDRESS BASIC HUMAN NEEDS, TO LARGE INSTITUTIONS WORKING TO INTERVENE WITH SYSTEMIC ISSUES THAT LEAD TO POVERTY.

THIS INCLUDES ALL OTHER FUNDS OWNED AND MANAGED BY WACO FOUNDATION 237 DESIGNATED, DONOR ADVISED, SCHOLARSHIP, FIELD OF INTEREST AND DISCRETIONARY FUNDS. ONE OF THE FOUNDATION'S DISCRETIONARY AND SELECT FIELD OF INTEREST FUNDS GAVE GRANTS TO ONE OF THE FOUNDATION'S PROGRAM FUNDS, THE ORGANIZATIONAL MISSION PROGRAM.

MAC COLLEGE MONEY PROGRAM: THIS FUND WAS ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE 1ST AND 2ND YEAR GRANTS TO STUDENTS ATTENDING MCLENNAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND TEXAS STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE IN MCLENNAN COUNTY. IN ADDITION, 3RD AND 4TH YEAR SCHOLARSHIPS ARE ALSO PROVIDED TO PREVIOUS GRANT RECIPIENTS WHO WANT TO CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION AT ANY 4-YEAR COLLEGE WITHIN OR OUTSIDE THE MCLENNAN COUNTY AREA. DURING THE 2022 TAX YEAR, 74 MCLENNAN COUNTY SENIORS ENROLLED IN THE MAC COLLEGE MONEY PROGRAM. FOUNDATION STAFF ASSIST STUDENTS IN COMPLETING THEIR ANNUAL FAFSA IN ORDER TO ACCESS FEDERAL STUDENT AID GRANTS.DUNCAN SCHOLARS PROGRAM: THIS FUND WILL TAKE THE PLACE OF THE MAC COLLEGE MONEY PROGRAM AND SERVES AS AN ENHANCED EFFORT TO INCREASE COLLEGE COMPLETION RATES WHILE ELIMINATING STUDENT DEBT. QUALIFYING STUDENTS GRADUATING FROM WACO HIGH AND UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOLS ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN DUNCAN SCHOLARS. PARTICPANTS RECEIVE ONE-ON-ONE FINANCIAL AID AND COLLEGE/CAREER ADVISING, ACCESS TO EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FUND AND FULL-TUITION SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THEIR FIRST AND SECOND YEARS AT MCLENNAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE. IN ADDITION, STUDENTS WHO CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION THROUGH THE UNVIERSITY CENTER OR BAYLOR UNIVERSITY ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE FULL-TUITION FOR THEIR LAST TWO YEARS. DURING THE 2022 TAX YEAR, 32 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN DUNCAN SCHOLARS.

ORGANIZATIONAL MISSION" PROGRAM: THIS FUND PROVIDES GRANTS AND SERVICES THAT PROMOTE NONPROFIT AND PUBLIC SECTOR EFFORTS TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY CHALLENGES. PROGRAM ACTIVITIES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: (A) THE AWARD OF SMALL ASSISTANCE GRANTS TO HELP NONPROFITS SECURE NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT GUIDANCE, SERVICE OR EXPERTISE. THIS INCLUDES HELP FROM A PROFESSIONAL NONPROFIT CONSULTANT, TOPICAL TRAININGS (E.G. FUND DEVELOPMENT, PROPOSAL WRITING) OR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSES; (B) PROVIDING ACCESS TO FIELD/SECTOR SPECIFIC EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES OR THE DELIVERY OF TRAININGS INTENDED TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY ORIENTED PROBLEM SOLVING AND SYSTEMS LEVEL STRATEGIZING (E.G. MEETING FACILITATION, RACIAL EQUITY)(C) THE CREATION, IDENTIFICATION, OR SHARING (VIA WEBSITES AND NEWSLETTERS) OF RESOURCES AND INFORMATION ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO FUND DEVELOPMENT, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY, LEADERSHIP, BEST PRACTICES IN NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT, RACIAL EQUITY. (D) THE DELIVERY OF A CIVIC/COMMUNITY -ORIENTED LEADERSHIP SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. (E) SUPPORTING EFFORTS TO ADDRESS EARLY CHILDHOOD QUALITY OF LIFE FACTORS