Funding Opportunity Overview – Civic Experiment Grants
What is the Civic Experiment Grant Program?
WT Community Resilience Corps (CRC) and Amarillo Area Foundation (AAF) are excited to announce the launch of a new collaborative funding opportunity - the Civic Experiment Grant program. This grant supports small, community-driven projects designed to strengthen civic participation, build community connection, and expand local capacity across rural and under-resourced communities in the Texas Panhandle. This opportunity was made possible through the support of the Trust for Civic Life, a sponsored project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.
Grant Awards
No fewer than five Civic Experiment grants will be awarded, with individual awards ranging from $1,000 to $25,000. Award amounts will be based on project scope, community participation, and alignment with goals such as building trust, strengthening networks, community impact, and contributing to long-term civic infrastructure. Projects may test new ideas or expand existing efforts that address locally defined needs and opportunities.
Who Can Apply?
Eligible applicants include nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, government entities, K–12 schools, community colleges and universities, faith-based organizations (for community-benefit projects), and fiscally sponsored groups. Projects must benefit communities within the Texas Panhandle region.
Eligible Project Types
Projects that strengthen civic life by increasing participation, volunteerism, leadership, collaboration, or local problem-solving. Projects could include civic engagement initiatives, leadership activities, scaling of existing efforts, cultural events, or volunteer-driven projects. Examples include:
- $1,000–$5,000: Grassroots efforts such as a “Rural Coffee Connect” bringing neighbors and communities together for regular conversations about local priorities, a rural library hosting intergenerational civic storytelling circles, or a neighborhood group piloting community clean-up and beautification days.
- $5,000–$10,000: Local nonprofits expanding volunteer-driven meal delivery programs that also serve as community connection points, or youth-led civic engagement workshops.
- $10,000–$15,000: Community bridge-building projects such as rural–urban partnerships between state or urban organizations and smaller towns or piloting a community garden that fosters dialogue & collaboration between cultural groups.
- $15,000–$25,000: Larger multi-partner initiatives like convening cross-sector and intergenerational stakeholders to co-design long-term solutions.
Timeline
February 1, 2026 – Applications open
March 15, 2026 – Applications due
April 2026 – Grantee onboarding
April–October 2026 – Project implementation
November 2026 – Final reporting
November/December 2026 – Civic Experiment Showcase
For project questions, contact Misty Rueda at mrueda@wtamu.edu.
