Graham and Carolyn Holloway Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Holloway Family Foundation centers its grantmaking on organizations active in arts education, youth development and workforce development.
IP TAKE: This is a small family foundation that aims to give folks a “leg up” by supporting arts education, youth development and workforce development in underserved communities. It tends to support small- to medium-sized organizations that have a strong impact on underserved individuals and families. Geographic priorities include the cities of Colleyville, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; and Salisbury, North Carolina, although grantmaking is not strictly limited to these places. Christian organizations number significantly among its grantees.
Given its geographic restrictions and modestly sized grants, this is a funder that may be best suited for local arts, education, youth development and vocational training programs. The foundation accepts letters of inquiry from organizations working in its specific areas of grantmaking interest. Letters should be received by March 1 for grant decisions made in June.
PROFILE: The Graham and Carolyn Holloway Foundation was founded in 1995 with a mission to “enhance the quality of life for those people in our communities who are least likely to be able to do that on their own.” The Holloway Family Foundation limits its grantmaking to the states of Texas, Tennessee and North Carolina, giving special consideration to those organizations located within a 75-mile radius of Colleyville, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; and Salisbury, North Carolina. Its current focus areas are creative expression, workforce development and at-risk youth mentorship.
Grants for Arts Education and Youth Development
The Holloway Foundation’s creative expression grantmaking prioritizes children from low-income households and is based on the “multi-faceted developmental benefits for children who participate in artistic endeavors.” It funds non-profit organizations that provide arts education and arts outreach opportunities to low-income and underserved communities. Recent grantees include the Cry Havoc Theater Company, the Amon Carter Museum, Junior Players, Kids Who Care and The Artist Outreach.
Holloway also supports youth education through grants for mentorship for vulnerable youth, which fund “one-on-one mentorship programs whose goals are to influence young people who are in need of guidance.” Grantees include Big Brothers Big Sisters programs and Boys and Girls Clubs.
The foundation has also supported arts organizations that provide educational and outreach opportunities for young audiences and learners.. Past grantees include Texas’s Georgetown Palace Theater, the Dallas Children’s Theater and the Dallas Junior Players Guild.
Grants for Work and Economic Opportunity
The Holloway Foundation’s workforce development grantmaking funds organizations that offer “career development training for individuals who otherwise would not have access to those prospects.” It seeks to support organizations that help individuals achieve financial independence and “a sense of personal worth that comes from contributing to the greater good of society as a whole.” It also supports organizations that provide work opportunities for developmentally disabled adults, such as the Plano, Texas-based My Possibilities and the Dallas-based Best Buddies.
Grants for Diseases
The Holloway Foundation’s disease-related grantmaking centers on organizations involved in Alzheimer’s and cancer research. It also supports organizations that work to deliver treatment and other support to people living with chronic illnesses, notably AIDS. The foundation gives grantmaking priority to organizations working with the elderly, disadvantaged children, individuals with developmental or physical disabilities and patients with chronic or terminal illnesses. Past grantees include the American Cancer Society, the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association of Chicago and Maryland’s BrightFocus Foundation, which supports research and public education on brain diseases including Alzheimer’s.
Guidance for Grantseekers
The Graham and Carolyn Holloway Foundation made about $350,000 in grants in a recent year. Holloway grants typically range from $2,500 to $25,000, with an average grant size of about $10,000. Its funding is generally restricted to organizations working in the areas surrounding Colleyville, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; and Salisbury, North Carolina. Grantseekers may review the foundation’s Past Grants page for more information on the organizations it has supported.
The Holloway Foundation accepts Letters of Inquiry (LOI) through its online portal at any time, but full applications must be received by March 1 to be considered for the June decision. Applicants are encouraged to read the foundation’s eligibility and guidelines page before submitting a letter of inquiry. Questions may be addressed to the foundation’s executive administrator, Jenny LaForest, via email.
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