Carl B. and Florence E. King Foundation: Texas
/OVERVIEW: The Carl B. and Florence E. King Foundation supports organizations that serve the elderly, youth, education, indigent populations, arts and culture, and nonprofit capacity in five counties in North Texas, 38 counties in West Texas, and 32 counties in Arkansas.
IP TAKE: Funding in North Texas is more focused on specific issues, while West Texas giving is a bit broader.
PROFILE: Established in 1966, the Carl B. and Florence E. King Foundation supports nonprofits in North Texas, West Texas, and Arkansas. The couple found success in the Texas oil fields in the early 20th century. The couple’s daughter, Dorothy, also made a bequest to this foundation. The foundation’s guideposts are “high ethical standards, wise selection of grantees, prudent financial management, and clear communication with the nonprofit community.” Grantmaking areas of interest are the aging population, arts, culture, and history, children and youth, education, indigent causes, and nonprofit capacity. The awards two different types of grants each year: Initiative Grants and Community Grants.
Grants for Arts and Culture, Education, and Community Development
Initiative Grants serve the same geographic area as Community Grants, but funding for Initiative Grants is much larger. The Foundation devotes a third of its annual grants budget to these larger initiatives, around $1 million in recent grant cycles.
A while back, the foundation met with 130 representatives from North Texas nonprofits to develop new guidelines for grantmaking in North Texas, the center of local grantmaking. Foundation interests include affordable housing, community-focused artists, healthy habits in low-income neighborhoods, programs for veterans, charity-driven music programs, and at-risk children at local schools. Approximately 75 percent of recent grants have supported projects serving the indigent, children, and education in recent years. Most funding is for project support, but the foundation also occasionally provides capital support.
The Dallas-Fort Worth area and certain parts of West Texas and Eastern and Southern Arkansas are in prime focus these days. However, 65 percent of grants have gone to North Texas nonprofits over the last few years. Although the founding couple lived and worked in Tulsa, Oklahoma for 25 years, Oklahoma is left out of foundation grantmaking. The Kings lived in Dallas for the remainder of their lives, and many Dallas nonprofits have received the Kings' support. Grantmaking in North Texas is focused on the counties of Denton, Collin, Rockwall, Tarrant, and Dallas. In West Texas, the foundation focuses on 38 counties, including the Permian Basin, Concho Valley, and Big Bend regions. Arkansas is funded because the Kings acquired a farm in Siloam Springs, Arkansas that was a beloved family retreat.
Important Grant Details
The funder accepts unsolicited grant requests, and there is a section on the foundation website dedicated to grant writing help. The foundation encourages grant seekers to call the foundation or meet a staff member in person before submitting anything. Direct general questions to the staff at 214-750-1884 or via email at info@kingfoundation.com.
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