What We Fund

Issue Areas

Our grantmaking priorities focus on tackling issues in a comprehensive and coordinated manner to provide the best outcomes for low-income individuals, families and communities. Our current Issue Areas are:

RFI provides grants in support of quality interventions at the middle school level for students put at risk through various socio-ecological conditions, including racial, ethnic, and/or economic inequities.

RFI believes that such interventions will result in improved educational and developmental outcomes and increased school completion rates. 

Proven, research-backed interventions include, but are not limited to, mentoring and tutoring, high quality out-of-school time programs, school-community collaboration, and parent/caregiver school engagement.

RFI also supports organizations that engage in advocacy efforts related to RFI’s education priorities (by invitation only).

RFI provides grants to organizations targeting community health issues, including behavioral health, and promoting access to care for people affected by inequities, including racial, ethnic and/or economic inequities.

RFI believes that promoting healthcare access will improve the health and quality of life for and in underserved communities.

RFI is particularly focused on the remediation of women’s and maternal health and increased access to and education about reproductive care and contraception.

RFI also supports organizations that engage in advocacy efforts related to RFI health priorities (by invitation only).

RFI provides grants to organizations creating and maintaining affordable housing as well as providing supportive services to underserved communities residing in affordable housing facilities.

RFI believes that increasing the availability of affordable housing will promote neighborhood stability, economic security, and other socio-ecological improvements for low-income households and underserved communities. Additionally, RFI believes that affordable housing following a Housing First approach coupled with supportive onsite services will reduce homelessness and improve housing stability for individuals and families.

RFI’s supportive housing grants are generally in service of The Way Home.

RFI also supports organizations that engage in advocacy efforts related to RFI housing priorities (by invitation only).

RFI provides grants in support of capacity building strategies that benefit the Greater Houston area nonprofit sector as a whole.

RFI believes that investing in management, financial, and technical assistance tools for nonprofit organizations will lead to a more effective local nonprofit ecosystem. RFI supports organizations and programs that, among other things, offer guidance on grant applications, administration, record keeping, and best-practice back-office methods to a cross-section of service areas.

PLEASE NOTE:  Capacity building grants should further the effectiveness of work done across one or more of RFI’s interest areas for numerous organizations.  Nonprofits seeking capacity support for themselves should apply under the particular interest area impacted by the organization.

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