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Government Funding Initiative
Made possible by Houston Endowment
Helping organizations get ready to compete for federal funding
This two-part series is designed to help nonprofits and community-based organizations build the skills and systems they need to go after federal grants—and win them.
Meet our newest graduates!
Part One: High Level Training Sessions
A series of 90-minute virtual workshops covering key areas like governance, financial systems, compliance, and proposal development.
Attending at least three Part One workshops is required to move into part two.
Foundation & Organizational Readiness
Capacity Building & Compliance
Grant Writing & Submission
Post-Award Readiness
Introduction to Federal Grant Readiness
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
9 – 10:30 a.m.
This session introduces participants to federal grant readiness, guiding them through self-assessment using specialized rubrics to identify gaps and develop a personalized action plan that enhances their organization’s preparedness for securing federal funding.
Establishing Effective Governance for Grant Management
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
9 – 10:30 a.m.
This session explores effective governance for federal grant management, helping participants evaluate their current oversight structures, define roles and responsibilities, and identify governance gaps to establish improved decision-making processes for grant administration.
Financial Preparedness for Federal Grants
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
9 – 10:30 a.m.
This session covers financial preparedness for federal grants, guiding participants in evaluating their internal controls and accounting systems against federal standards, and developing a strategic plan to strengthen financial infrastructure to ensure compliance and capacity for federal funding.
Aligning Organizational Strategy with Grant Opportunities
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
9 – 10:30 a.m.
This session helps participants align their organizational strategy with federal grant opportunities by connecting funding priorities to mission objectives, conducting environmental scans, prioritizing opportunities that fit organizational direction, and mapping strategic goals to potential funding streams.
Developing Robust Grant Policies and Procedures
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
9 – 10:30 a.m.
This workshop focuses on developing robust grant policies and procedures for federal funding, helping participants identify core compliance requirements, evaluate existing processes against best practices, and learn how to develop or refine grant management policies that align with both federal requirements and organizational capacity.
Effective Data Collection and Management for Grants
Tuesday, June 16, 2026
9 – 10:30 a.m.
This session covers effective data collection and management for grants, teaching participants the vital role of data in grant success and compliance, best practices in data collection,management, and reporting, and how to design data management plans that ensure accurate reporting while supporting program improvement and meeting federal requirements.
Building Strategic Partnerships for Grant Success
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
9 – 10:30 a.m.
This session focuses on building strategic partnerships for grant success, teaching participants how partnerships enhance competitive proposals, identifying internal and external stakeholders for collaboration, and developing a strategic partnership plan that improves grant competitiveness and increases program impact.
Identifying and Evaluating Federal Grant Opportunities
Tuesday, August 18, 2026
9 – 10:30 a.m.
This session teaches participants how to identify and evaluate federal grant opportunities by finding and interpreting solicitations, assessing alignment between funding opportunities and organizational goals, identifying relevant grant opportunities that match their mission and capacity, and learning how to write effective federal grant proposals.
Crafting Competitive Federal Grant Proposals
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
9 – 10:30 a.m.
This session teaches participants the key components of successful federal grant proposals, providing practical writing strategies to improve clarity and competitiveness, and guiding them through the essential elements of effective federal grant proposal writing.
Developing Accurate and Compliant Grant Budgets
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
9 – 10:30 a.m.
This session guides participants through developing accurate and compliant grant budgets by teaching federal cost principles and budget components, demonstrating how to build defensible grant budgets, and providing hands-on experience in developing draft budgets that align effectively with grant narratives.
Understanding Federal Grant Compliance Requirements
Tuesday, November 17, 2026
9 – 10:30 a.m.
This session covers essential post-award compliance requirements for federal grants, educating participants on risk assessment and audit readiness, and guiding them through completion of a comprehensive compliance readiness checklist to ensure proper grant management.
Post-Award Management and Reporting Essentials
Tuesday, December 15, 2026
9 – 10:30 a.m.
This session covers post-award management and reporting essentials for federal grants, teaching participants their post-award responsibilities and timelines, best practices for grant reporting and communication, and guiding them in creating management timelines and reporting trackers to support long-term grant success.
Part Two: Federal Grant Readiness Intensive – Cohort Model
A 15-week intensive peer-learning cohort that builds on Part One training and guides participants through a complete proposal preparation process. This hands-on program provides expert-led sessions, practical assignments, and access to grant funding for contracting consultants who can provide in-depth support on areas of particular importance to your organization. A select group will develop the skills and infrastructure necessary for successful federal grant competition and management.
Part Two is exclusively open by application to organizations who complete at least three Part One training sessions.
What to Expect
Participants will complete weekly assignments using a Federal Grant Readiness Workbook, leading to a Federal Grant Readiness Portfolio that enhances their funding competitiveness. They can also apply for small grants up to $25,000 for hiring consultants for grantwriting and compliance needs identified in the assessment process. By the end of the program, organizations will be equipped with the skills and confidence to pursue federal funding successfully.
Cohort Participant Selection Criteria
• Complete brief organizational profile
• Attend at least three Introduction to Federal Grants Readiness workshop sessions
• Commit to attending all 15 weekly sessions (schedules will be aligned with participants’ availability)
• Complete interim assignments
• Complete pre- and post-evaluations
Congratulations to our first class of Government Funding Initiative graduates
As part of this initiative, United Way of Greater Houston has awarded more than $500,000 in consulting support grants to 35 organizations, providing access to expert consultants focused on grant writing, evaluation, compliance and other critical capacity-building needs. These grants were made possible through Houston Endowment’s initial investment in the initiative.
12 Cohort Training Grants Recommendations
The first tranche of consulting support grants were for graduates of the intensive cohort that participated in 15 in-depth weekly workshops and those organizations received a grant of $25,000 as follows:
Total: $300,000
- Bridge Year
- Camp Shield After Military Services
- Child Care Council of Greater Houston
- College Community Career
- Emancipation Economic Development Council
- Humble Area Assistance Ministries
- Interfaith Caring Ministries
- Prevent Blindness Texas
- Spring Branch Community Health Center
- The Council on Recovery
- The Houston Ebony Music Society
- Young Audiences of Houston
22 High Level Training Micro Grants Recommendations
The following 22 organizations were awarded $10,000 consulting support grants:
Total: $220,000
- ACAM
- Attack Poverty
- Bread of Life
- Chinese Community Center
- East Harris County Empowerment Council
- Eight Million Stories
- Family Ties Family Resource Services
- Fort Bend Women’s Center
- Gulf Coast Economic Development District
- Hope Fort Bend Clubhouse
- Houston Audubon Society
- Houston Volunteer Lawyers
- In His Care Ministries
- Living Hope Wheelchair Association
- Mental Health America of Greater Houston
- Montgomery County Youth Services
- Rupani Foundation
- Santa Maria Hostel
- The Rose
- The Women’s Home
- Wesley Community Center
- YMCA of Greater Houston