The FPC Foundation helped fund the new kitchen at Interfaith Housing.

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The First Presbyterian Church of Dallas Foundation is a classic example of Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed: “The mustard seed ... is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree.” (Matthew 13:31-32)

The First Presbyterian Church of Dallas Foundation was founded in 1958 as a separate corporation by visionary church members committed to providing a lasting and sustainable means of support for the programs of the church. Today the Foundation has assets of over $24 million. The Foundation supports projects of First Presbyterian Church, related Presbyterian institutions, and other causes that are complementary and related to the cares and concerns of our church.

The purpose of the Foundation is to support the benevolent, charitable, educational and missionary work of the church. A board of trustees elected from the congregation for six-year terms governs the Foundation’s operations. Investment advisors, carefully selected and overseen by the Board, manage its assets. The grants committee reviews all grant requests, makes site visits, and thoughtfully and prayerfully considers every request with consideration to the goals of the Foundation.

In 2010, the Foundation gave grants and distributions of approximately $425,000 including a grant to the church capital campaign of $333,000, plus additional smaller grants to the Stewpot Venturing Crew, Interfaith Housing Coalition, Grace Presbyterian Village, Agape Clinic, Mo-Ranch and Schreiner University.

Gifts large and small support this good work and are carefully shepherded by the Foundation. Please consult any Foundation Trustee for more information.

Your contribution will be another “mustard seed” and will grow in perpetuity.

FOUNDATION TRUSTEES

2012

Pat Brockette
Joan Hudson
Dave Humphrey
Julia Lothrop
Ken Malcolmson

2014

Joe Alexander
Rick Gillham
Carolyn Jefferson
Ellen Masterson
Jim Welch

2016

Bill Cobb
Philip Higginbotham
Josh Holt
Sharon King
Carolyn Walton

For persons or organizations wishing to apply for a grant from First Presbyterian Church of Dallas Foundation, please send your request to:

First Presbyterian Church of Dallas Foundation
408 Park Ave.
Dallas, TX  75201
Attn: Joan Hudson, Grants Chair

Grant requests can also be made via email to foundation@firstpresdallas.org

Please make sure your request is made on letterhead for your organization and includes a full description of the organization’s mission, clients served, and services. Please include a current budget with YTD actuals, the most recent 990, and if available, the most recent audit. Also please include a list of your current board of directors.

Please describe your request fully, telling how the money will be used and what type of reporting you can make as to results and outcomes.

The grants committee meets 4 times per year, in February, May, August and November. The deadlines for grant requests will be the last day of the month preceding the committee meeting dates.

Trustees of the First Presbyterian Church Foundation granted eight organizations within the church and church community (as well as other mission-related organizations) a total of $96,700 in its winter and spring 2011 grants distribution cycles. Those dollars were put to work directly from the foundation assets which have been growing with the support of many generous individuals in the congregation over the years. These funds are in addition to some restricted funds which also focus on several special needs of First Presbyterian Church.

The following special church initiatives or organizations received funding in the first six months of this year:

• The First Presbyterian Church operating budget received $45,000 to help with unusual expenses for search and relocation for three critical staff positions all open at once: Associate Pastor, Director of Music and Worship, and Executive Director.
• The Stewpot Youth Programs received $24,000 for the support of the Junior and Venturing Crew.
• Presbyterian Camps at Gilmont received $5,000 toward replacement costs for 64-year-old plumbing at the facility.
• First Presbyterian Day School received $5,000 to help with scholarships for outreach to the community and to sustain high-quality care for working parents needing assistance.
• Presbyterian Children’s Homes & Services received $10,000 as part of a three-year overall commitment of $45,000 to help construct a kitchen and dining room for a new home at Itasca.
• Helping Hands Ministries received $2,500 to help with medical and dental expenses for low-income families with no insurance.
• Crossroads Community Services received $2,500 for purchase of food for its urban outreach ministry.
• Good Shepherd Community Center received $2,500 to sustain operations in its childcare and community center.

These recent grants are in addition to the ongoing financial commitment of the First Presbyterian Church Foundation to the successful completion of the current capital-campaign renovations which was a total gift from the foundation of $1.5 million and will be paid out in 2013. Foundation assets reached a current high earlier this year of nearly $25,000,000 due to very generous bequests from several individuals as well as a transfer of accumulated investments from the church to work toward a sustainable financial future as income from natural gas declines.

Each quarter, grants are distributed through an application process and thoroughly reviewed by committee members and approved by the 15-member board of directors of the Foundation. Trustees thoroughly assess, discuss and often make site visits to determine final grantees.