Open — rolling initial consultation and invited application process; November 6, 2026 is the next published quarterly application review deadline.
Texas — Better Together Fund 2026 Formal Nonprofit Collaboration Planning Grants (up to $50,000)
FundingIndividual planning award up to $50,000; minimum 80% for external facilitators/consultants, maximum 20% for partner staff/general operating costs. No published blanket match.
DeadlineNext published 2026 quarterly application review deadline: November 6, 2026; no published closing hour or time zone. Preliminary consultation and invited LOI can occur on a rolling basis. Subsequent review dates should be confirmed with the funder.
Last verified2026-10-27
Required next actionRequest initial consultation with Allison Fasy via bettertogetherfund@dallasfoundation.org. If invited, submit LOI through The Dallas Foundation grant portal, then a full application. Provide organization/partner governance, nonprofit-status evidence, audit and IRS Form 990 or equivalent documentation, costs, timeline, and measurable collaboration objectives.
Broad Eligibility
Formal long-term collaboration between two or more organizations, at least one nonprofit based in or serving North Texas; priority Dallas County. Mergers, asset transfers, parent-subsidiary relationships and joint ventures eligible, but informal or short-term networks are not. Government/for-profit partners allowed with nonprofit.
Atlas Analysis
Official Better Together Fund how-to-apply and Types of Support reviewed October 27, 2026. Genuine applicant financial assistance for formal structural nonprofit integrations in North Texas, not procurement. Distinct Planning track applicant award maximum $50k, 80% external consultants minimum, 20% operations/staff maximum, one-time professional planning costs. At least one North Texas nonprofit partner, Dallas County preference; informal collaboration excluded. Preliminary consultation, invited LOI, invited full proposal; rolling intake, quarterly decisions and next Nov 6 2026 formal application review deadline without stated time. Documentation nonprofit status, IRS 990, audit or equivalents, governance. https://www.bettertogetherfund.org/howtoapply
North Texas nonprofit formal-collaboration planning grants. The Better Together Fund offers up to $50,000 per planning applicant to help organizations design the practical arrangements for durable collaboration, including nonprofit mergers, asset transfers, parent-subsidiary integration, or joint ventures. At least one partner must be a North Texas-based or North Texas-serving nonprofit, with priority for projects serving Dallas County. Collaborations with public agencies and businesses are permissible when a nonprofit partner participates; informal or short-term alliances alone do not qualify.
Allowable costs and restrictions. At least 80% of an award must support outside facilitators and consultants; no more than 20% may be used for general operations or internal staff time. Examples of one-time eligible planning services include legal, accounting, strategy, fundraising, communications, human-resources, technology, and program-design work to develop a documented integration plan, timeline and business model. The public guidelines state no universal matching percentage.
Application stages: Contact the fund for a preliminary consultation. Eligible applicants may be invited to submit a Letter of Intent through The Dallas Foundation portal, followed by an invitation to a complete proposal. Applications are considered on a rolling basis with quarterly funding decisions; the remaining published 2026 application review deadline is November 6, 2026, with no closing hour stated. Applicants should confirm which quarterly decision cycle they can enter.
Required documentation includes proof of nonprofit status, active board governance, an annual audit and IRS Form 990/990-EZ or acceptable equivalent financial evidence for newer organizations. Applicants should explain partner roles and commitments, shared purpose, measurable community benefits, a collaboration budget, workplan and readiness to undertake structural changes. The opportunity can support healthcare, education and other legitimate community-benefit nonprofit collaborations.
Source verificationReferenced source · www.bettertogetherfund.orgAtlas last verified this record 2026-10-27. Always use the funder's current application materials, amendments and portal instructions as the controlling source.View source and application materials ↗
