The Amarillo Area Foundation aims to improve the quality of life in the Texas Panhandle by providing grants and services to strengthen nonprofit organizations and their services across the northernmost 26 counties.
The Catalyst Grant Program aims to support smaller or all-volunteer nonprofit organizations through a user-friendly application process offering grants between $2,500 and $20,000. It caters especially to nonprofits with minimal to no grant experience by providing feedback on all applications, funded or not. A distinctive feature is that a committee of residents under the age of 45 from the Texas Panhandle oversees the review and recommendation process for grant applications. This initiative also serves as an educational platform for committee members on the grants process and community service opportunities within the Panhandle. Organizations interested in applying have to decide whether to apply for the Catalyst Program or the Discretionary Program within the same calendar year.