The Community Foundation of West Texas, initially established as the Lubbock Area Foundation in 1981, aims to serve the Texas South Plains area by providing a variety of philanthropic giving opportunities. It supports Bailey, Cochran, Crosby, Dickens, Floyd, Garza, Hale, Hockley, King, Lamb, Lubbock, Lynn, Motley, Terry, and Yoakum counties.
The Community Fund is designed to support a broad range of community needs through competitive grants, particularly in the areas of Civic, Social and Economic Development; Education and Youth; Basic Needs and Self Sufficiency. The fund pools income from unrestricted endowments to serve as a flexible grantmaking vehicle. All recipients are required to report on the use of funds and project outcomes within a year. Grants typically range from $1,000 to $5,000, with a maximum of $10,000. The primary goal is to create pathways out of poverty and mitigate its impact.