COMMUNITY GRANTS
Since its inception in 1994, the Mitte Foundation has strived to invest in organizations and programs that improve the quality of life of those within the city of Austin and the Central Texas area.
We are a foundation firmly rooted within the community we serve
Our intent is to strengthen and enrich people’s lives, as well as bringing hope to those in need, by addressing specific opportunities and issues, and providing support through programs and grants for nonprofit organizations to address these issues in effective ways.
Our community grant program is currently focused on two geographic areas, each with its own focus and criteria:
Central Texas Community Grants
While the Mitte Foundation began as a scholarship-focused organization, Joann Cole Mitte was the driving force behind the establishment of a community grant program for charitable organizations in Texas. Her leadership directed the program until she passed away in 2007, and our board of directors still uses her insight to guide them to this day.
In recent years the Foundation has honed the community grant program in order to maximize its impact, and we currently accept requests from organizations that operate in the 13-county area around Austin defined as Region XIII by the Texas Education agency; our focus areas are in education, youth development, aging, and disability services.
The Mitte Cultural District in Brownsville
In 1998, the Mitte Foundation embarked on its first non-academic endeavor—a multi-year, $3 million grant to refurbish Dean Porter Park, in the heart of Roy Mitte’s hometown of Brownsville, Texas. In addition to improving the existing structures and landscape, the Mitte Cultural District was created to bring together existing and soon-to-be-created cultural, historical, and educational organizations and stimulate awareness in the community.
Located in and around the 24.6 acre park, the district now includes the Gladys Porter Zoo, the Brownsville Children’s Museum, the Costumes of the Americas Museum, the Brownsville Museum of Fine Art, and many other attractions, as well as ample and accessible outdoor activities. The Foundation has now dedicated a portion of its community grants program to support existing partners in the Mitte Cultural District, and to encourage the establishment of new members.
For more detailed information, see our Grant Guidelines & Process page.