North Texas AFN is a regional chapter of grantmakers who advance equitable wealth building and economic mobility. North Texas AFN connects funders and their peers in the nonprofit, public, and private sectors. Together they share promising programs and smart strategies, gather knowledge to make their grantmaking more effective, and work to increase investments in asset building.
North Texas AFN was launched in 2012 as a regional affiliate of national AFN by Communities Foundation of Texas, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, Citibank, Thomson Family Foundation, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, United Way of Tarrant County, Meadows Foundation, and JPMorgan Chase & Co.
North Texas AFN members meet quarterly with the region’s practitioners and policymakers for issue-based learning and gather for funders-only sharing of ideas and networking. Contact Amanda Arizola if interested in joining this chapter.
Regional Focus Areas
- Women & Entrepreneurs of Color
- Financial health
- Affordable housing
- Workforce pipelines
Equity in Asset Building Relay Grant
In 2023, NTX AFN launched a relay grant program to intentionally resource and elevate nonprofits led by people of color. Simultaneously, the grant program opened decision-making to leaders to distribute resources to their peers who are doing work in the communities. This report shares details and lessons learned about the grant program with the goal of inspiring learning and replication.
Upcoming Events
January 22, 2025 @ 8:00 am - 11:30 am CST : AFN Texas Grantmaker Meeting at 2025 RAISE Texas Summit
Join peer grantmakers from across the state of Texas for an engaging discussion lifting up innovative programmatic and policy interventions to expand quality, affordable childcare … REGISTER
February 19, 2025 @ 10:00 am - 11:45 am CST : Virtual Texas Policy Advocacy Summit
AFN is growing in Texas where there are now FOUR chapters! This member-only Summit is for all of our Texas AFN members as well as … REGISTER
CLICK HERE for more information and resources from our past events.
Chapter Highlights
Philanthropy and Policy
In February, 2023, North Texas AFN held an informative discussion regarding defining roles for the Texas legislature at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Panels included an overview of Texas Data provided by Margaret Spellings with Texas 2036. Sessions included moderator, Dena Jackson, PhD of the Texas Women’s Foundation, Aurora Harris from Texas Young Invincibles, and Ann Lott with Inclusive Communities Project. Additionally, we hosted a special Funder-Only Lunch to discuss learnings while invited grantees received a special nonprofit policy training hosted by Natalie Roetzel Ossenfort with Bolder Advocacy.
Guaranteed Income – Pilots in Texas
North Texas AFN held a funder-only pre-conference session at the RAISE Texas Conference in March, 2023. Attendees continued their learning and networking with leading grantmakers and nonprofit organizations in Texas.
10th Anniversary Celebration
On November 30, 2022, Asset Funders Network celebrated 10 years of learning, sharing, and investing in North Texas. Presentations included a legislative briefing and announcement of a new collaborative grantmaking opportunity, Equity in Asset Building Relay Grant. LEARN MORE
CFT Awards $250,000 in Support of Racial Equity
AFN North Texas member, Communities Foundation of Texas, awarded $250,000 across 20 local nonprofits in support of racial equity and in alignment with CFT’s grantmaking pillar of “Living.” LEARN MORE
Workforce Training Reform in Texas
AFN North Texas Member, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, released a report on Texas community college reform for workforce preparation “Few institutions are better positioned to provide job-focused education and training for middle-tier workers than the state’s 54 community and technical colleges.” Read the full report at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.
North Texas AFN in the News
View a collection of resources and news on North Texas AFN and our partners.
North Texas Relay Grant
Building on the relationships and impacts felt in the relay grant program, NTX AFN has committed to administer a second round of relay grants that go deeper on funding, relationship building, and capacity building with the same organizations. To that end, NTX AFN formed a committee to explore what other potential grants or learning programs to offer to the organizations. Funders are also exploring what is needed in Fort Worth for increased capacity and network building. At the same time, NTX AFN is sharing its model and lessons with other AFN regions to implement similar grant programs.
Steering Committee
Parkland Hospital Foundation
Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas
Carl B. and Florence E. King Foundation
United Way of Metropolitan Dallas
Texas Women's Foundation
Holloway Family Foundation
Charles Schwab Bank
Wells Fargo
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
The Meadows Foundation
JPMorgan Chase
United Way of Tarrant County
How We Work
- Inform: Members learn from each other and others as they seek solutions to local and regional challenges. Funders and practitioners engage in joint learning on topics that support economic security. They gather new insights, tools, resources, and contacts to inform, leverage, advance, and accelerate their organizations’ efforts.
- Connect: Share the latest research and insights from across the metroplex and the country. Through funder-to-funder dialogues as well as deeper, topic-specific learning opportunities, North Texas AFN helps the region’s stakeholders increase collaboration and stay attuned to the latest promising practices and emerging issues.
- Influence: Engage key stakeholders—philanthropy, public-sector funders, municipal leaders, researchers, nonprofits, and financial institutions—to bring increased attention to the economic security of North Texans. AFN informs and inspires strategic investments with a strong, evidence-based case for philanthropic leaders.
- Build: Work to build the movement for grantmakers and resources focused on economic well-being. AFN staff support local grantmakers to learn, share, align strategies, and promote collaboration—ultimately increasing the ROI of members.
