COMMUNITY GRANT PROGRAM

The Red River Rising Community Grant Program aims to provide financial support to local nonprofits whose missions align with at least one of our pillars. Red River Rising will give away at minimum $30,000 total to 3 local nonprofits ($10,000 each) using proceeds from the annual online auction held in July.​

ELIGIBILITY​

Qualifications 

  • Be a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization in good standing with the Internal Revenue Service   

  • Share the mission of Red River Rising in uplifting Austin through empowering musicians, preserving the downtown music district, and/or addressing housing insecurity  

  • Directly serve in the Austin, Texas area   

*Nonprofit organizations who are awarded a RRR Community grant will be ineligible to apply for the grant for one (1) consecutive year, following the year it was awarded. Nonprofit organizations who apply but are not awarded a grant may apply again the following year.    

 Ineligible Entities 

  • Individuals   

  • Political, legislative, religious, or lobbying organizations   

  • PTAs, PTOs or Booster Clubs 

  • Individual schools, including charter schools, pre-schools, elementary, middle or high schools

APPLICATION TIMELINE

Grant applications are accepted between April 1, 2025, 9am CST and April 30, 2025, 11:59pm CST. All entries submitted during that time will be accepted and reviewed by the Red River Rising Grant Committee on the following schedule:

  • Applications Open: Tuesday, April 1st, 2025 at 9am 

  • Applications Close: Wednesday, April 30th, 2025 at 11:59pm 

  • Applications Reviewed: Thursday, May 1st, 2025-Friday, May 23, 2025 

  • Grant Recipients Revealed: Friday, May 30, 2025 

  • Auction Period: Monday, July 7-Monday, July 21, 2025 

  • Grants Awarded: August 2025 

Organization Information

  1. Organization Name 

  2. Organization Website 

  3. Organization Social Media 

  4. Primary Contact Name 

  5. Primary Contact Title 

  6. Primary Contact Email 

  7. Primary Contact Phone Number 

  8. Year Founded 

  9. Are you a 501(c)(3) organization? 

  10. Please list your organization’s EIN number 

  11. Please provide your organization’s 990 form as a shareable link 

  12. Logo (please provide as a shareable link) 

  13. Geographic Area Served 

  14. Photos/Videos of Organization (Please provide a shareable link to a folder that includes any existing B Roll and footage of your organization) If not available, please provide a shareable link to your social media account(s). 

  15. How did you find out about the Red River Rising Community Grant Program? 

Below are the application questions for 2025’s grant cycle. Questions are subject to change year to year. All responses must be submitted through the linked form, otherwise application is invalid.

APPLICATION QUESTIONS

Pillar Alignment 

By aligning with our core pillars, grant recipients become integral partners in our mission, enabling us to create a cohesive and impactful force for good within the Austin community. 

16. What pillar of Red River Rising does your organization support? 

  • Empower Local Musicianship 

  • Preserving the downtown music district 

  • Addressing Housing Insecurity 

17. Describe your organization’s primary programs & services (250 word maximum) 

18. Why do you believe your organization exemplifies the pillar you have identified? (250 word maximum) 

19. What is the change you want to see in Austin? (250 word maximum) 

Community Engagement & Storytelling 

Red River Rising strives to be a partner in uplifting our community grantees through thoughtful storytelling and amplification of our aligned missions.   

20. How does your organization engage the public and raise awareness about your mission and the impact of your programs? (250 word maximum) 

21. How do you foresee allocating the funds from the Red River Rising Community Grant if selected? (250 word maximum) 

22. Describe the impact the Red River Rising Community Grant would have on your organization. (250 word maximum) 

Collaboration 

Red River Rising seeks to establish robust partnerships with community grantees that go beyond the initial grant. We are interested in exploring opportunities for mutual support throughout the year. Though not mandatory, we welcome and value collaborations such as staff volunteerism, charitable drives, and other initiatives that strengthen our shared commitment to community impact.

23. What do you believe are the key elements of a successful, ongoing partnership between Red River Rising and your organization? (250 words maximum) 

24. Please describe your organization’s capacity and interest in participating in ongoing collaborative initiatives with Red River Rising, such as staff volunteer programs, social media cross-promotion, and joint charitable drives. If you have any other ideas for potential collaborative opportunities, please list them as well. (250 word maximum) 

25. Does your organization offer volunteer opportunities? 

  • Yes 

  • No 

26. How many volunteers can you typically accommodate in one shift? 

  • 5-10 

  • 10-20 

  • 20-30 

  • 30-40 

  • 40+ 

27. Please outline the typical volunteer opportunities available at your organization, specifically differentiating between recurring roles (e.g., monthly, quarterly) and singular, annual opportunities. (250 words maximum) 

28. If selected for the Red River Rising Community Grant Program, would your organization be open to promoting the Red River Rising Online Auction to your audience in July 2025 (i.e. followers, donors)? The auction will serve as the primary fundraiser for this grant program. 

  • Yes 

  • No 

  • Maybe 

29. To ensure transparency and demonstrate the impact of our grant program, would your organization be open to exploring creative storytelling opportunities (i.e. video creation, live media appearances) that documents the use and outcomes of the Red River Rising Community Grant?  

  • Yes 

  • No 

  • Maybe 

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

To appropriately track and amplify the impact of the Red River Rising Community Grant program, we ask recipients to submit the following on or before Friday, February 21, 2026: 

  • Red River Rising Community Grant Recipient Feedback Survey 

  • Organizational Impact Report 

  • Photos/videos of grant's impact 

KNOW AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS A GOOD FIT?

Please share the Red River Rising Community Grant Application with any organizations you are passionate about!

We love learning about new causes to support!

QUESTIONS?

You may also email any inquiries to redriverrising@oakviewgroup.com.