Founded in 1953 as Dallas Community Chest Trust Fund, the history of Communities Foundation of Texas tells an important story about where they have been and where they are headed. With the support and involvement of several well-known Dallas business leaders during the mid-20th century, it was created in July 1953 as the Dallas Community Chest Trust Fund as a safety net for social-service agencies in Dallas. Those leaders included Dallas attorney Paul Carrington, along with Fred M. Lange, J.L. Latimer, Henry S. Miller, Sr., and Harold F. Volk. Other early leaders were Charles S. Sharp, Russell H. Perry, William H. Seay, Maxwell A. Clampitt, and George P. Cullum, Jr.

Their goal is to make tomorrow better by partnering with ambitiously compassionate people like you.

They have been a partner with local individuals, families and businesses for raising the quality of life in their community since 1953. They provide effective ways to make meaningful charitable contributions while realizing significant tax advantages. They listen to your priorities, advise on strategic giving, handle the investment of the gift and manage your charitable grants to worthwhile causes.

They offer services to empower your giving like North Texas Giving Day and the Giving Guide as well as ongoing education events in their building.

They also lead several initiatives including their community impact grants, Educate Texas, Entrepreneurs For North Texas and W.W. Caruth, Jr. Foundation.

Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2015

• Total Assets: $1.067 billion
• Total Grants paid: $102 million
• Total Gifts Received: $98 million
• Number of Funds: 950
• Cumulative Grants (since inception): $1.5+ billion

Vision

Making Tomorrow Better

Mission

CFT stimulates creative solutions to key challenges in their community. They thoughtfully and effectively support their diverse donors and grantees by providing exemplary service and by demonstrating accountability. They improve lives through an unwavering commitment to lasting impact.

Values

Enhancing the experience and impact of giving through:

• - Exemplary service;
• - Wise stewardship of resources;
• - Trusted partnership for community knowledge and collaboration.

They Fulfill Their Mission By:

• - Making grants to support community issues in North Texas and, through the generosity of their donors, throughout the world.
• - Encouraging individuals, families and businesses to partner with us to fulfill their charitable goals. Their trustees steward $1.4 billion in assets across more than 900 charitable funds.
• - Educating the community on pressing needs and the organizations addressing them.
• - Convening people to work on community problems.