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Frequently

Asked Questions

What kind of grants do you award?

  • Discretionary Grants
  • Catalyst Grants
  • Cooperative Grants
  • HRMC Grants

VIEW TYPES OF GRANTS

Who is eligible to apply for grants?

To be eligible, an organization must hold a current tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code. This includes traditional nonprofit agencies with current 501(c)(3) status, recognized government entities requesting funds for public charitable purchases, K-12 public schools, community/junior colleges, state colleges and universities, or faith-based organizations with projects that benefit the community at large. Funds must also be used for the benefit of residents within the top 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle. Individuals are not eligible to receive grants from AAF.

How do I apply for a grant?

We highly recommend that you contact our Grants Officer before you begin the application process. They can offer guidance that may save you time. Create an account and login to the AAF Spectrum Portal. Spectrum Portal questions can be found below. On the Spectrum Portal Grant Applicant Home page, view Available Grants and complete the application for the selected grant.

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What information and materials do I need to apply for a grant?

If I have an open cooperative grant (CNSP, PPW, WPF, Slentz, CCH) am I eligible to apply for a Catalyst (CG) or Discretionary Grant (DG) or a different cooperative grant?

Yes. Cooperative grant programs have different eligibility requirements than DG or CG programs and from each other, and they are considered separately. 

What range of grants does Amarillo Area Foundation award?

  • Discretionary: over $20,000
  • Catalyst: $2,500 to $20,000
  • CNS Pantex: $2,500 to $10,000
  • Pattern Panhandle Wind: $2,500 to $25,000
  • Women’s Philanthropy Fund: $2,500 to $10,000
  • Louise Bowers Slentz Fund: up to $300,000 

What types of projects does Amarillo Area Foundation fund?

The AAF Discretionary Grant Program has discreet focus areas of mental health, food insecurity, early childhood literacy, post-secondary attainment, digital equity, and access to childcare. Each cooperative grant program is catered to meet certain needs. Please visit the pages for each program to make the best decision for your organization.

Who decides the grant recipients?

  • Discretionary: Amarillo Area Foundation and Harrington Foundation Boards of Directors
  • Catalyst: External committee makes funding recommendations to AAF Board for final decisions.
  • Cooperative Programs: External committees make funding recommendations to the AAF Board.
  • HRMC: the HRMC Board of Directors

Can I apply for funds from the Harrington Foundation?

The Harrington Foundation does not accept applications directly, but many awards are suggested to them by the Amarillo Area Foundation for final approval. The Harrington Foundation is a supporting organization under the Amarillo Area Foundation.

When are grant applications due?

What do I do if I am having trouble logging in to the Spectrum Portal to apply for new grants or access my grant awards for completing final reports?

Make sure you are using Internet Explorer as your web browser and that you are logging in at aaf.spectrumportal.net. If you are still having issues logging in and you are not being emailed your password hint to reset your password, contact the grants team.

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I have filled out an online grant application and saved it, but when I log back in to complete the application, my work has not been saved. Can I retrieve this information?

Unfortunately, we are unable to retrieve lost data. Please use Google Chrome, as it seems to have the best functionality. We recommend that any work you plan to input on your online application is saved in a separate document in case information is lost due to technical difficulties.

If I have a final report due date coming up, do I go ahead and submit the final report even though we have not finished spending out the grant?

Contact the Grants Team about the changes in the project timeline as final report due dates can be extended on a case-by-case basis.

What information is needed when completing a final report?

Financial Statements in a final report would include the Statement of Activities (also known as profit/loss or income/expense report) for the fiscal year in which the grant award was received and spent. You will also need to submit a final project budget including actual profit/loss related to the project.

I have tried uploading pictures (.jpg) for my final report, but I keep getting an error message that I cannot upload that particular file type. What types of files are compatible to upload?

For file uploads in applications and reports, please use the following guidelines for compatibility: 

File size of 10MG or less and be one of the following file extensions: 

  • Word document (.doc or .docx)
  • Excel document (.xls or .xlsx)
  • PDF (.pdf)
  • Picture (.jpeg, .gif, .tiff, or .png)
  • Text (.txt) 

How do I request a meeting with someone at AAF?

Please complete this contact form and the appropriate person on the Grants Team will be in touch soon.