From nonprofit funding to project grants to community service work, there’s been no shortage of social impact initiatives in North Texas during COVID-19—and beyond.

We’ve seen a number of corporations, startups, and organizations make moves over the past year to prepare for a post-pandemic future, drive equity and inclusion, boost the burgeoning local startup ecosystem, and more. Here’s a roundup of locals making a difference with charitable donations, grantmaking, volunteer efforts, or positive disruption.

Know of a Force for Good? Let us know.

Tuesday, June 8

[Illustration: Diy13/iStock]

American Airlines raises nearly $1.5M for COVID-19 relief efforts

⟫ Fort Worth-headquartered American Airlines raised nearly $1.5M to boost the American Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ efforts to fight COVID-19 around the world—including Brazil, India, and other countries in need of assistance. The airline, with more than 11,000 of its AAdvantage members, raised the amount in under a month. Read more here.

Starbucks chooses local nonprofits for its grant program

⟫ In its latest round of Neighborhood Grants, a program that supports community-led nonprofits through grants that range from $1K to $10K, The Starbucks Foundation awarded $2M total to more than 1,000 organizations in the U.S. and Canada. Recipients are picked based on Starbucks partners nominating an organization making an impact in their neighborhoods. Fourteen are based in North Texas. Read more here.

[Photos: The GEMS Camp]

Texas Women’s Foundation teams up with Lyda Hill Philanthropies to distribute $630K+ to nonprofits

⟫ Thanks to a gift from Lyda Hill Philanthropies, Texas Women’s Foundation awarded ~$638K in grant funding to 29 Dallas-Fort Worth nonprofits to increase the usage of the IF/THEN Collection. The free digital resource is the world’s largest collection to celebrate women in STEM. When the awards were handed out early this year, the nonprofits used the grants to increase the visual representation of women in STEM via IF/THEN assets. Read more here.

[Photo: UNT HSC]

HSC receives grant to work on increasing diversity in cancer researchers

⟫ The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas awarded a $3.9M grant to The University of North Texas Health Science Center (HSC) in Fort Worth to expand a program that aims to create more diversity in the medical and biomedical sciences fields. With its Scholars in Cancer Research Program, HSC plans to use the funding to train 94 undergraduate, masters, Ph.D., DO/PHD dual degree and post-doctorate scholars in the next five years. Read more here.

Texas Parks & Wildlife gives out $21.6M in local park grants

⟫ The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission has approved more than $21.6M in grants to fund projects at statewide community parks that aim to create and enhance outdoor recreational opportunities, like nature trails, native gardens, playgrounds, splash pads, dog parks, and sports fields. In Dallas-Fort Worth, Garland, Haltom City, Little Elm, and Flower Mound each received $750,000. Read more here.

The Mary Kay Foundation gives $150K to provide cancer resources to underserved female populations

⟫ Dallas’ Mary Kay Foundation, a longtime leader in the charge to eliminate cancers that affect women, donated $150,000 to CancerCare, the leading nonprofit that offers free financial and professional services to cancer patients. The grant allows CancerCare to provide direct support to women who are most in need of assistance. Read more here.

Get on the list.
Dallas Innovates, every day.

Sign up to keep your eye on what’s new and next in Dallas-Fort Worth, every day.