Organizations interested in applying for a Powell Foundation grant must submit an online pre-application form. If the pre-application is advanced, the organization will be invited to submit a full application via the Powell Foundation's online Grant Portal. The Powell Foundation Board of Directors makes all final decisions about grant requests during the Spring (May) and Fall (November) Board Meetings. Organizations approved for funding must sign and return a grant agreement for disbursement. Refer to the website for grant guidelines.

The Powell Foundation is dedicated to catalyzing progress in public education, the arts, conservation, and human services. Funding is focused on the Foundation's geographic areas of interest in Harris, Travis, or Walker Counties, Texas. Requesting organizations must be tax-exempt under IRC 501(c)(3). This includes public charities, government organizations, and eligible supporting organizations. No grants are made to individuals, endowments, scholarship funds, private foundations, fundraising/marketing events, debt retirement/past operating deficits, candidates for political office or to influence specific legislation, or for realizing religious or doctrinal purpose. 2024 Giving: Education $11.3M (67%) and Supportive Communities: the Arts $2M (12%), Conservation $1.5M (8%), and Human Services $2.2M (13%).