Communities Foundation of Texas' 2026 Annual Report: A Place to Call Home by Communities Foundation of Texas

home A PLACE TO CALL

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A HOME FOR GENERATIONS

A HOME FOR HOPE

A HOME FOR IDEAS

A HOME FOR COLL ABORATION

A HOME FOR PARTNERSHIP

A HOME FOR EDUCATION

A HOME FOR NEIGHBORS

A HOME FOR GENEROSIT Y

A HOME FOR CREATIVIT Y

A HOME FOR CONNECTION

A HOME FOR OPPORTUNIT Y

CFT FINANCIALS

View our 2026 annual report with additional and extended content:

CF TE X A S .ORG/PL ACE

2026 B OA R D O F T R U S T E E S Connie Blass O’Neill Chair Matrice Ellis-Kirk Chair-Elect Arcilia Acosta Jennifer Burr Altabef Peter Brodsky Rakesh Dahiya Michael Dardick José (Pepe) Guevara Gunjan Jain

President and CEO WAYNE WHITE with Board Chair CONNIE BLASS O’NEILL

Jill Louis Tom Montgomery Christopher Reynolds Katie Robbins Alice Rodriguez James D. Shields Andy Smith John Stephens Thear Suzuki Debra Brennan Tagg Rob Walters

PORTR AIT PHOTOG R APHY BY: KIM LE ESON THOM A S G ARZ A (P. 2) | DANNY C A MPBE LL (P. 6) | ADRIAN ME Z A (P. 12) | JORDAN ROUSE Y (P. 16) | SHE RYL L ANZE L (P. 28)

a letter from our

Leadership $211M

in gifts received, FY2026

$191M

in grants to nonprofits, FY2026

$10M

in housing loans and grants

$790M+

raised through North Texas Giving Day since inception

Thanks to generous givers like you—and the leadership of our dedicated staff and Board—Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT) continues to expand its impact across our communities.

This achievement brings the total raised through North Texas Giving Day to over $790 million since its inception. Behind each of these numbers are real people making a real impact.

In fiscal year 2026, CFT received $211 million in gifts, distributed $191 million in grants to nonprofits, and made meaningful progress on our three strategic initiatives. We launched and began to implement our housing initiative strategy, committing $10 million in loans and grants to support attainable housing solutions and strengthen neighborhoods.

This year’s annual report highlights how we help create a place to call home in partnership with our fundholders, nonprofit grantees, North Texas Giving Day participants, and our Educate Texas and housing initiatives. The stories reflect the hearts behind our investments in people, partnerships, and place to create a stronger sense of community and connection throughout North Texas and beyond.

We are grateful to all who have joined

HouseDTX to help address the housing affordability crisis and to those who are already partnering with us on our new

Housing Impact Fund. Educate Texas, CFT’s longstanding statewide education initiative, launched a new effort focused on the responsible use of artificial intelligence in schools to help address the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly changing world for both educators and students. CFT’s 18th annual North Texas Giving

Day raised $80 million for 3,300 local nonprofits—a new record amount raised.

We are especially grateful for your commitment to our shared vision of a thriving community for all, which fuels the positive change we’re creating together to make our region and state an even better place to call home. With gratitude and partnership,

WAYNE WHITE PRESIDENT AND CEO COMMUNITIES FOUNDATION OF TEXAS

CFT fundholders BEVERLY and DON FREEMAN

A HOME FOR

Generations

Three generations of the Freeman family further generosity through CFT For 40 years, Beverly and Don Freeman have partnered with CFT to support causes close to their hearts through their donor-advised fund, the Freeman Family Fund. As members of CFT’s Live Oak Legacy Society, they have also included charitable giving in their estate plan, ensuring their support for nonprofits will continue beyond their lifetime. “When you’re blessed, you need to bless others and carry it forward,” said Beverly. Today, CFT’s partnership with the Freeman family spans three generations. CFT also manages donor-advised funds established by their daughters, Carrie Freeman Parsons and Chris Popolo, and their husbands, as well as a fund recently established by the next generation of their family. Now that Beverly and Don’s grandchildren are beginning their careers, they are taking a more active role in the family’s philanthropy alongside other members of the extended family. They collaborated to create the Operation Lone Hawk Fund at CFT, named for their Iowa and Texas roots. They decided to focus their giving on early childhood education, and with CFT’s support, they researched education nonprofits and selected Beacon Hill as the first grantee of their shared fund. The family’s commitment to giving has always included service in addition to financial contributions. This year, the extended family volunteered with Beacon Hill, assembling school supplies and learning about the organization’s work. For Beverly and Don, watching the next generation develop their own approach to giving is particularly meaningful.

Multiple generations of the Freeman family volunteered together at For Oak Cliff with Beacon Hill for their annual family service day

“Seeing them care so much has been incredible. Creating the fund together was their idea, and they are being very intentional about what they support,” said Don. The collaborative giving experience gives the next generation an opportunity to make decisions together, even while living in different states. Four decades after Beverly and Don established their family fund, CFT continues to support the Freemans with charitable guidance, nonprofit research, and administrative services as each generation identifies the causes and organizations it wants to support.

“We first saw generosity being modeled by our grandparents. They were always extremely generous with their time and their resources, and it has inspired us to do the same.” – OLIVIA PARSONS CFT fundholder, Operation Lone Hawk Fund

COM MU N ITI E S FO U N DATI O N of TE X A S

Sunset High School recipients of the 2026 Bear Bison Scholarship with CFT’s MELISSA HARDAGE and school principal DAVID LEE

A HOME FOR

Hope

Life-changing scholarship fuels student futures When eight graduating seniors from South Oak Cliff and Sunset high schools stepped forward at scholarship presentations this spring, they expected to be recognized for their academic achievements. What they didn’t expect was a scholarship covering full tuition, fees, books, and housing throughout their college or career training programs. The awards were made possible through the Bear Bison Scholarship Fund at CFT, recently established by a generous family with deep roots in Oak Cliff. The donor attended Sunset High School, while her late husband attended South Oak Cliff High School. Their daughter, Stacy, suggested creating a scholarship to help students from the schools that had shaped their lives. With guidance and partnership from the family’s financial advisor, Cathleen Crews, the family turned to CFT to bring the idea to life. CFT helped establish and administer the scholarship fund, coordinate with school counselors, and manage the application and selection process. The scholarship is designed to make a lasting difference, supporting students year after year as they work toward their degrees or certifications. Inspired by their grandparents and parents, Stacy’s three children, Alex, Penelope, and Henry, are also becoming involved in the scholarship. This year, Henry and Stacy helped review applications, gaining a firsthand understanding of the students’ ambitions and challenges. They were especially moved by the students’ handwritten thank-you notes, as many of them shared their desire to give back to others someday.

South Oak Cliff High School counselor Gala Smith with student recipients of the 2026 Bear Bison Scholarship and CFT’s Katie Kuehl and Melissa Hardage

The scholarship reflects a family tradition of giving back. Growing up, the grandchildren accompanied their grandmother on Meals on Wheels deliveries to seniors and volunteered with The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program. “Helping others has meant so much to our family for so long,” shared Alex. “We’re looking forward to carrying that forward.” “The Bear Bison Scholarship is giving these students the freedom to pursue their hopes and dreams, just like we have done,” said Henry. “It makes us so proud as her grandkids,” added Penelope.

“By creating this scholarship fund, our grandmother has brought our family closer across generations. She has given us a meaningful way to honor her generosity, give back, and carry forward the values that she continues to instill in our family.” – PENELOPE, granddaughter of the Bear Bison Scholarship Fund founder

COM MU N ITI E S FO U N DATI O N of TE X A S

CFT fundholders GAIL HUBERT GERKEY and daughter DAWNA HUBERT

A HOME FOR

Giving together sparks joy for Hubert family

Ideas

Dawna Hubert, her mother, Gail Hubert-Gerkey, and their entire family are deeply connected to our community and find joy in giving to causes they are passionate about.

difference, which is why our family loves to give through North Texas Giving Day each year,” said Dawna. Dawna, her wife, Jo, and their son, Hunter, sit down together as a family and decide where they want to “sprinkle some love.” The family supports 20 to 30 smaller nonprofits every year, helping to expand impact across Collin County and the region.

The EDGE Family Fund, a donor-advised fund at CFT, helps the family support causes close to their hearts. The fund was created in large part to honor the life of Gail’s late husband and Dawna’s stepfather, George Edward “Ed” Gerkey, a retired U.S. Army colonel.

Dawna and Gail both serve on the board of LIFE Association. In 2017, Dawna was tasked by the board with finding unique charitable opportunities, which led to the creation of the LIFE Association Trade Scholarship Fund at CFT.

Last Veterans Day, in honor of Ed’s service and love of country, they used the NorthTexasGivingDay.org online giving platform to support local nonprofits serving veterans. With the assistance of CFT staff, a dozen organizations serving a variety of veterans’ causes were selected and offered dollar-for-dollar matching gifts through the EDGE Family Fund.

“We wanted to provide a scholarship geared toward students pursuing trades, because those students deserve support in pursuing their dreams too,” explained Dawna. “The CFT team was willing to dig in and do the research to create something no one else was really doing at the time.”

In addition to their veterans’ campaign, the family partnered with multiple Collin County-based organizations as matching gift donors during North Texas Giving Day, including the Wellness Center for Older Adults and Turning Point Rape Crisis Center. They also provided a matching gift to Samaritan Inn during CFT’s North Texas Gives to Animals campaign. When CFT shared a matching grant opportunity to support City House during an unexpected funding challenge, the family eagerly joined in to help fulfill the match. “I’m a huge proponent of matching campaigns as they really are proven to inspire more generosity,” said Dawna. “While large donations are helpful, I am convinced that it doesn’t take tens of thousands of dollars to make a

> READ MORE: CFTexas.org/Place/Ideas

Through scholarships, support for veterans, and gifts that respond to emerging community needs, the Hubert family works tirelessly to enrich the place they call home.

“CFT’s support and services are unmatched, and their team is incredible. They serve as a trusted sounding board to us and are familiar with our community’s needs and the nonprofits meeting those needs.” – DAWNA HUBERT CFT fundholder, EDGE Family Fund

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CFT fundholder SARITA PRABHU

A HOME FOR

Collaboration

Prabhu family inspires generosity Giving back was an important part of growing up for Sarita Prabhu. Her parents immigrated to America from India and taught their family to care for others, whether helping relatives and communities in India or supporting people in their new home. Alongside her successful corporate legal career, Sarita helps lead her family’s charitable giving through the Krish and Shuba Prabhu Family Fund, a donoradvised fund at CFT. What initially began as a desire to give more intentionally together has led to new relationships, volunteerism, nonprofit board service, and even the creation of her own nonprofit. Through CFT’s GiveWisely® program, she explored her family’s charitable interests and narrowed their primary giving focus to education and supporting young people involved in the justice system. CFT introduced her to organizations working in these areas, including POETIC, which supports girls who have experienced trafficking or exploitation. Sarita now serves on its board. She also serves on the board of the Human Rights Initiative, an organization she had supported through pro bono legal work. “There are many organizations I wouldn’t have heard of if it hadn’t been for CFT,” Sarita said. Her involvement in philanthropy through CFT has also inspired Sarita to address a need that she noticed closer to home.

> READ MORE: CFTexas.org/Place/Collaboration

As a soccer mom, Sarita saw how rising club soccer fees were preventing some children from participating. She and another parent initially pooled money to help families cover expenses before establishing Dallas Soccer Scholars last year, a nonprofit that provides financial assistance for team dues, uniforms, and travel. The newly created organization also emphasizes academics and community service, encouraging students to develop skills beyond the soccer field. Drawing on her experiences as a donor and nonprofit board member, Sarita is building relationships with supporters and creating opportunities for students who might otherwise be unable to play. For Sarita, working side by side with CFT has connected her with organizations, people, and ideas that continue to shape how she serves her community.

“Working with CFT and being a CFT fundholder gives you a unique opportunity to connect with the local community and to connect with organizations that you may not know about otherwise.” – SARITA PRABHU CFT fundholder, Krish and Shuba Prabhu Family Fund

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CFT fundholders CHRIS and ASHLEE KLEINERT and RAY HUNT of Hunt Consolidated

A HOME FOR

Partnership

Celebrating 20 years of Hunt Cares For 20 consecutive years, employees of Hunt Consolidated have achieved something remarkable: 100% employee participation in its annual Hunt Cares giving campaign. “Our company is over 90 years old, and part of our company’s DNA is giving back to the Dallas community,” said Ray Hunt, chairman emeritus of Hunt Consolidated. As the company grew, Ray sought a partner that could help employees support the variety of causes that mattered most to them. He found that partner in CFT. Through the Company’s Hunt Cares program, Hunt Consolidated matches employee contributions dollar for dollar and pays CFT’s program administration costs. Since 2011, CFT has provided guidance, grant administration, and technical infrastructure, making it easy for employees to give to the local nonprofits they choose. This year's campaign featured more than 2,500 organizations. “Hunt Cares translates our Core Values into direct impact for this community,” said Chris Kleinert, co-chairman and co-CEO of Hunt Consolidated. “The effort to achieve 100% participation was employee led and employee driven, and we’ve now achieved that goal for 20 consecutive years,” reflected Ray. “What makes a community strong is the people behind it, the people that live here, that give here, and care. To have the participation of everyone at the company says a lot about the employees and their incredible hearts,” said Ashlee Kleinert. As the company’s ideas for employee engagement have grown, the partnership with CFT has expanded. Through its annual Hunt Helpers Day, CFT connects employees with

> READ MORE: CFTexas.org/Place/Partnership

Hunt Consolidated displays a banner on their building in downtown Dallas highlighting their 20 consecutive years of 100% employee participation in their Hunt Cares giving campaign through CFT

local nonprofits for hands-on volunteer opportunities. For Hunter Hunt, co-chairman and co-CEO of Hunt Consolidated, some of the most inspiring parts of Hunt Helpers Day emerge after the event ends. “Many of our employees stay engaged with the organizations they volunteer with, whether that’s through financial gifts, serving on a board or committee, or additional volunteering," he shared. “If you find the right charitable model that engages your entire company like we have, you can truly do something that touches each employee’s life,” said Hunter. “We see this partnership as the gold standard for employee giving,” added Chris.

“The reason we turned to CFT as a partner is because they understand this community. This is where we live. This is our home.” – RAY HUNT Chairman Emeritus, Hunt Consolidated, Inc.

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Marvin Terry speaks on a panel at CFT about his experience ED U C AT E TEXA S: S TUD ENT S P OTLIGHT

DFW OPPORTUNIT Y YOUTH In high school, Marvin Terry was active in powerlifting, track and field, and DECA marketing. After graduating in 2022 with several scholarships, he enrolled at the University of Texas at Arlington. Soon after, a burst pipe flooded his home. The resulting housing instability affected his mental health and interrupted his college path. This year, CFT’s Educate Texas launched the DFW Opportunity Youth Collaborative for young adults like Marvin, ages 19 to 26, whose education or employment pathways have been interrupted. Part of EDTX’s Postsecondary Solutions portfolio, the collaborative brings regional partners together to strengthen connections to education, training, and livingwage employment. “From my perspective, this work really matters. I was once an opportunity youth myself,” Marvin said. Today, Marvin’s job at Amazon provides a sense of purpose and income to support his schooling, housing, and financial goals. He is now using his experience to advocate for other young adults. Having experienced isolation and feeling unheard, he hopes to be a “bigger brother” to others who are navigating challenges, helping them find the connections and resources they need to build stable, meaningful futures.

EDUCATE TEX AS’ JASON GREEN, Senior Director of AI Strategy, with KERRI BRIGGS, Ph.D., EDUCATE TEX AS’ Executive Director

A HOME FOR

Education

Educate Texas: Bold futures for students Education helps people build lives of stability, purpose, and possibility. For two decades, CFT’s Educate Texas (EDTX) has worked across the state to strengthen the systems that connect emerging talent with educational opportunities, helping students, families, and communities thrive. As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes how people learn and work, EDTX is building an education hub for the responsible adoption of AI in schools. The work focuses on protecting students, preparing leaders, and connecting regional AI initiatives with best practices. Through EDTX’s AI + Education Leadership Collaborative, district leaders and education experts from Dallas-Fort Worth and other Texas regions hone their AI literacy and develop practical approaches to support teaching, learning, and workforce preparation. In the collaborative’s first year, every participating school system advanced its AI readiness, with most moving from early-stage conversations to having guidelines in place. EDTX’s work connects educator expertise with research, policy, and investment to turn promising ideas into stronger outcomes for students.

> READ MORE: CFTexas.org/Place/Education

“Texas can lead the country in showing how innovation strengthens education while keeping students at the center.”

– KERRI BRIGGS, Ph.D., Executive Director, CFT’s Educate Texas

This year, the number of Dynamic School Models supported by EDTX grew to almost 600 locations, giving more students opportunities to earn college credit, industry credentials, associate degrees, and career experience before graduation. Through a longtime partnership with the Texas Instruments Foundation, Sherman and Denison ISDs are the latest examples of how EDTX is expanding districtwide STEM programs aligned with industries growing across the region. Through EDTX’s DFW Opportunity Youth Collaborative, education, workforce, and community partners are coming together to help more young Texans reconnect with opportunity, gain real-world experience, and pursue careers that offer stability and purpose. Marvin’s story, featured on the left, shows why those connections matter. Together with partners across the state, EDTX is working toward a future in which all Texans have an education that empowers them to earn a good living, find a purposeful career, and realize bold dreams for themselves, their families, and their communities. By connecting Texas talent with opportunity, EDTX is helping more people build the lives they envision in the places they call home.

COM MU N ITI E S FO U N DATI O N of TE X A S

Housing leaders across sectors gathered at CFT for a HouseDTX convening in partnership with the Greater Dallas Planning Council that focused on shaping policies that affect the future of housing affordability

A HOME FOR

Neighbors

CFT’s Housing Initiative:

Partnerships, Policy, Production, and Preservation At CFT, we believe that communities thrive when residents at every income level have secure housing, a strong education, a voice in their community, a sense of safety, and access to resources that improve their health and well-being. In October 2025, CFT made a bold new commitment: a five-year, $50 million investment focused on strengthening neighborhoods and expanding housing access across North Texas. Housing emerged as a central priority through CFT’s focus on health, wealth, living, and learning—areas deeply influenced by where people live. Rapid growth, rising housing costs, limited supply, and widening gaps in affordability have made it increasingly difficult for many Dallas residents to remain in their communities. CFT’s housing initiative strategy centers on three pillars: partnerships and policy, production, and preservation—a combination proven effective in cities across the nation that are tackling housing challenges. This includes convening public and private partners to improve systems, supporting the production of new affordable homes through innovative development models, and preserving existing housing so it remains safe and attainable long term. As part of the initiative, CFT created a new Housing Impact Fund as a source of flexible, recyclable, lowcost capital that will deploy meaningful resources into the local housing ecosystem by helping missionaligned developers build more quickly and affordably. With support from philanthropy, business, finance, and government, CFT aims to grow its initial $50 million commitment into a $100 million fund.

> READ MORE: CFTexas.org/Place/Neighbors

To advance this work, CFT launched HouseDTX, a new collaborative of funders, advocates, planners, and leaders committed to aligning housing efforts and advancing effective policy. The advisory board consists of leaders from the Bush Institute, Child Poverty Action Lab, Dallas Housing Coalition, the Greater Dallas Planning Council, and Habitat for Humanity. Over the past year, CFT has hosted multiple convenings that have engaged more than 100 leaders from across the housing ecosystem to align on mission-driven investment opportunities and a policy agenda to advance housing affordability at scale. CFT has now committed more than $10 million in loans and grants that will translate into more than 400 units of for-sale and rental housing. CFT is providing strategic partnership support for the new Dallas Community Land Trust to protect long-term affordability, and for the City of Dallas’ Dallas Housing Acquisition and Development Corporation to expand housing opportunities by modernizing and strengthening the city’s land bank operations, an essential tool for increasing attainable homeownership in historically disinvested communities. Our efforts to collaborate, convene, and co-invest represent a multiyear commitment to addressing a challenge that profoundly affects our neighbors, our future economic growth, and the place we call home.

“Public-private partnerships are essential to tackling our city’s most pressing needs. By joining forces with CFT, we are continuing to drive opportunity by leveraging our strengths, expertise, and commitment to expand affordable housing options.” – KIMBERLY BIZOR TOLBERT City Manager, City of Dallas

COM MU N ITI E S FO U N DATI O N of TE X A S

NORTH TEX AS GIVING DAY nonprofits celebrated generosity live on air with WFA A DAYBREAK at CFT in September

A HOME FOR

Generosity

NorthTexasGivingDay.org grows community giving year-round Since its launch in 2009, CFT’s North Texas Giving Day has demonstrated the extraordinary power of collective generosity, raising more than $790 million for thousands of nonprofits. In 2024, CFT began expanding opportunities to give through NorthTexasGivingDay.org beyond its signature September event. Today, the online giving platform gives local nonprofits more ways to connect with donors through a year-round fundraising presence, recurring giving options, capacity-building resources, seasonal campaigns, matching fundraisers, and corporate and group giving events. This evolution advances CFT’s goal of growing community giving by helping nonprofits connect with more donors. Results from the past several years demonstrate meaningful progress, with increases in both total donations and total donors. Thanks to help from generous givers and sponsors, CFT covers all transaction and technology fees, ensuring that 100% of each donation made on the site goes to nonprofits in more than 25 cause areas across 20 North Texas counties, all year long. In 2025, CFT created additional opportunities for nonprofits to raise funds. A year-end giving campaign on NorthTexasGivingDay.org raised more than $1.8 million and doubled the prior year’s donor total. In the spring, CFT continued to lead cause-based campaigns with North Texas Gives to the Arts during

> READ MORE: CFTexas.org/Place/Generosity

Dallas Arts Month in April and North Texas Gives to Animals during National Pet Month in May. Together, the two campaigns raised another $1 million. Across these fundraising efforts, new donors represented more than one-third of all gifts. Corporate and group giving events also extended the reach of NorthTexasGivingDay.org, creating new opportunities for companies, fundholders, and community groups to rally donors around shared causes throughout the year. In November, the EDGE Family Fund at CFT’s Support for Veterans fundraiser raised more than $200,000 for local veterans organizations. In February, SRS Real Estate Partners hosted an employee-centered pickleball tournament fundraiser through the platform and invited friends, families, and clients to donate. In April, more than 30 Friends of the Library organizations joined together to fundraise for Library Giving Day. Hunt Consolidated continued its annual Hunt Cares employee giving initiative and matching campaign in partnership with CFT. Corporate partners, including Charles Schwab Bank, 7-Eleven Cares, and Qorvo, utilized CFT’s group giving resources to engage their employees in giving back. Together, these efforts show how CFT is expanding NorthTexasGivingDay.org to help local nonprofits connect with more donors. The annual September celebration remains an extraordinary display of generosity, while seasonal campaigns, monthly gifts, workplace fundraisers, and group giving pages extend impact year-round.

NorthTexasGivingDay.org serves as a home for generosity every day of the year.

COM MU N ITI E S FO U N DATI O N of TE X A S

CFT’S WAYNE WHITE with ELIZABETH WAT TLEY of Forest Forward and ROBERT SMITH of The Constantin Foundation at Forest Theater during its renovation

A HOME FOR

Creativity

Ensuring the arts thrive for generations to come For the past five years, Forest Forward has collaborated with community leaders to bring a bold vision for South Dallas to life, centered on arts education, housing, and economic revitalization anchored by the historic Forest Theater. For generations, the theater was a gathering place for music, movies, arts, and culture in South Dallas that welcomed legendary performers.

“South Dallas deserves steady investment, intentional care, and a future shaped by its own residents. What lies ahead will honor our past, reflect our present, and open the door to a future shaped with this community at its center.” – ELIZABETH WATTLEY President and CEO, Forest Forward

After nearly two decades of closure, the landmark reopened its doors in November 2026, marking a new chapter for the theater and its surrounding neighborhood. Led by Forest Forward, the restoration is transforming the beloved theater into a cultural and community hub for local artists, students, and residents to connect through the arts.

“Philanthropic investment is what made people believe in us. Philanthropy is what made the neighborhood understand that this was actually going to happen,” Wattley said. “The collective investment from CFT and other funders has echoed far beyond this building.”

The theater’s revival serves as the anchor of Forest Forward’s broader revitalization effort that brings increased opportunity to the 75215 neighborhood while preserving South Dallas’ rich history and putting residents at the center of its future.

For CFT, this is about making a long-term investment in the people and future of South Dallas. With its doors open once again, the Forest Theater is providing a place to celebrate the community’s cultural legacy that enables creativity and connection to flourish.

CFT has invested a total of $8 million through the W.W. Caruth, Jr. Fund to help bring Forest Forward’s vision to life and to restore and redevelop the theater. CFT has been a partner since the early stages and served as the organization’s initial fiscal sponsor as Forest Forward sought its nonprofit status.

Forest Forward placed residents’ voices at the center of its decisions, and its work is already reaching young people and families across South Dallas through its innovative partnership with the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Arts Academy, which combines arts education with mentorship and support.

According to Forest Forward’s president and CEO, Elizabeth Wattley, philanthropic support helped build confidence in the ambitious $83.5 million project and attract additional investment.

We celebrate all who helped make the return of the historic Forest Theater possible, including longtime CFT partners like The Constantin Foundation.

COM MU N ITI E S FO U N DATI O N of TE X A S

(From left) CFT’s ROBERT KENT, UNESHA WELL S (For Oak Cliff ), BYRON SANDERS (Dallas ISD), and SHAREEFAH M A SON , JA ZMUNE JENKINS , TAYLOR TOYNES , and X AVIER HENDERSON of For Oak Cliff

A HOME FOR

Connection

Addressing chronic student absenteeism in schools Every day a student misses school is a missed opportunity to learn, build relationships, and prepare for their future. Chronic absenteeism, defined as missing 10% or more of the school year, has become a growing challenge nationwide and in North Texas. In the neighborhoods served by For Oak Cliff, approximately 30% of Dallas ISD students were chronically absent during the 2023–24 school year, compared with 24% districtwide. Deeply rooted in the neighborhood it serves, For Oak Cliff recognizes that improving attendance goes beyond getting students into classrooms. It means understanding the challenges students and families face and connecting them with the relationships, resources, and support they need to succeed. When For Oak Cliff brought this issue to CFT’s attention, CFT committed $2 million to support a collaborative and community-driven approach to chronic absenteeism, focused on improving middle school attendance in South Dallas, South Oak Cliff, and Wilmer-Hutchins. “CFT’s investment in tackling this issue is really about making an investment in the people who understand the problem, are proximate to it, and are leading the effort to solve it,” said Wayne White, CFT’s president and CEO. Rather than treating absenteeism solely as a schoolbased challenge, the initiative recognizes that students’ attendance can be influenced by circumstances beyond the classroom.

> READ MORE: CFTexas.org/Place/Connection

“We’re focused on the root cause of absenteeism and the barriers to attendance. When students feel connected to their schools and supported by their communities, they have a stronger foundation for success. This work is about bringing families, educators, and community partners together to remove barriers so that every child has the opportunity to thrive.” – TAYLOR TOYNES Co-Founder and Executive Director, For Oak Cliff

Transportation difficulties, family responsibilities, housing instability, and other barriers can make consistent attendance challenging, while a lack of connection to school can make students less motivated to attend. For Oak Cliff is leading this effort in partnership with Dallas ISD, Big Thought, Communities In Schools of the Dallas Region, and other local organizations. Together, these partners are bringing schools, families, and community organizations together to address barriers to attendance and help students stay on track. By strengthening the connections between students, schools, and their communities, CFT and its partners are working to ensure that more young people have the opportunity to learn, graduate, and build brighter futures.

COM MU N ITI E S FO U N DATI O N of TE X A S

L AWANDA STRHAN of Ascend Dallas with client SENAIDA GAONA as she receives her finance career readiness program certificate of completion

A HOME FOR

Opportunity

Building economic mobility for families CFT is investing in economic mobility to help more North Texans increase their incomes, improve their quality of life, and build generational wealth. Through investments in workforce development, career training, and financial stability, CFT is helping create pathways to greater opportunity. For women and families across Dallas, Ascend Dallas is helping turn these opportunities into reality. Founded more than a century ago, Ascend Dallas empowers women to overcome poverty and achieve financial independence through career development, financial education, and personalized coaching. Its Economic Advancement program helps participants secure livingwage jobs, increase savings, reduce debt, and build a more secure financial future for their families. In 2025, CFT awarded Ascend Dallas a $500,000 grant to expand this work, building on a cumulative $290,000 in previous grant investments over the past decade. CFT’s funding supports financial coaches, career navigators, and resources that help participants overcome barriers to employment and financial stability, including transportation and childcare. Ascend’s approach is delivering measurable results. In fiscal year 2025, 84% of its financial coaching participants increased their savings, 73% improved their credit scores, and 69% reduced non-mortgage debt. Among job seekers who secured employment, 88% obtained full-time positions, 77% received benefits, and 60% earned at least $50,000 annually.

Lawanda Strhan supports an Ascend Dallas client at the Redbird Financial Empowerment Center, a hub for women and families that offers financial coaching and education training

Ascend Dallas connects maternal health, financial coaching, career advancement, and family stability so women don’t have to navigate disconnected systems alone. Through 68 community partner locations, most in Southern Dallas, Ascend brings these services directly to neighborhoods to meet people where they are. Each new career, improved credit score, and growing savings account represents another step toward financial security and generational impact.

“This is about impacting generations. When a woman has the opportunity to earn more, save more, and build financial security, the impact extends far beyond her own life. She is creating a stronger future and trajectory for her family, opening doors for the next generation.” – KATE ROSE MARQUEZ CEO, Ascend Dallas

> READ MORE: CFTexas.org/Place/Opportunity

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F I N A N C I A L H I G H L I G H T S : Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2026 ASSETS

$235 ’16 ’17

$178

$117

$107

’18 ’19 ’20 ’21 ’22 ’23 ’24 ’25 ’26

CO MP O S I T I ON O F A S S E T S

COMPOSITION OF G IFTS

(in millions, unaudited)

F I S C AL Y EAR 2 02 6

F I SC A L Y E A R 20 26

Donor-Advised Funds

$ 694 638

Donor-Advised Funds Designated Funds

$107

W.W. Caruth, Jr. Fund Discretionary Funds

240 226

Nonprofit Agency Funds

Designated Funds Nonprofit Agency Funds General Operating/Reserve Funds

63 47

Scholarship Funds

Other Supporting Organizations

Trusts/Annuities

T O TA L A S S E T S

$95

$144

’18 ’19 ’20 ’21 ’22 ’23 ’24 ’25 ’26

$152

$168

’17

$93 ’16

$211

$208

$1,736

$1,614

$1,434

$1,370

$1,174

$1,126

$1,142

$1,099

$1,027

$1,505

$1,996

GIFTS

$ 1 , 996

COM MU N IT I E S FO U N DAT I O N of TE X A S | 2026 A N N UA L R E P O R T

Discretionary Funds

Scholarship Funds

Other Supporting Organizations

T O TA L G I F T S

$ 211

GRANTS

GRANTS DISTRIBUTION $218

FI S C A L Y E A R 2026

$158

$166

YOUTH & RECREATION

24%

10%

$137

$138

ARTS & CULTURE

OTHER

RELIGION

$118

$106

$109

$106

$154

$191

10%

COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT

21%

10%

HEALTH & SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

’16 ’17

’18 ’19 ’20 ’21 ’22 ’23 ’24 ’25 ’26

EDUCATION

13%

HOUSING & HUMAN SERVICES

C OM PO SI TI O N OF GRANTS FISCAL Y E A R 2026

(in millions, unaudited)

Donor-Advised Funds Nonprofit Agency Funds

$84 46

Designated Funds

W.W. Caruth, Jr. Fund

Discretionary Funds

Scholarship Funds

T O TA L G R A N T S P A I D

For a listing of named funds at CFT and to review the annual independent audit report and the related audited consolidated financial statements with footnotes, please visit CFTexas.org/Financials.

$ 191

COM MU N ITI E S FO U N DATI O N of TE X A S | 2026 A N N UA L R E P O R T

Presorted

COMMUNITIES

FOUNDATION of TEX AS

5500 Caruth Haven Lane Dallas, Texas 75225-8146 214-750-4222 | CFTexas.org

Many Stories. One Shared Home. The stories in this report reflect the hearts behind how Communities Foundation of Texas is investing in people, partnerships, and place to help create a stronger sense of home throughout North Texas and beyond.

Read the extended digital report: CF TE X A S .ORG/PL ACE

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