OVERVIEW: With a focus on North Texas nonprofits, the Rees-Jones Foundation awards grants in the areas of human services, youth development, mental health, and community benefit.
IP TAKE: This funder often supports Christian organizations in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and surrounding counties. Pitch a program or a case for general operating support that helps local kids with health issues or unstable family situations.
PROFILE: Established in 2006, the Rees-Jones Foundation is the foundation of Texas oil billionaire Trevor Rees-Jones and his wife, Jan. Trevor Reese-Jones started his career as a Dallas bankruptcy attorney. He founded Chief Oil & Gas in the 1990s, and the company operates on at least 210,000 acres that produce roughly 800 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. The foundation aims to “serve God by serving others, sharing His resources in ways that provide opportunities for the disadvantaged, relief for the suffering, and encouragement in the growth and well-being of children and families in our community.” Grantmaking areas of interest are human services for children and families, youth development, mental health, and community benefit, and international causes
Grants for K-12 Education, Public Health and Access, Wildlife and Animal Welfare, and Community Development
Human services grantmaking is centered on children and youth who have been neglected or abused and are in need of adoption and foster care. Rees-Jones also awards some grants to organizations that help children with physical disabilities. The foundation’s youth development program supports education, mentoring, camping opportunities, and formative experiences. Meanwhile, Rees-Jones mental health grants are also focused on children and youth and awarded to increase access to mental health care for therapy and treatment. Community benefit grants go toward economically and educationally underserved communities in North Texas. Animal welfare is a big part of this program, especially to support the humane treatment of companion animals.
The foundation typically makes more than 160 grants totaling over $30 million annually. Nonprofits in the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area and adjoining counties see the most support from the Rees-Jones couple. Although the grantmaking focus is on North Texas, Rees-Jones occasionally considers requests from Christian nonprofits working internationally in the foundation’s areas of giving on an invitation-only basis.
Important Grant Details
The foundation accepts both unsolicited letters of inquiry and unsolicited grant applications; however, it will only accept international applications by invitation only. In general, the foundation does not make multi-year commitments, and it does not fund more than 25 percent of a project’s budget or 10 percent of an organization’s operating budget. Both general operating support and project funding are common. Capital support is also provided. There are no grant application deadlines. Interested nonprofits can reach out to the foundation staff at info@rees-joinesfoundation.org or by phone at 214-751-2977.
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