Since 1953, CFT has worked side by side with caring donors, committed nonprofits, philanthropy-focused businesses, and civic leaders as a committed partner in building thriving communities. Over the past 70 years, CFT has built a legacy of responsible stewardship by investing charitable funds wisely to grow and amplify impact.
Behind these numbers are many caring people who are purposeful in how they give back to our community and show up for the causes that they care about.
While the foundation has certainly evolved, our commitment has remained the same: to be a trusted partner to our donors and fund holders, working to deliver lasting change to better our communities. With this commitment in mind, we seek to continue to grow and scale our impact to meet the evolving needs of North Texas.
1953 – CFT is founded as the Dallas Community Chest Trust Fund
1955 – First six-figure major gift, valued at $325,000, is given by Pearl C. Anderson
1981 – Communities Foundation of Texas assumes its current name to reflect a broader community interest
1990 – W.W. Caruth, Jr. leaves $400M to CFT in his estate, establishing the largest charitable fund at CFT to date
2001 – $500M milestone in cumulative grants given to nonprofits from CFT
2009 – CFT raises $4M for 100 local nonprofits in its first annual North Texas Giving Day, which now raises $60M+ annually
2014 – CFT grants a record $100M+ to nonprofits in one year
2020 – CFT celebrates $2B+ milestone in cumulative grantmaking to nonprofits
2022 – CFT grants record $166M to nonprofits in one year, receives record $205M in gifts
2023 – CFT’s North Texas Giving Day reaches cumulative total of $560M+ raised for regional nonprofits
