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Collaboration Grants

Investing in local ideas. Strengthening local partnerships.




In 2025, Better Together launched the Collaboration Grants program to support innovative,  community-driven projects that improve wellness in Nacogdoches County. The program was designed around a simple belief: the most effective solutions are often  created by the people and organizations closest to the challenges. Rather than prescribing  solutions, we invited local organizations to work together, identify opportunities, and develop  projects that addressed community needs in creative and meaningful ways.




A total of $140,000 was awarded to 11 collaborative projects, with grants ranging from $1,000
to  $20,000.

Looking Ahead

The Collaboration Grants program demonstrated the creativity, commitment, and collaborative  spirit that exists throughout Nacogdoches County. While funding for future grant cycles is not  currently available, Better Together hopes to expand this work in the future through partnerships  with donors and funders who share our commitment to community-driven solutions.

Interested in supporting future Collaboration Grants? Contact us to learn how you can help  invest in local ideas that strengthen wellness and collaboration across Nacogdoches County.

Impact

  • $140,000 invested in community-led solutions

  • 11 projects funded

  • 19 proposals submitted

  • Projects represented a wide range of sectors and community partners

  • Collaborative partnerships were formed and strengthened across the county

Funded initiatives addressed wellness in diverse ways, including supporting older adults,  increasing access to community resources, strengthening family connections, fostering social  connectedness through the arts, and expanding opportunities for residents to access support  and services.

More Than Grants

The primary goal of the Collaboration Grants program was not simply to fund projects—it was to  strengthen collaboration across Nacogdoches County.  Many organizations share similar goals and serve overlapping populations, yet opportunities to  build partnerships and coordinate efforts can be limited. By encouraging collaborative proposals,  the program helped organizations build relationships, share resources, and develop solutions  that no single organization could have implemented alone.

community capacity building Nacogdoches
community capacity building Nacogdoches
community capacity building Nacogdoches

Collaboration Summit 

Bringing people together to create stronger solutions. Through years of community listening and engagement, Better Together identified a recurring  theme: organizations and community leaders want to collaborate more effectively, but often lack  opportunities to build relationships, share ideas, and develop projects together.

The  Collaboration Summit was created to address that need.

What We Bring

The Summit brings together nonprofit leaders, educators, healthcare professionals, faith communities, public agencies, businesses, volunteers, and community innovators from across  Nacogdoches County to learn, connect, and explore opportunities for collaboration. Through facilitated discussions, skill-building sessions, and networking opportunities, participants strengthen relationships and develop ideas that can lead to meaningful community impact. The 2025 Summit also served as the launch event for Better Together's Collaboration Grant program, helping participants develop strong proposals and identify potential partners for collaborative projects.

Impact

  • 56 organizations represented

  • 97% of participants reported making a new connection they planned to follow up on

  • Summit participants rated the event 9.2 out of 10 for helping them prepare competitive  grant proposals

  • 17 organizations represented at the Summit later participated in collaborative grant  applications

  • 7 of the 10 funded proposals included organizations that attended the Summit 

Why It Matters

Many of the challenges facing rural communities are too large for any one organization to solve  alone. The Collaboration Summit helps build the relationships, trust, and shared understanding  needed for organizations to work together more effectively, maximize resources, and create  lasting improvements in community wellness.

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