Mission
Helen Sparks was born in Fort Worth, Texas, but went to college in the east. After graduation she returned to Fort Worth where she worked with the Fort Worth Little Theater. A cultured woman, she was interested in local artists and supported them by commissioning works. She also enjoyed literature and needlepoint. The Helen Gertrude Sparks Charitable Trust, which made its first distributions in 1971, was created to benefit charitable organizations focused on:
- The elderly who are disabled in any way
- Children who are disabled, orphaned or disadvantaged
- The arts, including performing and nonperforming arts
- Education
“The Trustee shall always show preference for those organizations which do not receive the predominate portion of their funds from government sources.”
Guidelines
The Helen Gertrude Sparks Charitable Trust application deadline is August 1. The Trust considers requests from charitable organizations that focus on the program areas noted above.
Preference is given to organizations, operating in, or serving Tarrant County.
Eligibility to re-apply for a grant award from the foundations noted below requires grantee organizations to skip 1 grant cycle (1-year) before submitting a subsequent application. For example, if your organization received a grant in 2021, it would be ineligible to apply for the 2022 grant deadline.
This foundation makes approximately 2-3 awards each year and grants are typically between $5,000 and $15,000.
For more information, please see the opportunity webpage.