2025 – 2026 Signature Projects Program

Signature Projects are Junior League-initiated and managed programs that address unmet needs in Dallas. These projects are designed by and for JLD volunteers and provide unique, mission-aligned opportunities to lead and serve. Agencies do not reapply annually but report to the League to ensure ongoing impact and accountability.

Read more about these areas, our partners, and how our volunteers make an impact below.

Civic Collaborations

Through our Civic Collaborations, JLD partners directly with the City of Dallas and other community organizations to address pressing civic needs and celebrate local heritage. From preparing students for a successful school year at the Mayor’s Back to School Fair, to preserving civil rights history at the Juanita J. Craft Civil Rights House, to creating greener, healthier spaces through our Parks Improvement Project; these collaborations allow us to serve Dallas in deeply meaningful, city-wide ways.

League-Initiated Projects
Our League-Initiated Projects are designed and managed entirely by JLD members to fill gaps in the community and empower individuals of all ages. Whether it’s mentoring teens toward college success in Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas Collegiate STEPS, providing therapeutic art for seniors with Juliette Fowler Communities Artful Awakenings, teaching healthy habits to kids through Kids in the Kitchen, or to mentoring girls to develop a strong sense of self at St. Philip’s School & Community Center;  these projects reflect the creativity, compassion, and leadership that define the League’s mission in action.

Signature Project Grants
Through our Signature Project Grants Programs, JLD provides targeted funding to support vital community initiatives and address urgent needs across Dallas. Programs like Grants for Innovative Teaching (GFIT), Women LEAD Scholarships, and Community Outreach grants enable us to invest in transformative ideas, support educators and future leaders, and help local nonprofits respond quickly to unexpected challenges.

Civic Collaborations
Dallas Mayor’s Back to School Fair
The Dallas Mayor’s Back to School Fair provides Dallas students and families with essential back-to-school supplies, services, and resources. The Junior League of Dallas works with the City of Dallas Mayor’s Office to manage volunteers, community outreach, and participant experience.
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Juanita J. Craft Civil Rights House
The Juanita J. Craft Civil Rights House is a 1300 sq. ft. one-story frame house that was the home of Juanita J. Craft, one of Dallas’ and Texas’ most significant civil rights figures and the second African American woman to serve on the Dallas City Council. Programming at the house is coordinated by the South Dallas Cultural Center of the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA). For its Centennial project, the Junior League of Dallas helped coordinate restoration of the Juanita J. Craft Civil Rights House, initiated the development of a JLD Coloring Book about the life and legacy of Juanita Craft, and raised significant funds in support of the restoration and eventual museum.
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Parks Improvement Project
The Parks Improvement Project (PIP) Committee offers members a unique volunteer experience to leave a lasting impact on Dallas’s outdoor spaces, engage in new ways with the Dallas community, and learn more about the importance of green spaces for Dallasites’ health and well-being. The Committee partners with organizations like the Dallas Park and Recreation Department and Texas Trees Foundation to preserve, beautify, and expand parks and other public natural green spaces. PIP volunteers support high-priority community needs with activities that include tree plantings, park and greenspace clean-ups, community outreach and engagement, and more.

League-Initiated
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas Collegiate STEPS
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas inspires and enables all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens. Collegiate STEPS provides one-on-one mentoring to high school students to help them navigate the process of obtaining college applications and applying for financial aid.

Juliette Fowler Communities Artful Awakenings
The mission of Juliette Fowler Communities is to provide the dignity of choice, create community, and develop connections for the older adults, youth, and children we serve. Artful Awakenings develops and provides therapeutic art classes to memory care residents.

Kids In The Kitchen (KITK)
The Kids in the Kitchen (KITK) program empowers youth to make healthy lifestyle choices and helps reverse the growth of childhood obesity and its associated health issues by creating and overseeing the implementation of a fitness and nutrition education program. The Kids in the Kitchen program is supported by the Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI) Inc. and its member Leagues. Through this nationally recognized health education program, we will reach more than 1,500 Dallas County children and parents this year with a curriculum covering the basics of nutrition, healthy meal preparation and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
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Musical Outreach
Musical Outreach, formerly Musical Therapy, is the longest-running volunteer opportunity at the JLD! Our members provide companionship, stimulation, and entertainment for adults in the Dallas area by presenting a musical program and interacting with residents in various assisted living and memory care centers.

St. Philip’s School & Community Center Girl’s Night Out
St. Philip’s School & Community Center enhances the lives of children and families regardless of economic background, but with particular emphasis on low- and moderate-income families, through educational excellence, Christian principles, and compatible community services. Girl’s Nights Out is a monthly mentoring program for girls in the St. Philip’s community where they engage with Junior League mentors in small and large groups for fun, educational, creative, and meaningful activities. The purpose of the Friday night event is to help the girls feel empowered to follow their dreams and develop a strong sense of self, with a focus on the importance of education.

Signature Projects Grants

Community Outreach

The Community Outreach Committee responds to community needs by administering funds for emergency requests from area nonprofits that have experienced unforeseen programmatic disruptions through the Community Assistance Fund. The committee develops League-wide projects that address current community needs. The committee also reviews requests for community volunteers and partnerships with the League that are submitted to the Community Assistance Fund.

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Grants for Innovative Teaching (GFIT)

The Grants for Innovative Teaching (GFIT) Committee encourages and supports excellence in teaching by selecting and awarding grants to Dallas Independent School District (Dallas ISD) educators for creative and innovative projects that otherwise would not receive funding through school budgets. All Dallas ISD educators are eligible to apply for funding up to $2,500 for innovative teaching projects for all grade levels and subjects.

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Women LEAD

The Women LEAD Scholarship Program assists female high school students in pursuing their dreams of higher education and creates opportunities for future women leaders. Since 2013, this program has awarded 91 female high schoolers at Emmett J. Conrad, South Oak Cliff and Thomas Jefferson High Schools more than $444,000 in scholarships.

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