Official Rules & Terms — Social Impact Grant Challenge

General

The T.D. Jakes Foundation Social Impact Grant Challenge (the "Challenge") is sponsored and administered by the T.D. Jakes Foundation ("TDJF") in partnership with Wells Fargo ("Wells Fargo") (collectively, the "Sponsors").

TDJF serves as the sole administrator of the Challenge and is responsible for the evaluation, selection, and final determination of award recipients.
Wells Fargo serves as a strategic funding partner and does not participate in selection of the award recipients or grant-making decisions.

By entering this Challenge, each applicant agrees to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsors, which shall be final and binding in all matters relating to the Challenge.

The Challenge is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations and is void where prohibited.

There is no purchase, donation, or fee required to enter or participate in the Challenge.

Eligibility

Eligible Applicant Representative. To submit an application on behalf of an organization ("Applicant Representative"), the individual must:

Be at least eighteen (18) years of age (nineteen (19) in Alabama and Nebraska);
Be a legal resident of one of the fifty (50) United States, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico;
Be authorized to submit an application and act on behalf of the nonprofit organization.

Eligible Organizations. To be eligible for consideration, the nonprofit organization ("Applicant Organization") must:

Provide documentation supporting registered nonprofit organization status in good standing under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code;
Provide a copy of the most recent IRS Form 990;
Be headquartered and operating within the United States, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico;
Demonstrate measurable outcomes across multiple years
Have strong executive and operational infrastructure
Provide audited financial statements
Demonstrate the ability to responsibly manage and deploy large-scale funding
Demonstrate a mission and programming aligned with creating thriving communities through educational access and workforce readiness, financial inclusion, community transformation and well-being, or other social impact initiatives consistent with the mission of the T.D. Jakes Foundation;
Be willing and able to attend and present in person at the Thriving Seven (T7) Summit in Atlanta, Georgia, November 12–14, 2026, if selected as a finalist;
Comply with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, including anti-discrimination laws, as an organization;
Ensure all programs or activities are open to participants regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, heritage, or similar characteristics;
Not engage in unlawful activities or activities inconsistent with the charitable mission and values of the Sponsors;
Not be controlled by, affiliated with, or operated by any employee, officer, director, or immediate family member of TDJF, Wells Fargo, or their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, agencies, contractors, or judging panel members.

Organizational Compliance Requirements. To remain eligible throughout the Challenge and grant administration period, Applicant Organizations must:

Maintain current tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Remain in good standing with all applicable federal, state, and local regulatory agencies.
Disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest involving board members, executives, employees, contractors, judging panel members, TDJF, Wells Fargo, or affiliated entities.
Promptly notify the Sponsors of any material changes to organizational leadership, governance, legal status, or financial condition occurring during the Challenge process.

Potential finalists and grant recipients are subject to verification of eligibility and may be required to provide supporting documentation.

Challenge Period

The application period begins on July 23, 2026, at 12:00 a.m. Central Time ("CT").
The application period ends on August 23, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. CT.
The Sponsors' computer systems shall serve as the official timekeeping devices for the Challenge.
Sponsors reserve the right to modify, extend, shorten, suspend, or terminate the Challenge Period at their sole discretion.

How to Enter

To enter the Challenge:

Visit the official application portal designated by TDJF during the Challenge Period.
Complete all required application questions and upload all requested supporting documentation if necessary.
Submit the completed application before the application deadline.

All applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. CT on August 23, 2026.

Limit one (1) application per nonprofit organization.

Multiple submissions by the same organization may be disqualified at the Sponsors' discretion.

Application Qualifications

Sponsors may disqualify any application that:

Contains false, misleading, incomplete, or inaccurate information;
Contains content that is unlawful, discriminatory, defamatory, offensive, obscene, or otherwise inappropriate;
Violates these Official Rules;
Is submitted by an ineligible organization or representative;
Is submitted in bad faith or through fraudulent means;
Is associated with an organization whose background review raises concerns regarding financial stewardship, governance, compliance, ethics, or reputation.

In the event of a dispute regarding the identity of an Applicant Organization, the Sponsors shall determine eligibility in their sole discretion.

Application Terms

Applications may not be modified after submission unless requested by the Sponsors.
Sponsors are not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, corrupted, misdirected, or technically defective submissions.
Applicant Organizations retain ownership of their submitted materials.

By submitting an application, each Applicant Organization grants TDJF and Wells Fargo a royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, non-exclusive license to use, reproduce, publish, distribute, display, and create derivative works from submitted materials for educational, reporting, promotional, marketing, and program-related purposes.

Sponsors will take commercially reasonable measures to protect confidential information submitted through the application process; however, applicants should not submit proprietary information they consider confidential or trade secret in nature.

Review Criteria and Selection of Finalists

Applications will be reviewed by TDJF and/or designated reviewers on or around August 24, 2026 – September 18, 2026. Submissions will be evaluated based upon the following criteria:

Initial Application Review

Organizational Impact and Results to Date – 25%
Alignment with Community and Social Impact Goals – 25%
Soundness and Feasibility of Proposed Use of Funds – 25%
Organizational Capacity and Sustainability – 25%

TDJF reserves the right to conduct interviews, request supplemental information, and perform due diligence reviews.

TDJF will ensure eligibility criteria remains objective, nondiscriminatory, and broadly accessible while maintaining appropriate controls and due diligence safeguards.

Following review, a select group of organizations will be designated as Finalists and invited to apply to the formal TDJF grant application.

Participation in the Challenge does not guarantee funding, and all awards remain subject to the terms and conditions outlined in the final grant agreement.

Semi-Finalist Application Review

Semi-Finalists will be notified on/around September 21^st and will be required to submit a formal grant application utilizing the TDJF grant portal.

Notified Semi-Finalists will have between September 23^rd – October 7, 2026, to submit their formal grant application to the TDJF grant portal.

Semi-Finalist applications will be reviewed by TDJF and/or designated reviewers on or around October 8, 2026 – October 16, 2026. Submissions will be evaluated based upon the following criteria:

Organizational Impact and Results to Date – 25%
Alignment with Community and Social Impact Goals – 25%
Soundness and Feasibility of Proposed Use of Funds – 25%
Organizational Capacity and Sustainability – 25%

Following review, four (4) organizations will be designated as Finalists and will be invited to present live at the T7 Summit.

Finalists will be notified on/around October 19^th.

Finalist Presentations

Selected finalists will participate in a live presentation before a judging panel during the Thriving Seven Summit in Atlanta, Georgia, November 12–14, 2026.

Finalists will be required to present:

Organizational mission and impact;
Community need being addressed;
Programmatic achievements and measurable outcomes;
Proposed use of grant funds;
Sustainability and long-term impact strategy.

Presentation format, time limits, judging procedures, and audience participation (if any) will be communicated to finalists in advance.

Judging panel decisions are final.

Attendance Requirement

Finalists must attend and participate in person at the Thriving Seven Summit scheduled for November 12–14, 2026. Failure to attend and present as required may result in disqualification and selection of an alternate finalist, unless otherwise approved by the Sponsors in writing due to extraordinary circumstances.

Finalist Travel and Attendance Expenses

TDJF will provide each selected Finalist Organization with complimentary registration to attend the Thriving Seven (T7) Summit taking place November 12–14, 2026.

Finalists are solely responsible for all costs associated with attending the Summit, including but not limited to:

Airfare and other transportation expenses;
Hotel accommodations;
Ground transportation;
Meals not provided as part of the Summit program;
Incidentals and other travel-related expenses.

Neither TDJF nor Wells Fargo will reimburse or otherwise cover travel, lodging, or related attendance expenses unless expressly approved in writing by the Sponsors.

Finalists acknowledge that participation in the live final presentation round requires in-person attendance at the Thriving Seven Summit and that failure to attend may result in disqualification and selection of an alternate finalist, at the Sponsors' sole discretion.

Grant Awards

Total anticipated funding: $1,500,000.

The Sponsors anticipate awarding a total of fifteen (15) grants through the Social Impact Grant Challenge, as follows:

One (1) Top Prize Grant: $500,000
One (1) Grant: $250,000
Two (2) Grants: $100,000 each
Eleven (11) Grants: $50,000 each

Total anticipated grant funding: $1,500,000.

Grant recipients will be selected based on the evaluation criteria outlined in these Official Rules and the final determinations of the judging panel.

Sponsors reserve the right to modify the number, amount, or distribution of grant awards, or to award fewer grants if an insufficient number of qualified applications are received.

Grant awards do not include travel, lodging, transportation, or other expenses associated with participation in the Challenge or attendance at the Thriving Seven Summit.

Grant funding will be distributed to each winner in three phases:

2026: 50% of grant funds
Q2 2027: 25% of grant funds
Q3 2027: 25% of grant funds

Grant funds will be subject to additional grant agreements, reporting requirements, eligibility verification, and compliance reviews prior to distribution.

TDJF reserves the right to withhold, delay, reduce, or rescind any grant award if a recipient fails to satisfy eligibility requirements, reporting obligations, compliance reviews, or other conditions established by the Sponsors.

Winner Notification

Semi-finalist and finalist will be notified using the contact information provided in their application.

Award recipients will be announced at the T7 Summit.

Semi-finalists, finalists and award recipients will be required to:

Execute grant agreements;
Complete eligibility verification;
Provide financial documentation;
Execute publicity and liability releases where permitted by law.

Failure to comply with requested requirements within the specified timeframe may result in forfeiture of the award and selection of an alternate recipient.

Use of Grant Funds

Grant funds must be used exclusively for charitable and programmatic purposes consistent with the Applicant Organization's mission and the proposal submitted through the Challenge application process.

Grant funds may not be used for:

Political contributions or lobbying activities;
Personal expenses;
Activities prohibited under applicable federal, state, or local law;
Any purpose inconsistent with the organization's tax-exempt status.

TDJF reserves the right to require a revised budget, implementation plan, or additional documentation prior to grant disbursement. Any material change to the proposed use of funds must receive prior written approval from TDJF.

Monitoring, Review, and Audit Rights

To ensure appropriate stewardship of grant funds, TDJF reserves the right to:

Request additional information concerning the use of awarded funds;
Conduct reasonable monitoring activities, including virtual or in-person meetings;
Request financial records or supporting documentation related to grant expenditures;
Conduct site visits or program reviews upon reasonable notice.

Grant Recipients agree to maintain adequate financial and programmatic records related to the grant award for a minimum of three (3) years following final expenditure of grant funds.

If TDJF determines that grant funds have been materially misused or that a recipient is no longer in compliance with these Official Rules, applicable laws, or grant agreement requirements, TDJF may suspend future disbursements, require corrective action, or seek repayment of grant funds.

Publicity

By participating in the Challenge, Applicant Organizations and Applicant Representatives grant TDJF and Wells Fargo permission to use their names, likenesses, organizational descriptions, logos, photographs, video recordings, and submitted content for educational, promotional, publicity, and marketing purposes in any media now known or later developed, without additional compensation except where prohibited by law.

Finalists and recipients may be featured in summit programming, digital content, press releases, websites, social media, and related communications.

General Conditions

Each Applicant Organization and Applicant Representative releases and holds harmless TDJF, Wells Fargo, their affiliates, subsidiaries, directors, officers, employees, agents, contractors, and representatives from any claims arising out of participation in the Challenge or acceptance and use of grant funds.

Sponsors reserve the right to:

Verify eligibility;
Conduct background and compliance reviews;
Modify Challenge procedures;
Suspend, terminate, or amend the Challenge if circumstances beyond their control affect administration of the program.

Limitation of Liability

Sponsors shall not be responsible for:

Technical failures or website interruptions;
Lost, delayed, corrupted, or incomplete submissions;
Unauthorized access to application materials;
Human error in administration or review processes;
Any injury or damage resulting from participation in the Challenge.

Governing Law

These Official Rules shall be governed by and construed under the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to conflict of law principles.

Dispute Resolution

Any dispute arising out of or relating to the Challenge shall be resolved through binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association ("AAA") under its applicable rules. The arbitration shall be conducted in Dallas County, Texas. Participants waive any right to a jury trial and agree that disputes shall be resolved on an individual basis and not as part of a class action proceeding.

Use of Data

By participating, Applicant Organizations and Applicant Representatives acknowledge that TDJF and Wells Fargo may collect, process, store, and use information submitted through the application process for purposes related to administration of the Challenge, due diligence, reporting, impact measurement, marketing, and future philanthropic initiatives, subject to applicable privacy laws and organizational privacy policies.

Official Rules & Terms and Conditions