Braunfels Foundation Trust

​The Braunfels Foundation Trust (BFT) is a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization founded in 1974 in New Braunfels, Texas. Following the devastating flood of 1972, the good people of Braunfels, Germany, our city's namesake, presented New Braunfels with a monetary gift of $1,500 to be used as seed money for the development and launch of the Braunfels Foundation Trust.

Mission of the Trust

The purpose for which the Braunfels Foundation Trust was created was the advancement of education and science, the lessening of the burdens of government, the combating of community deterioration, and the social welfare in the greater New Braunfels area. Initially, the mission of the trust was in historic preservation.  Today, the Trust emphasizes youth education programs and scholarships.

Home Page Castle Images: Braunfels Castle, located in Braunfels, Germany, our city's namesake, was a stately home that had been built from a castle built in the 13th century by the Counts of Nassau, served as of about 1260 as the Solms-Braunfels noble family's residential castle. After Solms Castle had been destroyed by the Rhenish League of Towns in 1384, Braunfels Castle became the seat of the Counts of Solms. Over the castle's more than 750-year-long history, building work was done many times. Particularly worthy of mention is the town and castle fire of 1679, which burnt much of Braunfels and its stately seat down. Both were then built into a Baroque residence. Braunfels Castle was rebuilt out of materials that were still on hand.