Community Leadership

Community Leadership

Greater Houston Community Foundation is committed to growing with and for our community. We are passionate about keeping Houston a welcoming, diverse, entrepreneurial, and thriving region. Although many of us have a profound sense of gratitude for our hometown, there are pressing challenges facing the Houston region. As Houston’s community foundation, we are committed to bringing people together as a collective force for philanthropic good, which is encompassed in our

Since 1995, Greater Houston Community Foundation has evolved to play a pivotal role in supporting our region to recover from disasters, to offer a broad range of philanthropic solutions, and to engage deeply with our donors and clients to convene resources around critical community issues.

DISASTER RECOVERY & RESILIENCY: STRONGER TOGETHER

As critical leaders, Greater Houston Community Foundation (Foundation) is well-positioned to identify needs and invest in a validated network of nonprofit partners throughout the Greater Houston region to support disaster recovery and crisis response. In the last 17 years, the Foundation has distributed more than $250 million in grants to nonprofit partners supporting the recovery of hundreds of thousands of our neighbors, including two large pandemic funds that served our neighbors when support was needed most. We have strong partnerships with the City of Houston, Harris County, United Way of Greater Houston, nonprofit organizations, and philanthropic leaders that help us respond quickly and effectively to support disaster recovery.

This expertise has allowed us to serve in new ways, including through a collaborative fund established by a leading group of foundations called Your Shot Texas to support equitable vaccine uptake among vulnerable populations across Texas. In February 2021, we announced a strategic partnership with United Way of Greater Houston to coordinate philanthropic disasterrecovery efforts moving forward. We quickly put this new partnership to work alongside Mayor

Turner and Judge Hidalgo to jointly administer an $18 million Winter Storm Relief Fund that supported 29,010 individuals. This partnership will utilize established systems and processes to activate and fundraise quickly in the aftermath of a disaster when a swift response is critical, leveraging deep-rooted relationships within the philanthropic community, including corporations, foundations, and individuals who recognize the importance of a collaborative disaster-recovery approach. In 2022, our partnership continued to deepen, focused on strengthening our preparedness and ability to support our region’s resiliency.

UNDERSTANDING HOUSTON: CELEBRATING THREE YEARS!

In 2019, the Foundation launched Understanding Houston, a tool created to provide donors, community leaders, and residents with access to independent information they can use to effect positive change in their communities.

Understanding Houston has helped the Foundation become an even stronger knowledge resource for all Houstonians. We believe the more our communities learn together, the more we grow together. In partnership with local organizations and leaders, Understanding Houston hosts learning opportunities around critical topics that engage participants, make space for collaboration, and spark the possibility for philanthropic investment to address important community issues.

Understanding Houston would not have achieved its success without the support of our Board, our Founding Partners and funders, Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban

Research, many nonprofit partners, and more. In 2022, more than 57,000 unique users visited understandinghouston.org and over 560 people were in attendance at the 20 data briefings and presentations hosted. Despite a pandemic, Understanding Houston engaged with more than 2,600 nonprofit, philanthropic, and community leaders through data briefings over our first three years. Dozens of users have shared how they have leveraged data and information from Understanding Houston to inform philanthropy, shape programming or strategic planning, apply for and receive grant awards, and increase knowledge of the place we call home.

Understanding Houston is determined to inform and drive action as it continues to support the Foundation’s growing community leadership role with its launch of the Community Impact Fund.

I’ve found the data easy to access and understand. The additional background and explanations are great. I’ve used it primarily to inform my knowledge of Houston and how I might explore different issues to engage in through Boards, volunteering, and giving in areas. I usually give to groups I know, but Understanding Houston has opened my eyes to many challenges we face as a community and the need for me to do more.

– DONOR of Greater Houston Community Foundation

What’s Next?

COMMUNITY IMPACT FUND LAUNCH

Our Community Leadership work is an extension of how Greater Houston Community Foundation shows up for Houston. As Houston continues to grow and evolve, so will the Foundation. In 2023, we look forward to supporting our Community Leadership initiatives and fueling new strategic investments that build a more vibrant Houston region through a new, collaborative Community Impact Fund.

Guided by the Foundation’s Board of Directors in close partnership with our team, the Community Impact Fund (Fund) will use data to identify issues, convene stakeholders and experts, and support initiatives to positively impact our community’s greatest needs. Fueled by many donors and supporters, the Fund will be a catalytic force for philanthropic impact – making a significant and meaningful difference in the lives of Houstonians through strategic grantmaking.

We look forward to sharing more with you about the Community Impact Fund.

CRITERIA LIST FOR ISSUE-AREA CONSIDERATION

COMPELLING COMMUNITY NEED

Do we have local data that speaks to the compelling need for action in this area? To what extent is there broad consensus among a variety of stakeholders that there is compelling community need?

MEASURABLE IMPACT AT MEANINGFUL SCALE

Is there potential to make a positive and measurable impact at a meaningful scale (i.e. issue is not too big or intractable and not too small or narrow)?

ABILITY TO ATTRACT RESOURCES

Can we build on existing and/or garner interest from Foundation donors (current and prospective) to use time, treasure, talent, and ties to help make a positive impact? To what extent do we think there is potential to attract other local and/ or national resources?

GOOD FIT

Are we positioned to add unique value and achieve some early success (positive movement within three- five years)? To what extent are Foundation staff enthusiastic and committed to the work?

BUILDS ON ASSETS AND PARTNERSHIPS

Are there sufficient assets, broadly speaking, in place to make a positive impact achievable? To what extent do we have (or are we building) high-value, hightrust working partnerships of strategic importance?

Issue Areas Under Consideration

Access to Capital

Early Childhood

Economic Opportunity

Heat Islands

Housing

Post-Secondary Eductaion

Youth Mental Health