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Houston’s growth is a testament to its grit and resilience. A bustling metropolis known for its diversity, entrepreneurial spirit, and generosity, Houston has long been a hub for innovation and progress. As the region grows and evolves, we face increasing challenges that undermine our ability to create and maintain a thriving region for all.

As Houston continues to evolve, so does Greater Houston Community Foundation (Foundation). As we look to the future, our collective focus within our community centers on Community Impact. Over nearly three decades, high-trust relationships have been nurtured, allowing the Foundation to honor donor intent and drive significant positive shifts alongside our partners.

The Community Impact Fund will be a catalytic force for philanthropic impact – making a meaningful difference in the lives of Houstonians through three pillars of work that speak to data, collaboration, and lasting impact.

3 Pillars of Community Impact

Understanding Houston

A regional indicators project providing community leaders with credible data on various topics. The analysis and articles on UnderstandingHouston.org illuminate critical issues in the region to inform decision-making and reflect our commitment to using quantitative and qualitative data, evidence, and innovative ideas to invest in solutions that have impact.

Explore the Data

Greater Houston Disaster Alliance

Building on more than 35 years of combined experience serving as philanthropic first responders, we are creating meaningful impact to make Houston more resilient for all through a strategic partnership with United Way of Greater Houston.

Learn More

High-Impact Grantmaking

Collaborative, catalytic grantmaking and deep partnerships that leverage resources to improve the lives of Houstonians. In Fall 2023, our Board approved a focus on supporting economic mobility as a pivotal issue for Houston’s future. Persistent intergenerational poverty will have major implications for Houston’s safety, economic growth, and social cohesion if left unaddressed.

See How It Works

In the spring of 2023, Greater Houston Community Foundation (the Foundation) engaged more than 100 community leaders through an appreciative inquiry process. Appreciative inquiry is a collaborative, strengths-based approach that focuses on engagement through a positive lens to assess strengths, opportunities, and aspirations. Ultimately, the goal is for participants to co-create and promote a hopeful and generative vision of our future. This collaborative approach allowed us to acknowledge the strengths of our community and discover how to leverage those strengths to create a more vibrant, thriving Houston region.

The purpose of these interviews was to help inform the direction of the Foundation’s inaugural High-Impact Grantmaking initiative. Admittedly, our sample size is small – reflecting 100 donors and philanthropic leaders, as well as colleagues across nonprofit, business, and government sectors. These individuals were invited to engage with us because of their close or loose connection with the Foundation and our earnest desire to listen and learn from them as we embarked on a new effort. During these appreciative inquiry interviews, participants told us what they love about Houston, their vision for our region’s future, potential barriers to achieving that vision, and the strengths of our community that could help us overcome these challenges.

We were deeply inspired by what we heard throughout this process and wanted to share it with others, which is why we synthesized the interview responses for all of you.

Appreciation of Houston: A Synthesis of Appreciative Inquiry Interviews

“Community impact goes beyond having a consistent presence in our city. It means being strategic and thoughtful about how to make the greatest possible positive impact on the lives of our neighbors, utilizing all of the resources available to us. I’m proud to see Greater Houston Community Foundation expand in this critical role.”

Nancy McGregor

Nancy McGregor

Governing Board Member

Stay Informed

Sign up for our first-to-know newsletter so you can be in the know as we reach milestones in our Community Impact work.

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Support, Learn & Engage

Contact Tyler Murphy, Senior Advisor of Charitable Solutions, to learn more about how you can give to the Community Impact Fund or attend a donor program.

Contact

Share Your Voice

How do you feel about our direction? We want to hear from you. Please click on the button below to give us your feedback on our Community Impact Fund.

Share Your Voice

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Community Impact Fund?

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The Community Impact Fund represents a pioneering initiative aimed at strengthening efforts to enhance the lives of Houstonians through strategic philanthropy. Our goal is to channel resources towards addressing pressing community needs, ultimately forging a brighter future for all residents of Houston. We seek to amplify our collective impact, driving focused investments for a more dynamic, thriving Houston.

What is High-Impact Grantmaking?

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This initiative represents a dynamic, strategic effort to tackle Houston’s most pressing social and economic challenges through the power of collaborative grantmaking and strategic partnerships. Led by the Community Grantmaking Committee, a diverse group of experts and community leaders, this initiative serves as a catalytic force for philanthropic impact in our community.

What are the advantages of High-Impact Grantmaking?

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Emphasis on measuring impact, learning, and adapting for progress.

Heightened transparency and accountability in philanthropic efforts.

More equitable resource allocation for greater access and reduced barriers.

Diverse perspectives and expertise guiding investments, including lived experiences.

Enhanced community engagement for broader impact across sectors.

Embracing innovative strategies for positive change.

How does the Community Impact Fund determine which issues to support through its High-Impact Grantmaking?

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The Foundation embarked on a one-year learning journey to identify the area of focus for the new initiative. Data and insights from Understanding Houston were used to identify areas where Houston has experienced worsening outcomes in the last decade and/or compared to Texas and the U.S. In addition, the Foundation engaged over 175 stakeholders, including community voices, via interviews and focus groups to hear directly how these issues impact Houstonians and where the Foundation could add the most value.

Issue Area Criteria:

  • Compelling Community Need
  • Measurable Impact at Scale
  • Ability to Attract Resources
  • Good Fit
  • Builds on Assets and Partnerships

What is Economic Mobility & Why is it Important?

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Economic mobility is about our ability to achieve the American Dream within our lifetime and across generations. It is the idea that if you work hard, you can gain access to the resources and opportunities to climb the economic ladder, no matter your circumstances. We want this to be true in Houston and yet we know it isn’t for specific populations that have been left out or left behind.

Addressing economic mobility allows the Foundation to pursue holistic strategies and initiatives that both research and promising practice suggest are required to overcome persistent disparities and systemic challenges.

Recognizing the issue’s complex landscape, we are committed to fostering collaboration with other community partners. To be additive and avoid duplicative initiatives, we strive to work seamlessly with organizations that share common objectives, bringing resources together in pursuit of shared goals.

How does the Community Impact Fund help donors with their strategic philanthropy?

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The Community Impact Fund creates more opportunities for donors to support causes they care about in partnership with the Foundation and other donors to meet community needs. By joining forces with one another, donors can amplify the impact of their contributions. Together, we strive to maximize the effectiveness of our collective actions, ensuring that our combined efforts bring about meaningful, positive change for our community.

What's next?

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Understanding Houston

     December 2023: Complete web enhancements and data refresh and brief 250 donors and prospects.

     November 2024: Capture Impact Stories and showcase it at the 5-Year Anniversary celebratory event.

Greater Houston Disaster Alliance

     February 2024: Finalize standard tools and templates for the Rapid Response Disaster Fund and pursue a unified communication strategy.

     May-June 2024: Execute the first collaborative “Disaster Simulation Day” testing new tools/approaches.

High-Impact Grantmaking Initiative

     February 2024: Establish a Community Grantmaking Committee to develop and implement an investment approach.

     November 2024: 1-3 catalytic grants to support upward economic mobility.

How can you get involved?

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Help us Build our Community Grantmaking Committee
We welcome your interest and recommendations as we build a diverse group of community leaders to guide our investment strategy to support economic mobility. Please contact our Community Impact team at impact@ghcf.org to help us increase our diversity of perspectives.

Support, Learn, and Engage

Contact Tyler Murphy, Senior Advisor of Charitable Solutions, to learn more about how you can give to the Community Impact Fund or attend a donor program.

Share Your Voice

How do you feel about our direction? We want to hear from you. Please click here and submit this form to give us your feedback on our Community Impact Fund.