Impact Austin Gives $188,400 To Four Central Texas Nonprofits with a Focus on Equity, Health and Well-Being
Austin-based collective of women philanthropists awards the grant recipients of its Fall 2022 giving cycle, including AVANCE-Austin, The Other Ones Foundation, Girlstart and the Literacy Coalition of Central Texas
AUSTIN, TEXAS – November 16, 2022 – Impact Austin, an Austin-based women’s collective giving organization, announced the recipients of its Fall 2022 grant program at the organization’s annual Town Hall Meeting on Tuesday evening, November 15. At the event, the 400 women of Impact Austin awarded $188,400 to four Central Texas nonprofit organizations, including AVANCE-Austin and Girlstart for the Equity Grants, and The Other Ones Foundation (TOOF) and the Literacy Coalition of Central Texas for the Health & Well-Being Grants.
Impact Austin is a community of women that seeks to transform lives in Central Texas through high-impact and life-long giving. The organization combines donations from members and gives multiple high impact grants each year to local, worthy causes selected by its members. Together with the $197,800 awarded in June 2022, the women of Impact Austin have given $386,200 in total grant awards in 2022 to improve lives in Central Texas. Over the past 19 years, more than 2,857 local women have given $8.26 million to nonprofit organizations and collaboratives in Central Texas through Impact Austin and Girls Giving Grants (g3), including 112 grants serving 91 organizations.
“Our goal with Impact Austin is to form a cadre of informed and generous philanthropists in Central Texas,” said Nicole Genovese, interim executive director of Impact Austin. “As we get ready to celebrate two decades of giving next year, we’re proud of the $8.26 million our members have donated and awarded to deserving nonprofits who are making real impact in our community. We look forward to continuing our mission and helping improve lives in and around Austin through the sheer power of women who give together.”
Grant amounts are determined based on membership levels and announced at the start of each grant cycle. In each focus area, 80% of the grant amount will be awarded to the finalist who receives the most member votes and 20% of the grant amount will be awarded to the other finalist.
Impact Austin’s Fall 2022 grant recipients:
Equity Grants:
Impact Austin’s Equity Grants were introduced in 2021 (and derived from the 2019 Social Innovation Grant) to help advance equity for women and/or girls of color in Central Texas.
AVANCE-Austin
$75,400 Equity Grant
Established in 1997, AVANCE-Austin creates pathways to economic mobility for predominantly Latino families and young children living in and around Austin, as well as opportunities for parents to build social and economic capital through the Parent-Child Education Program (PCEP). The intensive PCEP program includes free weekly sessions over nine months with separate tracks for parents and children, focusing on early child brain development and parenting skills. AVANCE-Austin has reached 8,000+ parents and children with an 85+% retention/graduation rate.
“In Austin, nearly 75% of Latino children living in low-income families are not considered academically ready to enter public kindergarten,” said Cristina Garza, executive director at AVANCE-Austin. “Now more than ever, families need support services to help them recover from the financial, physical, and mental effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. With Impact Austin’s support, we can positively change the lives of 250 parents and 300 of their children. Together we can build strong educational foundations for success – two generations at a time.”
Long-term studies show that 93% of children participating in AVANCE’s five programs are ready for kindergarten, and 94% graduate from high school. With the Impact Austin grant, AVANCE-Austin will continue expansion of its PCEP to Pflugerville ISD – which has experienced a growth of Latinx households each year – and serve 550 individuals.
Girlstart
$18,800 Equity Grant
Based in Austin, Girlstart is a national, female-led nonprofit organization celebrating 25 years of engaging over 200,000 girls in informal educational opportunities in STEM across the country. Girlstart’s comprehensive STEM education programs for 4th-8th grade girls foster STEM skills development, confidence, an understanding of the importance of STEM as a way to solve the world’s major problems, as well as an interest in STEM electives, majors, and careers.
The grant is unrestricted and awarded in support of the mission and programs of Girlstart.
Health & Well-Being Grants:
Impact Austin’s Health & Well-Being Grants are awarded to help enhance the lives of children and families, as well as positively impact the mental and/or physical health and wellness of people in Central Texas.
The Other Ones Foundation
$75,400 Health & Well-Being Grant
The Other Ones Foundation (TOOF) offers low-barrier work opportunities, case management and humanitarian aid to people experiencing homelessness in Austin, Texas. Since its inception in 2017, TOOF has helped 300 clients move into stable housing, paid out over $2,000,000 in earned income to people experiencing homelessness and moved more than 2,000,000 pounds of trash out of green spaces in Austin.
“We put the voices of the people that we serve in the center of everything that we do,” said TOOF founder and executive director Chris Baker. “Impact Austin’s support will help ensure the longevity of our mission and continued excellence in service delivery. These funds will support and guide the design and implementation of highly effective homeless service programming.”
Impact Austin’s support will ensure TOOF’s growth remains sustainable, and its programs continue to deliver meaningful and lasting impact in the lives of Austin’s unhoused neighbors.
Literacy Coalition of Central Texas
$18,800 Health & Well-Being Grant
The Literacy Coalition of Central Texas breaks the cycle of intergenerational poverty through holistic literacy services. Established in 2001, the Literacy Coalition of Central Texas provides free adult, child, career, and family literacy programs that include wraparound case management.
The grant is unrestricted and awarded in support of the mission and programs of the Literacy Coalition of Central Texas.
Spring 2023 Grant Cycles
A virtual nonprofit workshop to assist with online training for the spring 2023 giving cycle will be held January 10. Applications for Impact Austin’s Community and Education Grants will open on January 13 and close on February 7, 2023. Proposals will be evaluated through May 2023, and the grants will be awarded in June by a vote of Impact Austin members. For more information about upcoming grant opportunities, visit https://www.impactaustin.org/grantmaking.
Girls Giving Grants (g3) is a model of collective giving designed by Impact Austin to educate and engage young women in grades 8-12 on the importance of thoughtful giving – empowering young women to impact communities in need today and tomorrow. In April 2023, Impact Austin will award a g3 grant of $8,400 to improve the lives of youth in Central Texas. For more information about g3, visit https://www.impactaustin.org/girls-giving-grants.
Impact Austin Membership
Impact Austin welcomes new members year-round and identifying as a woman is the only requirement. Each member contributes $1,250 through an annual payment, monthly payments, or a scholarship to fund the organization's grants and operations. Impact Austin Community Partners are also invited to join at no cost. Members can get involved by voting on grants, joining a committee, participating in the review process, attending social events, learning philanthropy education and more. For more information, visit https://www.impactaustin.org/membership.
About Impact Austin
Impact Austin is a women’s collective giving organization, funding Central Texas nonprofits that provide services in Bastrop, Hays, Travis, and Williamson counties. Impact Austin’s mission is to cultivate the collective wisdom and strength of women to transform themselves and their communities through philanthropy. Over the past 19 years, more than 2,857 local women philanthropists have given $8.26 million to nonprofit organizations and collaboratives in Central Texas through Impact Austin, including 112 grants serving 91 organizations. Impact Austin’s youth initiative, Girls Giving Grants (g3), creates learning and leadership opportunities for girls in grades 8-12. To date, the youth organization has awarded $107,200 to improve young lives in Central Texas. For more information, visit www.impactaustin.org.
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