Driving up to the Dell Fine Arts Center at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, we knew we had a beautiful Town Hall experience ahead of us. The venue’s lobby area is gorgeous, light-filled, and welcoming, while the theatre space was large (felt intimate) and just right for our program. St. Andrew’s generously waived the rental and staffing fees as an in-kind donation to Impact Austin, facilitated by our member Catherine Ervin. Thank you to St. Andrew’s and Catherine!
Organizational Updates
Speaking to the theme “Because of You, Impact Grows,” President Deanna DeHaven was generous with praise and thanks for Impact Austin members who have engaged so actively: board, committee co-chairs, and volunteers; members who renew each year and invite others to our giving circle; GRC volunteers; new members; and those in the audience intending to join Impact Austin. A big shout out and applause were directed to Alyssa Reyna, our Philanthropy Operations Manager. In Deanna's words, "She is a superstar who enthusiastically embraced our mission from Day One, is passionate about our collective giving movement, and exemplifies our values in everything she does."
Deanna also thanked our generous Town Hall sponsors: Robertson Stephens (Pam Friedman), FVF Law (Margaret von Flatern), USI (Maddy Compogiannis), and Baird Private Wealth Management (Susan Palombo). Thanks to Pam and Maddy also for joining the program as speakers.
Deanna DeHaven reviewed Impact Austin's financials. Among her reports, she announced that Impact Austin's endowment has reached $468,000 with an additional pledges of $426,000 in the pipeline, thanks to planned gifts. The Rebecca Warren Powers Endowment for Impact Austin is housed at Austin Community Foundation, and it will ultimately help to support Impact Austin's operating costs and sustainability.
Impact Austin Member Panel
Attendees are already calling our panel the evening's highlight! We asked four Impact Austin members of varying tenures to share their experiences and insights about being part of Impact Austin and how it has affected their philanthropy. Thank you to Kiyomi Beach (Class of 2024), Piper Nelson (Class of 2020), Jerrica Deloney Witte (Class of 2023), and Nancy Word (founding member) for their contributions, along with Maddy Compogiannis (Class of 2023) for gracefully moderating the discussion. Here are just a few takeaways:
How did you find Impact Austin?
Jerrica: "I found Impact Austin through my work in the nonprofit sector. When I went into the private sector, I wanted to find a place where I could still feel connected to my community and have an impact and really live my purpose."
Kiyomi: "For me it's really important that the work aligns with my values around equity and centering the community. What I get excited about is how I can bring the lens of the work I do every day in the social sector to the Impact Austin group AND learn from a lot of amazing women philanthropists along the way."
Nancy: One of our Kitchen Table Six founders, Nancy opened with a laugh that accompanied, "It started with my hairdresser." Through their mutual hairdresser, Nancy met Glenda Holmstrom, who connected her to Rebecca Powers. "And here we are are, 22 years later."
Piper: She first heard about Impact Austin as the Chief Public Strategies Officer at SAFE (a past Community Partner). When invited to an in-home recruitment event, "I of course joined, because there were amazing women, and why would I not?"
In what ways has being a member of Impact Austin changed your view of philanthropy?
Nancy: "When we started Impact Austin, my involvement in philanthropy was minimal.... United Way [only]. Impact Austin gave me confidence. The lessons we learned were huge, and it eventually gave me the confidence to DO something huge: get involved in the Nobel Women's Initiative."
Jerrica: "Philanthropy is more fun and more impactful when it is a team sport! My voice matters here. I have an impact on Impact Austin. I can use my experiences and my hopes for this organization and see the needle move. All of our voices come together to shape the future we want to see."
Piper: "This is a way that I give money to really incredible organizations in our community that I wouldn't really know about..... I love that I get to be a part of a different type of philanthropy than I would [pursue] if it were just up to me."
Kiyomi: "What I'm learning is a lot of different motivations for why people give, why they participate, and what it means to be part of a community like this. Community can be really powerful, and a willingness to learn is also powerful."
Has membership in Impact Austin inspired you to do anything you've never done before?
Nancy: "It's given me the gumption to go out there and try to do something. I have bathed with a bucket in India, in Liberia met with indigenous women who were severely marginalized and suffered injustices, met with presidents of countries, been to U.N. meetings and conferences concerning rape as a weapon of war..... it has broadened my perspective of the privilege that we have in this country as women."
Piper: "I don't think I would have joined a giving circle if it weren't all women. The trust that I feel in handing over my $1,250.... I just know it will be used in beautiful ways because it's a group of women making the decisions of how to use it in the community."
Jerrica: "I never considered or called myself a philanthropist until joining Impact Austin. I never gave myself that label. But knowing I have this membership behind me, I feel empowered and emboldened to speak on philanthropy."
Kiyomi: "It was a big leap of faith to join Impact Austin, to join this community, and to find community in a group of women I didn't expect to embrace me."
Grants in Action
We shared outcome videos for four Community Partners whose grant terms concluded. Click on their names to watch their videos.
Girlstart 2022 Equity Grant of $18,800
Seedling 2023 Education Grant of $16,400
Austin Creative Reuse 2023 Education Grant of $65,900
Urban Roots 2023 Community Grant of $16,400
A Caring Collective and Community of Philanthropy
Advancement Co-Chairs Ami Kane and Maddy Compogiannis invite members and non-members alike to support Impact Austin's mission and grants. Everyone is welcome at Impact Austin, even if membership is not available to them. Even $10 to support our mission is a valued gift. But Ami and Maddy circled back to our WHY, that it's all about grants and that our #1 call to action is always membership. Specific calls: join Impact Austin or renew; host a coffee (membership recruitment event) or co-host or offer a location; bring a friend to an Impact Austin event; explore corporate match for membership or as sponsor of an event; join the Advancement Committee.
2025 Grants Update
Co-Chairs Karen McLinden and Michelle Rankin shared key features of our 2025 grant cycle. These have been developed with feedback from various communities: our membership; our Community Partner grantees; and colleagues like Philanos and Philanthropy Together and the giving circles within them.
As previously announced, there will be one grant cycle only.
Primary and secondary grants will be awarded in the three focus areas: Community, Education, and Health & Well-Being.
A Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging lens will be applied to all grant applications throughout the evaluation process.
All grants will be unrestricted as a strong demonstration of trust in our Community Partners.
2025 grant amounts will be based on Impact Austin's membership level as of December 31, 2024.
Registration for Grant Review Committees opened at Town Hall and will remain open until January 31, 2025. Dues must be current (or monthly membership donations begun) by that date.
The Grants team welcomes your questions and concerns. Email grants@impactaustin.org
Deanna and Board Vice President Claudia Barlow closed Town Hall with thanks to all for attending, a reminder of ways to get involved, and an invitation to our signature learning event, Discovery Day, on January 25, 2025. Last and most important, we are all inspired to renew by December 31 and to bring new members to our collective giving!
