2025 Community Impact Update

Community Impact Fund UPDATE JANUARY 2026

Dear Partner, Thank you for believing in the Greater Houston Community Foundation’s role as a trusted partner—rooted in our community and committed to bringing people and resources together to create lasting, meaningful change.

Grounded in data and a deep understanding of Houston’s unique challenges and opportunities, our Community Impact now focuses on two pressing priorities: disaster resilience and economic mobility. Together with our donors and community partners, we are driving meaningful, measurable change—helping more families gain the tools to climb the economic ladder and the resources to weather life's storms.

The Community Impact Fund is a natural extension of our mission—complementing the donor-led impact at the heart of the Community Foundation and convening people and ideas to address our community’s most urgent needs. It reflects our purpose: to inspire and create meaningful and positive change with our donors and for our community. This update highlights the impact we have made in partnership with our donors across the Fund’s three pillars: Understanding Houston, Greater Houston Disaster Alliance, and High-Impact Grantmaking.

As we enter our fourth decade of service to the Houston region, we believe this is a pivotal moment for reflection and bold planning. That’s why we have launched a strategy and sustainability planning initiative to strengthen our Community Impact work—ensuring we have a strategic framework and financial model to drive positive change for decades to come. This process has engaged our donors alongside our Governing Board and key partners so we can grow as a trusted leader and convener while amplifying the reach and results of our community’s philanthropy.

At its heart, community impact is about people—donors, neighbors, and partners— coming together to address challenges that require shared commitment, innovation, and persistence. We believe that by working side by side, we can build stronger, more resilient communities where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

With gratitude, Steve Maislin President & CEO

Diana Zarzuelo Vice President of Community Impact

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Understanding Houston Launched in 2019, Understanding Houston is a data indicator initiative created in partnership with Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research to help us understand the key quality of life issues across Houston’s three most populous counties: Fort Bend, Harris, and Montgomery. This central resource empowers donors, nonprofits, community leaders, and more to take informed action—individually and collectively—to build a region where everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Internal Impact Update Understanding Houston is actively used by regional leaders to inform funding, strategy, and planning decisions with approximately 5,000 monthly users (18% repeat) and 95% of surveyed users reporting direct application of Understanding Houston’s data and analysis in their work. Nearly 450 individuals across multiple sectors were briefed through 12 Understanding Houston presentations. In 2025, five of eight Understanding Houston topics were refreshed with the latest data: Community Context, Economic Opportunity, Education, Health, and Housing. A peer region (Cincinnati) engaged with the Community Foundation to learn from and potentially replicate the model.

ECONOMIC MOBILITY SUMMIT: BUILDING BRIDGES FOR DEEPER IMPACT Understanding Houston has also expanded the Community Foundation’s capacity as a leader and convenor on important issues. In the Fall of 2025, the Community Foundation co-convened an Economic Mobility Summit, a cross-sector effort to catalyze collective action around the issue of economic mobility.

Local and national experts presented to 152 leaders with 14% representing academia, 11% from business, 4% from education, 9% from government, 48% from nonprofit, and 14% from philanthropy. This group is committed to solidifying a coalition to build on the momentum from this event and make meaningful progress on upward mobility for Houston families.

“I would absolutely recommend that all donors consider attending Topic Briefings by Understanding Houston.

Even as a native Houstonian, I often find myself surprised at what I have to learn about our constantly changing city… access to this knowledge has allowed me to be more thoughtful, deliberate, and confident in my giving” Kaylen Burke MacDonald Community Foundation Donor & Next Gen Giving Circle Participant

External Impact Update

53,000

95%

450

website users in 2025 year-to-date with 18% being return users.

say Understanding Houston informs their giving, leadership, strategy, and decisions.

individuals from multiple sectors briefed through 12 Understanding Houston presentations.

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Inaugural Economic Mobility Summit Recognizing the power of collaboration, five leading Houston nonprofits came together to spark a community-wide conversation on economic opportunity: Greater Houston Community Foundation along with Good Reason Houston, Greater Houston Partnership, Kinder Institute for Urban Research, and United Way of Greater Houston. More than 150 cross-sector leaders participated—from academia, business, government, nonprofit, and philanthropy—to build shared knowledge on economic mobility, strengthen relationships, and explore the collective action needed to enhance upward mobility opportunities in Houston.

Through data and trends from Understanding Houston, it is abundantly clear that economic mobility is a paramount concern for Houston. The Summit was developed on the shared belief that, regardless of where a person starts, they can move up the economic ladder in Houston; however data highlights not insignificant challenges we must overcome as a community to make this vision a reality.

In addition to presentations from local and national experts, both days of the Summit provided attendees with the opportunity to engage in collaborative discussions to explore ways Houston can lead the nation on economic mobility. This event harnessed Houston’s trademark resilience, optimism, and collaboration; and more than just a one-time conversation, it marked the beginning of a long-term commitment. Convenors and participants are committed to continuing the work to refine priorities, align around shared goals, and pursue collective actions to deliver measurable, lasting progress for all Houstonians.

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Greater Houston Disaster Alliance With over 45 years of combined experience leading disaster recovery efforts, the Community Foundation and United Way of Greater Houston formed the Greater Houston Disaster Alliance in 2023 to ensure the region has the systems and networks in place to accelerate recovery rapidly and effectively in times of disaster.

Through founding sponsorships from Enbridge and Phillips 66, and new support from JPMorgan Chase and Texas Mutual Insurance, the Disaster Alliance catalyzes public and private partnerships and brings a year-round focus to disaster preparedness and resilience to reduce the harm caused by disaster on our most vulnerable residents.

Internal Impact Update ACCELERATING RECOVERY & BUILDING RESILIENCE Since its establishment, the Disaster Alliance has reduced the number of days to make first grants following disaster from 34 days to 22 days. This year, the Disaster Alliance has taken steps to further accelerate recovery by executing pre-hurricane season MOUs with 18 nonprofit organizations to accelerate round 1 grants to key nonprofits, further accelerating recovery for disaster survivors.

The Community Foundation has also pursued resilience opportunities including: becoming a founding partner of the Gulf Research Program’s Community Foundation Resilience Network, a formal peer learning community with other Gulf Coast community foundations that includes funds for staff and resilience programs; participating in the Houston Ready Roundtable, a cross-sector disaster readiness initiative of the City of Houston that has allowed us to work collaboratively to improve coordination between phases of disaster; using data to identify 29 highly vulnerable zip codes for prioritizing first disaster resilience efforts; and participated in Gulf Research Program’s ACT Initiative, a series of convenings to identify regional assets and gaps, form multi-sector working groups, and pursue planning grant funds to make progress on key priorities.

External Impact Update

4 Nonprofit Convenings

200+ from nearly 100 Staff Attendees

Nonprofit Partners

to improve its grantmaking and grantee processes, support nonprofit operational disaster preparedness, and co-create approaches to document measurable gains in disaster recovery and resilience.

Houston is no stranger to severe weather events and it’s critical to be prepared.

For resources and insights, visit www.disasteralliance.org to read the Derecho and Beryl Impact Reports.

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Thank You! DISASTER RECOVERY COUNCIL CO-CHAIRS Bob Harvey, Retired, Greater Houston Partnership Donna Sims Wilson, Kah Capital Management MEMBERS Patra Brannon-Isaac, Kinder Foundation Todd Denton, Phillips 66 Winell Herron, H-E-B Mike Koby, Enbridge Y. Ping Sun, Yetter Coleman LLP Tony Torres, Deloitte & Touche Cynthia Wilson, City of Houston

LEAD SPONSORS

When disaster strikes, community answers.

In times of crisis, Houston shines. Thanks to your extraordinary generosity, families facing unthinkable loss are receiving the critical support they need. Your giving—rooted in care, community, and compassion—sends a powerful message: no one stands alone.

Together, Community Foundation donors have contributed more than $2.7 million to aid relief and recovery from the devastating flooding across Central Texas. These gifts are already making a tangible difference—providing immediate relief, supporting grieving families, and laying the foundation for long-term recovery. You have responded with urgency and heart, and we are deeply grateful.

At Greater Houston Community Foundation, we know that resiliency means more than responding in the moment—it means helping communities recover stronger than before. That’s why our team is worked alongside peer community foundations in San Antonio, Austin, and across Texas to share expertise, coordinate resources, and ensure that generosity translates into lasting impact.

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High-Impact Grantmaking The High-Impact Grantmaking initiative, the newest Community Impact pillar, gives our donors and partners the ability to partner with the Community Foundation and invest, together, in innovative solutions with catalytic impact focused on Houston's most pressing challenges. In Fall 2023, our Governing Board, with consensus from donors and key stakeholders, selected economic mobility as a priority and paramount concern for Houston. A complex and multi-faceted issue in need of greater shared understanding, collective action, and strategic philanthropic investment.

Year One Update In 2024, our Governing Board approved $500,000 in grants to three organizations that are implementing proven, promising, and/or innovative solutions that advance economic mobility and address intergenerational poverty for children and families in Harris County. A Community Grants Advisory Committee comprised of 14 community leaders with diverse personal and professional experiences recommended our three inaugural grantees for funding: Connective received a $200,000 grant to support Unlock My Benefits TX, a tech-driven, community-based initiative that connects Houstonians with essential public benefits they qualify for but often struggle to obtain.

GOAL: Screen 2,250 households and help 450 households apply for public benefits.

PROGRESS: As of October 2025, over 7,300 households were screened and more than 4,600 received application support, which has unlocked $9M+ for families, or an average increase of $4,100 annually per household.

Grameen America received a $100,000 grant to support their program to deliver microloans, financial literacy, education, and technical assistance to low-income entrepreneurial women in underserved communities in Houston.

GOAL: Distribute $30M in microloans, serve 5,200 members, and provide 18,000 hours of financial literacy, loan counseling, and small business education to support upward economic mobility for families and communities.

PROGRESS: As of October 2025, the Second Houston Branch invested $28M in women's local businesses with a 99.9% repayment rate, and 4,900 women received over 15,000 hours of pre-loan counseling and workshops.

Prison Entrepreneurship Program, received a $200,000 grant to support their Collider Program, a dynamic social and economic community center that provides reentry support, education, mentorship, employment pathways and access to capital for formerly incarcerated individuals.

GOAL: Empower 500 formerly incarcerated individuals and their families to achieve lasting economic independence and break the cycle of poverty.

PROGRESS: As of October 2025, 360 returned citizens and their families have been served, 13 loans issued, and 7 businesses launched. Participants have maintained a 100% employment rate, with an average starting wage of $17/hour and a less than 10% recidivism rate (compared to 50% nationally).

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High-Impact Grantmaking Year Two Update In the second year of our High-Impact Grantmaking initiative, we have continued to support our inaugural grant partners, while simultaneously facilitating the grantmaking process for our next round of grantees.

We streamlined the process in 2025, reducing the burden on both nonprofits, our staff, and our volunteers. A highlight of this was replacing last year’s letter of interest with a streamlined Good Fit Assessment, allowing nonprofits to clarify eligibility and have instant access to the full application if they were deemed a “good fit.”

At the same time, we supported grant partners from our inaugural year beyond the check, resulting in an additional investment of almost $450,000—nearly double our goal of influencing $250,000 in assets.

The Community Foundation achieved this ambitious goal primarily through introductions to peer funders and promotion and marketing support including a progress webinar, social media posts, newsletter highlights, and spotlight blogs on each finalist.

Last Year vs. This Year

2024

300 Letters of Inquiry 16 Full Applications 6 Site Visits 3 Finalists 3 Grantees

2025

140 Good Fit Assessments 80 Full Applications 9 Site Visits 4 Finalists 1-2 Grantees (projected)

Co-Investing for Amplified Impact

$449,500

of additional investments to our inaugural grantees were influenced by the Community Foundation—nearly double our goal of $250,000!

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Thank You! COMMUNITY IMPACT FUND FOUNDING SUPPORTERS We are deeply grateful to these donors for their support of our Community Impact Fund. Since its inception in 2023, the Community Impact Fund has raised more than $6.2 million to date, thanks to the generosity of: Barrington Family Foundation Ken Bohan Lenni & Bill Burke​ Jerry C. Dearing Family Foundation​ Dovetail Impact Foundation Ebel Family Foundation​ Elkins Foundation​ Eugenia Elliott​ Enbridge​ Patti, Richard & Jenny Everett​ Ann & Peter Fluor Lacey & Matt Goossen Annie & Bob Graham Vicki & Bob Harvey Sara & Phil Hawk Holly & Josh Hudley /​Linda & Phil Lewis​ Jill & Dunham Jewett Carla Knobloch

Manne McGregor Family Foundation Marek Family Fund ​ Lauren & Brad Morgan Cullen K. Geiselman​Muse ​Phillips 66​ Beth Robertson Lyn & Carl Schmulen Fund Shell Caren & Rob Sweetland Fund Charlene & Tym Tombar​ Verizon​ Chris Weekley​ Randa & K.C. Weiner​ Wells Fargo​ Wilkens Family Toni & Chad Wilson Connie & Tommy Wright

COMMUNITY IMPACT FUND GROWTH COMMITTEE Committee Co-Chairs: Cullen Gieselman Muse, Ph.D.

Tym Tombar

Governing Board Member & Chair of the Board at Cullen Trust for Healthcare

Governing Board Member & Managing Director at Arcadius Capital

Honorary Co-Chairs: Kate Fowler

Randa Weiner

Governing Board Member & Executive Director of Jerry C. Dearing Family Foundation

Former Governing Board Member & Community Leader

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