2025 Community Impact Update by Greater Houston Community Foundation

Community Impact Fund

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

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.

InternalImpactUpdate

UnderstandingHoustonisactivelyusedbyregionalleaderstoinformfunding,strategy,andplanning decisionswithapproximately5,000monthlyusers(18%repeat)and95%ofsurveyedusersreporting directapplicationofUnderstandingHouston’sdataandanalysisintheirwork.Nearly450individuals acrossmultiplesectorswerebriefedthrough12UnderstandingHoustonpresentations.In2025,fiveof eightUnderstandingHoustontopicswererefreshedwiththelatestdata:CommunityContext, EconomicOpportunity,Education,Health,andHousing.Apeerregion(Cincinnati)engagedwiththe CommunityFoundationtolearnfromandpotentiallyreplicatethemodel.

ECONOMICMOBILITYSUMMIT: BUILDINGBRIDGESFORDEEPERIMPACT

UnderstandingHoustonhasalsoexpandedthe CommunityFoundation’scapacityasaleaderand convenoronimportantissues.IntheFallof2025,the CommunityFoundationco-convenedanEconomic MobilitySummit,across-sectorefforttocatalyze collectiveactionaroundtheissueofeconomicmobility. Localandnationalexpertspresentedto152leaderswith 14%representingacademia,11%frombusiness,4%from education,9%fromgovernment,48%fromnonprofit, and14%fromphilanthropy.Thisgroupiscommittedto solidifyingacoalitiontobuildonthemomentumfromthis eventandmakemeaningfulprogressonupwardmobility forHoustonfamilies.

External Impact Update

53,000

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

“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

95% say Understanding Houston informs their giving, leadership, strategy, and decisions.

450

individuals from multiple sectors briefed through 12 Understanding Houston presentations.

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.

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.

InternalImpactUpdate

ACCELERATINGRECOVERY&BUILDINGRESILIENCE

Sinceitsestablishment,theDisasterAlliancehasreducedthenumberofdaystomakefirstgrants followingdisasterfrom34daysto22days.Thisyear,theDisasterAlliancehastakenstepstofurther acceleraterecoverybyexecutingpre-hurricaneseasonMOUswith18nonprofitorganizationsto accelerateround1grantstokeynonprofits,furtheracceleratingrecoveryfordisastersurvivors.

TheCommunityFoundationhasalsopursuedresilienceopportunitiesincluding: becomingafoundingpartneroftheGulfResearchProgram’sCommunityFoundationResilience Network,aformalpeerlearningcommunitywithotherGulfCoastcommunityfoundationsthat includesfundsforstaffandresilienceprograms; participatingintheHoustonReadyRoundtable,across-sectordisasterreadinessinitiativeoftheCity ofHoustonthathasallowedustoworkcollaborativelytoimprovecoordinationbetweenphasesof disaster; usingdatatoidentify29highlyvulnerablezipcodesforprioritizingfirstdisasterresilienceefforts;and participatedinGulfResearchProgram’sACTInitiative,aseriesofconveningstoidentifyregional assetsandgaps,formmulti-sectorworkinggroups,andpursueplanninggrantfundstomake progressonkeypriorities.

External Impact Update

4 Nonprofit Convenings

200+ Staff Attendees from nearly

100 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.

Thank You!

DISASTERRECOVERYCOUNCIL

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.

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:

Connectivereceiveda$200,000granttosupportUnlockMyBenefitsTX,atech-driven, community-basedinitiativethatconnectsHoustonianswithessentialpublicbenefits theyqualifyforbutoftenstruggletoobtain.

GOAL:Screen2,250householdsandhelp450householdsapplyforpublicbenefits.

PROGRESS:AsofOctober2025,over7,300householdswerescreenedandmore than4,600receivedapplicationsupport,whichhasunlocked$9M+forfamilies,oran averageincreaseof$4,100annuallyperhousehold.

GrameenAmericareceiveda$100,000granttosupporttheirprogramtodeliver microloans,financialliteracy,education,andtechnicalassistancetolow-income entrepreneurialwomeninunderservedcommunitiesinHouston.

GOAL:Distribute$30Minmicroloans,serve5,200members,andprovide18,000 hoursoffinancialliteracy,loancounseling,andsmallbusinesseducationtosupport upwardeconomicmobilityforfamiliesandcommunities.

PROGRESS:AsofOctober2025,theSecondHoustonBranchinvested$28Min women'slocalbusinesseswitha99.9%repaymentrate,and4,900womenreceived over15,000hoursofpre-loancounselingandworkshops.

PrisonEntrepreneurshipProgram,receiveda$200,000granttosupporttheirCollider Program,adynamicsocialandeconomiccommunitycenterthatprovidesreentry support,education,mentorship,employmentpathwaysandaccesstocapitalfor formerlyincarceratedindividuals.

GOAL:Empower500formerlyincarceratedindividualsandtheirfamiliestoachieve lastingeconomicindependenceandbreakthecycleofpoverty.

PROGRESS:AsofOctober2025,360returnedcitizensandtheirfamilieshavebeen served,13loansissued,and7businesseslaunched.Participantshavemaintaineda 100%employmentrate,withanaveragestartingwageof$17/hourandalessthan 10%recidivismrate(comparedto50%nationally).

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.

Co-Investing for Amplified Impact

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

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