Every Annual Meeting is the year's biggest and best-attended Signature Event. Our June 5 Meeting was no exception in that regard, but it was exceptional because special touches continue to highlight our 20th Anniversary Year. If you missed the event, here's a recap.
Festive, fun, celebratory, and new! The ATX skyline provided a beautiful backdrop to our event location, The Long Center for Performing Arts. Arnold Yzaguirre serenaded on the guitar. Delicious bites were served by Root Cellar Catering Co. (part of Taproot Restaurant Collective, whose CEO is Impact Austin member Emily Malaya). KXAN-TV news anchor Jennifer Sanders was an eloquent, inspiring emcee for our program. Gift bags included Creature Cups from member Aileen Chen, plus a packet of seeds to thank each member for "growing our giving." And the fun raffles - wow! Three huge gift packages went into members' hands that evening. Annual Meeting underwriters were extraordinarily generous and led by Title Sponsor Baird and Susan Palombo. See all our event sponsors here.
Impact Austin Day! Thank you, thank you to Council Member (and Impact Austin member!) Alison Alter, who delivered a proclamation from Austin City Council that named June 5, 2023 as Impact Austin Day. No wonder the day felt so exceptional!
Our 20th Anniversary Celebration video brought smiles and even a few tears. Thank you to Deanna DeHaven and the C2C Media team for creating it. Check it out - you'll love it!
New Community Partners - Always the event highlight, we announced two new partners each within the Community and Education focus areas. Each spoke briefly and graciously, and some tears were shed. See our press release for details of each Community Partner. And consider volunteering for the fall grant cycle. Registration for Grant Review Committees will open Jul 7.
Community Grants
Magdalene House of Austin - $65,900
(program grant as proposed)
Urban Roots - $16,400 (unrestricted funding)
Education Grants
Austin Creative Reuse - $65,900
(program grant as proposed)
Seedling - $16,400(unrestricted funding)
Grant Outcomes videos - An Annual Meeting tradition is learning the results of past grants to Community Partners whose funding cycles have just completed. We heard from Texas Advocacy Project, Con Mi MADRE, Black Mamas ATX, and g3's partner Texas Family Initiative. All such videos are maintained on a Grant Outcomes playlist within Impact Austin's YouTube channel. Girls Giving Grants have their own playlist.
Girls Giving Grants were in the house! Our g3 youth initiative shared agenda time, announcing their new Community Partner, Wonders and Worries, and unveiling their new logo. Thanks to member Suzanne Daniels, who partnered with g3 in the process to design the logo. Karen Davenport announced the retirement of her co-chair Sue Breland after 5 years of service. If you have a soft spot for #girlpower
and philanthropy, step up as a g3 advisor or co-chair. You're very much needed!
Volunteers honored - Executive Director Demetria Caston recognized outstanding volunteers during the program. Big applause (and some tears) accompanied the announcement of Kirsten Spacek as the "Val Kirk Above and Beyond Award" recipient for her work as Advancement Co-Chair. Congratulations also to Audra Morris, named Volunteer of the Year for service as Membership Chair. Kudos to Denise Shannon, board member and DEIB Co-Chair, who was recognized as our Core Values Member of the Year. The Marketing Committee was honored as Committee of the Year.
Grants team thanked - Grants Co-Chairs Karen McLinden and Michelle Rankin named and thanked the leaders who brought our spring cycle all the way to the big checks and will now caretake Community Partners going forward. Nonprofit Coordinators: Fay Evans-Martin and Elaine Jensen. GRC Coordinators: Anne Helmick-Lyon and Melissa Lorber. Grant Finance Committee Coordinators and Advisors: Deana Sanders, Barbara Hambleton, Lauren Lewis, Margaret Ballinger, and Joyce Lauck. Technology Coordinators: Peggy Hoffmann, Gail Mitchell, and Melissa McDermott. Finalist Coordinators: Carla Denison-Bickett and Laure McLaughlin. Community Partner Coordinators: Randeen Torvik Ragan and Jen Hornish. Girls Giving Grants Coordinators: Sue Breland and Karen Davenport. Grants Advisor: Marla Whelan. Equally important, the members of the GRCs and GFCs were lauded as the heart of our grant selection process. Thanks to all!
And volunteers recruited - Big thanks to board member Allison Marshall for organizing a volunteer table and handout at the Annual Meeting reception. Every committee and event team is short-staffed and would welcome you! In some cases, even one-day service is a benefit. Our Volunteer Interest Form indicates Impact Austin committees and the talents you might share. Many members will vouch for the friendships they've made while volunteering; be inspired by testimonies from Grants and Marketing and find a role that suits your talents and availability.
Thank you to the Strategic Advisory Council (SAC) - This group of 28 community leaders, 68% BIPOC, served a two-year term to advise Impact Austin on diversification of our membership and grantmaking. Many have opted to continue an additional year. The SAC focused on four themes: economic equity and empowerment; racial equity and institutional/systemic racism; capacity building and infrastructure; and funding. Their recommendations have encompassed DEIB (values, training, accountability); trust-based philanthropy (unrestricted and sustained funding; capacity building; impact); and Impact Austin's position as a major funder.
Investment in Impact Austin's permanence - Legacy Team members Sara Pantin and Kathleen Mack announced that the Rebecca Warren Powers Endowment for Impact Austin at Austin Community Foundation has exceeded $752,000 in gifts and pledges. The Legacy Team, which also includes founder Rebecca Powers, announced a 5-year goal of $2 million. Each year, this total would generate approximately $80,000 in discretionary funds to Impact Austin.
Let's grow Impact Austin's membership! Invite a friend or colleague to #JoinImpactAustin or renew by Jun 30 to fund fall grants and qualify for GRC service. Let's be intentional about inviting potential members to social events, membership mixers, and Town Hall Meeting on Nov 14. Forward newsletters to anyone curious about Impact Austin. Share our website by text or email. Re-post social media and invite others to follow us. More members = bigger grants!
