How can I get plugged into Austin’s community issues quickly?
So, you’re moving to Austin. Welcome friend! How can you get plugged into the community issues quickly? Here are ten ways to plug into the ATX community issues and needs quickly and meet people. Here are 10 ways to get plugged into the community, learn about the city’s key issues and meet amazing new people.
1.) Enroll in one of Leadership Austin's programs to learn about the community, meet other community leaders and develop your leadership skills. I am an alumnae of Leadership Minneapolis from when I lived there, so I was able to join the alumni group at Leadership Austin. So, if you did a similar Leadership program in another city, check out doing it here too or participating in Experience Austin or the Engage series.
• Their Essential Program for experienced leaders begins with a September retreat and continues for nine one day per month during the school year. There is an application process and a fee of $3500. Some financial assistance may be available.
• The Emerge Program for emerging leaders begins with a September retreat and continues for seven one day per month sessions during the school year. There is an application process and a fee of $1,000. Some financial assistance may be available.
• The Engage Program provides thought—provoking conversations about the health and well-being of the community. The discussions are held monthly from September-June. In non-pandemic life, they are live breakfast discussions; right now access is free via Facebook live, taped video or in podcast format.
• The Experience Austin Program provide participants with an understanding of the issues and systems that impact our quality of life. This program begins with a full day program followed by four evening events. The fee is $525 and is open to the public.
• The Courageous Conversations Beyond Diversity Seminar conducted by Pacific Education Group is a way, whether you are liberal or conservative, to think about living and working in this progressive city. This program aligns with the Mayor’s task force on Institutional Racism and Systemic Inequities. The seminar goal is to have business and community leaders from across our region have a common learning experience and shared language as we continue to wrestle with diminishing the impact of institutional racism and systemic inequities across our community. These sessions are held often, are 1.5 days long, and cost $375
2.) Check out the Leadership & Development Seminars at Mission Capital. This 501( c) 3 brings together non-profits, government and business leaders to tackle systemic issues in our community.
3.) Join Impact Austin, an Austin-based women’s collective giving organization, funding Central Texas nonprofits that provide services in Bastrop, Hays, Travis, and Williamson counties. The membership and leadership proudly reflect the many faces, cultures and walks of life that make up our society. Members contribute $1250 each year, $1000 of which is pooled with other members and granted out for programs and capacity building for organizations in the four county area. The remaining $250 stays with Impact Austin to fund member educational programming (live and virtual) and organizational operations. As a volunteer-powered organization, there are many one time, periodic, seasonal or regular roles that enable community engagement. New members often serve on grant review committees to quickly get up to speed on community issues and learn what organizational solutions are seeking funding. Impact Austin, founded in 2003, has awarded $7.44 million in 94 high-impact grants to 69 Central Texas non-profits and their clients.
4.) Invest in the Austin Community Foundation’s Women’s Fund. Founded in 2004, this fund has awarded $2 million to 60 Austin non-profits through a giving network that focuses on improving the lives of women and their children. Investors can contribute varying amounts with tiered benefits and privileges. They produce periodic whitepaper reports on the issues in the community. https://www.austincf.org/community-impact/womens-fund/
5.) Sign up for Growth Program Forums with the Austin Business Journal . They convene the business, non-profit and government sectors for regular forums on the area’s rapid growth and how these public-private partnerships work together. Look out for the Austin-San Antonio Growth Summit, the North Austin Growth Summit and more.
6.) Check out and participate in Philanthropitch Austin . Each summer,non-profit organizations pitch their ideas for funding from a social innovation investor audience. Philanthropitch is an initiative of Notley. Notley is an engine for social good providing knowledge, collaboration and capital to the social impact community. The risk capital nonprofits receive through Philanthropitch fund initiatives, programs or innovative products with scalable business models.
7.) Locate two good online connection resources with Austin’s Charities:
• Connect with Austin’s charities can be found at CultureMap Austin. There is a current charity events calendar, listings of charities by category, and links to these non-profits. There is also a lot of other information on this site.
• When we get out of the pandemic and there are many more live events, Do512 is a great place to get lists of great things to do in ATX. Included on their lists are non-profit galas, educational and issues-focused forums and seminars on community issues, and more.
8.) Follow I Live Here. I Give Here. This organization has great local non-profit information, events and programs and may be best know for their Amplify Austin Campaign which raised $12.3 million for 760 Central Texas non-profits in 2020. Their Austin Involved Board Internship Program is another good place to start. Produced in partnership with Austin Community College Center for Nonprofit Studies, Austin Young Chamber, Impact Austin, Mission Capital, and the New Philanthropists, this program creates civic leaders who are immediately prepared to serve our community by connecting local professionals with Austin area non-profits in of well-prepared board members.
9.) Two of the many amazing resources at the University of Texas at Austin include the RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and the Social Innovation Initiative at McCombs School of Business.
• While the philanthropic work of the RGK Center is global in scope, there are oftentimes important Texas and local reports, speakers and events on issues of significance.
• The Social Innovation Initiative at McCombs School of Business. The Social Innovation Initiative (SII) acts as UT-Austin’s hub on campus for innovation in social and environmental impact. The center is housed in The McCombs School of Business, and thus focuses on corporate sustainability, social entrepreneurship, impact investing, and ESG investing. The SII strives to cultivate a world where business professionals can create economic value for their organizations while shaping a circular, regenerative economy that benefits all stakeholders. We reach students and community members through experiential learning programs, courses, community events, career support, and research. There are speaker series, whitepapers, recommended reads and more for your journey.
10.) Another way to connect on issues in the Austin Community is to follow the research and initiatives of AARO—Austin Area Research Organization. As a volunteer-driven organization, AARO accomplishes its work through its members, priority area committees and in collaborations. Without looking for credit, AARO takes its findings to elected leaders and the public to advance solutions that will make Central Texas dynamic, thriving and sustainable for all. AARO believes it’s shortsighted to consider only the needs of Austin when tackling region-wide challenges. AARO considers the many spheres of influence, communities and jurisdictions of Central Texas and the interdependency of the issues in its research.
So, enjoy your connections into terrific organizations and the amazing people who work and volunteer with them. Engaging with these organizations will bring you up to speed on current issues in ATX and you will make lots of terrific new friends in the process. And if I can help you get connected into our fabulous community, please let me know.