Texas has a preference for smaller government, lower regulations, a pro-business attitude and culture, and higher personal freedoms. Newcomers are attracted to this positive view and support for the American Dream. A key element to the successful functioning of this philosophy and structure is that our citizens help one another. Austin is largely a friendly and positive town and neighbors DO help one another. During the power grid crisis in February, 2021; stories abound of neighbors sharing water and food with others; those with power invited friends and acquaintances without power to stay in their homes. Even our beloved HEB provided water stations and staples to those in need long before any government assistance was available. Yes, our Austin citizens, our businesses, and our amazing non-profit organizations rise to the occasion to help fill in gaps that our government is not structured to provide.
Some will rightly criticize this model as challenging for the most vulnerable. Our local non-profits have long supported and connected individuals needing services (sometimes even translation or broadband support) with the right government and private resources. Philanthropy, corporate support and foundations help fund these important non-profits who serve populations in need. Historically, the philanthropic community viewed part of their fiduciary role to measure the non-profits progress towards meeting their goals. Over the years, documentation and proof of this progress had become such a burden for service providers that smaller organizations had difficulty keeping up.
When I served as the President of the Board of Directors at Impact Austin Foundation, I attended the early 2020 summit of Philanos, a group focused on accelerating philanthropy through women’s collective giving. This multi-day summit explored many dimensions of Trust Based Philanthropy (TBP) and I became quite convinced of the many ways that many of us with privilege can unknowingly and unintentionally establish barriers to supporting communities in need. We have created a “compliance-oriented culture” in philanthropy and this created a moment to reconsider what we believed to be “best practices.”
Like other organizations, Impact Austin has been on a journey towards implementing practices that are more-aligned with TBP. Trust Based Philanthropy, according to The Trust Based Philanthropy Project, encourages the “recognition of the inherent power imbalance between foundations and nonprofits. Philanthropy will be more successful, rewarding, and effective if funders approach their grantee relationships from a place of trust, humility and transparency.” This concept of power-sharing has long been fundamental to giving circles and this has caused many foundations to reconsider their practices.
It is this work that motivates me as a volunteer leader with Impact Austin and other organizations of which I am involved. It is this that motivated our team, Baird Houston and our Baird Foundation to provide corporate support for the Impact Austin 2022 Discovery Days, educational events which feature engaging presentations and panel discussions about pressing needs in Central Texas and new trends in philanthropy. The series featured shifting demographics and how housing, health and education are impacted; discussions on how trust-based philanthropy can help meet Central Texas’ needs and identify funding priorities across our four county area. Click here to learn more about how grantees and funders are working to advance equity together. [Link here to TBP Video. Https://www.impactaustin.org/post/discovery-days-2022-session-two-takeaways.
I share this story with you to help engage you as a new comer in our Austin community to accept the torch when other Austinites pass it to you. Grab that torch, do your part, and help us help our neighbors in our community. You will find this community to be a wonderful place to call home if you understand and embrace the unique tapestry of how our citizens, our businesses, our foundations, our non-profits and our governments work together to meet the needs of all. But is it is delicate fabric that requires each of our threads. This can-do spirit and rugged individualism works for all when each of us commits to serve others, our neighbors, with empathy, curiosity, inclusivity and impact. Grab that torch!