Houston Endowment

Houston Endowment Houston Endowment is a nonpartisan, private foundation established in 1937 by Jesse H.

and Mary Gibbs Jones to improve the quality of life for everyone in Greater Houston.

10/01/2026

Why do you feel connected to your community, like you belong inside its story? Most likely, its because of the arts.

The Texas Tribune invited our President and CEO, Elisa Villanueva Beard to speak on this concept during "What Art Builds," a panel discussion at its annual TribFest.

Erin Harkey, CEO of Americans for the Arts, and Octavio Quintanilla, poet and professor at Our Lady of the Lake University, joined the conversation, and together these leaders explored how creativity holds communities together and the impact of losing public investment and support for the arts.

Read more about their conversation at the link in the comments.

09/08/2026

Data can help tell a story, but it’s not always the whole story.

That’s why in a recent human-centered design project, leaders turned to the community. It was there they captured deeper stories of residents’ lived experiences and were able to co-design solutions to help those individuals overcome barriers.

Get the who story in the latest episode of Upstream at the link in comments.

09/02/2026

What happens when the people closest to an issue are also closest to the solutions?

A new playbook for nonprofit collaboration has the answer.

“With & For: How Centering Communities Created a New Playbook for Nonprofit Collaboration,” tells the story of the Greater Houston Citizenship Project—a two-year undertaking that invited community members to define the problem, share their lived experiences and co-design solutions—and offers a roadmap for applying human-centered design to other social challenges.

Explore the full report at the link in comments.

The deadline to apply for the Jones Artist Awards Program is Monday, Sept. 7.This year, the program celebrates our upcom...
09/01/2026

The deadline to apply for the Jones Artist Awards Program is Monday, Sept. 7.

This year, the program celebrates our upcoming 90th anniversary and invites artists to reflect on milestones—the transitions, turning points, and new chapters that define who we are and where we’re headed.
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Along with the opportunity to showcase their work, selected artists will receive professional exhibition support, including framing, transportation, installation, photography, video documentation, and artist headshots.
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​​Applications close September 7, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. CT.
​​​🔗​ Visit Weingarten Art Group for more details

We’re sharing our experiences with a new form of collaboration and data-informed decision-making in this month’s issue o...
08/27/2026

We’re sharing our experiences with a new form of collaboration and data-informed decision-making in this month’s issue of The Channel. Read the full issue at the link in comments to learn about:

▪️ How centering communities created a new playbook for nonprofit collaboration
▪️ Insights brewing among Galveston nonprofits
▪️ What the data says about public education – and how it informs out work
▪️ How Houston Endowment listens and learns to be a more effective partner

And more!

08/26/2026

Human-centered design, a problem-solving process that puts people and their experiences at the center of decisions, is often associated with products like ergonomic chairs and child-friendly toothbrushes. But it can also be applied to social change, bringing together nonprofit organizations and community members to address a specific challenge.

On the latest episode of Upstream, program evaluator Lindsay Hanson reflects on how the Houston region’s network of nonprofits became stronger after a multi-year human-centered design initiative supported by Houston Endowment: the Greater Houston Citizenship Project.

Watch the full episode, With & For: How Human-Centered Design Is Addressing Citizenship Barriers, at the link in the comments.

Grassroots Solutions

08/21/2026

Data can help tell a story, but it’s not always the whole story.

That’s why a multi-year initiative applying human-centered design to citizenship barriers began with conversations in five Houston-area neighborhoods. It was there that Kaneesha Allen and collaborators captured deeper stories of residents’ lived experiences and were able to co-design solutions to the persistent barriers encountered by lawful permanent residents.

Watch the latest episode of Upstream, With & For: How Human-Centered Design Is Addressing Citizenship Barriers, at the link in the comments.

Dalberg

08/20/2026

“One of our core beliefs at the Foundation is that the people closest to the problems are really closest to the solutions.” — Gislaine Williams, program officer

On the latest episode of Upstream, join Williams for a journey through human-centered design, a methodology that brings community members together to define a problem and co-create solutions. It was the guiding force behind the Greater Houston Citizenship Project, a multi-year initiative addressing barriers lawful permanent residents face on the path to citizenship.

Watch the full episode, With & For: How Human-Centered Design Is Addressing Citizenship Barriers, at the link in the comments.

Happy National Nonprofit Day to our wonderful grantees! We are honored to partner with you and support your work to crea...
08/17/2026

Happy National Nonprofit Day to our wonderful grantees! We are honored to partner with you and support your work to create a stronger community.

What happens when you put community at the center of your approach? That's what we're unpacking on the next episode of U...
08/06/2026

What happens when you put community at the center of your approach? That's what we're unpacking on the next episode of Upstream on Tuesday, Aug. 11 at noon.

Hear from Gislaine Williams of Houston Endowment, Jannette Diep of BPSOS-Houston , W. Kaneesha Allen of Dalberg Design, and Lindsay Hanson of Grassroots Solutions, about how human-centered design allowed leaders with the Greater Houston Citizenship Project to better understand and address the barriers facing eligible-to-naturalize residents.

Register at the link in comments.

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