2018
Annual Report

Dear Community Partners and Supporters,

At Houston Endowment, we envision greater Houston as a vibrant community where all have the opportunity to thrive.

We are proud of our diverse and dynamic region. We love its energy and its “can do” spirit. Yet we also see that many people in our region are facing significant challenges — challenges that prevent them from having full access to opportunity. These challenges are quite complex. They will not be solved by any one entity working alone. And it will take sustained commitment and focus to achieve meaningful impact.

Houston Endowment’s dollars are substantial but limited. We must deploy our resources with utmost care in order to have the greatest impact possible. Increasingly, this means seeking opportunities that are ripe for change, then deploying our resources in alignment and collaboration with others. In some cases, Houston Endowment brings people together to initiate action. In other cases, we are proud to join and support the work of others. Looking back on 2018, we are grateful to the many individuals and organizations from across the public, private, nonprofit and philanthropic sectors that make our work possible.

The initiatives showcased in this report are examples of the Endowment working collectively with others on issues that disproportionately affect disadvantaged populations and where we see the potential for transformative and lasting change. These include:

• Creating a nonprofit that is working to improve public education in greater Houston;
• Working side by side with community leaders to restore a historic institution in an underserved community; and
• Introducing community leaders who are working together to ignite greater civic engagement in their neighborhoods.

We continue to build on our learnings from 2018. And we look forward to continuing to work with others to ensure a vibrant future for everyone in our region.

Sincerely,

Ann B. Stern