NEWS

February 2026

Impact Austin has kicked off 2026 with a lot of energy, and I'm excited about all the opportunities we have for members to get engaged over the next few months. I hope to see you at an upcoming event.

The core of what we do is grantmaking. Our youth program, Girls Giving Grants, is midway through their annual grant cycle. Impact Austin launches grant review on Feb 10 with three Grant Review Committees that will determine the six nonprofit finalists you'll vote for at our Jun 8 Annual Meeting to receive a total of $300,000. Thank you to all our members who are participating in the grantmaking process.

Impact Austin is hosting the Philanos national conference Feb 8-10. Members of women's giving circles from across the country will be in Austin to learn more about collective giving, meet other female philanthropists, and share best practices. Several Impact Austin members will be speaking during the three-day event, sharing their experiences and expertise with conference attendees.

Discovery Day is our premier learning event, held annually to educate members and guests about our community needs. I'm excited about this year's event on Feb 27, when we're partnering with Mission Capital to discuss the impact of their Good Measure program as they celebrate its 10th anniversary. We'll hear from funders and nonprofit professionals about the current landscape. This event is an excellent opportunity to bring a friend so they can learn more about Impact Austin.

We're also kicking off recruitment for our FY27 Board of Directors. If you would like to nominate someone for the board (including yourself!), use this nomination form. Alternatively, reach out to me or to Governance Chair Anne Helmick-Lyon. We're happy to answer questions about Impact Austin board service. The deadline for nominations is Feb 27.

Regards,

Claudia Barlow

President, Board of Directors

Events

Philanos PowerUP! Texas Conference

Twemty-two Impact Austin members will join the Philanos Conference at the Austin Hilton Feb 8-10. Four members will speak/present: Claudia Barlow, Judi McCarthy, Audra Morris and Tonya Netzley. Becky Austen will perform with The Blue Vibe band on opening night! We owe special thanks Kalí Rourke, the official liaison between Impact Austin and Philanos, who has also served as an ex officio member on their Board.

2026 Discovery Day

Don’t miss the inspiring and thoughtful discussions at 2026 Discovery Day. A fireside chat, a panel of community experts, and two small group discussions will stimulate ideas around nonprofit collaborations, the changing landscape of public support, and evolving community needs. The agenda and our generous sponsors are found on the Discovery Day webpage. Registration is open now! The event is free to members and only $10 for guests and community. Bring a friend who loves Central Texas!

For the first time, our event will be at the Better Business Bureau with abundant free parking. The first half hour is reserved for networking and a light breakfast. Post-event, consider joining the optional lunch at Tres Amigos Restaurant and Cantina for more conversation and networking.

Member Connections Events

We have a fun mix of virtual and in-person events coming up. Let’s meet and mingle with new and long-standing Impact Austin friends! Click on the tiles for event registrations.

Membership

Thank you to new and renewing members who built our grantmaking funds so that we can award $100,000 in each focus area as 2026 Grants! Looking ahead, remember that more members = bigger grants. Take advantage of Discovery Day and Member Connections events as opportunities to introduce a friend or colleague to Impact Austin.

Membership Info Sessions

Are you curious about Impact Austin? How to join or how we operate? We offer Virtual Membership Info Sessions each month, typically on the second Friday. In just one hour over lunch, we share our mission and community impact, how to join, and how to get involved. From the convenience of your desk or the comfiest chair in the house, join us online to learn more.

New Member Celebration

What a fabulous gathering on Jan 11 to celebrate our new members! Thanks to Robin Krumme for organizing and hosting. And even bigger thanks to the new members who joined us in 2025.

If you missed this event, check out our Member Connections webpage. It includes all Member Connections events, information on how to volunteer, and a helpful Quick-Start Guide.

Grants

Our 2026 grant cycle is well underway, with the last applications submitted as this newsletter was finalized. Thank you to 80 members who registered for Grant Review Committees. Their work launches with an All-GRC Kickoff and Education Session on Feb 10. Each GRC will hold first meetings in the week after. Initial assessments in mid-March will identify applications meriting deep-dive review. You’ll find those results on our blog soon after. Semifinalists will undergo site visits Apr 23-25, and our grant finalists will be named in May. The process leads to grant awards announced at our June 8 Annual Meeting!

Girls Giving Grants

Our Girls Giving Grants (g3) giving circle is deep into their own grant cycle. They chose semifinalists in January; you can read who those are on our blog. This month g3’s ARCs (Application Review Committees) are in the process of advocating for those semifinalists. After finalists are selected, those nonprofits will undergo site visits on Apr 11. The g3 members will celebrate their Grant Awardee at their final meeting on Apr 19. They’ll celebrate again with Impact Austin members at our Annual Meeting as their total grantmaking will reach $138,600!

Committee Spotlight

Impact Austin's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee helps to embed equitable and inclusive practices and processes in our grantmaking, improve diversity in our membership, and cultivate a culture where all members feel they belong. New members are invited to join this meaningful work via our Volunteer form.

The committee recently updated our D.E.I.B. Resource Guide, which is uploaded to Impact Austin's About Us page. Find additional resources there.

Community Partner Spotlight

Our 2025 Education Grant to Breakthrough Central Texas was unrestricted, supporting their mission to partner with middle and high school students who aspire to be the first in their family to graduate with a degree or certificate. Breakthrough recently shared this success story.

"Congratulations to Freddie, one of our amazing 2025 graduates! Freddie earned his Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology!

Freddie is pursuing a future in biomedical engineering with plans to work in prosthetics and rehabilitation technology. His long-term goal is to earn a master’s in orthotics and prosthetics and eventually build a company focused on creating accessible, high-quality prosthetic devices for low-income communities. As a first-generation college graduate, this milestone represents years of sacrifice and resilience — not just for him, but for his entire family. Freddie said, “Becoming a first-generation Latino college graduate still feels unreal – it’s proof that dreams that once felt out of reach really are possible. Standing on that stage felt like carrying my family’s hopes with me and finally turning them into reality.”

Upcoming Events

Feb 13 – Virtual Membership Info Session. Details/registration.

Feb 16 – Member Connections Virtual Co-Working, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM. Registration.

Feb 22 – Member Connections "Heart Healthy" Boxing. Details/registration.

Feb 27 – Discovery Day 2026. Details & Registration.

Feb 27 - Nominations due for Impact Austin's FY 2027 Board of Directors

Mar 9 – Member Connections Virtual Co-Working. Registration.

Mar 13 – Virtual Membership Info Session. Details/registration.

Mar 23 – Member Connections Impact Austin Book Club. Details/registration.

Apr 10 – Virtual Membership Info Session. Details/registration.

May 8 – Virtual Membership Info Session. Details/registration.

Jun 8 – 2026 Annual Meeting. Save the Date.

Get Social, Stay Connected

Impact Austin Member Hub Facebook Page

The Membership Committee championed a Facebook group for members, and here’s how to join: From the “Search Facebook” field, type Impact Austin Member Hub. Request to join the group and answer three quick questions. Once you’ve answered those questions, your request should be approved by one of the group moderators within 48 business hours. This group is for members only – to strengthen connections, share ideas, get together socially, and stay updated. Posts may be generated by anyone in the group!