In July 2024, St. David’s Foundation launched a second round of open call funding opportunities aimed at supporting organizations focused on increasing affordable housing capacity and fostering connections between the Foundation and communities with significant health needs in Central Texas. These initiatives align with the strategic plan "Pathways to Health Equity," which seeks to advance health equity across the region.
The Foundation received over 200 initial letters of intent, which were reviewed for eligibility and alignment with each opportunity's goals. Subsequently, 93 organizations were invited to submit full applications, resulting in 26 grants being awarded across both calls to promote health equity in Central Texas.
"The open call funding opportunities this year have allowed the Foundation to test new ways of working that are aligned with the goals and aspirations of our new strategic plan," said Regan Gruber Moffitt, VP of Community Investments at St. David’s Foundation. "We are inspired by the work shared with us through this process which reflects a deep commitment to community voice and serving communities facing the greatest needs."
The "Housing + Health: Funding for Planning and Predevelopment" open call awarded $8.4 million in grants aimed at enhancing Central Texas' capacity to provide safe, healthy, and affordable housing options for low-to-moderate income households in Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson counties. A total of 18 grants were given out, with 45% going to first-time recipients from the Foundation. The projects funded are expected to result in over 800 new affordable housing units for low-income and historically marginalized populations.
More details on the Housing + Health open call can be found https://stdavidsfoundation.org/how-we-work/grantmaking/funding-opportunities/housing-and-health-2024/.
The "Investing in Impact: Community-Directed Giving through Intermediaries" open call provided $4.5 million through eight grants. These funds will enhance intermediary organizations' ability to re-grant resources via a community-directed process reflecting community needs and priorities. Half of these organizations support multiple counties within Central Texas.
More details on the Investing in Impact open call can be found https://stdavidsfoundation.org/how-we-work/grantmaking/funding-opportunities/investing-in-impact-2024/.
St. David’s Foundation remains committed to evolving its grantmaking approaches to ensure investments are equity-driven and community-focused. Future funding opportunities will be announced early next year.