AUSTIN, Texas – Austin Community Foundation (ACF) announced today that $2.3 million in grant funding from the Forever Austin Fund wasawarded to 99 organizations working to address a variety of issues across Central Texas.
The Forever Austin Fund is made possible by generous donors who have entrusted legacy gifts to ACF to support the issues they care about long after their lifetimes. Collectively, these endowments constitute the Forever Austin Fund. This permanent community resource enables ACF to invest in Austin’s most pressing needs and greatest opportunities, now and for generations to come.
“We are honored to carry on the legacy of our donors who chose to invest in our community forever,” said Mike Nellis, CEO, Austin Community Foundation. “The Forever Austin Fund allows us to steward this spirit of generosity, amplifying the collective impact of our donors, and supporting local nonprofits in their work to make Central Texas a better place for everyone.”
ACF staff, board members, donors, and 90 trained community reviewers thoroughly reviewed more than 530 grant proposals. Organizations were selected across three strategic focus areas—economic mobility, health and humanities, and nurturing our region. The nonprofits selected for grants represent a diverse pool of applicants encompassing a range of sizes, geographies, and populations served.
Strategic Focus Areas
Economic Mobility: $1.15 million awarded to 39 organizations working to address systemic barriers to building generational wealth, create career pathways, support housing stability, and provide programs for small business owners and entrepreneurs.
Health and Humanities: $949,500 awarded to 44 organizations that are improving outcomes for health and wellness and expanding access to arts and cultural experiences.
Nurturing Our Region: $249,000 awarded to 16 organizations to protect green spaces, enhance environmental stewardship, and support the well-being of animals.
The Economic Growth Business Incubator was one of the recipient of this funding cycle. Visit Austincf.org/Forever-Austin-25 for a complete list of 2025 grant partners.
Awards range from $5,000 to $50,000, reflecting ACF’s commitment to funding emerging community partners and well-established service providers. All grants are intended to provide general operating support to help strengthen an organization’s capacity and sustainability, allowing them to fulfill their mission effectively.
Texas Mutual has selected 66 Texas nonprofits to receive over $4.5 million in grants for their dedication to helping working families get the support and health care they need. Nonprofit organizations were invited to apply for a generational learning grant between April 14 and May 16. After an extensive review process, Texas Mutual selected grant partners for their efforts in:
Improving the health and wellness of Texas employees and their families by providing access to quality care and health education
Strengthening the early childhood education system by ensuring child care providers have the resources needed to deliver access to affordable, quality education for Texas families
Providing holistic wraparound support for clients in addition to case management to ensure families have the resources they need to seize opportunities
To evaluate grant applications, Texas Mutual trained over 78 employee volunteers to review applications based on several criteria, including evaluating each of the organizations for their work in the generational learning space and alignment with Texas Mutual’s commitment to build stronger, safer, more resilient communities. Throughout their review, the community affairs team worked to ensure that funding was distributed throughout the state and supported underserved communities.
The Economic Growth Business Incubator was one of the organizations selected this grant cycle and we are tremendously grateful for believing in our vision. Stay tuned for more updates on our impact with the partnership of Texas Mutual.
In both 2024 and 2025 the Economic Growth Business Incubator (EGBI) was recognized by the working parents organization for being the best place for working parents® in both years.
The working parents organization is a national initiative that recognizes and celebrates businesses that support working parents and their families. They provide resources and information to businesses on how to help and accommodate working parents and their families.
EGBI got this award by demonstrating excellence in offering policies such as flexible work hours, parental leave, and wellness benefits. All of their clients are satisfied with how EGBI has worked hard to provide resources and help for all families or any color and background.
“The award reflects our belief that taking care of our team is essential to serving our community—when our clients thrive, so does our mission, and we like to take it the extra mile, when our clients come to our business coaching sessions, they can bring their kids. We have coloring books, legos, and toys for them to play. When our clients need to bring their kids, as long as they are well behaved, they can stay in the classroom. Sometimes the kids are more invested in the workshops than the parents. This is a reflection of who we are as an organization,” asserted Larissa Davila, Executive Director of the organization.
In May of 2023, the Economic Growth Business Incubator (EGBI) won an award for being the #1 Business Accelerator through dedication to their clients and the hard work their team put into it. They got this reward through the Austin Business Journal (ABJ) by having the most companies going through their program in 2022.
The Austin Business Journal provides local news, data, and networking around businesses in the city of Austin. They cover various industries like real estate, retail, commercial, restaurants, and more! Other things they do include the publishing of a book called “Book of lists”, which rank various businesses in specific categories, and hosting events for business professionals.
“This recognition from ABJ was a testament to the hard work of our team and the incredible entrepreneurs we had the privilege to work with. We were excited to have built momentum and to continue driving success for businesses here in Austin and beyond,” said Monica Peña, community relations director at the Economic Growth Business Incubator (EGBI).
In March of 2025 the Economic Growth Business Incubator (EGBI) was awarded the Promising practice award by the Central Texas Learning Festival (SXSW EDU). The Central Texas Learning Festival is a regional showcase held during SXSW EDU, part of the larger SXSW festival. They bring together a wide variety of educators to share new ideas and highlight programs that are community driven and that value inclusivity and equality.
“This award affirmed the real-world impact of our nontraditional teaching methods and our role in shaping inclusive, community-centered learning opportunities. We are extremely honored to receive this award and to be a partner of the Central Texas Learning Festival since its inception,” Monica Peña, Community Relations Director of EGBI stated.
EGBI got awarded the Promising practice award by working to educate business owners with limited access to resources and help them strive for excellence. EGBI meets people where they are and help them grow as confident entrepreneurs
In 2024 and 2025 the Economic Growth Business Incubator (EGBI) received the Platinum Seal of Transparency, which acknowledges organizations that are not only transparent about their operations, but also demonstrate a deep commitment to accountability, effectiveness, and the trust of their stakeholders. EGBI had to get the bronze, gold, and silver seal before qualifying for the platinum seal of transparency. They received this reward from Candid in both years.
Candid is a non-profit that provides data about the social sector. They help other non-profits find funding, access resources, and to support the right organizations. Essentially they help connect people to the resources they need to succeed in life.
“We are deeply grateful to Candid for this recognition and to all of our supporters who make this work possible. Together, we can continue to drive meaningful change, one transparent step at a time.” concluded Jose Lopez, the Programs Director of the Economic Growth Business Accelerator (EGBI).
