Photos of a diverse group attending conferences, giving speeches, and socializing at events.

Five Years Of Impact

Our funding and support have sparked deep, strategic partnerships—mergers, shared services, and coalitions—that drive lasting, high-impact change across the nonprofit sector.

Since 2019, we’ve awarded $1.5 million in collaborative grants and worked with more than 100 organizations.

Decorative orange wavy lines on a white background.
Decorative orange and black stylized text spelling "HALLOWEEN". 
Stories & Reflections

In 2022, we began funding the development of the Maternal Health Equity Collaborative—a partnership of five organizations dedicated to eliminating racial inequities in maternal health and making birth safer for Black and Brown families. Today, the collaborative has achieved great success, providing significant new resources, services, and funding to the community.

Collaborators: Black Mamas ATX, Giving Austin Labor Support (GALS), Healing Hands Community Doula Project, Mama Sana Vibrant Woman, and Partners in Parenting.

Group of people protesting outside a building, holding signs with messages like "RELEASE The Report," "Black Mothers Matter," "Data Saves Lives," and "People Over Politics." There is a table with flowers and framed pictures in front of the group.

Maternal Health
Equity Collaborative

Travis County Transformation Project

Group of people sitting on couches and chairs in a living room, engaged in a group discussion or activity around a decorated circular rug with candles and stones.

Launched in 2023, the Travis County Transformation Project’s shared-service model brings together the juvenile justice system and community partners to deflect youth from the juvenile justice system and provide respite, restorative practices, youth and family advocacy, and peer support, as opposed to traditional punitive approaches in juvenile justice.

Austin Together provided initial funding and ongoing guidance, helping partners align and create a sustainable model. The program has garnered national attention and significant funding, and since its inception served 82 families, with 150+ referrals for diversion. Recidivism is only 6% for full participants, compared to 18% for all deflected youth and 40% in the traditional system.

COLLABORATORS: The Excellence Project, LifeWorks, Office of DA Travis County Jose Garza, Law Enforcement (APD, TCSO, Pflugerville PD, Manor PD), Travis County Juvenile Probation Department, The University of Texas, New York University, FUSE Fellows

A man with gray hair wearing a black T-shirt that says 'Keep Austin Fed' standing behind tables with boxes of fresh produce at an outdoor food distribution event under trees during the daytime.

Keep Austin Fed /
Save the Food Merger

In early 2022, Keep Austin Fed (KAF) and Save the Food (STF) began merger discussions after STF’s longtime volunteer Executive Director prepared to step down. Sharing a mission to keep good food out of the waste stream and deliver it to neighbors in need, the organizations merged and greatly expanded capacity to serve more food-insecure neighbors while eliminating duplicate expenses.

“Austin Together’s support was invaluable. Beyond helpful funding, their greatest contribution was the expert Guide who facilitated difficult conversations, gathered input, and provided objective feedback. The phased funding model helps organizations assess progress, avoid sunk-cost pitfalls, and sustain collaboration. For many nonprofits in Austin, I remain convinced that collaboration is the best way forward.”

— Lisa Barden, Executive Director

United Way Merger

In 2020, United Way for Greater Austin and United Way of Williamson County began exploring a merger to expand their impact across Central Texas. With two experienced guides and $75,000 in support from Austin Together, the two officially united in January 2022.

A young woman with a name tag is speaking to a group of three adults and a small child in a room with blue walls. The woman is standing near a whiteboard covered with yellow sticky notes, and there is a large paper on the wall titled "Youth enrollment/retention."

“The Austin Together process was tremendously helpful—I honestly don't think we could have managed a successful merger without their support. Neither CEO had gone through a merger before, so Austin Together’s Guides provided invaluable guidance, keeping us on track while ensuring we created something that would work long term. Because of the merger, United Way more than doubled our investment in Williamson County, expanded our donor base, and grew into a truly regional organization. Big decisions are always made better with the support of an impartial, experienced voice, and AT’s guidance helped us launch stronger and clearer, with the right leaders and stakeholders involved.“ — Ingrid Taylor, CEO

Grantee Impact

Two wavy lines drawn with orange marker.

We have developed and refined our process for supporting the exploration, planning, and implementation
of sustained collaboration by surveying our grantees to ensure it is effective and addresses their needs.

Grantees reported positive impact on:

Minimalist icon of a dartboard with a dart hitting the bullseye.

100%

Met Their Goals

Illustration of two hands shaking, representing partnership or agreement.

To Pursue Partnership

100%

The word "Love" written in cursive with a peach-colored script on a black background.

100%

Would Complete The Process Again

Two curved arrows forming a circle, one pointing left and the other pointing right, indicating a recycling or exchange process.

Participating Organizations & Collaborations

212 Catalyst

·

A Gift of Time

·

ABC Workforce Development Foundation

·

Amala Foundation

·

Andy Roddick Foundation

·

Armstrong Community Music School

·

Art Spark Texas

.

ATX Theatre Network

.

Austin 2030 Network

.

Austin Groups for the Elderly

.

Austin Outside

.

Austin Soundwaves

.

Austin Parks Foundation

.

212 Catalyst · A Gift of Time · ABC Workforce Development Foundation · Amala Foundation · Andy Roddick Foundation · Armstrong Community Music School · Art Spark Texas . ATX Theatre Network . Austin 2030 Network . Austin Groups for the Elderly . Austin Outside . Austin Soundwaves . Austin Parks Foundation .

·

Capacity Catalyst

·

Central Texas Community Foundation

·

Central Texas Green Workforce Collaborative

·

Charlie Center

·

Chariot

.

Child Welfare Race Equity Collaborative

.

Children’s Optimal Health

.

College Forward

.

College Possible

.

Creative Action

.

Drive a Senior

.

El Buen Samaritano

.

The Excellence Project

.

Family Eldercare

.

Fearless Leadership Institute

.

· Capacity Catalyst · Central Texas Community Foundation · Central Texas Green Workforce Collaborative · Charlie Center · Chariot . Child Welfare Race Equity Collaborative . Children’s Optimal Health . College Forward . College Possible . Creative Action . Drive a Senior . El Buen Samaritano . The Excellence Project . Family Eldercare . Fearless Leadership Institute .

Healthy Futures of Texas

.

Housing Opportunities for Musicians and Entertainers

.

Huston-Tillotson University

.

Judge Ryan Larson Family Court

.

Keep Austin Fed

.

Learn All the Time Network

.

LifeWorks

.

Local Opera Local Artists

.

Healthy Futures of Texas . Housing Opportunities for Musicians and Entertainers . Huston-Tillotson University . Judge Ryan Larson Family Court . Keep Austin Fed . Learn All the Time Network . LifeWorks . Local Opera Local Artists .

Maternal Health Equity Collaborative

·

Measure

·

One Ounce Opera

·

Save The Food

·

Senior Access

·

She Needs To Know

.

Skillpoint Alliance

.

Studio A

.

Maternal Health Equity Collaborative · Measure · One Ounce Opera · Save The Food · Senior Access · She Needs To Know . Skillpoint Alliance . Studio A .

Sunrise Center

·

Texas Health Action

·

Texas State University

·

Texas Teen Pregnancy Prevention Project

·

Trail of Lights

·

Travis County Transformation Project

.

United Way Greater Austin

.

UStrive

.

United Way Williamson County

.

Waterloo Counseling

.

Watershed Association

.

Viacela

.

Zilker 351

.

Sunrise Center · Texas Health Action · Texas State University · Texas Teen Pregnancy Prevention Project · Trail of Lights · Travis County Transformation Project . United Way Greater Austin . UStrive . United Way Williamson County . Waterloo Counseling . Watershed Association . Viacela . Zilker 351 .