Harness the Power of Philanthropy for Transformative Change

You are invited to join the Civic and Community Engagement Collaborative launching November 2025.

Philanthropy Southwest is excited to announce the launch of the next phase of the Civic and Community Engagement Collaborative in partnership with the Houston Endowment. This multi-session initiative, beginning in November 2025 and concluding in August 2026, aims to equip participants with the tools, resources, and connections necessary to engage meaningfully with their communities and foster collaboration across sectors to address pressing social challenges. We hope you will join us for this important work to empower foundations and grantmakers to take on leadership roles in building stronger, more resilient communities.

What To Expect

Philanthropy plays a vital role in driving positive change by uniting the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. The Civic & Community Engagement Collaborative (CCE) is designed to empower philanthropic organizations in the southwestern U.S. to become catalysts for transformative impact.

• Education and Awareness: Learn from national experts in civic and community engagement.
• Tools and Resources: Learn how to leverage the new Civic and Community Engagement Toolkit to advance your funding efforts around civic participation, social cohesion, placemaking and systems-level advocacy.
• Collective Action: Work alongside PSW members and partners to advance meaningful support and investments in civic and community engagement.

The Civic & Community Engagement Toolkit

Now Available to PSW Members 

Together, PSW members with leadership from CoSpero Consulting and partnership from Houston Endowment, met monthly to delve into the topic of CCE among funders in our region, culminating in a new resource available to PSW members. This toolkit offers a comprehensive set of assessments, tools and resources designed to help philanthropic organizations strengthen their civic and community engagement efforts. Organized around four key pillars, the toolkit is tailored to meet the unique needs of diverse philanthropic entities. Whether your focus is increasing civic involvement, fostering unity, creating thriving communities, or addressing systemic issues, this toolkit will be an invaluable resource on your journey. 

Explore the key pillars:

1. Civic Participation: Efforts to involve more people in shaping public policies, social issues, or governance structures for the betterment of society 
2. Social Cohesion: Initiatives promoting communication, decision-making, leadership, and information sharing to build trust and unity.
3. Place-Making: Designing a positive environment for community well-being and prosperity, especially benefiting marginalized groups.
4. Systems Level Advocacy: Targeted efforts to address root causes of social issues through structural changes within institutions, policies, or practices

Check out the full tool kit here. 

Please contact our new Director of Collaboratives, Brittany Huber, at bhuber@philanthropysouthwest.org with any questions or to request additional information.