Harness the Power of Philanthropy for Transformative Change
You are invited to join the Civic and Community Engagement Collaborative
Launching November 13, 2025
Philanthropy Southwest is excited to announce the launch of the next phase of the Civic and Community Engagement Collaborative in partnership with Houston Endowment. This collaborative is 100% virtual, offering monthly 1-hour webinars designed 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. Each webinar in the Collaborative series will feature southwest funders in dialogue with nationally recognized organizations, sharing successes, strategies, and lessons learned from their partnerships to strengthen civic engagement and bring communities together across the region.
Participation Benefits
- Education and Awareness: Learn from national and regional 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. Check out the full tool kit here.
- Collective Action: Work alongside PSW members and partners to advance meaningful support and investments in civic and community engagement.
Participation Information
- Cost: $0 for PSW members; $45 per session for non-members
- Modality: 100% virtual; 1 hour webinars offered once a month
*During checkout, you will also have the option to add the Grounded Leadership Retreat May 4-6, 2026 at Laity Lodge in Leakey, TX at a special collaborative member rate of $699 per participant. Any remaining spots will later be made available to PSW members at the full rate of $899.
The Civic and Community Engagement Collaborative is made possible in collaboration with the Houston Endowment
Join Us: October 22, 2025
Civic and Community Engagement Reception at the 77th Annual Conference
Join your fellow PSW members at the Civic and Community Engagement Affinity Reception sponsored by the Marguerite Casey Foundation and the Houston Endowment. If you are not already registered for the 77th Annual Conference, please click here to register today!
Schedule-At-A-Glance
Please note: Schedule may be subject to minor changes as speaker availability is confirmed. All webinar registration links will be posted by October 10, 2025. If you are interested in signing up for one or more sessions today, please email bhuber@philanthropysouthwest.org to be alerted as soon as the webinar registration links are live.
Session 1: November 13, 2025 (1:30pm to 2:30pm CT)
Bridging Divides: Working Across the Political Spectrum
Featuring the organizations iCivics and +More Perfect Union in conversation with the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and Houston Endowment
Session 2: December 11, 2025 (1:30pm to 2:30pm CT)
Fostering Belonging and Social Cohesion for Marginalized Communities
Featured speakers and organizations TBA
Session 3: January 8, 2026 (1:30pm to 2:30pm CT)
The Role of Free and Local Press
Featured speakers and organizations TBA
Session 4: February 12, 2026 (1:30pm to 2:30pm CT)
Inspiring the Next Generation of Civic Leaders
Featured speakers and organizations TBA
Session 5: March 5, 2026 (1:30pm to 2:30pm CT)
Building Effective Private-Public Philanthropic Partnerships
Featured speakers and organizations TBA
Session 6: April 2, 2026 (1:30pm to 2:30pm CT)
Supporting Civic Engagement in Rural Communities
Featured speakers and organizations TBA
Optional Special Session: May 4-6, 2026 at Laity Lodge in Leakey, TX
Grounded Leadership Retreat at H.E. Butt Foundation’s Laity Lodge in Leaky, TX
Grounded is a two-day leadership retreat focused on self and social awareness that is open at a discounted rate to all collaborative participants. The program offers a reflective space for participants to synthesize their collaborative experience as well as explore leadership dynamics, reconnect with purpose and shared values, and activate the cultural energy needed to drive meaningful change. Through hands-on, experiential sessions, participants gain insight into leadership potential and organizational alignment, fostering both individual growth and stronger, more vibrant teams. Grounded is ideal for those seeking to deepen their impact, enhance collaboration, and strengthen organizational culture.
During registration, you will also have the option to add the Grounded Leadership Retreat at a special collaborative member rate of $699 per participant. Any remaining spots will later be made available to PSW members at the full rate of $899.
The Civic & Community Engagement Toolkit
Now Available to PSW Members
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:
- Civic Participation: Efforts to involve more people in shaping public policies, social issues, or governance structures for the betterment of society
- Social Cohesion: Initiatives promoting communication, decision-making, leadership, and information sharing to build trust and unity.
- Place-Making: Designing a positive environment for community well-being and prosperity, especially benefiting marginalized groups.
- 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.
