Houston Endowment

“As an artist committed to social change, I focus my work on cultivating hope. Hope demands conscious effort and a willingness to remain open to possibilities, even in the face of difficult circumstances or the unknown." - Cindee Travis Klement

Klement's piece, Unfolding Hope, was selected as the solo installation for the 2026 Jones Artist Awards Program. It depicts the hopeful story of the resurgence of sandhill cranes - from an estimated 25 pairs in the 1930s to thousands today.

Scroll through the images to see the 30-foot, four-paneled installation, and read more about it in the comments.

Special thanks: Weingarten Art Group

Opportunity shouldn't depend on chance. For too many kids in Houston, it still does.

Instead, opportunity should be built by design, a message Houston Endowment President and CEO Elisa Villanueva Beard shared at the Houston East End Chamber of Commerce's Education Symposium earlier this month.

Right now, only 1 in 5 Houston high school graduates earns a living wage within six years of graduation. Villanueva Beard highlighted Houston’s community colleges as a major opportunity for the region to connect students to family-sustaining careers in high-demand industries.

“We don’t want to live in a city where young people do all the right things and still only have a one in five chance of making a living,” she said. “That is not the Houston we are building.”

We're building opportunity for Houston by design, not by chance. Take a look at our approach and the work of our partners in this month's issue of The Channel. Full issue in the comments.

More than 50 Galveston-area nonprofits gathered to learn how United Way of Galveston’s Coffee & Quality program can help their organizations use data, improve services, and make more informed decisions.

Coffee & Quality began as a United Way of Greater Houston initiative, and participants continue to share the value of the program, saying it helps them improve their processes and systems and strengthen their long-term impact for the people they serve. A recent grant to United Way of Galveston, funded in part by Houston Endowment, expanded the program across the region so more nonprofits can access fellowships, peer cohorts, online trainings, and a resource library.

What does it take to build a stronger teacher workforce? Across Texas, districts are finding the answer.

Schools are investing in a mix of solutions—paid residencies, mentorship models, and grow-your-own programs that begin in high school. They're working alongside grantees such as Deans for Impact to strengthen and expand these pathways.

Early data suggests progress—with more teachers earning certification and fewer entering classrooms without it.

Link in the comments.

Collaboration is strengthening the path to citizenship in Houston.

Through the Greater Houston Citizenship Project, SEDES - System for Education Empowerment and Success has expanded its capacity to better support lawful permanent residents by:

• Implementing a citizenship navigator model for one-on-one guidance throughout the naturalization journey
• Updating citizenship curriculum with targeted ESL components
• Building a recruitment strategy to reach eligible residents
• Pursuing Department of Justice accreditation to enhance immigration legal services

By working together, organizations are reaching more people and providing more coordinated support.

School districts are strengthening the teacher pipeline--and the data proves it.

In this month's issue of The Channel, we're looking at how new data from the Texas Education Agency suggests Grow Your Own programs are making a positive difference in the number of teachers earning certification and returning to the classroom year after year.

Plus, we're sharing how United Way of Galveston and Rice University are helping build the evaluation field to strengthen nonprofits across the region.

Read more at the link in comments!

We're thrilled that Kaylan Connally has joined our team as a program officer for education. She will be leading work focused on postsecondary success and pathways to family-sustaining careers. Please join us in welcoming her to Houston Endowment!