For nearly 20 years now Girls Giving Grants has inspired young women in Central Texas to lead with compassion by finding various local organizations to give to, donating over $130,000 to date to improve the lives of our community members.
For nearly 20 years now Girls Giving Grants has inspired young women in Central Texas to lead with compassion by finding various local organizations to give to, donating over $130,000 to date to improve the lives of our community members.
In 2006 Girls Giving Grants (G3) was created by Impact Austin to support members of the Austin community. Now, it has grown into a group of nearly 60 girls, aged 8th-12th graders across several different schools who get together once a month to learn about grant writing, how various local charitable organizations operate and important leadership skills. The girls use their membership fees each year to donate to one local organization focused on helping underserved youth in Central Texas. Organizations can apply for grants through their website, and the girls get together to look through each grant and come to a collective decision on who should receive their grant. The members of G3 spend 9 months deepening their understanding of community needs and organizations, developing their leadership skills and collaborating with fellow members in the Application Review Committees. For the 2024-2025 session, 59 members participated from 21 schools across the community, volunteering more than 960 collective hours!
Not only is this a great way to support their community, it also teaches them teamwork and leadership skills that will serve them later in life. “Girls Giving Grants provides a supportive space where girls grades 8-12 from diverse backgrounds come together to grow, give back to their community, and develop leadership” says Karen Davenport, Co-Chair of G3. “Through shared experiences, they learn compassion, embrace differences, and encourage one another to step into their best selves.” This year, G3 decided to give their $6,500 grant to Saint Louise House, an organization whose mission is to empower women and their children to overcome homelessness by providing families with stable housing, empowering partnerships, and holistic services, with the goals of keeping children out of foster care and helping families develop long-term economic security. The members of G3 are proving that you’re never too young to give back!
