The Kempner Fund is dedicated to supporting a resilient and effective nonprofit sector that drives positive social impact in Galveston. Nonprofits are cornerstones of Island life, community well-being, and disaster response. Although the nonprofit sector serves these essential roles, most organizations face significant capacity constraints, including limited human and financial resources, dated infrastructure, and skill gaps in an increasingly competitive talent marketplace.

We aim to help nonprofits to develop the strategies, resources, and/or expertise needed to adapt to evolving community needs and achieve their missions.

This program area is invitation-only, allowing us to fund and support select organizations or cohorts to address their unique challenges and opportunities. To learn more about organization-specific funding support, please visit our Navigation Fund Program.

To address these challenges, the Kempner Fund presently prioritizes the following five areas:  

Organizational Resilience & Development

• Initiatives that enhance the internal capacity of organizations to strengthen their operations, improve efficiency, and increase impact.

• Efforts that help nonprofits adapt to evolving community needs, address climate-related challenges, and promote equity in their work.

  • Examples include strategic planning, program evaluation, technology upgrades, and staff training to build more resilient organizations.

Leadership Excellence

• Leadership development programs that support the empowerment of nonprofit leaders to address complex challenges with confidence and foster innovation within their organizations.

• Mentorship, peer learning, and professional development opportunities that emphasize adaptive leadership, equity, and sustainability.

Effective Governance

• Training and support to help boards think strategically, foster innovation, and engage deeply with their organization’s mission and long-term goals while maintaining accountability and best practices.

  • Includes initiatives that promote diversity in board leadership, succession planning, and effective partnerships between boards and executive leadership.

Equity and Climate-Responsive Solutions

• Support nonprofits that seek to integrate equity-focused and climate-responsive practices into their strategies, programming, and operations.

• Initiatives that address disparities, ensure inclusivity, and/or prepare nonprofits for the growing impacts of climate change on Galveston communities.

Data & Evaluation for Greater Impact

• Efforts to strengthen nonprofits' ability to collect, analyze, and use data to inform decision-making and demonstrate impact.

  • Includes support for tools, training, and expertise to track outcomes related to equity, climate resilience, and organizational effectiveness.

Have a Project or Want Updates?
This program area is invitation-only, but we’re always interested in learning about innovative projects that align with our priorities. To stay informed about updates and funding opportunities, sign up for our newsletter.