In the midst of its first-ever fundraising campaign, Holdsworth is thrilled to announce three significant gifts from Bank of America, The Brown Foundation Inc., and The Powell Foundation.
The grants will support Holdsworth’s two newest programs: the Superintendent Leadership Program and the Holdsworth Leadership Collaborative, which provide leadership development and support to 55 educational leaders in 23 school districts across Texas.
These gifts provide a critical runway for our new programs as we support educational leaders.
“Through our partnership with The Holdsworth Center, Bank of America is investing in Texas students by making sure the leaders of our school districts have the resources and tools they need to reach their full potential,” said David Bader, President of Bank of America Austin. “The Holdsworth Center’s Superintendent Leadership Program will help build a stronger pipeline of diverse talent and fuel positive systemic change in school districts across the state — all of which contributes to the greater success of the communities we serve.”
“These gifts provide a critical runway for our new programs as we support educational leaders during the most challenging period public education has faced in at least 50 years,” said Dr. Lindsay Whorton, president of The Holdsworth Center. “We are truly grateful to our new community partners and look forward to their continued support as we work to ensure all students in Texas have access to an excellent and equitable education.”
Expanding our reach
This year, Holdsworth welcomed its third group of six new districts into the 5-year Holdsworth Partnership and launched two new programs, bringing the total number of districts served to 38.
By 2028, the Center is projected to reach more than 4,500 educational leaders from across Texas through the Holdsworth Partnership alone and anticipates serving even more through expanded offerings.
“Through his vision, commitment to public education, and extraordinary generosity, our founder, Charles Butt, has given The Holdsworth Center a strong foundation,” Whorton said. “As we look across the state of Texas, the need for this work and the opportunity to make a difference is huge. We look forward to continuing to welcome new partners who will join us in supporting the next phase of our work.”
Our community partners
Bank of America shares its success with communities across Texas and the country, developing strong partnerships with nonprofit organizations to address issues fundamental to economic mobility and social progress in low- and moderate-income communities. Bank of America focuses on improving the lives of individuals and families by investing in basic needs, workforce development, and education as well as strengthening broader community vitality by addressing needs related to affordable housing, small business and neighborhood revitalization.
The Brown Foundation Inc. was founded by Herman and Margaret Root Brown and George R. and Alice Pratt Brown in 1951 with the mission to “build, sustain, and enhance organizations that make Houston a stronger, more vibrant community.” Over the last 70 years, the Foundation has distributed more than $1.7 billion in grant funding to a wide variety of organizations focused on education, the arts and culture, human services, civic assets, and health and medicine.
Since its founding in 1967, The Powell Foundation has worked to improve the quality of life in the communities they serve, acting as a catalyst to support initiatives focused on public education, the arts, conservation, and social services. Their values of ‘leadership building’ and ‘big picture thinking’ align with Holdsworth’s work of empowering educators with the knowledge, skills and spirit to excel as well as emphasizing collaboration and innovation to foster systemic change.
