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Silverton Foundation

 

The Silverton Foundation was created to help families, individuals and communities transcend poverty by building on their strengths and resiliencies. Founded in 2000 and headquatered in Austin, Texas, the Foundation uses its resources to provide increased opportunity and equity for those who are striving to reach their greatest potential.

Through its grant making, the Foundation supports agencies and programs which strive to empower the working poor to improve their lives. Through its activities, the Foundation strives to foster greater community awareness of and commitment to social enterprise.

Our recently released 2007 Annual Report is available online in .pdf format.

2008 Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award

The Ernst & Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award recognizes talented individuals who have shown extraordinary leadership and innovation in building an organization to address the social needs of the central Texas community. The Award carries with it a $100,000 Silverton Grant which is directed to the organization of the Award recipient.

The 2008 Award was made to Richard Halpin, executive director of American YouthWorks, on May 29, 2008 at a presentation ceremony attended by over 800 leaders of the central Texas business, civic and philanthropic community.  

Learn more about the 2008 Social Entrepreneur of the Year award winner here, along with background (click on year) on past winners:

2007: Steven Jackobs of Capital IDEA
2006: Susan McDowell of LifeWorks
2005: Walter Moreau of Foundation Communities
2004: Margo Weisz of PeopleFund

Nominations for the 2009 Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award will not open until February 2009. You may download the 2008 application forms and criteria for submission here for future reference, or contact Ernst & Young directly at linda.poole@ey.com for more information.

 

Recent Developments:

  • A Commitment to East Timor

    Despite recent unrest and uncertainty in East Timor, the Silverton Foundation continues its efforts, begun in 2003, to help empower the Timorese people through support of programs which bring the following to this beautify and impoverished island nation

    . micro credit
    . job skills
    . education and support for vulnerable children
    . public healthcare system for the delivery of eye care

  • Developing Career Skills at Capital IDEA


    In collaboration with the Sooch Foundation, the Silverton Foundation implemented a funding program to help advance Capital IDEA's five year strategic plan to triple job placements, double enrollment, diversify funding sources and develop new high skill career opportunities for unemployed and underemployed Central Texas adults.

  • Tax Assistance for Low Income Working Families

    A lead gift from the Silverton Foundation enabled Foundation Communities to establish Community Tax Centers to ensure that low income working families in central Texas claim and receive their Earned Income Tax Credit. For the tax year ended April 15, 2008 the Centers increased the number of returns prepared to an impressive 17,284 returns processed. These returns yielded over $21 million in refunds. Nine Community Tax Centers were in operation throughout central Texas for the 2008 tax season.

    The Foundation recently extended its funding commitment to enable the Community Tax Centers to operate year around beginning in 2008. Activities will expand to provide small business services, financial and credit counseling, immigrant assistance to obtain ITIN numbers and file returns, and special circumstance return extensions and review.

    Click here to read a summary of Community Tax Centers activity during 2008.
    Click here to read the full 2007 tax season report.

  • A Focus on Family Literacy

    The Foundation believes in education as a pathway out of poverty for children from low income families. A compelling body of national research suggests that a particularly effective way to help children from economically disadvantaged families be successful in school is to improve family environments by providing educational services to the whole family, as early and in as comprehensive a fashion as possible.

    Read more about the Foundation's interests, efforts and results associated with early childhood/family education here.