How Houston Endowment listens and learns to be a more effective partner to our grantees

The Center for Effective Philanthropy’s grantee survey gives the Foundation an independent, confidential way to understand our strengths and opportunities for improvement over time

This post was adapted from a letter Houston Endowment sent to grantee partners in August 2026 sharing what we learned from our most recent Grantee Perception Report by the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP). Learn more from CEP about their report here(opens in new window). 

One of the most important ways Houston Endowment learns how to be a better partner to our grantees is by listening. 

Earlier this year, we invited grantees to tell us candidly what it is like to work with us in a confidential, anonymous survey conducted by the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP). This survey is one of the Foundation’s most important sources of organizational learning and accountability. We use it to build on what’s working, identify opportunities to improve, and strengthen our grantmaking practices. 

Listening and learning over time

For more than two decades, Houston Endowment has partnered with CEP for our survey, which gives grantees a confidential way to provide candid feedback and gives us an independent, consistent way to understand our strengths and opportunities for improvement. CEP compares the results with our past performance and peer foundations, giving us additional context for what we hear.  

Over the years, survey results have led to changes in how we work. In response to previous surveys, for example, we introduced new opportunities for convening(opens in new window) and collaboration, piloted oral reporting(opens in new window), added greater flexibility to grant timelines, worked toward more transparent, consistent communications, and launched the Collaboration Fund(opens in new window) to provide organizations with flexible, trust-based funding.  

What we heard in 2026 

In 2026, the range of survey responses from more than 200 organizations gave us a clear idea of what’s working for grantees, and areas where we can improve. Here’s what we learned:

• Trust is built through true partnership: Grantees described their relationships with us as grounded in trust, partnership, and respect, saying our work together feels collaborative rather than transactional. They valued the confidence we place in nonprofit leaders to determine how best to accomplish their work. Foundation staff who understand nonprofit organizations and the realities they face, who are accessible and responsive, and who can serve as thought partners played a key role in the positive feedback we received. 
  
• Meaningful support goes beyond funding: Flexibility, clear communication, and streamlined processes respect grantees’ time and free up energy for day-to-day work. Grantees also appreciate introductions to other funders, and opportunities to connect and learn alongside peers in the community. Houston Endowment is valued for strengthening the broader nonprofit ecosystem, not just individual organizations. 
  
• Clarity and predictability are needed in uncertain times: Grantees said communicating early about shifts in funding can make organizational planning easier. Some grantees expressed a desire for clearer timelines and visibility into future funding opportunities, more feedback about why decisions were made, and continued transparency about our priorities, as well as greater understanding of how their work connects to Houston Endowment’s broader strategy. 
  
• Effective practices should be carried forward: We were encouraged to hear that changes we made in response to previous years’ surveys were highly valued. For example, convening and learning, oral reporting, introductions to peers and other funders, and conversational check-ins are practices we should continue and deepen in coming years. 
  
• Broader conditions are shaping nonprofit work: Across the survey, grantees described a need for flexible support, resources to strengthen organizational capacity, and more opportunities to collaborate rather than compete. They want funders to understand the current pressures—from inflation and policy uncertainty to a changing funding landscape—and to reduce administrative burden so more time and resources can go toward missions.

Where we go from here

We have shared the survey results with our staff and Board and are spending time reflecting on what they mean for how we work, what we should keep doing, and where we can improve. We want to build on the practices our grantee partners value and act on the areas where we have room to grow. 

We want to thank our grantee partners for their willingness to participate and for their trust, candor, and shared commitment to the people and communities of Greater Houston—especially amid a changing environment, growing community needs, and financial challenges. We recognize that providing honest feedback to a funder is not always easy, and that our grantees depend on us to act on that feedback so we can more effectively partner with them as they carry out work that is critical to the vibrancy and well-being of our region.