Introducing the Elizabeth Gaye Holiday Fund

A New Chapter in Holiday Giving

For the past three years, The Elizabeth Gaye Foundation has proudly led its Holiday Meal Drive, providing a total of over 200 meal baskets to families across several elementary schools in Travis County. These efforts have ensured that children and their families have access to nourishing meals during the Christmas break, a time when school-based resources are limited.

While this work has been meaningful, we want to take a step further in supporting our community during the holiday season. Beginning in 2027, we are launching the Elizabeth Gaye Holiday Grant, a program that will provide micro-grants to small, Black-led and Black-serving organizations actively serving families in need during the holidays.

Why Micro-Grants Matter

Micro-grants are a powerful way to fuel community-led solutions. Many grassroots organizations already have deep connections and trust within their communities, but they often face resource constraints, especially during the holidays when demand spikes. By providing targeted, flexible funding, we allow these organizations to respond quickly and effectively to the needs of families, from food access to wellness and essential support services.

Research from the Center for Effective Philanthropy shows that flexible, unrestricted funding enables organizations to adapt quickly and maximize impact (CEP, 2022) Read the report here. This demonstrates why micro-grants can be particularly effective for small organizations meeting immediate community needs.

Building on Our Legacy

The Elizabeth Gaye Holiday Grant is the natural evolution of our work. It moves beyond direct distribution and toward redistribution through trusted community partners. We are leveraging the lessons from our Holiday Meal Drive and scaling our impact by supporting organizations that are already doing critical work on the ground.

How You Can Help

The 2026 year is crucial as we raise funds and prepare the application process to ensure a successful 2027 launch. Your donations will allow us to provide micro-grants to organizations helping families in Travis County this holiday season.

By supporting this initiative, you are helping redefine holiday giving—moving resources where they are most needed and amplifying the impact of community leaders who already make a difference every day.

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