Moody Foundation commits $500 million by 2035 for Texas education

State flag of Texas in a school classroom

The Moody Foundation in Galveston, Texas, has announced a $500 million commitment to transform education in the state by 2035.

Part of the foundation’s expanded 20-year, $1 billion commitment for education in Texas, the latest pledge will launch the M-Pact fund to complement Moody’s annual regional giving in support of education institutions, nonprofits, and university endowments whose work aligns with the foundation’s early learning and postsecondary success strategic priorities. To that end, the foundation will award approximately $20 million annually to qualified institutions and organizations, as well as provide additional support to grantees, such as direct collaboration with relevant governing agencies to identify education funding gaps and strategically deploy resources; collaborative network building, including an annual convening; and shared, targeted outcomes within each strategic pillar to enable impact measurement for the initiative over multiple years, at scale. In addition, the foundation will award large-scale endowments to public colleges and universities across the state.

Over the past decade, the foundation has awarded more than $500 million to education-related groups and institutions across the state, including a total of $200 million to the University of Texas at Austin, comprising $130 million for the Moody Center, $50 million for the Moody College of Communication, and $20 million for the Blanton Museum; $100 million to Southern Methodist University, and $100 million to Rice University.

“The Moody Foundation is making an unparalleled commitment to the future of Texas by investing in education,” said foundation trustee Ross Moody. “Our goal is to fuel student success in areas of deepest impact and greatest need, while providing the opportunity for every Texan to access a high-quality education. Our commitment encompasses a comprehensive approach to the foundation’s education grantmaking to support students from cradle to career and help them overcome barriers along the way. We believe the classroom is a launching point for positive change and hope this promise fuels a new generation who will continue to carry forward our vision of a bigger, brighter future for all Texans.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/fstop123)