2021 ANNUAL REPORT >
January 2022
Thrilled, excited, determined, optimistic, focused, and honored: these are a few words that describe how I’ve felt since being asked to lead Vision Galveston in July 2021. I’m delighted to call myself a Galvestonian.
This extraordinary island community—beautiful in its abundant history, diversity, and resilience—is, indeed, a special place to live, work, explore nature, and call home. And I’m committed to growing an organization that builds on Galveston’s value, values, and vision.
The generosity of area funders and the voices of thousands of residents were responsible for starting up Vision Galveston and developing our strategic plan. During 2020 and 2021, we established priorities, planned, and developed necessary infrastructure.
Although we’ll continue to rely on our residents for input and depend upon our funders for support, our start-up phase is now in our rearview mirror.
2022 formally kicks off a new phase, one of action. It’s time to start acting on our strategic plan.
So, what does this mean?
Vision Galveston is a nonprofit “backbone” organization, supporting the alignment of our community of residents, nonprofit leaders, businesses owners, and government officials to actualize the many recommendations made during our start-up phase.
We’ll take a straightforward approach to make the island not only what it can be, but what it should be: a diverse, inclusive community—a treasured environment to live, work, raise kids, ride bikes, walk dogs, and embrace all that Galveston offers.
And, there’s no doubt, with our funders’ investment in change, you’ll start to see material results—both tangible and intangible outcomes that positively affect the daily lives of our residents and community, from enhancing green space and developing workforce housing options to cultivating innovation and entrepreneurship.
This annual report is both a snapshot of our initiatives and activities that contributed to our mission in 2021, and a brief look at 2022. Here are a few highlights:
Build Galveston. During the summer of 2021, Build Galveston received its 501c3 status and became a Community Development Corporation. Build Galveston joined the Texas Association of Community Development Corporations and focused on increasing housing options for our workforce without losing the existing population.
Build Galveston is the singular entity focused on workforce housing. Based on public input, we are working toward attainable housing solutions for Galveston’s first responders, teachers, healthcare workforce, and their families so that they may be able to afford to live in the community in which they serve.
Green Galveston. This initiative will move forward with a full-time Green Galveston project manager to oversee Green Galveston initiatives and add to the Vision Galveston’s team.
With this expanded focus in 2022, Green Galveston will incorporate additional recommendations from our strategic plan. In partnership with the City of Galveston and Better Parks for Galveston, Green Galveston will continue improving and sustaining Jones Park and Shield Park. Green Galveston will also act on additional recommendations in the plan, including programming related to coastal resilience, coastal protections, comprehensive drainage, green infrastructure, networking, climate change, and ecotourism.
Incubate Galveston. Knowing our community has both known and undiscovered talent, Incubate Galveston brings resources and innovation to the island as part of growing a larger regional entrepreneurship ecosystem.
During the fall of 2021, Incubate Galveston hosted a series of expert-led webinars focused on entrepreneurship. In addition, in partnership with the University of Texas Medical Branch, Texas A&M University at Galveston, The Galveston Chamber of Commerce, The Galveston Economic Development Partnership, The Ion, and The Cannon, Incubate Galveston also hosted our first “Hackathon.” Galveston students were challenged with problem sets and given 48 hours, knowledgeable mentors, and support to create plausible solutions.
In 2022—through the strong regional partnerships we’re developing—we will continue to strengthen the innovation corridor (from the island to the heart of Houston) for entrepreneurs, start-ups, dreamers, innovators, and funders.
Measure Galveston. Data matters. It’s not glamorous, but it matters.
Throughout our start-up phase, consistent and undeniable data sets have illuminated Galveston's challenges and helped measure our initiatives’ specific impact. Our methodology of combining resident feedback and data is a standard of excellence.
Whether providing elected officials with one-sheet data on housing challenges to examining island workforce commuter rates, information extracts insights to help guide and support our decision-making.
Vison Galveston is a gap filler, a capacity builder, an organization embraced by visionaries that understand the complexities of both probability and possibility. And there are a lot of thank yous to go around.
Thank you for sharing your opinion. We are listening, as every voice matters.
Thank you to our numerous volunteers and board members—those who dedicate their time and talent to bring the wishes of Galvestonians to fruition. You inspire me.
And, of course, thank you to our funders. Our efforts would not be possible without the financial support of our philanthropic partners. Your collective generosity humbles me —you are the engine that will drive Vision Galveston’s plan to successful completion by 2040.
And last but certainly not least, I’d like to express my appreciation to Keath Jacoby for her innovative and diligent work in support of her hometown.
As we turn the page on 2021, I’m confident of our path forward. With a focus on solutions and embracing an attitude of “let’s make this happen,” there’s no doubt that we will do just that—make our plan happen, together.
Please join us.
Warmly,
Christine Bryant
CEO, Vision Galveston