Rural Philanthropic Leader You Should Know:
Hogg Foundation for Mental Health

We feature some of the leading rural funders—both big and small—that work with communities over long timeframes and with highly respectful and engaged strategies. Our August feature is the Hogg Foundation—a funder based in Texas that, through its Collaborative Approaches to Well-being in Rural Communities grant initiative, partners with rural communities as they implement improvements to support resilience, mental health and well-being.

Hogg Foundation envisions a future in which the people of Texas thrive in communities that support mental health and well-being. Collaborative Approaches to Well-being in Rural Communities addresses a lack of understanding of how communities support mental health, the significant inequities that exist in Texas, the community conditions that contribute to mental health disparities, and how people come together to create and implement community-driven solutions.

New Strategic Direction

Previously, the foundation’s mission focused on advancing recovery and wellness for individuals. Since the fall of 2017, the strategy has shifted toward community efforts to build resilience and improve mental health in environments that are woven into everyday life, such as in schools, workplaces and faith centers.

The shift occurred because the foundation realizes that mental health is not solely an individual responsibility—it’s a product of community conditions. The places where people live, learn, work, play and pray can have a significant impact on improving mental health.

About the Foundation

Located in Austin, Texas, Hogg Foundation supports grantees across the entire state of Texas, including nonprofit organizations, colleges and universities, governmental institutions, schools and school districts, and some individuals. The foundation was established in 1940 and is part of the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement at The University of Texas at Austin. For more information, visit hogg.utexas.edu.