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At the center of everything we do is the community in which we live and work. We host regular community conversations to better understand the needs and interests in our local community. We support the ongoing work of the Texas Prison Education Initiative to support credit-bearing courses in local prisons and jails. We partner with a number of community organizations to co-create research and educational programs to advance equity in access to safety and justice.
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
CITY OF AUSTIN OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION
The Office of Violence Prevention (OVP) brings new possibilities for safety by implementing targeted, contextualized, data-informed, and community driven programs where they are needed most.
LifeWorks advocates for more than 4,000 youth and families, many of whom are facing life’s most difficult challenges, including homelessness, trauma, and abuse.
The Amala Foundation inspires people of all ages and backgrounds to connect with themselves and others, grow as individuals, and serve as conscious leaders in their communities.
EXCELLENCE AND ADVANCEMENT FOUNDATION
The Excellence & Advancement Foundation provides programs, services and advocacy to break the school-to-prison pipeline by coordinating prevention and intervention programs to support children at risk of becoming involved in the criminal justice system.
The Texas Career Engagement office provides campus and community members a diverse collection of recruiting and employer engagement opportunities for career development.
TEXAS CENTER FOR JUSTICE AND EQUITY
The Texas Center for Justice and Equity (TCJE) advances solutions and builds coalitions to end mass incarceration and foster safer Texas communities.
AJC is a community organization that focuses on improving the quality of life for people who are black, brown or poor.
COMMUNITY RESOURCES
FEDERAL GRANTS FOR HOMELESSNESS RELIEF
The Federal Grants project aims to give people experiencing homelessness easier access to basic needs like food, clothing, and assistance with public benefits.
The Texas Grants Resource Center (TGRC) is a division of the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement that serves as a bridge between the grant-seeking and the grant-making communities.
COMMUNITY EDUCATION
TEXAS PRISON EDUCATION INITIATIVE
TPEI is a volunteer-run organization at the University of Texas at Austin offering credit-bearing college courses through UT-Extension to incarcerated youth and adults at no cost to students.
ILSJ COMMUNITY EDUCATION COURSES
In partnership with the Institute for justice and equity and Huston-Tillotson University, the Initiative offers free micro-courses open to the public on a range of issues including grant writing and administration, data management and analysis, and the production and use of video evidence.