FWHCC News

North Texas Community Foundation awards $250,000 Fund for Good grant to Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for Historic Northside Main Street pilot

FORT WORTH, Texas, Feb. 23, 2026 — North Texas Community Foundation (NTCF) has awarded a $250,000 multi-year grant to the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce through the Fund for Good at the North Texas Community Foundation. This strategic investment will support the continued implementation of the Historic Northside District Main Street pilot, one of two City of Fort Worth–designated Main Street America pilot corridors.

The Fund for Good grant is part of NTCF’s broader commitment to community development in Fort Worth’s Historic Northside. As investment and development activity continue to increase in surrounding areas, the pilot provides a coordinated framework to help align growth with long-term community and corridor priorities. The Foundation also supported a National Urban Land Institute Advisory Services Panel focused on the Historic Northside, providing independent analysis and recommendations to help guide community-informed revitalization amid increasing development pressure.

The Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will serve to coordinate implementation across small business support, public-private partnerships, cultural programming, and community engagement along the North Main Street corridor.

Since its launch, Historic Northside District Main Street pilot has supported more than 440 small business assistance touchpoints, delivered district-wide programming and engagement, and helped align approximately $84 million in active and planned corridor investment projects in one of Fort Worth’s most historically significant neighborhoods. Signature cultural programming, including the annual Sonidos del Summer concert series, draws more than 9,000 visitors each year to Marine Park.

“The North Texas Community Foundation continues to champion bold, community-driven solutions that strengthen Fort Worth through its Fund for Good grant, and the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Historic Northside Main Street pilot could not be more deserving of the award,” said Mayor Mattie Parker. “This strategic investment will play a major role in the long-term revitalization, economic growth, and community pride in one of our city’s most historic neighborhoods.”

The Historic Northside is one of Fort Worth’s most historic communities and a long-standing gateway to the city, home to approximately 11,000 residents, nearly 97 percent of whom identify as Hispanic or Latino. As major development advances nearby, the Urban Land

Institute Advisory Services Panel identified growth trends that increased property values in the area by approximately 60 percent between 2016 and 2021, underscoring the urgency of establishing coordinated, community-informed strategies to mitigate development pressures.

“Thanks to generous donor support, the Fund for Good invests in long-term strategies to address our region’s evolving needs,” said Rose Bradshaw, president and CEO of North Texas Community Foundation. “This investment in the Main Street pilot helps ensure that as development occurs, residents and local businesses can continue to thrive in the place they call home.”

As Fort Worth advances major development projects in the area, including Panther Island, residents and City leaders have publicly acknowledged concerns related to development pressure, displacement, and the preservation of neighborhood identity in the Historic Northside. The Main Street pilot was established to help ensure that revitalization efforts are coordinated, community-informed, and aligned with long-term neighborhood priorities.

In partnership with national, regional, and community-based organizations, the pilot has advanced key implementation milestones, including convening a resident-led Community Action Committee (CAC), establishing district design guidelines and rezoning efforts currently in progress, and expanding stabilization resources for residents and small businesses. Community Design Fort Worth is advancing a district-wide cultural asset mapping initiative, while partnerships with the Texas A&M Law School Economic Justice Initiative have supported heirship and legal assistance, and collaboration with Trinity Habitat for Humanity has helped connect homeowners to critical home repair resources.

The Fund for Good grant will support organizational capacity building for the Historic Northside District, strengthening the coordination, staffing, and systems required to sustain neighborhood-wide implementation over time. Funds will also support a Missing Middle Housing study, identified as a priority recommendation of the national Urban Land Institute Advisory Services Panel, to better understand housing needs and explore context-sensitive strategies that support neighborhood stability as development accelerates.

“The Historic Northside is a place with deep history, culture, and community leadership,” said Ericka Garza, President & CEO of the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “We are focused on building durable, community-informed structures supporting residents, small businesses and cultural life today and for future generations of the Northside community. Together with District 2 Councilman Carlos Flores, we will coordinate work thoughtfully and pragmatically as the district continues to evolve and grow.”

Launched in 2024, the Fund for Good at North Texas Community Foundation supports transformative solutions to emerging challenges by directing philanthropic resources to organizations positioned to deliver long-term impact. The City of Fort Worth has identified the Historic Northside as a priority area experiencing significant investment, underscoring the importance of aligning public and private dollars with community priorities.

All Fund for Good grants undergo a rigorous evaluation process conducted by a volunteer committee of community experts.

About North Texas Community Foundation

North Texas Community Foundation drives meaningful change through charitable investment. The Foundation helps donors meet the needs of the community by providing tax-efficient strategies to support the causes they care about most. At the core of its work is a network of generous individuals, families, and businesses committed to shaping the future of North Texas for good, forever. Learn more at northtexascf.org.

About the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

The Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce fosters a thriving economic environment by empowering businesses, entrepreneurs, and professionals across Fort Worth. The Chamber provides personalized support, bilingual programming, advocacy, education, and business development resources to help enterprises at every stage build lasting wealth and long-term stability. The Chamber leads the Historic Northside District Main Street pilot in partnership with the City of Fort Worth, coordinating revitalization efforts that align economic growth with community priorities

Media Contact: Dee Lara O’Neal Main Street Project Manager Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce dee.laraoneal@fwhcc.org

 

The Fort Worth business community just took an important step forward.

We are proud to announce a strategic partnership between the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Women’s Business Council – Southwest (WBCS). This collaboration formalizes a shared commitment to expanding access to Small Business Certification, strengthening supplier diversity pathways, and increasing contract readiness across the Fort Worth region.

At our recent Contractor Networking event, this partnership was officially recognized as Ericka Garza, President & CEO of the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and Bliss Coulter, President & CEO of Women’s Business Council – Southwest, came together to sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). This milestone represents more than a signature—it represents leadership alignment and a unified strategy to create measurable impact for small businesses.

Why This Partnership Matters

Small business certification is often the gateway to larger contract opportunities, supplier diversity programs, and long-term growth. However, many businesses struggle to navigate the certification process or understand how to leverage it once obtained.

Through this MOA, FWHCC and WBCS are working together to:

• Increase awareness and access to Small Business Certification

• Provide clearer guidance through the certification process

• Align education and contract readiness programming

• Connect businesses to broader supplier diversity networks

• Create stronger matchmaking between certified firms and procurement opportunities

By aligning our efforts, we are building a more streamlined and coordinated pathway for businesses seeking to compete and grow at a higher level.

A Unified Vision for Certification and Growth

This partnership is grounded in a shared belief: certification should not be an endpoint — it should be a launchpad.

Together, we are creating a stronger ecosystem where certification connects directly to opportunity. Businesses will have access to joint workshops, coordinated outreach, and aligned programming that prepares them not just to get certified, but to compete confidently in public and private markets.

Bliss Coulter and the Women’s Business Council – Southwest bring deep expertise in certification and supplier diversity. The Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber brings local relationships, contract forecasting, and readiness programming. Together, we are strengthening the bridge between preparation and performance.

Advancing Long-Term Success in Fort Worth

This MOA reflects a broader shift in how we approach economic development: collaboration over duplication, alignment over fragmentation.

By working together, our organizations are increasing efficiency, improving access to resources, and expanding opportunity for small businesses throughout the region.

This partnership is about more than two organizations — it is about advancing the long-term success of the Fort Worth business community and ensuring that small businesses are prepared, certified, connected, and competitive.

We look forward to what we will build together. To find out more about the certification process: Matchmaking and Certifications

To visit the Womens Business Council Resources:Womens Business Council

Por el liderazgo de la Cámara de Comercio de Fort Worth, la Cámara de Comercio Hispana de Fort Worth y la Cámara de Comercio Metropolitana Afro-Americana de Fort Worth

La intervención del estado en nuestras escuelas públicas no fue el Plan A para Fort Worth. Los texanos valoran el control local, y nosotros también. Nuestra comunidad se enorgullece de gobernarse a sí misma, resolver sus propios problemas y dar forma a su propio futuro.

La palabra “intervención” significa interferir en un resultado o en el curso de los acontecimientos. Cualquier tipo de intervención puede resultar alarmante e inquietante. Pero la verdad es esta: el Distrito Escolar Independiente de Fort Worth (FWISD) ha tenido dificultades académicas durante demasiado tiempo, y nuestros niños están pagando el precio.

Este no es un problema de un solo año ni de una sola escuela. El plantel de FWISD que activó la intervención estatal ha recibido una calificación inaceptable todos los años, excepto uno, desde 2013. A nivel distrital:

• Solo el 34% de los estudiantes de FWISD cumplen con los estándares de grado en lectura y matemáticas, lo que representa un rezago de 12 a 14 puntos porcentuales frente a distritos urbanos grandes comparables en Texas, en comparación con el 46% de los estudiantes de Dallas ISD y el 50% de los estudiantes de Houston ISD.

• En 2025, 39 de las 125 escuelas de FWISD recibieron calificación D o F, 27 de ellas por tercer año consecutivo. Este año hay 5,790 niños de Fort Worth en escuelas con calificación F.

• Solo el 14% de los estudiantes de 8.º grado de FWISD obtendrán un título universitario de 2 o 4 años, y los estudios muestran que los jóvenes adultos sin un título después de la preparatoria tienen solo un 12% de probabilidad de ganar un salario digno.

Estas no son estadísticas abstractas. Representan a miles de niños cuyas oportunidades futuras están siendo limitadas antes de llegar a la adultez. Para los niños de nuestra ciudad, estos resultados pueden reducir significativamente su acceso a la vida y a las oportunidades que desean y merecen. Y para nuestra ciudad, existen consecuencias significativas a largo plazo en áreas como la fuerza laboral, el desarrollo económico, la pobreza, la justicia penal y mucho más. Para nuestros niños, su capacidad de leer, escribir y hacer matemáticas es determinante para el futuro de nuestra fuerza laboral, su posibilidad de mantener a una familia y la salud pública en general.

Hoy, Fort Worth se encuentra en una encrucijada. Como líderes de la comunidad empresarial de Fort Worth, reconocemos que la intervención estatal ha llegado a FWISD, y la pregunta central es cómo hacer que funcione para nuestra ciudad. En su mejor versión, la intervención ofrece la oportunidad de cambiar el statu quo y generar mejoras significativas. Creemos que nuestra ciudad puede aprovechar este momento.

Por eso viajamos juntos a Houston ISD, el único otro distrito urbano grande en Texas que actualmente opera bajo una intervención estatal similar. No fuimos a Houston para confirmar una creencia preconcebida. Fuimos a aprender.

Lo que vimos fue innegable. Observamos maestros bien preparados enseñando con claridad, habilidad y energía. Los estudiantes estaban concentrados, retados y apoyados.

Vimos un distrito con un liderazgo sólido y la disposición de realizar cambios audaces para mejorar los resultados. En todos los niveles, hubo un compromiso inquebrantable de poner a los estudiantes primero—por encima de la política, por encima de la comodidad, por encima del miedo al cambio. Y los resultados son contundentes. El año previo a la intervención estatal, HISD tenía 30,295 niños en 56 escuelas con calificación F. Este año, HISD tiene cero escuelas con calificación F, y desde que existe el sistema de calificación, ningún estudiante de HISD asiste a una escuela con calificación F.

Nuestra visita fue inspiradora de distintas maneras para los miembros de nuestra delegación. Lo que nos unió fue el reconocimiento de que el progreso significativo es posible cuando el liderazgo se siente empoderado para actuar con urgencia y claridad.

Los niños de Fort Worth merecen esa misma urgencia, claridad y resultados. Como comunidad, debemos hacer que la intervención del estado funcione para nuestros niños y lograr un cambio generacional positivo para su futuro. Esto no se trata de ganar debates. Se trata de ganar futuros.

No llegamos a Houston con una opinión consensuada sobre la intervención estatal, pero regresamos con unanimidad en esta convicción: estamos entusiasmados con la oportunidad que tenemos frente a nosotros, y confiamos en que la acción audaz y el trabajo en equipo pueden generar resultados transformadores para nuestros niños y para nuestra ciudad.

Fort Worth, TX — 11/26/2025 — The Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has officially launched the Audaz Leadership Program, a cross-sector leadership initiative designed to equip emerging and established professionals with the skills, credentials, and mentorship necessary to excel in today’s rapidly evolving workforce.

The program builds upon the success of the Chamber’s mentorship initiative—the first phase in establishing a comprehensive leadership development ecosystem for North Texas. As the cost of higher education continues to rise, the Chamber recognizes that micro-credentials and targeted professional development will play a crucial role in advancing careers and expanding economic opportunity.

National data underscores the urgency of rethinking leadership development. Only 10% of executives believe their leadership training is effective, 68% of nonprofits struggle to find qualified leaders, and 72% of elected officials report feeling unprepared when first taking office. Meanwhile, career mobility is accelerating—Gen Z professionals now average employment across two industries within three years, and 21% of millennials change jobs annually.

“The workforce is changing faster than traditional leadership pathways can keep up,” said Gilberto Atayde, VP of Operations for FWHCC. “Audaz prepares professionals to lead across business, government, and nonprofit sectors—because tomorrow’s impact will require collaboration across all three.”

Developed in partnership with academic leaders and industry experts, the program focuses on skills identified by the Institute of Leadership Research at Texas Tech University’s Rawls College of Business, including strategic thinking, leading people, leveraging networks, negotiation, conflict management, coaching, goal setting, and change management.

For a program investment of $2,000, participants receive exceptional value, including:

The Audaz Leadership Program is designed for professionals seeking advancement, entrepreneurs striving to scale, and community leaders committed to strengthening Fort Worth’s economic future.

More information and program registration are available at:
https://fwhcc.org/programs/audaz-leadership/