Austin Community College District (ACC) is launching a coworking, meeting, and event space for community-based organizations to help foster deeper collaboration and mutually beneficial opportunities between the college and local nonprofits. 

The Nonprofit Austin (NPA) at ACC CommunitySpace will provide critical resources to local nonprofits including: 

  • office and coworking space for rent,
  • information and assistance with grants research, and
  • stronger pathways between students and community-based organizations for both services and experiential learning opportunities.

“This initiative leverages ACC’s role in the community, meeting a critical nonprofit need – physical meeting space – and the unique value proposition of ACC, to create an essential asset to better the Greater Austin community,” says Barry Silverberg, executive director of ACC’s Center for Nonprofit Studies and Nonprofit Austin. “Additionally, revenue generated from this initiative will fund ACC student scholarships.”  

CommunitySpace will occupy 7,200 square feet of the first floor of ACC’s Highland Business Center. It is expected to open in early April 2022.

Advisory Council

A Nonprofit Austin at ACC CommunitySpace Advisory Council appointed by ACC Chancellor Dr. Richard Rhodes, made up of both internal and external stakeholders, was formed to offer advice and counsel regarding the structure and functioning of CommunitySpace.

Advisory council members are:

  • Larry Davis, ACC Chief Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Officer
  • Sam Greer, Director, ACC Employer Outreach & Experiential Learning Programs 
  • Dr. Gretchen Riehl, Vice Chancellor, ACC Instruction 
  • Lorlie Ellis, Dean, ACC Business 
  • Steven Christopher, Associate Vice Chancellor, ACC Student Access and Social Support Resources 
  • Dr. Mary Harris, Vice Chancellor, ACC Institutional Effectiveness & Grant Development 
  • Tracie German, Director, ACC Campus Operations Regional 
  • David Smith, CEO, United Way of Greater Austin 
  • Kenneth Gladish, retired CEO, The Seton Fund and Austin Community Foundation 
  • Rosamaria Murillo, CEO, El Buen Samaritano 
  • Carl Settles, Executive Director, E4 Youth
  • Michelle Polgar, Managing Director, Austin Arts Commission Chair and Mary Moody Northen Theatre at St. Edward’s University

To learn more about Nonprofit Austin at ACC, visit nonprofitaustin.org.