When it was formed almost 70 years ago, the organization was known as the Conference of Texas Foundations and Trust Funds. The annual gathering of members became the signature offering and quickly grew in the number of attendees, as well as national attention. In 1955, when the constitution and by-laws were adopted, the name was officially changed to the Conference of Southwest Foundations. As the only organization of its kind in the country at the time, the Conference served as a model for a variety of similar groups that are today referred to as regional associations of grantmakers.
Over the years, as philanthropy evolved and our membership grew, we greatly expanded the services provided. Today, with a membership of 1800 foundation trustees and 1200 foundation staff from 224 grantmaking organizations across the southwest and beyond. And, while the annual conference remains our signature event, the association also provides leadership in affirming the value of philanthropy and advocating for a strong third sector.
In recognition of the continuing evolution and growth of the most enduring regional association of grantmakers in the United States, the board of directors, with approval from the membership, elected in early 2014 to change the name of the organization from the Conference of Southwest Foundations to Philanthropy Southwest in April 2014. At the same time, the mission was restated to more succinctly describe the organization's core goals.