Over the past nine years, we have learned that lasting impact comes not from a single moment of generosity but from sustained commitment. It comes from showing up year after year, deepening relationships with grantees, and trusting the people closest to the work to lead. Our approach has always been to listen first, then act—to understand what an organization truly needs before deciding how we can help. Sometimes that means funding a program directly. Other times it means investing in the operational infrastructure that allows good work to continue and grow.

We are proud that our grantmaking has evolved alongside the organizations we support. Many of the nonprofits in our portfolio have been partners for multiple years, and we have watched them expand their reach, sharpen their missions, and multiply their impact in ways that far exceed the dollars we contributed.

As we look ahead, we are excited to share that The J.W. Couch Foundation has been invited to join the Board of Directors at Jackson Wild—the premier global organization dedicated to nature, science, and conservation storytelling. For over 30 years, Jackson Wild has been the catalyst for the world's most impactful environmental media, and its board includes organizations such as National Geographic, Netflix, PBS, the World Wildlife Fund, the Jane Goodall Institute, and Conservation International, among others. To be welcomed into that company is both an honor and a responsibility we take seriously.

This invitation reflects something we have long believed: that storytelling is not a complement to conservation work—it is central to it. From the very beginning, we have invested in helping organizations tell their stories with the quality and craft they deserve. Joining the Jackson Wild board deepens our commitment to that mission and opens new opportunities to collaborate with world-class storytellers and institutions working at the highest levels of media and conservation. We intend to bring the same approach that has defined our foundation—listening first, investing with purpose, and building lasting partnerships—to this new chapter.

My grandfather believed that the measure of a life well lived was the good fortune you helped create for others. Nine years into this work, that belief has never felt more true. Thank you to our board, our partners, and every organization that trusts us to walk alongside them. Together, we are proving that good fortune, generously shared, has a way of multiplying.