Why Community Matters: How GVTC Invests in the Places We Call Home

A community is more than a place on a map. It is the network of neighbors, schools, volunteer fire departments, food pantries and youth programs that people rely on, often without noticing. GVTC was founded in 1951 by and for the people of the Hill Country, and it has always believed its own success depends on the strength of the communities it serves. Through The GVTC Foundation, that belief turns into action.

What makes a community thrive

Researchers who study community well-being often describe a concept called social capital: the relationships, trust and shared institutions that let people work together. Communities rich in social capital tend to recover faster from disasters, support healthier families and give young people more paths to success.

Local nonprofits are central to that strength. They know their neighbors' needs firsthand and can respond quickly, whether that means stocking a pantry before the holidays or equipping a volunteer fire department. Many run on small budgets, so steady local support can have an outsized effect.

That is where a community-minded company can help. When local businesses invest in local organizations, the benefits stay close to home and build on themselves over time.

A strong network builds a strong community

Community strength and connectivity go hand in hand. A business decides where to locate, a nonprofit decides where to expand, and a family decides where to settle. Each of them now asks the same question: is the internet here good enough? The better the network, the more employers, entrepreneurs, nonprofits and families a community can attract and keep.

That connection is why GVTC's recent national recognition matters. In September 2026, NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association named GVTC a Smart Rural Community provider. NTCA's program recognizes broadband providers whose networks help rural communities strengthen local economies and expand access to education, health care and other essential services. Providers qualify by meeting standards for broadband speeds, availability and adoption, and by committing to work with local leaders on community goals.

GVTC's fiber now reaches nearly 90% of its service area. That network lets a small business sell online, a student join a class from home and a patient consult a doctor by video. It also helps nonprofits run efficiently and reach the people it serves.

How GVTC puts that belief to work

GVTC established The GVTC Foundation in 2006 with a simple mission: to enhance the quality of life in the communities GVTC serves through charitable giving and volunteer service. The Foundation funds local nonprofits in five key areas:

· Health and human services

· Education

· Youth programs and services

· Volunteer emergency services

· Cultural programs

Twenty years later, the results add up. In June 2026, the Foundation passed $7.5 million in total community giving. In 2025 alone, it reinvested nearly $700,000 in local organizations serving families, students and first responders, including support for flood relief. Scholarships from GVTC and the Foundation also help local students pursue their education.

Neighbors helping neighbors

The Foundation is run by GVTC employees who volunteer their time, and they give far more than dollars. In 2025, GVTC employees contributed more than 17,000 volunteer hours across the region and took part in more than 70 community events.

One of the Foundation's best-known efforts is the annual Thanksgiving Giveback Project. It partners with food pantries, schools and businesses to provide holiday meals to local families. Now in our 14th year, this project has provided for 4,381 families. Each spring, the GVTC Charitable Golf Classic raises funds that go back into the community.

Members can take part too. Through the Round Up for Change program, customers can round their monthly bill up to the next dollar, and the extra goes to the Foundation. GVTC matches donations to The GVTC Foundation dollar for dollar, so every gift has twice the impact in the community.

Stronger together

For 75 years, GVTC has worked to connect people. A strong fiber network brings opportunity to the region, and The GVTC Foundation helps make sure that opportunity

reaches the nonprofits, schools and first responders who make the Hill Country and South-Central Texas home. If you lead a local nonprofit, visit gvtc.com/gvtc-foundation/grants to learn about funding. Applications are accepted twice a year. If you are a member, consider joining Round Up for Change or making a gift to the Foundation, and GVTC will match it dollar for dollar. When neighbors invest in one another, the whole community grows stronger.

Contact: Sonia Aguillon (830) 885 - 4411 sonia.aguillon@gvtc.net