By: Anne DeVries
On January 4th, 2025, Mozart’s Coffee Roasters concluded their annual Festival of Lights by announcing the four recipients of their 2024 Giving Campaign. This year, the campaign awarded $50,000, with each winner receiving $12,500 to support their impactful work in the Austin community.
For over 30 years, Mozart’s has been a gathering place in Austin, providing more than just coffee—it’s been a hub for connection and care. Owners of Mozart’s, Ken and Stacey Leonard, are committed to being part of the solution for the city they love. As Ken Leonard shared, “I want to share joy with the most people I can,” capturing the purpose behind their work and their giving.
The Giving Campaign process began on November 4th this year. Nominations for eligible Central Texas 501c3 nonprofits were accepted from November 4 through December 6 with submissions from the public or the organization.
Each nomination required basic information about the non-profit, including its mission and target audience, within one of the four focus areas for the campaign: Community Service, Arts & Entertainment, Education, and Wildlife & Conservation. The 2024 campaign drew over 750 applications from the 14,000 nonprofits in Austin.
Mozart’s Nonprofit Selection Committee, composed of individuals with long histories of involvement in Austin's non-profit world, worked as Mozart’s decision-makers. The committee reviewed the submissions and narrowed the applicant pool to 12 semi-finalists. During interviews conducted by the committee, additional details were acquired from the semi-finalists, including the potential impact of the donation.
All 12 semi-finalists were invited to the announcement ceremony for the campaign’s closing ceremony on Mozart’s deck, alongside the grand finale of the Festival of Lights at Mozarts, which ran for 36 nights. The event brought together staff, community members, and supporters to celebrate the contributions of the nonprofits. MC Hannah Rucker from KVUE brought jubilance and warmth to the evening.
During Rucker’s opening remarks, she expressed her appreciation for the setting that surrounded attendees, saying, “I just love this place (Mozart’s); you think about Keep Austin Weird, and the root of that is the small local businesses that keep it so quirky and colorful, and you can feel that tonight.” Rucker expressed her love for Austin and its caring nature, considering her role at the event “a complete honor.”
The selection criteria for the awards focused on the nature of the request, its impact on the local community, and the passion and potential behind each cause. The thoughtful process developed for evaluating the applicants ensures the funds make a meaningful difference and are applied where they are most needed.
The award winners for the 2024 Giving Campaign included Keep Austin Fed (Community Service), Austin Texas Musicians (Arts and Entertainment), The Austin Science Education Foundation (Education), and Austin Wildlife Rescue (Wildlife & Conservation). Members of each organization were on hand to be recognized by the community and accept their awards.
Ken and Stacey Leonard’s vision of “living here and giving here” has become a hallmark of Mozart’s relationship with Austin. By directing visibility to the nonprofit sector and increasing their giving fivefold from 2023, Mozart’s legacy in the community is building far beyond its reputation as an iconic Austin hangout.
