Skill Development
Hands-on instruction in documentation, conservation, masonry care and grounds work.
Pflugerville, Texas · NonprofitEmpowering our future to care for our past.
We upskill and employ marginalized individuals to restore and beautify historic spaces — preserving heritage that was never meant to be forgotten.
- 650%
- Return per trainee
- Monthly
- Cemetery workdays
- 2027
- Scholarships open
A Recent Win · It Passed
Pflugerville will erect an African American Corridor and restore the Historic Colored Addition.
After sustained advocacy from A Giving Rose Foundation and neighbors across Pflugerville, the City has approved the creation of an African American Corridor and the restoration of the historic Colored Addition — the burial ground and neighborhood that hold generations of Black Pflugerville history. It is a promise made public, in the record, and in stone.
Our Mission
To upskill & employ marginalized individuals in restoring and beautifying historic spaces.
Fostering community pride and preserving our heritage — one headstone, one hire, one sacred acre at a time.
Our Green Workforce Model
Training and employment that pays the community back.
We train and employ marginalized individuals to restore historic spaces, generating revenue through grants, contracts, and community support.
Employment Opportunities
Paid crew positions maintaining and restoring historic grounds year-round.
Heritage Preservation
Ground-penetrating radar surveys mapping unmarked graves at the Pflugerville Colored Cemetery.
Investment
$16,000
To train & employ one person for a year
3-Year Return
$120,000
In wages, taxes and community value
Return on Investment
650%
Per person, per cohort
We Provide
Four ways we keep the past standing.
Cemetery Preservation Training
Trainings are held quarterly, open to community members ready to learn conservation craft.
Cemetery Preservation
Each month we meet at the Historic Colored Addition Cemetery in Pflugerville, TX — with more sites to follow as we grow.
Scholarships
A separate $5,000 fund for 5 Black students pursuing African-American history. Our future leaders must care for the ancestors who came before them.
Advocacy for Historic Black Spaces
We empower our community to speak up for those who no longer speak for themselves — at council meetings, in the record, and on the land.
Recent Updates
What's happening now.
Historic Cemetery Preservation Training for the GWF Cohort begins
A gathering designed for people passionate about conserving the rich heritage and solemn beauty of these sacred sites.
10 spaces filled
A call for volunteers
We need volunteers to serve on:
- · Historic Preservation and Documentation
- · Clean-Up Crew
- · Grants and Fundraising
Scholarship Fund
A separate $5,000 goal to provide 5 Black students with $1,000 scholarships for African-American history studies.
- Applications open
- February 2027
- Awards announced
- May 2027
- Funded separately
- $5,000
Volunteer
Join the crew restoring sacred ground.
Tell us how you'd like to serve and we'll reach out with upcoming workdays, documentation sessions, and training opportunities in Pflugerville.
The Work
Unearthing History · Austin PBSCliffton L. Styles
Founder & Executive Director
An accomplished community servant and retired military veteran, Cliffton founded A Giving Rose Foundation out of a passion for helping those in need. His dedication to serving humanity stands as a testament to his commitment to justice and to equal rights and opportunity.
On the ground
A glimpse of what it takes
Clean-up day at the historic cemetery: clearing overgrowth, uncovering and washing headstones, hauling brush and planting new beds. Every hour here is hands-on work by neighbors, family and trainees earning a wage while restoring sacred ground.
Signature Event
The Rose Ball
On Friday, August 16, 2024, supporters gathered at the Pflugerville Courtyard Marriott for The Rose Ball — a charity fundraiser hosted by Nina Sarahphina, with keynote speaker Dr. Yasmiyn Irizarry and a special appearance by Tree G. An evening of Black excellence, remembrance, and giving in support of preserving Black cemeteries and heritage.
- Date
- August 16, 2024
- Venue
- Courtyard Marriott, Pflugerville
- Host
- Nina Sarahphina
- Keynote
- Dr. Yasmiyn Irizarry
Thank you to our donors
To every sponsor, table host, ticket holder, auction bidder, and volunteer who made The Rose Ball possible — thank you. Your generosity funds training wages, headstone restoration, ground-penetrating radar surveys, and scholarships for the next generation of preservationists. This work stands because you stood with us.
Support the next Rose Ball
2027 Operating Budget
$160,000 launches our January 2027 cohort — and sustains the whole organization for the year
This is our full annual operating budget, not a wish list. It pays living wages to a new crew of trainees, covers the insurance and compliance a nonprofit must carry to work on historic ground, and funds the tools, materials, and supervision that make the work safe and lasting.
Line itemAnnual
Crew wages & training stipends
$72,000
Paid, living-wage hours for 10 trainees across the year — the core of the Green Workforce Model.
Program director & field supervision
$28,000
On-site supervision, curriculum, employer partnerships, and case management.
Insurance & risk coverage
$14,000
General liability, workers' compensation, directors & officers, and vehicle coverage.
Equipment, tools & PPE
$12,000
Ground-penetrating radar time, mowers, hand tools, safety gear, and replacement costs.
Preservation materials & supplies
$10,000
Conservation-grade mortar, cleaners, resetting materials, mulch, and plantings.
Certifications & wraparound support
$8,000
OSHA-10, preservation credentials, transit passes, and work clothing. Scholarship funding is a separate $5,000 goal.
Transportation & fuel
$6,000
Crew transport to cemetery sites across Central Texas and equipment hauling.
Accounting, audit & compliance
$6,000
Bookkeeping, Form 990 preparation, state charitable registration, and board governance.
Outreach, fundraising & technology
$4,000
Donor stewardship, community events, website, and software the team runs on.
Total annual budget
$160,000
What it sustains
- A new cohort starting January 2027 with paid, credentialed training from day one.
- Year-round restoration at Pflugerville's historic Colored Addition cemetery and nearby burial grounds.
- Documentation and mapping so descendant families can find their loved ones.
- Public programming and advocacy that keeps the African American Corridor moving forward.
- A stable, insured, audit-ready organization donors and city partners can rely on.
Cost per participant
$16,000
A full year of wages, certifications, gear, supervision, and wraparound support for one trainee — the complete cost of moving a person from unemployment into skilled, credentialed preservation work.
Fund the January cohortEvery dollar is tracked against these categories and reported in our annual Form 990.
Join the crew
Sign up for the next cohort waiting list
The next cohort is not starting yet. Add your name and we will reach out when openings are available.
Join Us
Give the past a future worth keeping.
Your gift funds training, wages, headstone restoration and the scholarships that will carry this work to the next generation.
Donate Now