A Purpose-Driven Path: Frost Murphy
Frost Murphy was in a HeartGift board meeting when the Executive Director leaned over and asked, “Hey, have you heard about Greater Houston Community Foundation?” That simple question sparked a journey. That year, the Next Gen Giving Circle, a group comprised of alumni of the Greater Houston Community Foundation’s (Foundation) Next Gen Donor Institute (Institute), focused on supporting nonprofits with similar missions to HeartGift, which provides life-saving surgery for children with congenital heart defects from around the world. Initially, Frost’s outreach was to learn more about whether HeartGift was a suitable candidate for a grant. However, after connecting with an alumnus of the Institute, Allen Lyons, Frost became eager to learn more about the Foundation and its impact within the community.
Early Days with the Foundation
At first, Frost’s outreach to the Foundation was related to HeartGift. However, after speaking with Jennifer Touchet, Vice President of Personal and Family Philanthropy at the Foundation, and learning about the Institute, he was ready to roll. Frost shared, “I was thirsty for more nonprofit knowledge and after having a 10-minute conversation with Jennifer who shared more about the Next Gen Donor Institute, I remember her asking me ‘do you want to think about joining?’ and I said, nope, don’t need to think about it, I am all in.” Frost sought deeper insights into the nonprofit landscape, greater knowledge about how other families approach philanthropy, and more effective tools to ensure his giving had a meaningful impact.
Frost still uses many of the tools he learned during his time in the Next Gen Donor Institute. However, one of the most enduring takeaways from his experience in the Institute was the concept of the “Four T’s of Philanthropy”—time, talent, treasure, and ties—a tool developed by the Foundation in partnership with 21/64. Frost shared that he used to struggle with guilt when trying to support different causes. He wanted to do it all, say yes to every request. But learning to be intentional and upfront about what he could offer gave him clarity—and ultimately, for the nonprofits he supported.
“The Institute itself was valuable,” Frost says, “but the biggest impact came from the people I was connected with and learned from. The two years following my graduation from the Next Gen Donor Institute, that community and network, added so much value to the way I approach giving back.”
– Frost Murphy, Elite MMA
After participating in the Next Gen Donor Institute, Frost continued to be engaged with the Foundation in a variety of ways. He served as the Next Gen Representative on the Foundation’s Governing Board, remained active in the Next Gen Giving Circle, and currently serves on the Foundation’s Business Growth Committee, utilizing his ties to further its mission.
Early Days with HeartGift
Frost’s connection to HeartGift started with love—literally. The year Frost and his wife, Lauren, got married, he wanted to honor her family. Knowing Lauren’s family was really involved with HeartGift, that year, his gym hosted a fundraiser that sponsored several life-saving heart surgeries for children in need. It wasn’t just a charitable act—it was a reflection of his values, and a gift of love to his new, extended family.
After being invited by HeartGift to observe a heart procedure and seeing the profound impact this life-saving medical intervention had on a child’s physical health and a family’s overall well-being, Frost’s commitment to the cause deepened even further. Lauren, his wife, shared, “When Frost gets passionate about something, he is going to go all in. So it was not surprising.”
Frost was invited to join the HeartGift Houston Board during a period when the organization was experiencing rapid growth. It was a great experience for Frost to have a front-row seat as the organization built the scaffolding to grow into what it is today. When he served as chair of the Houston Board and, subsequently, as a member of HeartGift’s National Board of Directors, he found himself among many seasoned professionals. In his thirties and easily one of the youngest in the room, he looked around and admired the inspiring individuals whose leadership and experience he greatly respected. Frost chuckled, “I was really quiet my first year on the National Board of Directors of HeartGift.”
Looking Abroad for HeartGift
After speaking to some doctors who were conducting heart surgeries overseas, Frost recognized the cost savings and immediately saw an opportunity for HeartGift to scale its impact. “It costs around $25,000 to bring a child from abroad to the United States for heart surgery,” he shared. “However, when you do the same operation overseas, you can do it for $2,500, helping 10 kids for the price of one.” This was a ‘no brainer’ for him.
When Frost works with any organization, nonprofit or for-profit, he tends to focus on expansion. With his knack for growth, he helped HeartGift develop a system that enabled them to fund surgeries abroad annually. When Frost first became involved with HeartGift, it raised around $1 million annually. Today, they raise approximately $5.7 million annually, having grown from sponsoring around 50 children per year to approximately 625. Much of this is possible because HeartGift has helped people establish heart surgery programs in other countries. Their support varies with the countries’ needs, but can include help with facilities, equipment, training, and more.
When Frost was asked about his role in scaling the organization’s impact and how it makes him feel, he stated, “It’s great, but we have a whole lot more work to do. 625 is a great number, but there are still at least 300,000-500,000 children who need our help. Once we get there, I will be ecstatic. Let’s keep it rolling!”
Frost also shared, “We recently learned that there are approximately 4,000 doctors worldwide performing these necessary heart surgeries globally. Currently, on average, these doctors perform about one and a half operations per week, which is relatively low. The good news is that if these doctors bump their average up from one and a half surgeries per week to about two surgeries per week, roughly 100,000 additional children will get the surgeries they need in a year.”
A significant barrier to connecting these children with the surgeons or equipment they need is not because there is a shortage of people willing to help; rather, it is a lack of awareness about who needs what, which varies depending on geographic location. Looking ahead, Frost sees an opportunity for HeartGift or other nonprofits in this space to capitalize on this information gap and explore opportunities for new advances in technology, like AI, connecting families to the doctors, nurses, or equipment that can help.
Purpose with Passion
Frost’s journey into philanthropy is grounded in learning, connection, and intentionality. He shared what drives him is the question, “What am I supposed to be doing here on this planet? And for me, in a business capacity, it is to help expand the work of organizations that are making a positive difference on the planet. That can be for-profit or nonprofit.” And while he may have started with a thirst for knowledge, he’s now pouring that wisdom into the lives of others, one purposeful step at a time.
Interested in the Next Gen Donor Institute or engaging with the Foundation?
Contact Annie Hurwitz, Director of Donor Engagement & Learning.
More Helpful Articles by Greater Houston Community Foundation:
- Lily Johnson: A Young Changemaker Sharpening Her Philanthropic Toolkit
- What is a Donor Advised Fund? The Complete Guide
- Cash or Stock? A Strategic Guide to Charitable Giving
- Philanthropy for High-Net-Worth Individuals and Families
- Supporting Education: A Guide to Scholarships for Donors
- Philanthropy at Home: Nurturing Values Across Generations
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