Celebrating Steve Mataro’s Commitment to Community Service
For Steve Mataro, Chief Operations Officer at GrantWorks, Inc., supporting communities has always meant more than rebuilding homes and infrastructure. It’s meant investing in the people who will shape the future, especially children. That’s why, for more than 30 years, Mataro has dedicated his career and volunteer service to helping communities grow stronger, whether by leading disaster recovery efforts or advocating for childhood literacy.
That commitment was recently recognized when the City of Friendswood, Texas, honored Mataro for his service to the community. During a ceremony at Friendswood City Hall, Mayor Mike Foreman proclaimed October 1st as “Steve Mataro Day,” citing his decades of leadership, philanthropy, and support for organizations that benefit children and families. In an article from The Galveston County Daily News, the mayor stated, “We appreciate all that Steve has done for the city of Friendswood, as well as this entire region.”
“You really know that the work you’re doing is impactful and meaningful, consistently over time. I’m very honored and very grateful for the recognition,” said Mataro when asked about the proclamation.
Literacy has long been one of Mataro’s greatest passions. A former president of SMART Family Literacy and now the organization’s 2026 Board President, Mataro has spent years helping expand access to books and educational resources for children throughout Galveston County. The nonprofit has distributed more than 300,000 books since its founding, including more than 35,000 in the past year alone.
“Anything that we can do that puts this literacy and exposure to this amazing written word into children and young kids…that’s the blessing,”
Steve Mataro
Chief Operations Officer, GrantWorks
Last year, Steve’s passion for SMART Family Literacy was fully on display during the organization’s 2025 fundraising event. A large mural created by local artist Catherine Stroud served as a centerpiece of the celebration and was slated to be divided into sections and auctioned separately. Recognizing the significance of the artwork and what it represented, Mataro purchased the entire piece to keep it intact.
Today, the mural is displayed at The Galveston County Daily News as a symbol of the partnerships and community spirit that make SMART Family Literacy’s mission possible.
In his role with GrantWorks, Mataro serves as Chief Operations Officer, bringing decades of experience helping communities recover from disasters and access critical funding resources. Throughout his career, he has overseen more than 45 federally funded disaster recovery and community development projects across 13 states and territories, working with FEMA and HUD Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) programs to help communities rebuild and become more resilient. Yet his impact extends well beyond his professional accomplishments. A longtime Rotarian and dedicated volunteer, Mataro has earned numerous honors for his service, including the Galveston County Daily News Citizen of the Year Award, Community Champion Award, and Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year Award.
“We went in there with the understanding that this painting needed to stay together,” Mataro said during the event. “Just like SMART Family Literacy puts people together, they put kids together, they put literacy together. It’s a constant reminder to me of how valuable it is when you have all the pieces you need to be successful.”
– Steve Mataro
Steve’s commitment to literacy is also particularly evident through his involvement with The Daily News Press Run, an event he has supported since its inception 16 years ago. The annual run raises funds for childhood literacy initiatives and has long partnered with SMART Family Literacy to expand access to educational opportunities for community residents. Under Mataro’s leadership, GrantWorks has proudly served as a sponsor of the Press Run for the last several years, further strengthening the company’s commitment to supporting literacy and investing in the next generation.
The recent recognition from the City of Friendswood serves as a testament to the impact one person can have when they consistently invest in their community. Through his unwavering support of literacy programs, Steve Mataro helps children succeed while continuing to represent The GrantWorks Way.
To learn more about SMART Family Literacy or get involved, visit smartfamilyliteracy.org or contact the organization at [email protected].