United Way for Greater Austin was awarded a $450,000 grant by the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation to fund its Austin 2-Gen Strategic Plan, according to a Dec. 18 news release. The plan involves a year-long strategy process that will develop intergenerational support for families affected by systemic poverty. In 2013, United Way for Greater Austin was selected in the inaugural group of Ascend 2-Gen Network partners by the Aspen Institute, a nonprofit think tank based in Washington D.C. Each member network is tasked with building a local ecosystem of intergenerational support to disrupt the cycle of poverty. The Austin 2-Gen Network focuses on low-income parents and children from the same family, providing high-quality services for both to help establish stability and self-sufficiency. Some of the Dell Foundation grant will also be invested in local organizations through Austin 2-Gen Community Investment Grants. Recipients will be announced in March, according to the release.