The Community Foundation recently awarded a new round of grants from its Black Equity & Excellence Fund. Grants from the fund support Black-led nonprofit organizations and projects that counteract systemic racism. Fourteen grants were distributed, totaling $248,000:
Café Sankofa- $55,000
Expand its Honoring Black Farming and Literacy program aimed at bringing the community together to read and learn about the history and legacy of Black farming and gardening.
Center of Hope International – $25,000
Host Black Media Mogul Maker (BMMM), a diverse and inclusive 10-week digital media entrepreneurship program including training, mentoring and resources for 25 Black founders and creators.
Ecodessa (Fiscal Sponsor: Downtown Syracuse Foundation) – $25,000
Launch a retail incubator program in downtown Syracuse for Black entrepreneurs.
Good Life Philanthropic Youth Foundation – $25,000
Partner with Manufacturing Association of Central New York (MACNY) to create a paid job apprenticeship program for youth ages 18-24.
Salt City Communications (Fiscal Sponsor: Good Life Youth Foundation) – $25,000
Host a radio series to provide a platform for Black voices in the community.
IMobile Health Vision – $20,000
Provide wraparound case management services for indigent families aimed at promoting family cohesion, building resilience, increasing access to care, advocacy and financial education.
Black Artist Collective CNY (Fiscal Sponsor: Community Folk Art Center)– $15,000
Host professional development classes, workshops and arts education, and Black Joy events.
The Women’s Economic Institute – $15,000
Support a two-year project to identify and support vulnerable Black women-owned companies by providing recruitment marketing and materials.
Upstate Minority Economic Alliance (UMEA) – $15,000
Create a strategic plan to refocus efforts on helping Black, Latino, Native American and Asian/Pacific Islander business owners succeed.
7Even Streams (Fiscal Sponsor: Cuse Culture Legacy Foundation) – $8,000
Launch a 7-week transformation program for ex-offenders, positioning graduates to exceed expectations and change the trajectory of their lives through re-entry into the workforce.
Neighborhood Chef (Fiscal Sponsor: Poised Gifted & Ready) – $5,000
Host educational cooking classes for Black individuals to help introduce healthier and more innovative ways to prepare flavorful, soulful and unique meals.
Neurodiversity Consulting LLC (Fiscal Sponsor: Sanchia A. Callender) – $5,000
Support its Race and Disability Lecture Series that focuses on educating, empowering, and including stakeholder voices in the conversation about the intersection of race and disability in the Black community.
StayMonet Opulent (Fiscal Sponsor: On Point for College) – $5,000
Sustain the Sankofa Urban Market, a place for Black- and minority-owned businesses to sell goods, connect with other business vendors, make new connections and grow their clientele.
The Ladies Room Podcast (Fiscal Sponsor: Café Sankofa) – $5,000
Purchase streaming services and support other business efforts including small projects, public relations, marketing, business development, events, photography and travel.
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The Central New York Community Foundation is a public charity established in 1927 that receives contributions from donors, manages them to grow over time and then distributes funding to local charities to help them thrive. It is the largest charitable foundation in Central New York with assets of more than $366 million and has invested more than $230 million in community improvement projects since its inception. As a grantmaker, civic leader, convener and sponsor of strategic initiatives, the Community Foundation strives to strengthen local nonprofits, encourage better understanding of the region and address the most critical issues of our time.
The Community Foundation’s Black Equity & Excellence Fund was launched in June 2020 in response to the tragedies and ensuing national conversation on race that has brought to light a common truth – that anti-Black racism is still woven into the fabric of the country. The Fund supports community-based projects for the Black community of Central New York that promote and encourage self-sufficiency and improve the physical and economic conditions that affect quality of life. It also encourages dialogue that will strengthen collaborative engagement on race-related matters and support social and educational growth in the community. Since June 2020, the fund has disseminated more than $750,000 in grants. Learn more at cnycf.org/equity
