A year after inception, the Fund for Inclusive Recovery announces its first set of grantees
SEATTLE, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Seattle Foundation is pleased to announce that the Fund for Inclusive Recovery is awarding a total of $12.6 million to 21 organizations that are led by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) individuals – those with intimate knowledge of the obstacles their communities face. Organizations with a deep history of community justice and advocacy work will receive $200,000 a year for three years. Selected grantees include organizations like Casa Latina, Rainier Beach Action Coalition, and the Native Action Network.
"As we work to build back our region, centering BIPOC communities ensures solutions go beyond pandemic recovery, address structural racism and inequities, and contribute to a future that is healthy, thriving, and prosperous for all," said Seattle Foundation's Chief Impact Officer Kris Hermanns. "These resources will further expand and sustain the capacity and infrastructure for groups to take on even more organizing, building community leadership, and engaging policymakers to reinvent our public structures and systems."
Resources from the Fund for Inclusive Recovery are flexible and can be used as grantee organizations see fit for projects, programs, or general operating expenses in support of their community power and base building work. Seattle Foundation and its community partners view these resources as critical investments in the leadership and infrastructure for organizations, movements, and coalitions to mobilize their base of support and prepare for future policy work. The Fund is a key element of Seattle Foundation's strategy to advance racial and economic equity in the Puget Sound region, known as the Blueprint for Impact.
The Fund for Inclusive Recovery exemplifies philanthropy that is responsive and built on trusting relationships with community organizations. The Fund has been co-designed with a Community Advisory Group of local BIPOC leaders who come from the communities most impacted by racism and economic inequities. The Fund was led by their guidance and insights into community priorities and the best ways to invest philanthropic dollars. Over the next few years, the Fund will continue to support organizations and provide a pathway for inclusive recovery from the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on historically underserved communities.
Ubax Gardheere, a member of the Community Advisory Group, points to the uniqueness of this effort. "The Fund for Inclusive Recovery teaches philanthropists that the insights of the community should be valued, especially when determining grant allocations. It has been transformational to see Seattle Foundation co-create the Fund with community members. Our hope is that more philanthropists will see this process and invest in the Fund – and similar efforts – to advance racial equity across the country," Gardheere shared.
The Fund is based on trusting partnerships with community grant partners. Grant dollars are flexible and can be used wherever organizations see the greatest need and opportunity to further build community power that will transform our broken systems. Seattle Foundation ensured that the application process was intentionally streamlined and created space for conversation with those that were invited to submit a full proposal. The depth and potential of the work of these organizations were prioritized – selecting grantees based on their approach, experience, community leadership, and relationships. Each of the finalists and selected grantees received a $2,000 honorarium. This financial support acknowledges the time, energy, and resources spent applying to the Fund.
The Fund launched with a network of cross-sector funders and individual donors in March 2021. To date, it has raised over $13 million from generous supporters, with a goal to raise another $37 million. It was announced one year after the COVID-19 Response Fund, which was also hosted by Seattle Foundation. Both efforts reveal the power of community coming together to respond to crises.
"While our entire community struggled with the immediate impacts of the pandemic, the Fund for Inclusive Recovery was a strong signal that 'getting back to the status quo' isn't enough. The disruption caused by COVID-19 is an opportunity for us to build a more equitable and prosperous Puget Sound for all who live here, and Tableau Foundation is proud to be a part of that effort," said Neal Myrick, Global Head of Tableau Foundation, which was an early contributor to the Fund.
Other funders include The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The Butler Community Foundation, Deloitte LLP, Delta Dental of Washington, DOWL, The Peach Foundation, The Raikes Foundation, The Seattle Mariners, The Seattle Seahawks, The Sunderland Foundation, and Umpqua Bank. These funders are joined by contributions from more than a hundred individual donors.
Read more about the Fund for Inclusive Recovery here. View the full announcement and list of grantees here.
ABOUT SEATTLE FOUNDATION
Seattle Foundation ignites powerful, rewarding philanthropy to make Greater Seattle a stronger, more vibrant community for all. As a community foundation, it works to advance equity, shared prosperity, and belonging throughout the region while strengthening the impact of the philanthropists it serves. Founded in 1946 and with more than $1.3 billion in assets, the Foundation pursues its mission with a combination of deep community insight, civic leadership, philanthropic advising, and judicious financial stewardship.
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