Funding Opportunities for Black-Led Organizations
The Black Communities Investment Initiative was established at the St. Louis Community Foundation to provide operating support and/or capacity building opportunities to Black-led nonprofits directly serving Black communities in the St. Louis Metro Area. Black communities – and the individuals, families, nonprofits, and businesses that comprise them – have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and economic fall-out.
Facebook identified the St. Louis Community Foundation as one of 20 partners in a nationwide campaign to invest $20 million in Black communities and Black-led nonprofits around the country. Their $1 million commitment to St. Louis is intended to improve the sustainability of nonprofit organizations embedded in and directly impacting Black communities. The COVID-19 Regional Response Fund Advisory Council has allocated an additional $500,000 to strengthen the Facebook offering and support those communities disproportionately affected by the pandemic and economic fallout.
The goals of this initiative are two-fold:
- To provide stability to Black-led nonprofits serving Black communities through operating support and/or capacity building
- To increase Black-led nonprofits’ ability to fundraise through social media
Grants will support general operating costs for up to two years or one-time capacity building projects or trainings and will range from $5,000 to $40,000. A limited number of grants are available in each of the following funding levels:
- $5,000 – $9,999
- $10,000 – $19,999
- $20,000 – $40,000
For the purpose of this initiative, Black-led is defined as an organization in which either the Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director or Board Chair/Board President identifies as Black.
IMPACT AREAS
The Black Communities Investment Initiative seeks established nonprofit partners working directly with Black communities in the following impact areas:
- Arts, Culture and Humanities
- Education
- Community Improvement and Capacity Building
- Human Services, including organizations addressing mental health, behavioral health, and trauma
- Civil Rights, Social Action and Non-political Advocacy
ELIGIBILITY
The Black Community Investment Initiative defines eligible organizations as:
- Any 501(c)3 nonprofit organization or organization under the fiscal sponsorship of a 501(c)3 that meets the requirements outlined in this RFP
- Having at least two years of operating/financial history
- Operating within the St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Jefferson County, and St. Charles County in Missouri and the counties of Madison and St. Clair in Illinois
- Preference will be given to organizations with at least 75% of the total service population identifying as Black or African-American
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
In an effort to ensure that the community has a voice in how these funds are used, The St. Louis Community Foundation has established an Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee includes representatives from business, nonprofits, philanthropy, consultants, community leaders, and the St. Louis Community Foundation Board.
To read the full Request for Proposals, click here.
To apply, click here.
The Racial Healing + Justice Fund is another opportunity through the Deaconess Foundation, Forward Through Ferguson, and Missouri Foundation for Health, in which the Marillac Mission Fund invested last year, to invest in and build the capacity for healing from racial trauma. This fund will open applications on March 21, 2021 and applications are also due April 16, 2021. For more information, click here.