Close to 40 organizations will also join four peer-learning fellowship groups
The Cleveland Foundation and its partners yesterday announced $1 million to 42 organizations in the third round of grantmaking from the Cleveland Black Futures Fund (full list of recipients below). The Fund has amassed nearly $6.2 million since its inception in late 2020 to support the capacity of Cleveland-based nonprofit organizations that are both Black-led and Black-serving. The Fund previously awarded $3,465,000 to 92 organizations in the first two rounds of grantmaking dating back to June of 2021.
For the second consecutive round, the Fund also awarded fellowships that will help organizations build their capacity through one of four focus areas: fund development, leadership development, long-term/strategic planning, and marketing & communications. Close to 40 organizations – some of whom also received a grant in the third round – will participate in each focus area; these groups are designed to foster peer learning among like-minded nonprofits. The foundation is committing additional funding to this effort, including $3,000 stipends to each organization for their participation as well as an outside facilitator in each discipline. The fellowships are expected to launch in February and run for six months.
“It’s hard to believe that the Cleveland Black Futures Fund has supported well over 100 organizations in just 18 months, but it points to the ongoing need in our community,” said Dale Anglin, Cleveland Foundation vice president for program. “The fellowship opportunities were very well received in the last round and we’re committed long-term to continuing those parallel to the grantmaking as both are critical to bolstering the nonprofit network in Greater Cleveland.”
The foremost goal of the Cleveland Black Futures Fund is to strengthen the ecosystem of black leaders and black-serving organizations in Greater Cleveland by providing intentional resources to help grow organizational infrastructure and capacity. Long term, the foundation aims to deepen the field of leaders working to dismantle systemic racism and advance the community towards racial equity.
The foundation received more than 140 submissions during the round-three application period, which was open to both new applicants and organizations that did not receive funding during the first two rounds. Multiple review teams forwarded recommendations to a seven-person committee comprised of community leaders and foundation representatives, who selected the final recipients.
A fourth round of funding, to be initiated this Spring, will be invitation only to a subset of prior applicants who didn’t receive funding due to a limited budget. After that round, the Cleveland Black Futures Fund will shift to an annual cycle. the fifth round of funding is expected to open early spring 2024 to all eligible black-led and black-serving organizations. For more information or to donate to the Cleveland Black Futures Fund, visit ClevelandFoundation.org/Futures.
Cleveland Black Futures Fund Recipients – Round 3
- 99Treasures Arts & Culture ($25,000)
- 100 Black Men of Cleveland Incorporated ($25,000)
- AfricaHouse International ($25,000)
- Alea’s Helping Hand ($15,000)
- Art of Me Productions ($15,000)
- Bigman’s Family Center ($15,000)
- Black Environmental Leaders Association ($15,000)
- Building Hope In The City ($15,000)
- Center for Intellectual Property, Technology & Telecommunications, Inc. ($15,000)
- Delta Alpha Lambda Foundation, Inc. ($15,000)
- Diaper Bank of Greater Cleveland ($15,000)
- Elements of Internal Movement Eternal Pull Inc. ($25,000)
- Encore Employment Enterprise, Inc. ($25,000)
- Freedom Youth Program ($15,000)
- From Me 2 U, Inc. ($25,000)
- Future Hope Foundation ($15,000)
- Gem-N-Me ($25,000)
- Golden Ciphers ($50,000)
- Greater Cleveland Neighborhood Centers Association ($75,000)
- Impact Youth Incorporated ($15,000)
- iN Education Inc. ($15,000)
- Jarvis Gibson Foundation ($25,000)
- Khnemu Foundation ($25,000)
- Links Not Chains, Inc. ($15,000)
- Men and Women of Central ($15,000)
- Minority Organ and Tissue Transplant Education Program of Cleveland, Inc. ($15,000)
- The Missing Link, COPE Inc. ($15,000)
- Mt. Olive Community Development Corporation ($25,000)
- My Brother My Sister Global Inc. ($25,000)
- National Association of Minority Contractors Northern Ohio Chapter ($15,000)
- Neighborhood Solutions, Inc. ($25,000)
- Oh Sew Powerful, Inc. ($15,000)
- Olivet Housing & Community Development Corp. ($15,000)
- Peel Dem Layers Back ($50,000)
- Phillis Wheatley Association of Cleveland ($50,000)
- Promise of Democracy Foundation ($50,000)
- Sankofa Fine Art Plus ($50,000)
- Special Deeds, Inc. ($15,000)
- Steps to Wellness ($15,000)
- Teaching Young Women in Society Truth ($15,000)
- Women of Color Foundation ($20,000)
- Writers in Residence ($25,000)
RELATED:
Cleveland Black Futures Fund announces nearly $2 million in grants
Cleveland Black Futures Fund awards nearly $1.6M to 43 black-run, black-serving nonprofits
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