Community Foundation for a greater Richmond

SisterFund is accepting grant applications through September 16th! The focus of SisterFund is to invest in nonprofit, community-based organizations engaged in impacting African American women and girls through efforts that build positive futures, specifically through gains in education, workforce development, leadership development, and health. Is your nonprofit interested? To learn more about the application process, visit https://lnkd.in/ex48vwVA

We are excited to announce the 2024 grant recipient of the Employee Charitable Fund. Congratulations to Groundwork RVA! The Employee Charitable Fund was created by employees of the Community Foundation as a way to ensure they could experience the joy and impact of philanthropy by contributing to a pooled fund in which their contributions could directly impact nonprofits serving the Richmond region. Over time, the fund has grown through additional contributions of both current and former employees and through investment returns. As a result, it has distributed $39,698.76 to 27 organizations since it began in 2004. To learn more about our funds, head to www.cfdonate.org ?

The Business Community Engagement Collaborative (BCEC), is a network that ChamberRVA, Community Foundation for a greater Richmond, InUnison and United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg launched in 2021 to connect community-minded business professionals for relationship building and best practice sharing on volunteer engagement and philanthropy. There are quarterly learning opportunity events that help us collectively build a stronger and more vibrant Richmond region. Last Wednesday, BCEC held "Activating Your Purpose" session featuring guests from Super Radiator Coils who shared their journey on developing a strategic community engagement plan.

Even with Richmond's growing population, employers still struggle to find skilled employees to fill their open positions. While positions remain unfilled, many unemployed and under-employed individuals, who have developed skills through alternative routes, are challenged to secure employment that aligns with their career interests and pays a family-sustaining wage. Workforce development impacts everyone and demands diverse solutions to ensure upward mobility for all job seekers in our region. Join our region's workforce development professionals and advocates as we discuss skill-based strategies to address labor market challenges and promote equitable access to a living wage.?Register to attend: https://lnkd.in/e5tDRuiC

Excited that the Community Foundation for a greater Richmond will be participating in the 2024 ProsperityNOW Conference this year. Join us for a discussion on addressing Bridging the Divide: The Amandla Fund for Economic and Racial Justice's Journey to Racial Equity in Richmond: Despite the Fair Housing Act's passage over 55 years ago, Richmond grapples with a significant homeownership gap between Black and white households, exacerbated by gentrification. The Amandla Fund for Economic and Racial Justice, established in 2020, aims to address this disparity. Led by Black leaders, the fund pioneers an innovative down payment assistance model, striving to achieve homeownership parity by 2040. We will discuss mobilizing social change, designing programs for marginalized communities, and the fund's future steps, fostering collective wealth-building efforts in Richmond for a more equitable society. There's still space to register! I am excited about this great opportunity to share our journey with our partners Jovan Burton, Partnership for Housing Affordability and Dianna Bowser, Southside Community Development & Housing Corporation, Inc.!

The Community Foundation’s ‘Evening with Black Philanthropists,’ a conversation moderated by Robert L. Dortch, Jr. with donors?William “Bill” Cooper,?Rasheeda Creighton, and?Caprice Bragg, explored Black generosity and the unique aspects of African American giving. In this segment our esteemed guests share their personal vision for building a philanthropic legacy. As Black Philanthropy Month comes to an end, we hope you have been inspired by the stories of local Black changemakers who give back with their time, talent, and treasure as well as ideas for getting more engaged or involved in philanthropy, now and throughout the year.

Today, the Foundation has announced the latest 2024 Community Impact Grants, which are awarded annually to local nonprofits working to increase access and opportunity for all residents and united by their shared goal of improving the Richmond Region. This year,?141?community nonprofits received funding to support their ongoing efforts in 4 focus areas:?community vibrancy,?economic prosperity, educational success,?and?health and wellness. To create the greatest possible impact with limited grant funds, the awards support a mix of direct services, advocacy efforts, and systems building to address both immediate needs and larger-term opportunities for residents to achieve upward economic mobility. The Community Foundation relies on its nonprofit partners to leverage their expertise and the trust they have built within their communities to deliver programs and solutions that are most beneficial to those they serve. Explore the list of this year's recipients: https://lnkd.in/eceFcxKP??

This morning our Executive Director and Communications and Community Engagement Manager had the opportunity to attend “Business Community Engagement Collaborative: Activating your Purpose” panel discussion with Super Radiator Coils hosted by the Community Foundation for a greater Richmond and ChamberRVA. It’s cool to learn how businesses are positioning themselves to actively listen and engage with the community!

Tomorrow is #Give828 Day – but the online fundraising campaign is already underway! Built on the momentum created by Black Philanthropy Month, #Give828 is a day of giving to and celebrating Black-led and Black-benefiting nonprofits, and the crucial role that they play in creating healthy Black communities. Discover the participating nonprofits and find a cause to support this year at www.give828.org

Black business founders are denied business loans two times more than any other group and receive less than 1 percent in venture capital. At the Community Foundation, we are studying this issue, building relationships with our region’s small business incubators, advisors and support systems, and dedicating more resources to support entrepreneurial growth, particularly among business owners of color.? This spring, the Community Foundation partnered with local entrepreneur, marketing expert and social connector Melody Short to bring author Jessica Norwood to Richmond. In Norwood’s book, Believe-In-You-Money: What if the Economy Loved Black People?, she offers practical guidance about how to reimagine risk, repair harm and use non-extractive, long-term capital to support the innovation of Black people and reap the collective benefits of a more just, equitable and interconnected society. We hosted a small group dinner with individual donors and business leaders to explore what it would take to adopt and act on this philosophy. Here are highlights from our evening with Jessica Norwood.