In response to the national reckoning on race that continues in the wake of the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and others, Greater Worcester Community Foundation has announced over $80,000 in grants to 29 nonprofits and the Coalition for a Healthy Greater Worcester. Funding will support these organizations as they take concrete steps towards racial equity in practice, policy, leadership, and impact.
“The challenge of racial justice does not fit neatly into annual granting cycles nor can it be addressed in one time initiatives,” said GWCF President and CEO Barbara Fields. “It requires a continued, focused investment in leadership and resources. This grant program is only the beginning of a larger effort by the Foundation to promote anti-racism work in the community.”
The grants announced today include a wide variety of efforts, including:
- Events to engage in dialogue with the broader community;
- Purchase of educational material for staff, board, and volunteers;
- Professional development opportunities, and;
- Advocacy and policy initiatives.
As part of the Action for Racial Equity Grant program, the Foundation will bring together grantees to facilitate collaboration and sharing of best-practices with the community. Grants totaling $48,347 have been made to 29 non-profits to support this work.
The Foundation has also awarded a $35,000 grant to the Coalition for a Healthy Greater Worcester to launch the Trauma, Resiliency and Racial Equity Training Institute. The program, which continues a successful community training strategy, will include six sessions designed to prepare local organizations to lead conversations about racial equity in the community.
Greater Worcester Community Foundation is central Massachusetts' leading community foundation dedicated to improving the quality of life in the region by connecting donors to high impact nonprofits and community initiatives.
“We are proud to provide this critical support focused on racial equity,” said Fields. “While we are listening and learning, it is essential that we also invest the kind of meaningful resources it will take to move this work forward.”
For more information about the grants and our grantees visit: greaterworcester.org/Grants/Recent-Grants#777231-action-for-racial-equity-grants.