York County Community Foundation Launches Racial Equity Fund to Focus On Inequities In York County

York County Community Foundation Launches Racial Equity Fund to Focus On Inequities In York County

(YORK, PA, August 17) – York County Community Foundation (YCCF) is pleased to announce the launch of the Racial Equity Fund Grant Program that will focus on “shifting the paradigm of equitable opportunities.”

The Racial Equity Fund Committee is comprised of community leaders of color. The grant program they designed supports projects that address issues of racism and inequity, providing everyone opportunities to thrive.

The Racial Equity Fund will offer grants of up to $10,000 each for projects that address equity gaps for communities of color in the following areas:

  • Education and job readiness
  • Criminal justice system
  • Community leadership and development
  • Income and wealth creation within communities of color
  • Racial and cultural education
  • Health and wellness within communities of color

Applications will be accepted beginning August 30, 2021, with a virtual information session at 9 a.m. Information on signing up for the session is available at https://yccf.org/for-grant-seekers/grant-programs/racial-equity-fund-grant-program/. To qualify for a grant, nonprofits or individuals must be working directly with people of color, with a preference for projects that are led by people of color.

The deadline to apply for a grant from the Racial Equity Fund is October 8, 2021.  Grants will be reviewed and recommended by the Racial Equity Fund Committee.  Committee members are available to answer questions before grant submission and YCCF staff will assist applicants with the application process.   Individuals who are not associated with a nonprofit organization should contact racialequitygrants@yccf.org to discuss their project, including how to obtain a fiscal sponsor, with a committee member.

“The committee is committed to helping guide applicants through this new process,” said Racial Equity Fund Committee Chair Lisa Kennedy. “We encourage people and organizations doing work to advance racial equity in York County to reach out to us with questions about applying.”

Committee Members:

Lisa Kennedy, Chair – Family Peer Support Specialist, York County Department of Human Services and York City School Board Director

Jamiel Alexander – CEO of E5 Enterprises and Aspen Institute: Forum For Community Solutions Youth Led Change Program Manager

Kim Brister – Vice President, Chief Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Officer

Natalee C. Gunderson – Vice President of Human Resources, York Water Company

Delores Penn – Educational Consultant; retired from the School District of the City of York

José Santiago – Director, YMCA New American Welcome Center

Timothy Warfield – Chairman, PA Community Development & Finance Corp.; member of the YCCF Board of Directors; and retired from the National Association for State Community Services Programs.

YCCF created the Racial Equity Fund in 2020 to establish a dedicated grant program to support meaningful, positive action towards addressing racial inequities in our community.  Additional contributions are being sought to sustain an endowment so that meaningful grants are distributed every year.

“We see this as an opportunity to catalyze change, expand access to resources, and build YCCF’s capacity to use a diversity, equity and inclusion lens when doing our work,” said Jane M. Conover, MSW, President & CEO of YCCF. “The Racial Equity Fund is another tool to achieve our vision of a prosperous and united York County with unsurpassed opportunities for all.”

For more information on the Racial Equity Fund and the grant program please visit: https://yccf.org/racial-equity-fund/

 

York County Community Foundation creates a vibrant York County by engaging donors, providing community leadership, and investing in high-impact initiatives while building endowment for future generations. York County Community Foundation holds more than 600 endowed funds and assists donors and nonprofits in reaching their charitable goals. The Community Foundation granted $6.9 million in 2020 throughout York County and beyond, and stewards approximately $178 million in assets.