The Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties announced the recipients of its first Black-led Nonprofit Grant program, awarding $16,500 collectively to eight local Black-led nonprofit organizations serving Loudoun County.
In fall of 2021, the Community Foundation established a Racial Equity Fund to support grantmaking for emerging and grassroots Black-and-Brown-led nonprofit organizations, equity initiatives, and advancement of equity leadership.
As the first grantmaking initiative of the Racial Equity Fund, the Community Foundation invited organizations demonstrating Black leadership among its executive leaders and board and serving Loudoun County to apply for mini-grants between $1,000 and $3,500. Grants were prioritized for new or emerging organizations and those serving the Black community in Loudoun. Grant applications were reviewed and selected by a local, community-based selection committee comprised of Black business, government, and nonprofit leaders.
The Black-led Nonprofit Grant Program is made possible by support from Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic Region, the Siker Family Foundation, the Don and Amy Owen Charitable Fund, and the Community Foundation’s Endowment for the Community.
“Philanthropy has a long history of inequity that has historically limited opportunities and funding for Black-led and Black-serving organizations, both nationally and here in Loudoun,” said Lucky Wadehra, chair of the Community Foundation’s board of directors. “We’re grateful for the support of donors in our community who choose to invest in Black-led organizations, especially Kaiser Permanente, and for our board’s leadership to create this program.”
“The Family One would like to thank the Community Foundation for considering us for the Black-led Nonprofit Grant,” said Derrick A. Veney, vice president and co-founder of The Family One, a Leesburg-based nonprofit and grant recipient. “The funds from this grant will directly impact the youth and families that we serve through future events and our internal programs, including our Family Fest 2022 event on August 6th. We will also use the funding to strengthen our internal operations.”
The following grants were awarded:
- Friends of Grace Multicultural Center ($1,000)
- Hearts of Empowerment ($2,000)
- Loudoun Freedom Center ($1,500)
- Love U More Foundation ($2,000)
- NAACP Loudoun Branch ($1,000)
- Pearls Empowerment, Inc. ($2,500)
- Psi Rho Omega Pearls of Loudoun – Alpha Kappa Alpha Educational Advancement Foundation, Inc. ($2,500)
- The Family One ($3,500)
Those wishing to support Black-led nonprofits by donating to the Racial Equity Fund may do so here.
About the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties
Founded in 1999 by local volunteers, the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit designed to accelerate community giving for common good in Loudoun and northern Fauquier counties, surrounding areas and across the nation. Since its inception, the Community Foundation has granted more than $13 million. Donors who include the Community Foundation in their philanthropic vision benefit from low fees, knowledgeable staff, and personal assurance that legal and accounting issues are managed under one cost-effective banner: the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties. CommunityFoundationLF.org (703) 779-3505. www.communityfoundationlf.org
