Second round of grants from the Leadership Equity Fund provides $50,000
to four, local organizations.
NEW BEDFORD, MA – Brockton-based BAMSI, Coaching4Change out of Taunton, and New Bedford’s Buy Black NB and the Whaling Museum are the latest grant recipients of the SouthCoast Community Foundation Leadership Equity Fund. A total of $50,000 has been awarded for career advancement and leadership programming to increase racial and ethnic diversity within staff and management teams as well as sustain and support Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)-led organizations and their leadership.
“We’re thrilled to see these four well-deserving grantees receive awards and are inspired by their commitment and the work they are doing within their organizations and in the community,” stated John Vasconcellos, SouthCoast Community Foundation President and CEO. “Since the launch of the Leadership Equity Fund in June, we have seen an overwhelming response from the community and nonprofits.”
Award distribution includes:
| Organization | Program | Award |
| BAMSI | BIPOC Leadership Path | $14,000.00 |
| Buy Black NB | Operations and Administrative Support | $12,000.00 |
| Coaching4Change | Support CEO/Co-Founder Marquis Taylor Continue student program expansion in South Coast |
$14,000.00 |
| New Bedford Whaling Museum | Equity in Leadership Program | $10,000.00 |
| TOTAL | $50,000.00 |
Coaching4Change is dedicated to a more diverse, equitable learning environment by having college students of color mentor, role model, and coach academically middle school students. Grant recipient and Coaching4Change Co-Founder and CEO Marquis Taylor commented, “2020 amplified the importance of racial and social equity. Between COVID-19 and the racial injustice we all witnessed via social media or tv, we collectively know that equity does not just happen. We must create it. By the SouthCoast Community Foundation creating this Fund, it signals to the region that the Foundation is ready to play a huge role in helping to create opportunities where leaders of color do not feel isolated and ignored. We greatly appreciate receiving the award and the Community Foundation’s support of our work.”
Buy Black NB, an online platform dedicated to highlighting, discovering, and promoting Black-owned businesses in the Southcoast, finds the award funding an operational relief. “The Leadership Equity grant will allow for our continued efforts toward economic empowerment and equity for the Southcoast Black business community,” commented Justina Perry, Founder and Director of Buy Black NB. “This funding will enable Buy Black NB to become more than a one-time initiative and help sustain our operations throughout the next year.”
The Leadership Equity Fund is one of several steps the Community Foundation is taking to address racism. Launched in June 2021, the Fund will support Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)-led organizations that historically have been under-resourced and seeks to ensure that BIPOC individuals are given the opportunity and support to lead and influence from positions of power and authority. Grants from the Fund will support and serve two purposes: support for nonprofit organizations working to end racism and run by leaders who identify as BIPOC and the professional development and advancement of employees of nonprofit organizations who identify as BIPOC. Fundraising is ongoing and to date more than $260,000 has been raised.
“We created this grant to address racial disparities and work towards a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive society, supporting and growing BIPOC leaders and organizations in the nonprofit arena,” stated Carl Cruz, the Community Foundation’s Grants Committee Chair. “To ensure we deliver on that promise, we are staying connected to the community, listening, and refining our approach to ensure the funding is going to where it’s most needed and in the most effective manner possible.”
The SouthCoast Community Foundation is a nonprofit serving the communities of Southeastern Massachusetts through philanthropy. The Community Foundation mission is to mobilize philanthropy by matching donors and resources with community needs for the benefit of our region. Since 1995, the organization has distributed over $50 million from more than 200 funds to humanitarian, educational, and cultural organizations in the region. For more information, visit www.southcoastcf.org. Click here to donate to the Leadership Equity Fund.
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