SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – San Diego County leaders and members of the San Diego Foundation on Thursday announced the start of a new initiative that invests in community-led efforts looking to increase racial equity and generational wealth for Black San Diegans.
The Black Community Investment Fund already has more than $1 million attached to it -- funding community leaders are looking to share with organizations within the Black community.
Mark Stuart, president and CEO of the San Diego Foundation, said, “Decades and decades the Black community has been held back in San Diego and not of their own doing, it’s by others.”
To be considered for a grant, a nonprofit organization must meet one of four pillars.
The first being education, as they are looking for projects that address systemic educational challenges in schools. Some of this funding will be used for scholarship opportunities.
The second pillar is employment. Grants will be given to projects that support workforce training programs and help pay for paid internships. They want to help drive diversity in different career fields.
The third pillar is entrepreneurship, as they’re looking for organizations that will help mentor and financially support new businesses.
The last pillar is housing, with the hopes that money will go to organizations that will help members of the Black community buy homes.
“Redlining in San Diego happened in 1936. It was outlawed decades later, but families are still feeling those effects of where they live and where they can apply for mortgages and put down their roots. All of those we hope to fix through the Black Community Investment funding,” Stuart said.
For any nonprofit groups interested in applying or for information on how to donate to the fund, visit SDFoundation.org.
