Larry Warner Outlines United Way Award of $4.5 in ”Impact Fund Grants”

Thursday, April 29, 2021

GoLocal LIVE

 

View Larger +

Larry Warner of United Way discussing latest grant round

Three months after unveiling its LIVE UNITED 2025 strategic plan, United Way of Rhode Island is announcing the first of the grants —  $4.5 million.

The funding, representing the first of a two-year grant cycle, was awarded to  72 organizations in support of programs targeting the root causes of the racial inequities that have held back Rhode Island’s Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities for generations.

The grants are part of United Way’s commitment to invest $100 million over the next five years to build racial equity in Rhode Island and to create justice and opportunities for all.

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

Larry Warner — United Way’s chief impact and equity officer — joined GoLocal LIVE to discuss the selection process and the impact of the grants on the community.

“At its core, trust-based philanthropy breaks down the traditional funding dynamic – systemically and organizationally – to foster a more collaborative process and relationship with the community,” said Warner “Together, we hope to build equity in our state and resilience in the nonprofit sector.”

Among the grantees is SISTA Fire, which received unrestricted funding to support its mission and advocacy efforts. Founded in 2017, the organization focuses on the social, economic, and political transformation of women of color by nurturing their civic leadership skills. The grant will help SISTA Fire advance its long-term vision of building a statewide network of women and non-binary people of color with the collective power to transform their communities.

“In Rhode Island, women and non-binary people of color are the backbones of our families and our communities. As caregivers, frontline workers, educators and visionaries within our neighborhoods, we see what is possible and fight for justice,” said Alexa Barriga, organizing coordinator for SISTA Fire. “But despite the strength and vision we hold for our communities, we face the compounding challenges of structural racism and gender violence. At SISTA Fire, one of the areas we’re fighting to change birth outcomes for Black women, women of color, and their children through a community accountability process.”

“There is a lot that must be done if we’re to dismantle the systemic, institutional and historical barriers that prevent too many of our neighbors and families from realizing the quality of life they deserve,” said Paola Fernandez, chair of United Way’s Community Investment Committee, and VP, community development officer at Centreville Bank. “But, as evident from the grant proposals we received, there is no question our community is ready for this work and ready for change.”

Grants were made available to Rhode Island nonprofits for both programmatic and operational support, and to support the priority pillars of LIVE UNITED 2025. The specific focus areas include advancing early childhood literacy and expanding out-of-school time learning programs for youth, making housing safe and affordable for all, improving access to workforce development and adult education opportunities, and altering policies that perpetuate inequities for people of color.

Funding is supported by United Way’s donor-driven Community Impact Fund and its commitment to trust-based philanthropy. In December 2020, philanthropist MacKenzie Scott made a $10 million donation to the Community Impact Fund, joining tens of thousands of local donors entrusting United Way to use their gifts to create the most impact. Of Scott’s gift, $2.5 million is hitting Rhode Island communities this month.

Another organization to receive funding is Central Falls-based Fuerza Laboral. A preeminent workers’ rights center, the organization’s mission is to shift the balance of power in the economy in favor of workers by educating, training, and organizing individuals to become community leaders and improve workplace conditions. Over the past year, Fuerza Laboral has doubled-down on its Cooperative Academy and Worker-Owned Cooperative Incubator to grow the field of minority, worker-owned co-ops in the state.

“We need businesses in our community to have more human capital, civic engagement, and stronger social ties and principles – Workers’ Cooperative does exactly that,” said Heiny Maldonado, Fuerza Laboral’s executive director. “This award from United Way will help us to continue our path of success and creating meaningful economic and social impact that allows workers to control their own destiny.”

Cortney Nicolato, United Way’s president and CEO said, “As inspired as we are by the tremendous potential of the programs receiving grants, never do we forget that these investments are only possible thanks to the generosity of our donors and partners. Only by working together and confronting inequities head-on will we truly influence the change our state so desperately needs in order to thrive.”

In total, United Way received 163 grant applications representing $10.4 million per year in funding requests. Applications were reviewed by a team consisting of United Way staff, and members of the organization’s Community Investment Committee and Community Advisory Board.   

 

Related Articles

 

Enjoy this post? Share it with others.

 
 

Sign Up for the Daily Eblast

I want to follow on Twitter

I want to Like on Facebook