Rhode Island Foundation’s Black Philanthropy Bannister Fund Awards $110,000 for Services to RI’s Black Community
Nonprofits serving the state’s Black community have received nearly $110,000 in grants through the Black Philanthropy Bannister Fund at the Rhode Island Foundation.
The fund, established in 2007 to address the needs of the Black community in Rhode Island, supports nonprofits that offer youth development and mentoring, promote the history and achievements of Blacks in Rhode Island, preserve the culture of the Black community and strive to uplift low-income Black Rhode Islanders.
Nineteen organizations received grants:
- African Alliance of Rhode Island
- Oasis International
- Sankofa Community Connection
- Youth Moving Forward
- AS220
- Everett: Company, Stage & School
- Inspiring Minds
- MAP Behavioral Health Services
- New Bridges for Haitian Success
- New Urban Arts
- Power Up RI, Inc.
- Rhode Island Black Storytellers
- Rhode Island for Community & Justice
- Rhode Islanders Sponsoring Education
- Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts
- Urban League of Rhode Island, Inc.
- Stages of Freedom
- WattsNatural Tutoring
- Youth In Action
The fund also offers scholarships for Black students who are pursuing or advancing a career in health care in college or a technical school. Last year, the fund awarded $54,500 to 25 recipients. The deadline to apply for 2023 scholarship assistance is April 10.
The Black Philanthropy Bannister Fund is just one of the grant programs the Foundation uses to support nonprofits that serve Rhode Island’s community of color. Recent initiatives include creating a capacity-building program to support nonprofits led by Asian, Black, Latino or Hispanic, Indigenous or multi-racial executive directors or other decision-makers within an organization; and launching a grant program to help nonprofits create anti-racist organizational cultures.