Empower! Black Futures Community Fund grants $70,000 in honor of Juneteenth

In honor of Juneteenth, the Empower! Black Futures Community Fund at Santa Fe Community Foundation is proud to announce its second round of grantmaking. The grants, which total $70,000, support organizations uplifting Black life, arts, and culture in New Mexico.

Founded in 2023, the Empower! Fund takes an equitable and community-driven approach to philanthropy with an advisory committee comprised of Black leaders from throughout the state.

"I am honored to be part of the Empower! Fund,” said Rich Brown, advisory committee member. "Through our site visits and conversations with applicants, it’s clear that the partnerships we are building with these nonprofits are creating a meaningful impact in New Mexico's Black community. While we are still in the early stages, the commitment, innovation, and leadership we've seen gives me great confidence in what lies ahead."

The fund’s advisory committee leads grantmaking decisions in support of three priority areas:

• Promoting community development through capacity building, strategic planning, professional development, and collaborative exploration.
• Fostering Black artistic expression and preserving cultural heritage through the presentation of diverse and emerging artists, the documentation and archiving of Black history, and the promoting of cultural exchange and community dialogue.
• Building financial literacy through the creation and distribution of financial resources, and providing real-world classes, counseling, and hands-on experiences to targeted businesses and families.

This year's grant recipients reflect a rich cross-section of work across all three priority areas:

• AfroMundo
• Gray Area Foundation for Arts — AMPL Labs‍
• Some Serious Business — Amplifies It, doubles, trebles It
• ‍The Field — Black Men Flower Project‍
• Bold Futures‍
• Many Mothers‍‍
• STEM is Child's Play‍‍
• Umoja Abq

"As we commemorate Juneteenth, we're proud to stand with the Empower! Fund's advisory committee in investing in the contributions, creativity, and future of Black New Mexicans," said Christopher Goett, MSW, President & CEO of the Santa Fe Community Foundation. "The Empower! Fund reflects our belief that meaningful change happens when philanthropy is guided by community leadership."

The Empower! Black Futures Community Fund at Santa Fe Community Foundation is part of the Foundation's legacy of stewarding identity-based giving circles, which also includes the Native American Advised Fund (est.1993) and the Envision Fund (est. 1997), which supports LGBTQ+ causes statewide.

"Funding from the Empower! Black Futures Community Fund will allow Bold Futures to continue supporting the advocacy, healing, and leadership development journeys of our Black Leader’s Circle members,” said Heather Smith, Deputy Director of Bold Futures NM. “We are extremely grateful for this partnership that will sustain our ability to continue uplifting Black leadership in New Mexico.”

To learn more about the Empower! Black Futures Community Fund and to make a contribution, please visit: santafecf.org/empower

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