Black Business News
Facebook awards $1 million to Hampton Roads Community Foundation To Support Black Communities
NORFOLK
In recognition of its efforts to advance racial equity, the Hampton Roads Community Foundation received a $1 million award from Facebook. The money will be used to strengthen and support Black-led and Black-serving nonprofit organizations in the region.
The Hampton Roads Community Foundation is one of only 20 community foundations in the country to receive this funding. The money will be used to create the Black Community Partnership Fund, which will award at least 20 grants to Black-led and Black-serving local organizations starting in 2021. The award is part of Facebook’s commitment to support Black businesses, creators, and nonprofits.
“We’re excited to work with the Hampton Roads Community Foundation to help bring much needed funding to nonprofits that are serving and supporting the Black community in Hampton Roads,” said Marcy Scott Lynn, Facebook director of global impact partnerships.
“We’re providing funding directly to the community foundation to build on its track record of supporting Black-led nonprofits and ensure that people locally are making the decisions about where these dollars are most needed and can have the most impact.”
The award builds upon the community foundation’s ongoing efforts to advance a more equitable and inclusive community.
“We are elated that Facebook recognizes the Hampton Roads Community Foundation’s commitment to racial equity and chose to partner with us to support Black-led nonprofits,” said President and CEO Deborah DiCroce. “Too often, racial bias and inequities limit opportunities for Black people. Thus, the Black Community Partnership Fund will help challenge and dismantle structural racism in our community.”
In 2019, the community foundation affirmed its commitment to racial equity and has taken steps to mitigate the impact of racism and explore the history of race in the region, including hosting community-based forums, creating an annual Black philanthropy month celebration, conducting an
internal equity assessment of the foundation’s practices, and participating in numerous training sessions on racial equity.
Vivian Oden, the Vice President for Special Projects who manages the community foundation’s racial equity work, said the funding will address systemic racism by providing support directly to organizations led by Black people and that serve people in the Black community.
“The community foundation trusts Black-led nonprofits to know how to address critical needs in their communities,” Oden said. “The Black Community Partnership Fund will leverage the strength of Black leaders and organizations to make a lasting impact in the Black community.”
Specific details on the grantmaking process – including the application timeline – will be available in early 2021 at BlackCommunityPartnershipFund.org.
The Hampton Roads Community Foundation is southeastern Virginia’s largest grant and scholarship provider. Since 1950 it has awarded more than $301 million in grants and scholarships to make life better in Hampton Roads.
