Inclusive Economies

Forging an Economy That Works for All

The Inclusive Economies Program fosters the creation of an inclusive and equitable economy in which people of color can maximize their potential as leaders, creators, and innovators across sectors.

The Change We Seek

Everyone’s economic well-being improves when all communities are empowered to participate on equal footing. We seek an economy that truly works the same for everyone. Through concentrated strategic grantmaking, program-related investments, partnerships and field building we hope to elevate communities of color across income and class.

Areas of Focus

We believe that by investing in the development of businesses owned by people of color and by increasing community voice in economic planning, we can help usher in a new economy defined by just and equitable economic growth.

Business Start-up & Growth

We seek to increase representation in ownership of scalable businesses and in high-growth sectors by people of color with an emphasis on African-Americans and Latinos.

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Equitable Economic Development

We seek to amplify community voice in decision-making and increase the number and percent of quality jobs among communities of color with an emphasis on African-American and Latino communities.

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Grantee Spotlights

Community LIFT

LIFT’s community development work goes beyond small business loans. At the end of the day, Community LIFT is “hoping to grow wealth in the community, increase job opportunities, strengthen family income stability and improve overall community health.”
– Eric Robertson, President, Community LIFT

digitalundivided

“As a Black woman in a space where very few people look like or care about someone like me, Surdna’s support gave me validation.”
– Kathryn Finney, Founder, digitalundivided

News & Insights

The latest perspectives, news, reports, and resources from across the Foundation.

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Programs

Sustainable Environments

The Sustainable Environments program seeks to support communities of color and low-wealth communities to direct infrastructure and land use investment dollars, drive decision-making processes and design policy solutions because those who are disproportionately impacted by environmental and climate inequity have the most powerful solutions to resolve these inequities.

 

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Thriving Cultures

The Thriving Cultures Program is guided by Radical Imagination for Racial Justice, our future-oriented, world-building strategy, which is organized across three interconnected grantmaking approaches:

  • Create invests (through regranting organizations) in artists of color who work with communities of color to imagine and build racially just systems and structures at a local scale.
  • Clarify invests in researchers and cultural critics of color to interpret and disseminate knowledge about the work of artists and to build a more equitable research and criticism infrastructure.
  • Connect advances the role of artists and communities of color in shaping public policy, narrative change, and philanthropic practices that advance racial justice.

What We Do Not Fund

Our grantmaking does not support:

  • Individuals (However, we do fund organizations that make grants to individual artists.)
  • Capital campaigns or building construction
  • Projects that are based or focused outside of the United States, tribal lands, or U.S. territories
  • Purchase of equipment
  • Awards, scholarships, or endowment funds

Grants are made by invitation only. We are not accepting unsolicited inquiries or letters of intent at this time.

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