Surdna Foundation Announces $3 Million in Grants
During the period of July-September 2018, 15 grants totaling $3,035,000 were approved by the Surdna Foundation staff and board to further the Foundation’s mission of fostering just and sustainable communities in the United States – communities guided by principles of social justice and distinguished by healthy environments, inclusive economies, and thriving cultures. Grants are listed below by program area with additional information about the specific strategy or former line of work within each program. Grant information is also available in our grants database.
Strong Local Economies
Camelback Ventures, New Orleans, LA
$75,000 | 18 months
To support the creation of a fellowship program that will help investors identify, fund and support entrepreneurs of color.
Former Category: Business Development and Acceleration
Economic Policy Institute, Washington, DC
$650,000 | 3 years
To support the Economic Policy Institute’s efforts to activate the Economic Analysis and Research Network (EARN) in the South Initiative, a collaboration between southern EARN groups and state-level organizing and advocacy organizations working to improve economic conditions for working families in the southern region of the United States.
Current Strategy: Equitable Economic Development
PolicyLink, Oakland, CA
$750,000 | 3 years
To support PolicyLink’s development and implementation of the Equity Officer Policy Network (Network). The Network will strengthen the ability of municipal leaders to advance equitable development, build inclusive economies, and further policy reforms.
Current Strategy: Equitable Economic Development
Project 500, Washington, DC
$185,000 | 18 months
To support a national accelerator that will recruit and retain a pipeline of investment ready businesses, led by women and entrepreneurs of color, that can scale through supply chain opportunities with large retailers.
Former Category: Business Development and Acceleration
Sustainable Environments
ALIGN: The Alliance for a Greater New York, New York, NY
$300,000 | 3 years
General operating support for ALIGN’s efforts to organize labor around climate and economic justice issues in low-wealth communities and communities of color in New York City.
Current Strategy: Environmental and Climate Justice
Good Old Lower East Side, Inc. (GOLES), New York, NY
$150,000 | 2 years
General operating support for GOLES to develop and execute strategies that promote community-led planning that leads to more environmentally sound and equitable land use investments in New York City.
Current Strategy: Land Use Through Community Power
National Black Food and Justice Alliance (NBFJA) (Fiscal Sponsor: The Praxis Project), Washington, DC
$175,000 | 1 year
To support NBFJA’s Black Land Project to advance the sustainable use, ownership and stewardship of land while providing increased economic benefit to historically underserved landowners.
Current Strategy: Land Use Through Community Power
New World Foundation, New York, NY
$100,000 | 1 year
To support the New World Foundation’s Climate Action Fund which works to build community resilience in communities of color and low-wealth communities in the face of climate disruption.
Former Category: Integrated Infrastructure
Project South, Atlanta, GA
$50,000 | 6 months
To support the collaborative efforts of over 20 social justice organizations to launch the #SouthernPeoplesPower Organizing Tour. The Organizing Tour is a series of five three-day intensives that will gather and train over 300 people on environmental and climate justice issues in the South.
Current Strategy: Environmental and Climate Justice
Winrock International, Little Rock, AR
$300,000 | 2 years
Closeout support to expand the reach of the National Good Food Network and deepen its impact within the regional food systems space as it relates to increasing racial equity and ownership models for low-wealth communities and communities of color.
Former Category: Regional Food Supply
Thriving Cultures
Anchorage Museum, Anchorage, AK
$50,000 | 1 year
Closeout support for the Solutions for Energy and Equity through Design (SEED) Lab. The SEED Lab is an innovation space that brings together artists, designers, engineers, and community members to generate public-private solutions to economic and environmental challenges facing northern communities. (This grant closes out our previous strategies in preparation for the roll out of our new arts and culture program Radical Imagination for Racial Justice.)
Former Category: Artists Engaging in Social Change
Deep Center, Savannah, GA
$50,000 | 1 year
Closeout support to Deep Center which works with youth of color and their families to share stories and engage in debates to make Savannah, GA a more just and equitable place. (This grant closes out our previous strategies in preparation for the roll out of our new arts and culture program Radical Imagination for Racial Justice.)
Former Category: Community Engaged Design
Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art Foundation, Inc., North Adams, MA
$50,000 | 1 year
Closeout support for the development of the Assets for Artists toolkit and the expansion of programming for artist-entrepreneurs in North Adams, MA while building partnerships with Master of Fine Arts programs within Massachusetts colleges and universities. (This grant closes out our previous strategies in preparation for the roll out of our new arts and culture program Radical Imagination for Racial Justice.)
Former Category: Artists and Economic Development
Sundance Institute, Los Angeles, CA
$100,000 | 1 year
Closeout support for the Native American and Indigenous Program, which supports the creative and professional development of Native American and Indigenous film and media storytelling artists. (This grant closes out our previous strategies in preparation for the roll out of our new arts and culture program Radical Imagination for Racial Justice.)
Former Category: Artists Engaging in Social Change
Voices of Our Nations Arts Foundation (Fiscal Sponsor: Media Alliance), Philadelphia, PA
$50,000 | 1 year
Closeout support for Voices of Our Nations Arts Foundation which works to support writers of color by creating a platform for community engagement and focused workshops and mentorships to expand writing opportunities. (This grant closes out our previous strategies in preparation for the roll out of our new arts and culture program Radical Imagination for Racial Justice.)
Former Category: Artists Engaging in Social Change