We aim to influence the flow of financial capital to better meet the business growth needs within communities of color.
We aim to accelerate the growth of existing and established businesses owned by people of color by making opportunities to attain contracts with public agencies, anchor institutions and other large entities more accessible.
We aim to strengthen the effectiveness, accessibility, and capacity of support networks available for business owners and entrepreneurs of color.
We believe that increasing the number and percent of stable and established firms owned by people of color will lead to the longer-term outcomes of greater income, stronger influence, and wealth creation for these communities, enabling them to more fully participate in the economy.
To achieve these outcomes, we aim to increase the amount of capital that people of color-owned firms can access, as well as explore opportunities to change the racial and gender dynamic of investors. This aspect of our strategy is critical, because despite founders of color having high-potential business models, they are commonly overlooked for growth capital often due to implicit biases and a lack of cultural understanding of their products and potential markets.
We will target anchor institution strategies, corporate initiatives and shifts in government policy that create more opportunities for firms owned by people of color to generate revenue and scale operations. Additionally, we continue to value targeted support systems for people of color that nurture entrepreneurs’ growth through mentors, capital, skill development and information.
You can see recent Business Start-up & Growth grants below.
And browse all of our Inclusive Economies grants in our database.
|
Year Approved
|
Organization
|
Status
|
Amount
|
Duration
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 |
Latino Business Action Network
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $440,000 | 24 months |
| 2024 |
Revolve Fund
The purpose of this grant is to provide general program support to Revolve Fund to support its efforts to increase capital access for BIPOC-led businesses and nonprofits. |
Active | $300,000 | 18 months |
| 2024 |
Rosebud Economic Development Corporation
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $250,000 | 18 months |
| 2024 |
Pacific Community Ventures, Inc.
The purpose of this grant is for general operating support. |
Active | $300,000 | 12 months |
| 2023 |
Mission Driven Finance
The purpose of this grant is to provide general program support for Mission Driven Finance. With this support, MDF will continue to build more accessible investment infrastructure for community-rooted funds and expand access to capital for overlooked and underestimated individuals. |
Active | $300,000 | 24 months |
| 2023 |
Urban Manufacturing Alliance
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $400,000 | 36 months |
| 2023 |
Metropolitan Economic Development Association
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $675,000 | 36 months |
| 2023 |
Rutgers Center for Urban Entrepreneurship & Economic Development
To support the Rutgers Center for Urban Entrepreneurship and Economic Development as it continues two effective programs and creates two new programs aimed at helping entrepreneurs of color start and expand business in growth sectors and attract capital. |
Active | $370,000 | 24 months |
| 2023 |
Inclusive Capital Collective
The purpose of this grant is to advance the strategic objectives of the Inclusive Capital Collective (ICC) as it transitions from an affiliate network of BIPOC fund managers, entrepreneur support organizations, and their allies in practice, to a cooperatively owned entity that will house the products and services it is developing for and with its member-owners, partners, and clients. |
Active | $300,000 | 24 months |
| 2023 |
National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders
The purpose of this grant request is general operating support. |
Active | $525,000 | 36 months |
| 2023 |
Accelerate 500
The purpose of this grant is to support 1863 Venture’s business development program that seeks to accelerate new majority entrepreneurs from high potential to high growth through coaching, mentoring, online tools, a tracking platform, and fund development. |
Active | $600,000 | 24 months |
| 2023 |
Black Innovation Alliance
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $450,000 | 36 months |
| 2023 |
ICA.Fund
The purpose of the grant is general operating support. |
Active | $300,000 | 24 months |
| 2023 |
Higher Purpose Co
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $380,000 | 24 months |
| 2023 |
Greenlining Institute
The purpose of this grant is to fund The Greenlining Institute’s support of the POC Small Business Network in East Oakland which will provide capacity building support for local Business Serving Organizations to bolster technical assistance and capital readiness preparation for low- and moderate-income Black-, Latinx-, and immigrant-owned small businesses. Through engaging with small businesses and the small business ecosystem, we will identify needs and priorities, and strengthen small business ownership as a viable pathway to intergenerational wealth building for communities of color. |
Active | $310,000 | 24 months |
| 2022 |
Code Fever Miami
The purpose of this grant is general operating support to Center for Black Innovation (formerly Code Fever Miami). |
Active | $350,000 | 24 months |
| 2022 |
CapEQ
The purpose of this grant is to support Path to 15|55 efforts to grow Black businesses and increase wealth in the Black community. |
Closed | $175,000 | 12 months |
| 2022 |
Didtechnology, Inc.
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $400,000 | 24 months |
| 2022 |
Boston Impact Initiative Fund
The purpose of this grant is for general operating support. BIIF seeks to expand Integrated Capital practices both locally and nationally to close the racial wealth divide. |
Active | $500,000 | 36 months |
| 2022 |
Black Gravity
The purpose of this grant is to support BIPOC fund managers (infrastructure & commit). |
Active | $1,020,600 | 18 months |
| 2022 |
Hillman Accelerator
The purpose of this grant is to support underrepresented markets and entrepreneurs who are building sustainable early and growth-stage businesses positioned to be market makers or dominators. Lightship provides remarkable founders the resources and direction their businesses need to scale. |
Active | $600,000 | 36 months |
| 2022 |
Pacific Community Ventures, Inc.
The purpose of this grant is to support PCV’s integrated model of lending and advising to BIPOC entrepreneurs toward wealth-building outcomes, including the launch of the Good Jobs Innovation Lab – which centers the voice of the communities PCV serves to drive evidence-based, field-building restorative products and services, and powerful impact measurement. |
Active | $200,000 | 18 months |
| 2022 |
Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber Foundation
The purpose of this grant is to build capacity to support a breakthrough CDFI fund, while beta testing for expansion of mergers and acquisitions to create larger-scale MBEs, as well as the potential multi-city replication of Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber Foundation’s core business model. |
Active | $400,000 | 24 months |
| 2022 |
Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership
The purpose of this grant is to provide general operating support to build IFEL’s capacity to launch the Women of Color Connecting Capital Access Accelerator and raise a pool of friendly capital to fund women of color entrepreneurs. |
Active | $100,000 | 12 months |
| 2022 |
Washington Area Community Investment Fund
The purpose of the grant is general operating support. |
Active | $250,000 | 36 months |
Rooted in shared values of racial equity, webinar series to support historically under-served entrepreneurs on journeys to start and grow their businesses The Surdna Foundation’s Inclusive Economies Program and U.S. Small Business…
NY Small Business Funders Collective will award $500,000 to local organizations New York, NY (September 7, 2022) - On the heels of layered crises and big challenges for small businesses in the New York City region, JPMorgan Chase, M&T…
There's a lot of talk in philanthropy about racial justice, trusting and centering grantees, sharing power, and enabling the risks necessary for innovative ideas to launch, succeed, or fail. But what does this look like in practice? In this…
How can philanthropists learn from protesters and reimagine the formula for making change on racial justice? In this Stanford Social Innovation Review article, Mekaelia Davis, director of Surdna’s Inclusive Economies program, examines…
Eighteen of the world's largest foundations and financial institutions have re-committed to work together for another three years within Living Cities, a long-standing collaborative. This marks the tenth time that these institutions have…
San Francisco – along with Albuquerque and New Orleans – are a part of a Living Cities’ cohort intended to tackle entrepreneurial barriers for people of color. The initiative–named Start Up, Stay Up, Scale Up –is designed…
Albuquerque – along with San Francisco and New Orleans – are a part of a Living Cities’ cohort intended to tackle entrepreneurial barriers for people of color. The initiative–named Start Up, Stay Up, Scale Up –is designed to connect…
New Orleans – along with Albuquerque and San Francisco–are a part of a new Living Cities’ cohort intended to tackle entrepreneurial barriers for people of color. The initiative–named Start Up, Stay Up, Scale Up –is designed to connect…
Woodstock Institute’s recently released report, "Patterns of Disparity: Small Business Lending in the Chicago and Los Angeles-San Diego Regions," examines the effects of disparate access to traditional bank small business loans in Chicago as…
You can see recent Business Start-up & Growth grants below.
And browse all of our Inclusive Economies grants in our database.
|
Year Approved
|
Organization
|
Status
|
Amount
|
Duration
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 |
Latino Business Action Network
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $440,000 | 24 months |
| 2024 |
Revolve Fund
The purpose of this grant is to provide general program support to Revolve Fund to support its efforts to increase capital access for BIPOC-led businesses and nonprofits. |
Active | $300,000 | 18 months |
| 2024 |
Rosebud Economic Development Corporation
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $250,000 | 18 months |
| 2024 |
Pacific Community Ventures, Inc.
The purpose of this grant is for general operating support. |
Active | $300,000 | 12 months |
| 2023 |
Mission Driven Finance
The purpose of this grant is to provide general program support for Mission Driven Finance. With this support, MDF will continue to build more accessible investment infrastructure for community-rooted funds and expand access to capital for overlooked and underestimated individuals. |
Active | $300,000 | 24 months |
| 2023 |
Urban Manufacturing Alliance
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $400,000 | 36 months |
| 2023 |
Metropolitan Economic Development Association
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $675,000 | 36 months |
| 2023 |
Rutgers Center for Urban Entrepreneurship & Economic Development
To support the Rutgers Center for Urban Entrepreneurship and Economic Development as it continues two effective programs and creates two new programs aimed at helping entrepreneurs of color start and expand business in growth sectors and attract capital. |
Active | $370,000 | 24 months |
| 2023 |
Inclusive Capital Collective
The purpose of this grant is to advance the strategic objectives of the Inclusive Capital Collective (ICC) as it transitions from an affiliate network of BIPOC fund managers, entrepreneur support organizations, and their allies in practice, to a cooperatively owned entity that will house the products and services it is developing for and with its member-owners, partners, and clients. |
Active | $300,000 | 24 months |
| 2023 |
National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders
The purpose of this grant request is general operating support. |
Active | $525,000 | 36 months |
| 2023 |
Accelerate 500
The purpose of this grant is to support 1863 Venture’s business development program that seeks to accelerate new majority entrepreneurs from high potential to high growth through coaching, mentoring, online tools, a tracking platform, and fund development. |
Active | $600,000 | 24 months |
| 2023 |
Black Innovation Alliance
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $450,000 | 36 months |
| 2023 |
ICA.Fund
The purpose of the grant is general operating support. |
Active | $300,000 | 24 months |
| 2023 |
Higher Purpose Co
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $380,000 | 24 months |
| 2023 |
Greenlining Institute
The purpose of this grant is to fund The Greenlining Institute’s support of the POC Small Business Network in East Oakland which will provide capacity building support for local Business Serving Organizations to bolster technical assistance and capital readiness preparation for low- and moderate-income Black-, Latinx-, and immigrant-owned small businesses. Through engaging with small businesses and the small business ecosystem, we will identify needs and priorities, and strengthen small business ownership as a viable pathway to intergenerational wealth building for communities of color. |
Active | $310,000 | 24 months |
| 2022 |
Code Fever Miami
The purpose of this grant is general operating support to Center for Black Innovation (formerly Code Fever Miami). |
Active | $350,000 | 24 months |
| 2022 |
CapEQ
The purpose of this grant is to support Path to 15|55 efforts to grow Black businesses and increase wealth in the Black community. |
Closed | $175,000 | 12 months |
| 2022 |
Didtechnology, Inc.
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $400,000 | 24 months |
| 2022 |
Boston Impact Initiative Fund
The purpose of this grant is for general operating support. BIIF seeks to expand Integrated Capital practices both locally and nationally to close the racial wealth divide. |
Active | $500,000 | 36 months |
| 2022 |
Black Gravity
The purpose of this grant is to support BIPOC fund managers (infrastructure & commit). |
Active | $1,020,600 | 18 months |
| 2022 |
Hillman Accelerator
The purpose of this grant is to support underrepresented markets and entrepreneurs who are building sustainable early and growth-stage businesses positioned to be market makers or dominators. Lightship provides remarkable founders the resources and direction their businesses need to scale. |
Active | $600,000 | 36 months |
| 2022 |
Pacific Community Ventures, Inc.
The purpose of this grant is to support PCV’s integrated model of lending and advising to BIPOC entrepreneurs toward wealth-building outcomes, including the launch of the Good Jobs Innovation Lab – which centers the voice of the communities PCV serves to drive evidence-based, field-building restorative products and services, and powerful impact measurement. |
Active | $200,000 | 18 months |
| 2022 |
Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber Foundation
The purpose of this grant is to build capacity to support a breakthrough CDFI fund, while beta testing for expansion of mergers and acquisitions to create larger-scale MBEs, as well as the potential multi-city replication of Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber Foundation’s core business model. |
Active | $400,000 | 24 months |
| 2022 |
Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership
The purpose of this grant is to provide general operating support to build IFEL’s capacity to launch the Women of Color Connecting Capital Access Accelerator and raise a pool of friendly capital to fund women of color entrepreneurs. |
Active | $100,000 | 12 months |
| 2022 |
Washington Area Community Investment Fund
The purpose of the grant is general operating support. |
Active | $250,000 | 36 months |