The Foundation for Black Communities (FFBC) was established to ensure every Black person can thrive and all Black communities have agency in defining their own future. Founded in 2020, FFBC is Canada’s first-ever philanthropic foundation dedicated to ensuring that Black-led, Black-serving, and Black-focused organizations have the sustained resources needed to make a meaningful impact.
B.I.G. Black Ideas Grant: Bridge and Build 2023
Introducing the Black Ideas Grant: Bridge and Build 2023—a pivotal investment to propel solution-oriented initiatives led by Canada’s Black communities. This substantial $8.9 million investment is not only B.I.G, but also a strategic initiative, a catalyst for immediate impact, and a reservoir of insights crucial for future transformative programs.
The Black Ideas Grant opens doors to flexible one-year funding, enhancing the capabilities of Black-led, Black-focused, and Black-serving organizations. B.l.G. represents a commitment to addressing anti-Black racism, fostering social and economic advancements, and ensuring sustained prosperity for Black communities.
Contact us at fund@forblackcommunities.org if you have any questions.
Make a note in your calendar! Applications open on December 18, 2023 and will close on February 1, 2024, at 11:59 PM PT.
The First-For-Black-Communities (FFBC) represents a pioneering institution with a mission to understand, recognize, and celebrate solution-making in Black communities. However, their initial step involves seeking input from these communities to shape future funds and programs. Emphasizing the need for the voice and expertise of all Black communities, FFBC adopts a Participatory Grantmaking Process. This approach is rooted in interconnectedness and mutual betterment, underscoring the importance of community voices in shaping FFBC’s future endeavors.
This methodology significantly values the knowledge, creativity, experiences, and insights of those most closely aligned with the goals of their programs. In a novel approach, all applications are reviewed by members of the Black community, including the applicants themselves.
FFBC is also acutely aware of the historical and critical work supporting communities facing the highest barriers and least access to funding, particularly in areas like climate justice, disability justice, and gender justice. This encompasses a wide range of groups, including 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, women and girls, transgender community members, those with low incomes, individuals living with disabilities or who are d(D)eaf, newcomers, migrants, formerly incarcerated individuals, and those facing food insecurity. FFBC is dedicated to backing intersectional, anti-oppressive, decolonial, and justice-oriented approaches that aim to build a future where all Black communities can flourish.
The Black Ideas Grant is not just a symbol of community collaboration but also marks the beginning of a journey. FFBC is committed to evolving and shaping future multi-year funding initiatives, drawing inspiration from this pilot program. They invite everyone to join in rewriting the narrative of empowerment, celebrating solutions, and constructing a future where every Black voice is heard, and every Black community prospers.
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