March 3, 2023 (Warren, Ohio) – The Raymond John Wean Foundation disbursed Community Investment grants of $550,000 to six Black and Hispanic/Latinx led organizations in 2022. With a vision of empowered residents creating an equitable Mahoning Valley, the Foundation has deepened its commitment to uplift communities of color.
The Foundation’s race equity and inclusion work is organized by awareness, learning and practice. In 2021, as part of their strategic direction, the learning including the development of desired Race Equity and Inclusion Outcomes (REIOs) for its four pillars: grantmaking capacity building, convening and partnerships and operations. Last year, indicators for each of the REIOs were identified.
“While the Foundation seeks to support viable solutions led by organizations whose leadership reflects the race demographics of the community within which they work,” says Jennifer Roller, president of the Wean Foundation, “2022 marks the first year we’ve gone beyond that to intentionally fund organizations whose board and executive staff leadership is greater than or equal to 50% Black or Hispanic/Latinx led.”
The grants ranged from $15,000 to $275,000. The six organizations that received funding were:
- Boston Avenue Neighborhood Associations (BANA)
- Heart Reach Neighborhood Ministries
- Inspiring Minds
- Organización Cívica y Cultural Hispana Americana, Inc. (OCCHA)
- Paradise Gardens
- United Returning Citizens
Through their Neighborhood SUCCESS grassroots grantmaking program, the Foundation awarded up to $5,000 to an additional five Black and Hispanic/Latinx led organizations.
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About the Wean Foundation: The Raymond John Wean Foundation is dedicated to community-building in underresourced communities of Warren and Youngstown in Ohio’s Mahoning Valley. The Foundation leverages a dynamic combination of grantmaking, capacity building, convening and partnerships to provoke new thinking, strengthen communities and disrupt the status quo to achieve its vision: empowered residents creating an equitable Mahoning Valley. Visit weanfoundation.org to learn more.