Announcement
February 28, 2023
30 Culturally Led Organizations to Receive Multi-Year Capacity Support from OCF to Help Black Students Succeed
Self Enhancement Inc.
Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) announced today that it will deepen its commitment to help ensure the success of Black students in Oregon. The Foundation will fund 3-year capacity building grants for 30 community-based, culturally led organizations with $1 million total in the first year (grants totaling more than $2.3 million over three years) to support their growth and further their positive impact throughout the state.
“Oregon Community Foundation is deepening its commitment to help ensure the success of Black students in Oregon,” said Marcy Bradley, Vice President of Equity and Culture, Oregon Community Foundation. “We’re making longer term capacity-building investments with culturally led organizations to enable them to innovate and grow their programs and operations to effectively prepare Oregon’s future Black leaders for success.”
These funds are to be used to support capacity of organizations, including any function or service to help strengthen and stabilize an organization’s governance, operations, internal culture and community relationships. To learn more, please visit: oregoncf.org/grants-and-scholarships/grants/black-student-success-capacity-building-grants/
The grantees are part of the Oregon Black Student Success Community Network (OBSSCN), a pilot advisory think tank convened by OCF in 2020.
KairosPDX
The network of culturally led nonprofits from around the state has been pivotal in addressing the educational challenges that face Black students in Oregon.
Here is a snapshot of some community organizations that Oregon Community Foundation is supporting through 3-year capacity building grants to help ensure the success of Black students in Oregon:
“Staying true to our core mission, the Beaverton Black Parent Union is dedicated to empowering our youth through culturally specific advocacy and education as well as leadership development opportunities,” said Tafena Timpson, Director of BBPU. With Oregon Community Foundation’s support, we will be able to provide our children with a diverse array of programs that will ensure a stronger sense of belonging and community for the future Black leaders of Beaverton.”
“The grant award from Oregon Community Foundation and partnership with the Black Student Success Community Network is a wonderful opportunity for Building Black 2 Success to work with other organizations that align with our plan to positively impact the lives of Black youth in our community through exposure and access to learning opportunities, specifically in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM),” said Antonio Jackson, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Building Black 2 Success.
“The funding from Oregon Community Foundation aids The Father’s Group in providing dynamic programs for Students (Ujima Youth Program), Adults (The Bridge Program) and community festivals (Juneteenth Celebration),” said Kenny Adams, Executive Director, The Father’s Group. “With support from OCF and the Black Student Success Community Network, we are able to enrich the lives of Black students all across Central Oregon.”
Africa House at The Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO)
IRCO Africa House
“IRCO's Africa House has enhanced our programs helping African immigrant and refugee youth living in Oregon transition from middle school to high school. We have increased our capacity to provide on-going training, mentorship and peer support for our multilingual multicultural team,” Djimet Dogo, Associate Director, The Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization. “Support from Oregon Community Foundation gives us the chance to improve positive outcomes for Black Student Success across Oregon.”
“With the funds from Oregon Community Foundation, KairosPDX is able to increase technology access and support to our community, as well as hire staff to support our program operations,” said Jacquelyn Hammond, Executive Assistant, KairosPDX. “We are grateful for the investment in our students and their families.”
Lyllye Reynolds-Parker Black Cultural Center (University of Oregon Foundation)
“The grant from Oregon Community Foundation provides the financial support to hire professional staff and student workers at the Lyllye Reynolds-Parker Black Cultural Center at the University of Oregon,” said Paul Weinhold, President and CEO, University of Oregon Foundation. “This grant will ensure that Black Cultural Center is able to continue providing high quality space and support for Black students on campus.”
“Capacity building is not so much connected to one project. It’s about building the organization's infrastructure and capacity to advance our mission,” said Mark Jackson, Executive Director, REAP, Inc. “It gives us the dedicated staff time to innovate. Because oftentimes, nonprofits are just trying to keep the lights on, and we don't have time to come up and breathe and see beyond where we are.”
"We thank Oregon Community Foundation for these resources that will continue our efforts to impact children and provide options and opportunities for thousands of vulnerable families,” said Tony Hopson Sr., President and CEO, Self Enhancement, Inc.
Black Student Success at Oregon Community Foundation
Since the start of the Oregon Black Student Success Community Network (OBSSCN) in 2020, membership expanded to five regions across the state. Members support the work of Black Student Success from various perspectives including teacher education in K-12 systems to educational access in postsecondary spaces. Likewise, the OBSSCN has been able collaborate on specialized programs and policy advocacy to work with the Oregon Department of Education.
"The Black Student Success network is creating a safe space for Black nonprofit executives to learn from each other and provides a trusted space to be vulnerable and transparent,” said Mark Jackson, Executive Director, REAP, Inc. “Whether you are a new or emerging or established organization, you have a place in that space to learn and to also to transfer knowledge.”
To learn more about the Black Student Success initiative at Oregon Community Foundation, please visit: oregoncf.org/bss.
To support Black Student Success with a donation, contribute to the Black Student Success Fund online or contact a local OCF Philanthropic Advisor.