UNITED WAY ANNOUNCES EQUITY FUND INVESTMENTS
First Round of New Grants Will Provide Operational and Capacity-Building Funding to Organizations Leading Innovative Social and Cultural Change
Rochester, NY – United Way of Greater Rochester today announced $300,000 of community investments from its new Equity Fund. The Equity Fund, one of United Way’s Community Impact Fund Innovation Grants designed to respond to immediate and emerging community needs, will support human services organizations that engage and mobilize their neighbors in support of building strong communities and healing from trauma.
The first round of Equity Fund grants was awarded to four local nonprofits led by Black founders and executives:
- The Healer’s Village, a community-based wellness center that provides culturally responsive approaches to healing from trauma, led by founder Melanie Funchess;
- The Hub 585, a Rochester-based nonprofit established by Ashley Cross, Ed.D., that works to improve children’s wellbeing by preserving and strengthening families;
- The Reentry and Community Development Center, led by founder Miquel Powell, helping people who have been recently released from jail or prison, and people with substance-abuse disorders to engage in healthy ways within their existing social systems; and
- Fatherhood Connection, established more than a decade ago by Reginald Cox to help men find purpose and empowerment as fathers.
The recipients, identified through United Way’s collaboration with Greater Rochester Health Foundation, will use the funding for general operations and to enhance their ability to grow, adapt, and thrive in a changing landscape.
“United Way has always been committed to innovation and community building, and this past year has reinforced the importance of grassroots organizations in making crucial social change,” said Jennifer Cathy, United Way’s Chief Impact Officer. “In addition to supporting established and larger nonprofits, we are able to invest in newer and smaller change-makers that are crucial to our community’s strength and resilience.”
United Way’s Community Impact Fund Innovation Grants are short-term grants that support Equity, Synergy, and Crisis Response, complementing its three-year Community Impact Fund Impact Grants. United Way enables donors and funders to support the work in these areas at their workplace or at unitedwayrocflx.org.