How 3 organizations will spend $65K in grants to support the BIPOC community
The West Michigan philanthropic collective supports the advancement, development, and promotion of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). During the group’s annual Investment Night on Dec. 13, the organizations’ investors distributed this year’s grants.
During the event, each organization shared how it plans to support BIPOC communities. Women of Color GIVE investors evaluated each presentation and determined the order in which funding would be distributed across the three organizations.
“Investment Night is an incredibly exciting event for our Women of Color GIVE investors,” says Kim Koeman, chair of Women of Color GIVE’s grants committee. “It’s an opportunity to connect with and directly impact some of the most influential organizations along the Lakeshore.
“We are inspired by each nominee and award recipient and proud of how they support the advancement of the BIPOC community in West Michigan. We are excited to partner with each of them over this next year.”
Plans for grants
Ballet Folklorico Sol Azteca received $13,000 to provide a tiered class system ranging from introductory to performance-level classes. The funding will also go toward basic costume kits for participants who cannot afford them, instructor training, materials for costume production and accessories, and hosting instructors from Mexico to provide week-long dance workshops
Latin Americans United for Progress received $19,500 for a five-day trip for seniors in their iMás Adelante! program. This trip will be cultural, educational, and BIPOC-focused, with one to two days focused solely on youth professional development. Additionally, the grant will further support the organization's mental health workshops with BIPOC, bicultural, and bilingual clinician Elisa Pérez-Arellano.
Lighthouse Immigrant Advocates received $32,500 for its paid Internship program, which supports the staff and ensures each intern has an experience that supports them as they enter the workforce or other community outlets.
WOC Give Investors submitted and voted on 22 nominees during the grant process. The top three candidates were announced in October at WOC Give’s fourth annual event, The Future of Belonging.
Lighthouse Immigrant Advocates received received $32,500 from WOC Give this month.
Here were some originally reported details about the event from back in October.
2023's "The Future of Belonging" Event
Event included Keynote Speaker, Graci Harkema, and 2022 grant recipient, I AM Academy.
HOLLAND, Mich., October 16, 2023 – Women of Color GIVE (WOC Give), West Michigan’s leading philanthropic collective supporting the advancement, development, and promotion of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), hosted their third annual charity event, “The Future of Belonging” on October 12 where they announced the top three nominees for their 2023 grant cycle distributing $65,000. The “Future of Belonging” event also welcomed Graci Harkema as its keynote speaker, and I AM Academy’s founders, WOC Give’s 2022 grant recipient.
The following three finalists are nominees for WOC Give’s 2023 grant cycle.
· Ballet Folklorico
· Lighthouse Immigrant Advocates (eventual winner)
· Latin Americans United for Progress
Each organization will present at WOC Give’s annual Investment Night on December 12, 2023 for their part of the $65,000 grant distribution.
“At its core, Women of Color GIVE believes in investing in its community,” said Rebekah Bakker, vice president of Woman of Color GIVE. “To us, that means donating to those who are dedicated to advancing the BIPOC community on the Lakeshore. We are proud to welcome these three organizations to present their projects to our members at the end of the year.”
More than 300 guests attended the “Future of Belonging” event, which welcomed Graci Harkema, an international diversity, equity, and inclusion lecturer, and best-selling author as its keynote speaker.
WOC Give also hosted its 2022 grant recipient, I AM Academy, whose leaders shared their growth since receiving their $25,000 donation last year, offered opportunities to grow the WOC Give Donor Advised Fund, and heard from many local and dynamic BIPOC changemakers, performers, and leaders.
Women of Color GIVE selected these three local nonprofits out of 22 nominations received from committed Investors during 2023.
On December 12, 2023, Women of Color GIVE will host its annual Investment night to distribute the $65,000 in grants to their top three nominees. The funds will be awarded as follows.
· The first award recipient receives $32,500
· The second award recipient receives $19,500
· The third award recipient receives $13,000
The members of Women of Color GIVE will be the judges of each nominee's presentation and have the final say over the ranking of their awards.
To learn more about Women of Color GIVE’s annual grant cycle, visit https://wocgive.org/grants/.
About Women of Color GIVE
Women of Color GIVE is a philanthropic collective based in West Michigan to support the advancement, development, and promotion of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) on the Lakeshore (Ottawa and Muskegon counties). Women of Color GIVE was created for and by women of color who are invested in using their voices to change the traditional giving landscape. Learn more at https://wocgive.org/.
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