There’s still time to apply! The Cleveland Black Futures Fund is accepting grant applications through Feb. 26

← Back to Blog February 24, 2021 by At the Foundation, Grantmaking, Nonprofit, Racial Equity & Social Justice

Launched last year, the Cleveland Black Futures Fund seeks to strengthen the ecosystem of Black Leaders and Black-serving organizations in Greater Cleveland by providing dedicated resources to help them grow or deepen their work. Now through Feb. 26, Greater Cleveland nonprofit organizations that have Black executive leadership AND that serve the Black community are invited to apply to the fund’s first round of grantmaking.

In case you missed it, check this Radio One town hall that was hosted to share information about the fund and its first grant opportunity:


Eligibility

Organizations must have Black executive leadership AND serve the Black community. They must also be based in Cuyahoga, Lake or Geauga County. The foundation can only make grants to organizations with 501(c)3 tax-exempt status, but organizations that do not currently have 501(c)3 status can apply in partnership with a tax-exempt organization serving as a fiscal sponsor. Find more information about eligibility here.

Available grants

Grant awards may range from $25,000 – $100,000, with the possibility of awards in the $100,000-$200,000 range for special cases. If you are seeking a grant in the $100,000 – $200,000 range, please contact us first at ClevelandBlackFuturesFund@clevefdn.org. These grants are designed to build organizational capacity, which can include board development, business planning, legal services, fundraising, strategic planning, staffing and more. Learn more about the available grants here. Funding decisions will be announced at the end of March.

How to apply

Visit www.ClevelandFoundation.org/Futures for more information, and download the Request for Proposals (RFP) document here for detailed application instructions. Learn more about the grant application process in this webinar: 

Future grant opportunities

A second round of grantmaking will take place in late summer-fall 2021. Organizations are limited to one grant from the Cleveland Black Futures Fund per year. However, organizations that apply but do not receive funding in this round may apply again in the summer-fall cycle. You can sign up to receive email updates about the fund here.

Questions?

Find a list of frequently asked questions on our website here.

For programmatic questions or information, contact: ClevelandBlackFuturesFund@clevefdn.org.

For application or technical questions, contact: grantsmgmt@clevefdn.org.