BFCF AnnualReport DONE - Flipbook - Page 8
INVESTING IN COMMUNITIES
While we have now raised almost $30M, we did not wait to reach our fundraising target before starting to
disseminate funds. In 2021, we began making grants to Black-led nonpro昀椀ts across the state, calling them
We See You grants to let grantees know how much we appreciate them and the immense contributions
they make to our communities.
We committed to giving each organization $100,000 through an unrestricted multi-year grant. After
exploring different giving cadences and gathering grantee feedback, we adopted an approach of
disbursing an initial $50,000, followed by $10,000 annually over the next 昀椀ve years. Embodying our trust
that Black people know what is needed in their communities, our We See You grants provide 昀氀exible
funding for recipients to use as they see 昀椀t in order to best advance their work. No application process.
No reports. Through these grants, the Fund has invested in Black-led nonpro昀椀ts, Black nonpro昀椀t leaders,
community organizations and, since 2024, Black businesses as well.
It takes time and diligence to identify Black organizations across the state, learn about their work, and
ensure their readiness to receive funds. We are elated that we have been able to support 117 grantees so
far. One recipient wrote, “Thank you for this extraordinary honor. Your trust — and the decision to make this
support unrestricted — is an act of radical generosity and solidarity. It allows us to lead without constraint,
plan with con昀椀dence, and dream beyond survival.” We have also sponsored Black community organizations
hosting events like concerts, conferences, and arts festivals.
Our audacious goal is, over time, to fund every Black-led organization in Washington state. Our mantra is
that “Everyone will be funded.” It’s a matter of when, not if. As we 昀椀nd you, and as we have the resources,
we will invest.
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