Organizations funded by Q3 grants are opening doors to economic empowerment in under-resourced communities.
We’ve awarded 31 grants totaling more than $2.5 million this quarter to exceptional community-based organizations. All of them are working hard and dreaming big, creating new pathways to economic opportunity in under-resourced communities.
Chief Seattle Club and National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders (NALCAB) are perfect examples, both from our Enterprise Development portfolio. Enterprise Development funds work that drives entrepreneurship and provides ownership, jobs, and training to people who have been denied these opportunities in the past.
Chief Seattle Club connects American Indians/Alaska Natives to good jobs through arts and healing
Based in Seattle, Chief Seattle Club is dedicated to supporting homeless American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) by providing health care, mental health, and legal aid. Its work offers spiritual and physical benefits that are invaluable to its members. The Club will use a three-year, $250,000 grant to launch and establish Native Works, an emerging social enterprise aimed at building pathways to good jobs for AI/AN people.
The model is simple. Native Works builds on the Club’s existing Native arts program, which helps its members use artistic expression as a form of healing and recovery. Native Works will offer its members an opportunity to market quality, authentic Native arts and products at Seattle’s Pike Place Market. They’ll receive job training, work experience, and a modest income, increasing their confidence, entrepreneurial skills, and ability to reach self-sufficiency.
NALCAB promotes small business investment in Latino and immigrant communities
NALCAB, headquartered in San Antonio, is a network of over 100 nonprofit community-development and asset-building organizations. NALCAB advances economic opportunity and builds assets for Latino families, leaders, and communities. A two-year, $400,000 grant will fund work to provide capital access for Latino small-business owners in our region who are operating in often challenging political and civil rights environments.
NALCAB’s strategy is to strengthen its network, infrastructure, and capacity to promote the critical economic role of Latinos and immigrant communities in the Northwest and across the nation. NALCAB aims to create a healthy and more sustainable environment for Latino small-business owners through policy advocacy, technical support, training for Latino nonprofit professionals, and peer-to-peer engagement.
